THE STARTING LINE 2021--published by Student Life at Washington University in St. Louis by WashUStudentLife

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4 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

A letter from the editor

A welcome from Student Life’s editor-in-chief to this year’s issue of ‘The Starting Line’ Matthew Friedman | Editor-in-Chief A stark realization hit me as I sat at a cramped desk on my first day of in-person summer internship work on a steamy July Thursday. It was not related to one of the half-dozen Excel spreadsheets that teased me from the screen of my desktop, nor was it relevant to any of the other multitude of tasks I should have been doing. Instead, my mind had wandered to a much scarier proposition: We were now closer to 2022 than 2020. 2022 has long seemed fake. It just has not felt real. It’s a year that exists atop resumés and in obnoxious corners of WebSTAC. It’s a year that for so long represented the future, the symbol of a life far away. ‘I’ll know what I’m doing with my life by then,’ I recall telling myself confidently, much too confidently. I say much too confidently because, well, 2022 is almost here, and yet I have encountered none of the certainty, stability or other -ties I had imagined I would by that year. I look at a calendar and have no idea what life will look like six months or a year from now, once 2022 is a reality and not just a figment of an overly optimistic imagination. What I do know, I suppose, is what life was like six months or a year ago, when 2022 was further away, the equivalent of a paper due in a week instead of one due in 36 hours. Occasionally, thinking back on what life was like

makes me sad. I consider the decisions I’ve made—most good, a few not-sogood—and I wonder what life would be like had I done something differently. I sometimes wish for a time-turner that could return me to various moments of my young world. Not that I would necessarily make different choices. I’d just have more information, more good questions to ask and more insight into the future to come. So like many Student Life editors-in-chief before me, I have collected information I think it’s good to have before heading into your first year at Washington University. Some of you may find this advice helpful, while others have probably heard similar sentiments hundreds of times before. I’ve done my best to think of things that are concrete and not too cheesy, though I bet some points will toe that line: 1. Not that you would, but don’t let the advice you’re reading from me now be the only advice you get as you start your time in college. In fact, do not let any one person’s advice be what guides you on its own. Think about the people you admire or look up to and ask them questions or go to them for help. There is no one right way to be a college student. Weigh different perspectives with many grains of salt and lean on the people you trust. 2. Don’t buy a mini-fridge before coming to campus. You don’t need

it. And if you do need it, there will be opportunities on campus during orientation to buy it. You can also join buying and selling groups on Facebook or GroupMe to find lightly used stuff for cheap. 3. Explore dining hall options beyond the half and half. You’ll probably hear lots of older Wash. U. students talk about half and halves: it’s fried chicken tenders and either french fries or vegetables. I’ll say it, too: Half and halves are great. But there are lots of great options beyond half and halves, and it’s easy to become reliant on the chicken. So indulge in moderation. 4. Go to your professors’ office hours! It’s a great way to get to know them outside the classroom and ask questions about the work you’re doing, the work they’ve done, or anything else. 5. Get off campus as much as you can. By providing for all your immediate needs the University makes it very easy for you to never leave and get to know St. Louis, so this can be hard sometimes, but it’s worth it. Take advantage of the University-provided free U-passes to take the bus and the Metro—many lines near campus run every 15 minutes, making travel across the city easier than you think. You can save lots of money by avoiding ride-shares! 6. Go for walks and call the people you care about. It’s so easy to get caught up in your life at Wash. U. that

you let the other relationships lag behind. Even if it only lasts from your dorm to the DUC, a call to a family member or old friend every once in a while can mean a lot. 7. I’m a bit biased on this one, but I think you should read Student Life. We publish online and in print on Thursdays and our work is a great way to stay in touch with what’s happening in the community. 8. Push yourself to explore new things and go out of your comfort zone, but also be kind to yourself when things do not work out. There will be times when you do not do your best, but that is not a reflection of who you are. The world is tough and the world is not fair, so taking a step back to try and give yourself some perspective can be useful. 9. Get food from U City Grille: great food, cheap prices. And no, they did not pay me to write that. With that sagely last bit of wisdom, I present to you Starting Line, the Student Life orientation guide. From a recap of the last year in activism and admissions to recommendations of things to look forward to on campus, this special edition of the Washington University campus newspaper has what you need to get your time here off to the right start. Enjoy reading, and good luck with your experience here! Best, Matthew

Our 2021-2022 Staff Matthew Friedman Editor-in-Chief editor@studlife.com Jayla Butler Em McPhie Ted Moskal Isabella Neubauer Managing Editors

Grady Nance Clara Richards Senior Sports Editors sports@studlife.com

Ani Kesanapally Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editor

Tammy Dunsford Advertising Sales Manager dunsfordt@wustl.edu

JJ Coley Gracie Hime Senior Cadenza Editors cadenza@studlife.com

HN Hoffmann Kamala Madireddi Jaden Satenstein Senior Multimedia Editors

Copyright © 2021 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is a financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. Our newspaper is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent the views of the Washington University administration.

Julia Robbins Orli Sheffey Senior News Editors news@studlife.com

Jade Leslie Sarah Wang Senior Design Editors design@studlife.com

Olivia Poolos Senior Scene Editor scene@studlife.com

Brian Cui Curran Neenan Senior Photo Editors photo@studlife.com

Reilly Brady Jamila Dawkins Senior Forum Editors forum@studlife.com Vivienne Chang Senior Engagement Editor

JJ Coley Grady Nance Senior Copy Editors copy@studlife.com

Sabrina Spence Senior Social Media Editor Nathan Springman Senior Web Editor Grace Kennard News Editor Adrienne Levin Coleman General Manager a.coleman@studlife. com

Cover Design Sarah Wang

Layout Design Jade Leslie Sarah Wang

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Table of Contents 6

Class of 2025 comes to WU

Greek Life and the police

involved with activism 24 Staying Recommendations for being active community members

What the admissions process was like

A recap of last year’s campus activism

St. Louis entertainment venues Where you’ll find places for fun off campus

map 10 Campus Finding your way around the University

WU sports primer 28 Your Getting to know a top Division III sports program

What you need to know

to competition 30 Return Student-athletes are planning to rekindle their community

Things to anticipate

through the seasons 34 WU Campus in the cold and warm

Imposter syndrome

Students, faculty and staff provide advice

to know about 36 Resources From mental health to mutual aid

Disorientation guide

Saving money in college

the staff 38 Meet Short bios about the people who produce StudLife

Learning the Wash. U. lingo

One senior discusses things to look forward to

What you might not learn during orientation

How to make use of student discounts in St. Louis

Welcome Class of 2025 The University Libraries are here to support your academic success. We offer: •

Vast collections of books—including textbooks—and journals found onsite and online

•

Expert, helpful subject librarians ready to assist with your research needs

•

Numerous remote resources including offcampus database access, research guides, and 24/7 chat help

•

Virtual book talks, workshops, film screenings, speakers, and other events

FOR MORE INFO VISIT library.wustl.edu/students

Fall campus programming

Lots is up in the air about what to expect

6 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Class of 2025 arrives on campus following unprecedented admissions cycle Sydney Crump | Contributing Reporter For the incoming class of 2025, applying to Washington University looked much different than previous years. As students navigated mostly remote learning from the end of their junior year to the end of high school, they also had to adapt to pandemic-related changes in the college admissions process. From a new test-optional policy to the opportunity to submit a 90 second video to virtual campus visits, the unprecedented admissions cycle yielded more applicants, a lower acceptance rate and a higher number of students accepting the University’s offer of admission. With the pandemic making it significantly more difficult for students to take the typically-required ACT or SAT, the University, joining more than 1,600 institutions, implemented a test-optional policy for the 2020-2021 application cycle, allowing students to choose whether or not test scores would be considered with their application. “We knew that with COVID-19 impacting test availability that a lot of students were not going to be able to take the SAT or ACT or if they had taken it and planned to take it again, they weren’t going to be able to do that,” Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Admissions Emily Almas said. Applicants like Kendra Williams, an incoming freshman from Houston, Texas, were relieved at the University’s decision to go test-optional. “The fact that Wash. U. went test optional last year really helped me because I do have testing anxiety, so my scores don’t reflect my abilities as a student,” Williams said. Moreover, with 33,634 applicants—the most applicants the University has ever gotten—it was less likely prospective students would have the opportunity to participate in an interview. As an alternative or supplement to interviews, the University created the option for applicants to submit a 90 second video about themselves, allowing admissions officers to see students more personally. “One student took us on a

walking tour of her neighborhood, the pandemic mostly impacted through the Wash. U. bookstore,” and she talked about why her the number of colleges to which Runiewicz said. neighborhood was so important she applied. The larger incoming freshmen to her and what it reflected about “I definitely chose to apply to class also resulted in an increase who she was,” Almas said. more schools just because I’ve of the amount of financial aid Leena Rai, an incoming freshbeen hearing about how it’s so being distributed to students. man from Fulton, Maryland. said much harder to get into school “We have more students receivthat the option to submit a video now that schools have impleing financial aid this year than we was a positive addition to the mented test-optional policies,” did over the last couple of years,” application process. Koneru said. This year, 5,685 Runiewicz said. “The average “I think getting the chance to more students applied to Washamount of financial aid per stuhave that face-to-face moment ington University than last year. dent is higher than it’s been over with an admissions officer is Not only did the college admisthe last few years.” really important,” Rai said. sions process change during the Many of the changes the UniThough Rai prefers the in-per2020-2021 application cycle, but versity made during the 2020-21 son components of the college so did some aspects of the finanapplication cycle to adapt to admissions process, she believes cial aid application. The UniverCOVID-19 will continue into the that for some students attending sity’s financial aid team created next application cycle. a Zoom meeting is more realisa special circumstances form As some students continue to tic than flying to every campus. for both applicants and current face barriers to standardized However, after being on Zoom students. testing, the University extended all day for school and then in the “We created a simpler, more its test-optional policy to the evening for college webinars and streamlined way for students 2021-2022 cycle. Webinars information sessions, Rai was and families to request reevaluand virtual events will likely also fatigued from so much virtual ation of their financial assistance continue, in addition to in-person activity. awards,” Assistant Vice Provost campus visits and meetings. “I would do school all day on and Director of Student Financial Runiewicz said that students Zoom for seven to eight hours Services Mike Runiewicz said. have enjoyed the opportunity and then at 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. With an increased need for to choose whether to attend I would have these college inforreliable technology during the webinars live or watch recorded mation sessions,” Rai said. pandemic, in the fall of 2020, the webinars on their own time over Williams relied on many of the University gave students receivthe last year. In the upcoming virtual college tours because ing need-based aid the option admissions cycle, he expects financial reasons kept her from to keep their $500 technology the financial aid office to offer a being able to visit campuses in grant (if they had one) or use a variety of modalities for meetings person. $1115 grant through the campus and information sessions. “I did do virtual tours, especially bookstore. Incoming freshmen “I would expect that we will be to Wash. U.,” Williams said. “It who qualify were given the same talking to students face to face, really didn’t do it justice of how options when they were admitted we will be talking to students live beautiful campus is, and the size, in the spring. via Zoom or via webinars and variety of everything.” “Every single student who we’ll be recording content for In this past year’s application qualified for need-based aid then students to access on their own,” cycle, the University received an received an $1115 computer Runiewicz said. increased number of applications grant that had to be used directly and the models used to predict yield rates were not as predictive as normal years. For the University, this resulted in an incoming freshman class larger than typical years. “We historically look at data and use models to anticipate how many students are going to say ‘yes,’ and with COVID-19 those models were not as predictive,” Almas said. Despite an increased number of admitted students, the acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was just 13%, compared to 16% for the class of 2024. Shriya Koneru, an incoming freshman from St. Louis, CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE Missouri, believes Goodie bags await prospective students in the Sumers Welcome Center.

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

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How two movements changed the campus conversation on Greek Life and WUPD While COVID-19 curbed many in-person gatherings over the last year, Washington University student activists turned to Instagram to advocate for changes on campus. From sharing more than 130 stories from survivors of sexual violence on @metoo_washu to sharing testimonials of negative experiences with the University’s mental health services on @stillwaiting_washu to organizing a survey to gather disaggregated data of student identity categories to more accurately portray the student body on @disaggregatewashu, social media has served as an important platform to spread awareness and organize While many new movements emerged during the pandemic, here’s a recap of the organizing, growth and changes that two prominent movements—Abolish Greek Life (AGL) and Abolish WUPD—spurred throughout the 2020-2021 academic year. Abolish Greek Life (AGL) It began with an Instagram post on @blackatwashu last July: A member of Chi Omega anonymously submitted allegations of racism against a fellow sorority member, noting that sorority

leadership did nothing after receiving reports of the repeated racist incidents. Within two days of the post, which garnered nearly 2,000 likes and 200 comments, many members of Chi Omega and the executive board announced their decision to deactivate from the sorority. When the Chi Omega executive board attempted to post their official statement announcing a mass deactivation, they said the national organization locked them out of their Instagram account, prohibiting them from posting about their decision. Instead, many Chi Omega members posted the chapter’s statement on their personal Instagram stories and asked other students to circulate it online. “The change we need cannot be achieved through reform,” the statement read. “We hope this is a call to action for other organizations in Greek Life to reflect on the racism that is inherently part of Greek Life and how much harm they are inflicting on BIPOC through their complicit participation.” The swiftness of Chi Omega’s mass deactivation was emblematic of the movement as a whole. By mid-August, @aglwashu had posted nearly 80 testimonials from stu-

dents and alumni about their firsthand negative experiences with sororities and fraternities, pointing to larger systems of racism, sexism, classism, heteronormativity and interpersonal violence within Greek Life. In the fall, Campus Life reported that more than 50% of fraternity and sorority members had permanently deactivated from their organizations. The University, however, made it clear from the movement’s onset that it had no intention of abolishing Greek Life on campus. On a Zoom panel last July hosted by Student Union, administrators said they planned to focus on reforming rather than abolishing Greek Life, despite many students insisting that such an exclusionary system cannot be reformed. In the fall, Campus Life created a Co-Curricular Advisory Board for students to make recommendations on how to make the co-curricular experience more equitable, broadening the discussion from Greek Life to all student groups on campus. After its first meeting, 13 student members who support the abolition of Greek Life resigned in protest out of 30 original members, citing the conflation of the systemic oppression inherent in Greek Life to other student

Orli Sheffey & Grace Kennard News Editors

groups on campus, a lack of diverse representation on the board and the University’s adamant stance against the abolition of Greek Life. Despite a lack of support from the University, Greek Life organizations continued to work to reduce membership and disband. On Oct. 4, Pi Beta Phi became the first chapter to officially disband, followed by Alpha Omicron Pi on Jan. 21. Kappa Delta and Delta Gamma attempted to relinquish their chapters but failed to yield results due to resistance from their national organizations. Other organizations such as Beta Theta Pi and Chi Omega deactivated en masse but are still active on campus. Prior to the spring recruitment cycle, the AGL movement picked up, aiming to deter freshmen from rushing. An affiliate account of @aglwashu called @whyidropped_washu hosted a panel in February, the night after the Women's Panhellenic Association informational panel, to expose the harms perpetuated by Greek Life and provide alternative options to Greek Life on campus. On Feb. 26, approximately 100 students gathered at Brookings Quadrangle for a rally to abolish Greek Life, after which they marched to Fraternity Row to demand the dehousing of fraternities. The AGL movement ultimately did not achieve its full goal this year; there are still active sororities and fraternities on campus. But more than half of sorority and fraternity members deactivated by the fall of 2020, two chapters officially disbanded and significantly fewer freshmen rushed this past spring than usual. Abolish WUPD

ORLI SHEFFEY | STUDENT LIFE

Students John Harry Wagner (left) and James Cevasco (right) lead protestors down fraternity row as they called for the abolition of Greek Life.

Following the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent nationwide push to reexamine the relationship between race and criminal justice in America, and in many instances defund and abolish police departments, Wash. U. Students for Abolition was formed. Over the last year, the group of stu-

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE dent activists has organized vigils, protests, educational workshops and more. In their Instagram bio, they wrote that they are a group of “WashU students dedicated to ensuring a safe campus for all by ending police presence on campus.” Their first student-led march and protest took place in October, where activists called on administrators to defund and abolish WUPD. After student addresses and a die-in--where an organizer read aloud the names of some of the many victims of police brutality in St. Louis — organizers led students from Brookings Hall to the WUPD office on the South 40 carrying a banner stating “WUPD protects property, not people.” The group also held a vigil earlier in the year for the late Breonna Taylor, who was killed in her own home in Louisville, Ky., by police officers after a botched raid. Organizers said that the vigil had a greater attendance than the first protest and urged students to critically examine not only the system of policing nationally, but specifically in St. Louis given the highly segregated nature of the area. “We would never have had to have a vigil for Breonna Taylor if we were having the real conversations about what policing does to our communities and to Black and Brown people across the U.S., and particularly in a city as segregated as St. Louis,” then-junior Nana Kusi, an organizer for Wash. U. Students for Abolition, said. Kusi also encouraged students who did not fully support Wash. U. for Abolition to still attend and learn from their events. In addition to these protests and vigils, Wash. U. Students for Abolition supported other groups and student activists. Specifically, the group promoted a campus protest for Walter Wallace, who was shot and killed by Philadelphia police officers in the fall; they later stood in solidarity with organizer Sabrina Sayed, who was fined $1516 for spray painting the campus’s George Washington statue with the word “colonizer” during the protest. @wu4abolition posted on Instagram in support of Sayed, writing that “monuments have meaning” and promoted a petition that garnered over 550 signatures as well as a GoFundMe page to help Sayed pay the University’s fine.

The George Washington statue took on greater significance at a later demonstration paying tribute to Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo, two people of color killed by police officers. As students placed posters and a “Justice for Daunte” banner on the statue, dozens of students opened umbrellas to protect their anonymity. During this time, the University’s newly formed public safety committee examined WUPD’s role on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods and was one of multiple initiatives created to advance racial equity on campus. The University released the committee’s findings in early spring of this year, recommending the removal of WUPD officers on mental health calls as well as increased transparency and accountability. Many committee members and student activists, including members of Wash. U. Students for Abolition, were dissatisfied with the report. “Mental health, as an aspect of student safety, isn’t just about individualized crisis situations,” Wash. U. Students for Abolition member then-sophomore Bri Chandler wrote. “It’s about creating a culture in which students feel secure and healthy… It can take weeks for a student to book a few therapy sessions at Habif. It’s a problem that our mental health services are understaffed while WUPD is actively hiring.” Despite students’ concerns about the committee’s recommendations, the University announced at the end of the academic year that they would be implemented in the fall. WUPD will begin to have a smaller role in handling mental health crises on campus, falling short of the calls to disarm, defund and disband the entity that many activists have had on campus. Wash. U. Students for Abolition continues to educate and advocate on campus from hosting information sessions like “A History of Policing” and “Abolition 101: The Framework of Abolition” to organizing demonstrations throughout the year like one for Daunte Wright in April.

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10 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

ﬁnding your way around

The Village

Wash. U.

Frat Row

McKelvey

5 8

12 10

Sam Fox

7 4.

5 15

South 40

DUC

This building includes a main campus dining hall, lots of study spaces and the ofﬁces of many organizations, from Student Union and Student Life to the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and the Ofﬁce for International Students and Scholars.

Graham Chapel

Elizabeth Danforth Butterfly Garden

Sumers Rec Center

The main athletics facility on campus, featuring sports courts and a large gym with extensive workout equipment.

2. Francis Olympic Field

10. Holmes Lounge

A key home to many sports teams, from soccer and football to track. The University also holds other events on the ﬁeld, such as 2021 commencement this May.

Mudd Field

A central campus location where you'll ﬁnd games of Spikeball or pickup ultimate Frisbee, friends relaxing under a tree or an opportunity to catch a photo of the sun setting.

13.

Sumers Welcome Center

14.

Kemper Art Museum

15.

One of the more fancily-decorated places on campus, Holmes Lounge is a great place to sit with friends to do work. In the past, Jazz at Holmes has brought fun music to the lounge every Thursday night.

BD The main dining hall on the South 40, BD is a popular place for ﬁrst-year students to hang out, meet friends, cram for an exam or just get a bite to eat. Don't call it the Bear's Den.

Stanley’s Sushi & Tea House

This recently-updated dining option sits in the basement of an engineering building and offers things like sushi and bubble tea.

The welcome center is where the admissions ofﬁce is, so you'll often see prospective students and their families wandering around as they helplessly look for this building. Like Schpav, it's a glass building on the East End.

The Kemper (yes, it's named after actress Ellie Kemper's family) is a campus art museum that has featured the work of artists like Ai Weiwei in recent years and is worth some time to explore.

Olin Library

This hulking structure is home to Whispers, a student-favorite café, and a wide variety of study spaces, from shared classrooms to silent zones.

This two-winged building hosts many administrative ofﬁces, including the Chancellor's ofﬁce. Brookings Quad, which is right next to the hall, is where the WILD concert is held each year. This glass-windowed building is home to a dining hall that serves Ted Drewes custard in addition to a variety of other items. Students enjoy sitting outside "Schpav" to do work as they soak up the St. Louis sun.

A quintessential South 40 meeting place. Fun Fact: the Roman numeral for four is incorrect on the clock!

This church-like building just past the DUC is where you'll go for speaker events, a cappella concerts and other types of campus programming.

Brookings Hall

Pavilion 12. Schnuck Shnucks Pavilion

The Clock Tower

A great place to stop by on the walk back to the South 40 after classes to get a break from the stress and chaos of the world.

11.

16.

Mallinckrodt / Bookstore / Edison Theatre One of the ugliest buildings on campus, Mallinckrodt is home to many important campus institutions, from the Subway sandwich shop to Edison Theatre and the campus bookstore.

Map by Sarah Wang | Student Life

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

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Acronyms you need to know Learning the Wash. U. lingo AAA: Asian American Association AAA (referred to as “Triple A”) is a student group for Asian Americans, international students and people interested in learning about the Asian experience in America.

ABS: Association of Black Students ABS works to create and support a community of Black students at Washington University in the areas of social, emotional, and academic health, while providing the tools and resources they need to be successful.

AC: Athletic Complex The AC, also referred to as Sumers or the Rec Center, is open to all students and facilitates personal and small group training.

AIGA: American Institute of Graphic Arts WU’s chapter of AIGA fosters the design community on campus by providing social, educational and professional opportunities to students passionate about design and illustration.

AISA: American Indian Student Association AISA is a student-led group of Native and non-Native students who are committed to learning, preserving and sharing the cultures of American Indian, Alaska Native and other indigenous communities.

ASA: African Students Association

The African Students Association’s mission is to engage ACAC: A Cappella Advisory Council the student body and promote political, social, cultural and ecoACAC coordinates the audition nomic awareness of the African process for WU’s 13 a cappella content. groups.

BD: Bear’s Den

DUC: Danforth University Center

BD is the student dining hall on the South 40.

The DUC houses a dining hall, Student Union, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Harvey Media Center, the Career Center, Student Life and more.

CDI: Center for Diversity and Inclusion The Center for Diversity and Inclusion supports and advocates for undergraduate, graduate and professional students from underrepresented and/or marginalized populations, creates collaborative partnerships with campus and community partners and promotes dialogue and social change among all students.

CS40: Congress of the South 40 The Congress of the South 40 acts as the programming body for students living on the South 40. It strives to improve the life of residents by providing a variety of ways for them to participate in their residential areas, play a leadership role on campus and get involved in the University and St. Louis communities.

EST: Emergency Support Team The Washington University Emergency Support Team is a student-run volunteer first responder emergency medical service for the Danforth campus, active 24/7 during the school year.

FYC: First Year Center The First Year Center supports new students through their transition into the Washington University community to assure they build and sustain their academic and personal goals.

IFC: Interfraternity Council The Washington University Interfraternity Council serves as the governing body for WU’s twelve social fraternities.

Change is in the air, and we’re all excited to be back on campus this fall!

Vice Dean Erin McGlothlin and the Arts & Sciences College Office are here for you, with advice on academic advising, programs, and policies. If you have questions you can visit us: In person Cupples II

By phone 314-935-6800

We can’t wait to see you!

Online

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE KSA: Korean Students Association KSA is dedicated to fostering community and understanding about Korean culture.

LIVE: Leaders in Interpersonal Violence Education LIVE is a student group that seeks to educate the Washington University community surrounding topics of interpersonal violence. LIVE oversees WU’s programming related to Take Back the Night, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month and other related events.

MENAA: Middle Eastern and North African Association MENAA fosters community among Middle Eastern and North African students at WU.

OISS: Office for International Students and Scholars OISS offers services including immigration advising, orientation to the WashU and St. Louis communities and other programs to help students thrive academically and socially and engage them in U.S. life and culture.

OSS: Office of Student Success OSS facilitates the Deneb STARS program and offers resources such as the Student Success Fund.

SARAH: Sexual Assault and Rape Anonymous Helpline SARAH is a 24/7 student-run confidential helpline that offers counseling on topics including sexual assault, sexual harassment, intimate partner and sexual violence, relationships, mental health and sexual health.

SPB: Social Programming Board SPB facilitates special events on campus such as speakers, comedy shows, concerts, happy hours and WILD.

STS: Student Technology Services STS, a department within the WashU Information Technology division made up of full-time staff and student employees, provides technology support to the University community.

SU: Student Union As WU’s student government body, SU allocates the student activity fee, advocates for student needs and develops initiatives and programs. SU is made up of an executive board, a treasury and a senate.

USHIB: University Sexual Harassment Investigation Board

PAD: Performing Arts Department The USHIB is a body of faculThe Performing Arts Department houses the Drama and Dance majors and minors. The PAD’s season consists of four plays, including a musical, 2 dance performances and an annual playwriting festival.

PLTL: Peer-Lead Team Learning PLTL supplements large lecture courses through study groups of 8-10 students led by a peer leader. PLTL groups are available for Calculus I, II, & III, General Chemistry I & II, Introductory General Chemistry I & II and Physics I & II.

RPM: Residential Peer Mentor RPMs facilitate group learning hours for Calculus and General Chemistry courses throughout the week in classrooms and other public spaces in residential colleges on the South 40. All WashU students are welcome to visit a RPM session in any residential college regardless of where they live.

RSVP: Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center The RSVP Center supports students who have experienced relationship and sexual violence through couseling and other resouces. It also facilitates prevention education and programming.

ty, staff and students trained to investigate and help resolve complaints involving reports of sexual assault as well as some reports of sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.

WPA: Women’s Panhellenic Association WPA is the governing body of WU’s seven social sororities.

WUGWU: WashU Undergraduate & Graduate Workers Union WUGWU is a union of undergraduate and graduate workers at the University. As a part of a broader effort for increased racial and economic justice, WUGWU is currently campaigning for improved healthcare and free childcare for workers, a $17 hourly minimum wage and more.

WUSA: Washington University Student Associate WUSAs are upperclass student leaders who assist new students with their transition to WU. They serve as orientation leaders during Bear Beginnings and then as peer mentors for the student’s entire first year.

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14 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Navigating normalcy When I was informed that I am a part of the only class, now seniors, at Wash. U. to have experienced a full year on campus, my conception of time completely shattered. That existential crisis aside, it feels good to be getting back to normal, and in honor of normalcy I bring you a humble list of things to do during a more typical year—one we’re all hoping to have starting this fall. There is no way to cover everything worth seeing and doing on campus, so think of this as an idiosyncratic guide to the stuff I am excited to see come back, that some of you might enjoy as well. Some advice for first-years: accept invitations to shows you might hate, wander around campus, peek into unfamiliar buildings and spend as little time in your dorm room as possible. You never know what you might come across. Campus Comedy For my money, the best live perfor-

mance shows on campus are those put on by the improv and sketch comedy groups. Comedy simply does not work in a virtual format, especially in improv where the audience itself is often part of the show. I would encourage you to check out each group and especially be sure to catch the Kids on Campus sketch shows each semester. Olin Level B Basement Most of the physical study space in Olin library has remained closed this past year, which is why it is perhaps my most eagerly anticipated opening. Its Level B, the library's lowest basement, is as quiet as the top floors but twice as desolate. The aura of a late night study session is like a Benedictine monastery at 3am: gloomy, dusty and silent. As intimidating as it sounds, there is no better study spot on campus. KWUR Live Music I am not the biggest fan of live music, but nothing makes you feel

A Wash. U. senior recalls all the best events and places of a typical year on campus Thomas Humphrey | Staff Writer

more like a hip college student than attending one of their live shows. Held in a basement off campus, the campus radio station hosts local music shows, sometimes headed by Wash. U. musicians. Shows feature a variety of genres, some of which will not be your cup of tea, but which are always unique. Danforth University Center The DUC has not actually been closed this past year, but with limited seating and plexiglass barriers it simply was not the same. At its best, the DUC has the best food on campus (fight me Village defenders), and is a basecamp and rotating social club for whoever needs to stay on campus all day. It is also a great place to post up midafternoon with a coffee and cinnamon roll. WILD Walk in, lay down—the acronym is not really an accurate description, but it is a fun event nonetheless— Carly Rae Jepson’s performance my freshman year was truly unforgettable. This event is not really about music though, it is about comradery; this is the one event where I felt most at one with the Wash. U. student body, where everyone comes together in one spot for one night. From early in the morning, campus feels like an alternate dimension, and as night falls everyone converges on Brookings Quad into a sweaty, hazy crowd of partial awareness. It's a beautiful mess.

Matthew A. Grossman Museum Located on the first floor of Rudolph Hall, this menagerie of minerals is one of Wash. U.’s best kept secrets. It has got rocks that glow, asteroids, colorful crystals and intriguing fossils. I will not pretend to know what makes the rocks glow, what gives the crystals their color or what the fossilized creatures evolved into, but I do know that looking at pretty rocks is fun. The rock museum was still open last year, but incredibly underutilized. I encourage you to stop by and ogle the minerals between your newly in-person classes. Late Night Bear’s Den On Friday and Saturday nights, Bear's Den on the South 40 stays open late—for people who live on the 40 (as I did my first two years), it is the end to all nights. Sit there for a few hours and you will see people head out for the night and return with an appetite. It is Wash. U.’s own midnight diner and the perfect place to recap the evening over chicken fingers and french fries. It is a nexus of bizarre events. I vividly remember a post-WILD organized political debate I participated in some time past 1 a.m., and an impromptu birthday party with chocolate milk instead of cake. BD is the place you end up, not where you plan to go, but it's always a great way to end the night.

CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE

Bazaar, the annual multicultural celebration held by Ashoka, is one of many events that could return to the DUC this year under relaxed COVID restrictions.

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Everybody’s an imposter Jamila Dawkins | Senior Forum Editor You don’t belong here. It’s okay! Neither do I. I spent my senior year of high school stumbling from application to application, interview to interview, waiting to be found out. Any occasion that required me to list my accomplishments felt like a deceit. Getting into Washington University only gave me a larger pond in which to be the only fraudulent fish. Imposter syndrome, first coined as the “imposter phenomenon,” is the kind of term that has both helped me to identify the insecurities in my life and highlighted them. What was before a faint, non-specific feeling of not belonging had solidified into a tangible term. Imposter: I’m the fraud here, and worse, everyone else knows it. Imposter syndrome was first studied in 1978 in relation to high-achieving women’s feelings of self-doubt/inadequacy in their male-dominated fields. Further research, though, made it clear that there’s no gender limit on this feel-

ing, and even as race, sexuality, mental illness and family history intersect with the phenomenon in their own unique and awful ways, most anybody can be haunted by the little voice that promises you that someone else deserves your spot. Absurd, isn’t it? We work so hard to be achievers, all the while terrified that we will, in fact, achieve things—or rather, that this achievement will be the one that makes everyone wake up to just how inadequate you are. In my case, this lurking fear fuels my procrastination, which leaves me to panic my way through last-minute deadlines; then, in the case that things work out well in the end, I convince myself that they did so out of luck, thus fueling more feelings of inadequacy, making me procrastinate and reinforcing the endless hell cycle. Suddenly, I’m four semesters into college and on most days, I can’t pinpoint a single thing I worked on that I let myself be proud of. In those moments, I remember the advice a senior

gave me in my freshman year. A few weeks after freshman orientation, I was invited to a party. There, I met a group of people who were everything I had expected myself to be by my freshman year: movie characters, wonder-people, witty and charismatic upperclassmen who sparkled in all the ways I wished I would. During introductions, I admitted to feeling like an imposter on campus and watched them nod along in what (at the time) seemed like polite empathy. Freshman year of college was, for me, overwhelming in ways that my freshman year of high school wasn’t. In high school, upperclassmen were just older and marginally cooler versions of what I’d eventually be. Now, stepping into college, upperclassmen seemed like “real adults” entering the “real world”—people who knew what a mortgage was and didn’t feel the need to ask an adult’s permission before making a decision. In contrast, I fell short in every way—I didn’t believe they

could understand how I felt. After the party, one of the seniors who arranged the party reached out to me in a text. They’d sympathized with what I’d said about feeling like an imposter, and wanted to reach out to let me know that they’d felt the same way throughout much of their time at Wash. U. Knowing how it feels, they wanted to reach out and share their perspective. And they said they wished someone had told them in their first year what they told me: that I did belong, that I had earned the right to be proud every now and then about the things I worked hard for. First came a feeling of being seen. Someone I looked up to had gone out of their way to share a few kind words, to validate me and my self-doubt. But the larger realization was that if this senior felt like an imposter, and the others who nodded along at the party did too, then who else did?

see EVERYBODY, pg. 32

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

‘Admissions doesn’t make mistakes’: Coping with imposter syndrome in the transition to Washington University Kasey Noss | Staff Reporter In the fall of 2020, students at Washington University were confined to their dorms, Zoom pods and isolated sections of dining halls. The restrictions made it difficult to carry out many of the social activities that make the University’s workload more bearable, not least among them the ability to seek in-person help with classes, whether from professors or from other students in study groups. The University’s student body was no stranger to imposter syndrome—the term used to describe a person who believes they are somehow inadequate, incompetent or unqualified, despite evidence to the contrary—when COVID-19 struck. But the intensely isolating conditions engendered by the virus only amplified this issue. “Imposter syndrome is so prevalent at Wash. U.,” Miri Goodman, former president of the Sophomore Class Council, said. “COVID made it so much more difficult for students to get resources, or to see where they compared with other students, or even to just collaborate with other students, which Wash. U. really likes to

emphasize. [Wash. U. is] a lot less competitive and a lot more helpful, and students weren’t able to get that outlet because they couldn’t really work together.” While the incoming freshmen will thankfully arrive at a significantly more open version of the University, imposter syndrome will undoubtedly remain relevant. Studies suggest that roughly 70% of the population has struggled with imposter syndrome, including 20% of college students. Psychology professor Tim Bono, whose work focuses on positive psychology and college student development, said that imposter syndrome often arises when an initial attempt at a task does not produce the desired result. “Sometimes the conclusion that we draw from that is, ‘I’m not good enough to be here or I’m not talented in this area in the way that other people are,’” Bono said. For incoming freshmen and transfer students preparing for their first semester at Washington University, these doubts and anxieties may be especially prevalent. Imposter syndrome is “very common amongst first-years

CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE

An empty chair sits lonely by a bush on campus. especially, because a lot of us who wanting to present yourself a are here at Wash. U. were most certain way, and you don’t think likely one of the top in our class in you can do it,” Rodebaugh said. high school, got good grades [and] “So I see imposter syndrome tried really hard,” said former First- largely as something that can be Year Class Council VP of Public absorbed into the general idea of Relations Jo Palisoc, who joined social anxiety, but it is specific in Goodman in organizing a panel on that it tends to come up in people’s imposter syndrome last semester. jobs, or for students, in school, at a “We come to Wash. U. and all of place where they’re trying to show a sudden everyone’s just as smart that they’re competent or want to as we are,” Palisoc said. “We start present that they’re competent.” thinking to ourselves: ‘Everyone Although “imposter syndrome” else is so much smarter than me. refers to insecurities that reflect I’ve never met so many people imagined rather than real shortwho are so smart. It must have comings, the phenomenon may be been a fluke that I got in here.’ You amplified by external conditions. might think, ‘I hope no one finds For example, studies suggest first out how stupid I am. I don’t know generation college students are what I’m doing here.’ It’s very, very more likely to grapple with imcommon.” poster syndrome. Others suggest These kinds of anxious thoughts, that members of marginalized inherent to imposter syndrome, groups may be most at risk. are common in new situations. “People with social anxiety disorInitially coined by clinical psycholo- der have a distorted idea of other gists Pauline Clance and Suzanne people’s tendency to reject or Imes, the term imposter syndrome criticize them. That’s mostly true,” was used to describe the difficulRodebaugh said. “But one should ties women were facing as they not forget that some people in permeated the male-dominated this world are more likely to get workforce of the 1970s, particucriticism and rejection unfairly, and larly self-doubt and self-compardue to things they can’t control ison. themselves. Imposter syndrome “There’s no doubt that having really kind of highlights that part that kind of set of thoughts can of it.” lead to anxiety on the job, or in Imposter syndrome manifests other situations where you’re in different ways, and not all of trying to be confident,” said Tom them center around social anxiety Rodebaugh, a psychology proand the fear of not belonging or fessor who studies social anxiety being unqualified. For Goodman, disorder in adults. imposter syndrome had not even While the phrase “imposter been a concern before her arrival syndrome” has come to be used in at the University. broader contexts since then, anx“For me, it was never a question iety—specifically social anxiety— remains a central part of it. see IMPOSTER, pg. 32 “You feel social anxiety if you’re

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Following up on the Disorientation Guide Olivia Poolos | Senior Scene Editor In the spring of 2015, a campus-wide email was sent out to Washington University inboxes, saying “Prepare to be disoriented.” Following the killing of Freddie Gray, a 25 year-old Black man, at the hands of Baltimore police, as well as the police killing of 18-year old Michael Brown in Ferguson—just miles from Wash. U.’s campus—a group of students decided to examine the history and struggles of Wash U. student activists. Were they being heard? Was change ever implemented? Along with these questions, students published poems, advice guides and mental health resources. This year, with traditional orientation for new Wash. U. students just around the corner, I thought it would be interesting and informative to take a look at the 2015 “Disorientation Guide” and see what has changed and what hasn’t for

student activists on campus. “Administrators will wait you out,” reads the first bullet point under the Guide’s section titled “Tips for Working With/Around Administrators.” The Guide points out that for administrators, the easiest course of action—or rather, inaction—for dealing with student concerns is to wait for them to either “exhaust themselves or graduate.” The past couple of years on campus have been fraught with student-championed causes. From pushing to abolish the Greek Life system and WUPD to calling for the official unionization of undergraduate and graduate workers, students have given ample feedback to the University on what they’d like to see changed. These issues and causes, however, are not new. Washington Undergraduates and Graduates Working Union (WUGWU) was organized in

LOCATED TWO BLOCKS SOUTH OF THE SOUTH 40 RESIDENTIAL HALLS

2016, just after the Disorientation Guide was published. Since then, they have asked the University to be officially recognized as a union and for student workers to be paid a living wage of $17 per hour. Neither of those goals have been achieved despite multiple protests, negotiation and even, in 2019, the occupation of Brookings Quad. This means that students who joined the group as freshman during its first year saw effectively no change in wages or recognition when they graduated four years later. The Abolish Greek Life movement, which took off in the summer of 2020, has also faced significant administrative roadblocks in achieving its goals. An Instagram page entitled Abolish Greek Life WashU (@aglwashu) highlighted personal stories and general inequalities stemming from fraternities and sororities—from snide comments about race or socioeconomic status to feeling unsafe or experiencing sexual assault at Greek Life events. A survey from the WPA in 2018 highlighted the number of students in a sorority that had been affected by unwanted sexual conduct from students in fraternities. And the 2019 AAU Campus Climate Survey, conducted in 2019 revealed that over 15% of sexual assaults on campus occurred in fraternity housing. The sexual assault awareness group @metoo_washu jumped on this data, along with additional anecdotal evidence, to join calls to abolish Greek Life. In Feb. 2021, they organized a protest of their own, asking the University to do more in sexual assault prevention. The Disorientation Guide found that in the 2013-2014 school year, Wash. U. aligned with national averages of sexual assault on college campuses, with over 500 reports to SHS. In 2019, the Wash. U. publication The Source reported that “13 percent of all Washington University students indicated that they have experienced penetration or sexual touch-

ing involving physical force, inability to consent or stop what was happening, or attempted penetration by force, while attending the university. Comparatively, in 2015, 10.9 percent of all students reported similar contact.” While these numbers continued to align with national reported averages, they also provided proof of a continuing and surmounting problem in the community—particularly within Greek Life. The University has no current plans to abolish Greek Life, instead claiming they will reform the system and proposing potential committees to figure out next steps. The WUPD abolition movement has likewise seen their demands result in the formation of University committees. Student activists have asked for removal of WUPD during mental health calls, instead replacing officers with counselors or trained mental health professionals, and disarming the officers that patrol campus. They have also called for the University to invest in community resources, both on and off campus, instead of increased policing. The WUPD abolition movement gained attention and energy after the killings of unarmed Black men at the hands of police officers the summer of 2020. In response to the increased push for racial equality and police reform or defunding on campus, Chancellor Andrew Martin proposed new initiatives to take place the following year. As part of the set of initiatives, in Sept. 2020, the University formed a committee of students, faculty and staff to “examine the ecosystem of university services, including wellness, that exist to support safety on and around the Danforth Campus,” as well as “solicit feedback about how the university can best meet the safety needs of the diverse university community,” according to The Source. While such committees can be the first step to creating new policies, they can also take time, furthering the frustration

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

GRACE BRUTON | STUDENT LIFE A speaker addresses a 2018 Title Mine rally outside the Danforth University Center.

of student activists that want to see concrete change while they’re still attending the University. In March of 2021, six months after the initial formation of the committee, the report was released. The report gave no mention of disarming or defunding, instead recommending implementation of concrete and sustained opportunities for the Danforth Campus community to provide feedback on safety management and law

enforcement. The committee also recommended that WUPD be granted additional funding to have mental health crisis response workers on call 24/7 and increase publicity of safety procedures and systems. Student committee members and activists were dissatisfied, pointing out that the committee’s recommendations did not indicate actual administrative change. Committee member Lawton

Blanchard echoed the 2015 Disorientation Guide: “The committee’s whole thing is to have something to point at and say, ‘Look, we’re doing something, we’re responding to the student activism so that we can wait until students graduate and then immediately kill it and nip it in the bud,’ which is a very common trend with university organizing,” she told Student Life in March. Administrators argued that the committee was a necessary first step. “This is one piece of an ongoing process,” Stephanie Kurtzman, director of the Gephardt Institute and co-chair of the committee, said. “We really clearly recommended that this be a process essentially of continuous improvement.” However, even with the myriad administrative roadblocks that come with effecting largescale University-wide change, student activist groups have been able to obtain small victories. On July 1 of this year, the minimum hourly wage for campus employees and contractors increased to $15/hour, an increase that WUGWU had long fought for. The Abolish Greek Life

movement, despite a lack of strong administrative support, has seen campus culture start to change from the bottom-up. Only 220 students rushed sororities this year, almost half of the 431 students the year before. Additionally, in response to outcry against exclusion of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, the Women’s Panhellenic Association (WPA) got rid of the rush fee. While these are baby steps in the big picture of full, University-wide change, each march, email or meeting with the administration can contribute to achieving broader changes. “Know that there is a spectrum for how to go about enacting change,” the Disorientation Guide said, pointing out that there are multiple types of activism—from being on the ‘frontlines,’ meaning protesting or taking direct action, to sitting on aforementioned committees or panels. Both, the Guide claims, are needed to create change, chipping away at the obstacles which stand in the way of student activist goals.

20 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Olin’s latest and greatest. Cheers to the newest members of the Olin community! Alexandra Acevedo Amelia Adams Aisha Adedayo Minnatallah Ahmed Charles Albert Mohammed Ali Yenifer Alvarez Simar Anand Shira Aronow Ajmain Ashraf Rayna Auerbach Ria Bakhaya Riley Banvard Jay Batra Emily Berry Dax Braemer Marvin Brown Rex Burnham Anne Mairead Burwell Jennifer Campuzano James Carpinelli Ansh Chandra Vansh Chhibbar Cynthia Chong Abi Clapp Riley Clarke Emilia D’Aprile Amaya Daniels Lalo de Armas Cecilia Delgado Ali Devji Carlie Dobrinsky Gabriella Dorman Andrew Dotson Kenneth Duran Pace Edwards Oliver Every Case Fagan John Fakouri Sammy Falvey Emma Feirstein

Finn Feldeisen Joharis Figueroa Elianna Filivaa Ethan Fine Kaitlyn Fleckner Connor Fortenbery Arianwyn Frank Nacho Garcia Abby Geffin Danya Goldstein Isabel Goldstein Daniel Grafstein Ethan Gray Samuel Greco Jacob Griessel Matthew Grudzinski Rachel Hale Alice Han Dorothy Harbaugh Brett Harmon Edward Harycki Mary Haslett Sawyer Helzberg Grace Henderson Catalina Hirsch Avi Holzman Isabel Hoppmann Daniel Horn Veronica Hsu Angel Huang Abigale Ireland Nicole Jackson Ethan Jobalia Dominique Jordan JJ Joseph Rohan Kamalakantha Dylan Kane Sydney Kanter Ronit Kapoor Oscar Kariuki Nicholas Kennebeck

Sid Khajanchi Zayd Khan Eleanor Kinsel Jamie Kornheiser James Lancaster Jack Lasky Jacob Lebowitz James Leupold Ethan Levitt Geoffrey Lien Darian Liu Xinyi Liu Ryan Lo Tenille Long Rachel Lu Angelina Luaces Francisco Lucca Noah Lucy Kathy Luong Amy Ma Sourav Mahanty Leslie Martinez Contreras Zachary Mazur Emma McGahan Tanaya McLaine-Scott Arjun Mehta Mateo Membreno Mark Mersmann Margo Middleton Lattie Midis Misa Mirzaee Shaylen Mishra Ava Moffett Matthew Monigal CraigAnthony Moore Pedro Morales Omeed Moshirfar Meriam Moujahed Joseph NeJame Jamie Nicholson August Nieberle

Welcome BSBA, BUCS and transfer students.

James Olson Noah Orloff Ryan Padala Andrew Padousis Yanbing Pan Ben Paoni Elena Pauker Gabriela Pedreros Jordan Perez Lambo Perkins Carsten Petersen Jessica Petrik Nick Pippis Alex Porras Nielsen Virginia Pridgen Jordan Prohens Ananya Radhakrishnan Arushi Ranasaria Karen Rodriguez Sayuri Ryan Charles Samson Joshua Sanya Sophie Schochet Austin Scott Cole Segal Chung Min Seo Yukina Shambare Annie Shao Grace Shen Maya Sides Jed Siegel Katherine Sifferlen Gabrielle Skilling Alexander Solomon Joseph Sparks Grace St Louis Sarai Steinberg Blake Stern Katherine Stubbs Alexis Suarez Taka Suzuki

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Saving money as a college kid Everyone knows that there are student discounts all over the place, but taking advantage of them isn’t as convenient as it seems. You either have to have your credit card information at the beginning, or it’s so confusing to sign up in the first place that it doesn’t happen. So, I have condensed some of the best and most worthwhile student deals available. Some of these deals are already well known, but I try to explain why you simply cannot miss out on them. While this isn’t an all-inclusive list, it is a good starting place for incoming students.

Spotify and Apple Music: This is probably the most well-known deal for students, but it is seriously so great. Both music providers offer a “3 months free” deal, which is a great way to start out, but there is no way you won’t want to keep the subscription. Apple Music comes with Apple TV+ access, and Spotify comes with Hulu and SHOWTIME included. Both Spotify and Apple Music cost just $4.99/month for students, which is nearly half the normal price.

Amazon Prime: While this is another popular one, I cannot emphasize how good of a deal this is for your first year of college. Amazon Prime for students is half the price of regular Prime, and it also comes with 6 months free. If you take away anything from this, use these 6 months for your first semester! Not having a car on campus makes getting groceries and other necessities difficult, and with Student Prime, you get deals on Whole Foods delivery. This was the biggest help when I ran out of meal points but didn’t have the willingness to walk or Metro to the store. It also comes with the basic Prime functions such

as fast delivery and discounted prices, and Amazon recently added access to Prime Video and Prime Music. If that wasn’t enough, you have space for photos on Amazon photos, which is a place to back your content up for cheap.

The New York Times: The University will continually offer this, and that is for a reason! So many professors require you to cite things, use opinion articles or require readings on current events, so you need to take up this offer. While you can find the information that you need on free reading sites a lot of the time, you will always have to cite sources that are from distinguished publications like the NYT. Don’t try to thrive on “one free article a day”—trust me, it won’t work. To sign up, you can go to the WashU Student Union website page and look up the “Collegiate Readership Program.” There, you will find a direct link to the NYT!

Restaurants: There are so many restaurants that offer student discounts if you present your ID. Here are a few fan favorites: Rush Bowls — This is a local smoothie and smoothie bowl restaurant that a lot of students visit for protein shakes and power bowls. They offer a discount on their items if you bring a valid student ID. Fun Café — Fun Café is a boba restaurant that is right on the Loop, close to the foot bridge from Wash. U. Although the discount is not available to use with delivery, Fun Café can be found on GrubHub. Colleen’s — Colleen’s is a restaurant right off Forsyth Street that sells cookies, pastries and more. It is only a short walk from campus (especially the South 40) and an even shorter bus ride. This is a perfect brunch location, and

they have really good danishes! Chains: Buffalo Wild Wings, Dominos, Dunkin Donuts. Master Class: Due to the coronavirus, MasterClass is offering students a yearlong subscription for only $1. MasterClass is a platform that provides access to virtual classes, some taught by celebrity professionals in the field. For example, Serena Williams has a virtual tennis lesson.! All you have to do is search ‘MasterClass Student Discount’ and sign up.

Hot Box Cookies ‘Not as fresh’: Listen here. Go into Hot Box Cookies at night and ask for their ‘not as fresh’ discount cookies. This means that they were made that day but aren’t

How to make use of student discounts in St. Louis Gracie Hime Senior Cadenza Editor

straight out of the oven. They are 44% off! You get the same effect, but for cheaper, if you take those puppies home and pop them in the microwave. Take advantage of this treat.

AMC Theaters: First date? Trying to make new friends? A weirdo who likes to go to movie theaters alone? This is the ideal discount. On Thursdays, AMC has great student discounts on movies and snacks. While this isn’t uncommon for movie theaters, there is an AMC so conveniently located south of the South 40 on Clayton Road.

22 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Entertainment venues to visit in St. Louis JJ Coley | Senior Cadenza Editor For a lot of freshmen, especially those not from St. Louis, moving to campus can be worrying. And after a year of pandemic, finding things to do can be daunting - should you just hang out in friends’ dorms? If you want to leave campus, where should you go? Luckily, there are tons of fun entertainment options near campus for concerts, plays, movies and more.

Vintage Vinyl On the Delmar Loop about a 15-minute walk from campus Only a 15-minute walk fromcampus is Vintage Vinyl, a

record store selling vinyls and CDs of every genre and era. There’s always good music playing at the store, and on any given day you can find your favorite records by artists ranging from Ariana Grande to Prince. If you’re a melophile, Vintage Vinyl is definitely a place you’ll love. And hey, if you decide you want to work a part-time job on top of classes, you could apply for a job here.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre DESTINY JACKSON | STUDENT LIFE

On Grand Blvd, accessible via Uber or by taking the 2 route on the MetroBus and the red line on the MetroLink

The exterior of the Tivoli theatre on the Delmar Loop. If you love stage theatre, the Fabulous Fox is the place for you. Each season they present 6 to 7 touring Broadway productions right here in St. Louis! The Fox has been around for nearly a century, and it’s definitely a theatrical landmark you won’t want to miss.

The Tivoli On the Delmar Loop about a 15-minute walk from campus The Tivoli theatre, located just on the Loop, often showcases independent and exploratory films. In addition to viewings of modern and popular movies, they show foreign plays like Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire.” If you’re a fan of cult classics, they even do midnight screenings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in October. The Tivoli will be under new management this year, but expect their quality offerings to continue.

The Pageant On the Delmar Loop about a 20-minute walk from campus

The Pageant is a concert venue on the Loop that has been around for more than 20 years, and its floor plan was specially designed to ensure that you always have a stellar view. Because it’s so close to all of the Loop’s restaurants, getting dinner before or after a concert is also incredibly easy.

Saxquest & Clarinetquest On Cherokee Street, accessible by Uber or by taking the blue line on the MetroLink and the 8 route on the MetroBus This store will likely only be useful to musicians, but I still thought it was cool enough to include here. The stores are adjacent to each other on Cherokee Street, and they sell and repair clarinets and saxophones. Each store has an impressive amount of instruments, and they also have accessories like reeds and music books. Even if you’re not a musician, Cherokee Street has a number of fun stores and restaurants, and it is always a good place for an outing.

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Welcome Class of 2025 Here are 10 reasons to upgrade your meal plan! 1

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Local vendors and restaurants on campus weekly

10 More flexibility to spend on items including Starbucks at McKelvey Hall, Peet’s Coffee, Jamba Juice, fresh made sushi, and so much more

24 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Opinion: This year’s students must continue last year’s activism Reilly Brady | Senior Forum Editor A protest of 50 or so students at a small university in the Midwest may, at first glance, seem insignificant in comparison to the size of the nation or even in comparison to the size of the University’s own student body. But on-campus activism may play a larger role for Wash. U. students than expected, and it is vital in its ability to enact changes at the University. The previous school year sparked campus-wide activism that cannot be ignored–– or abandoned. Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, students advocated for a variety of issues, all of which were personal to students and crucial in defining their experiences at the University. The organization WU for Abolition organized protests to challenge the presence of Washington University Police Department (WUPD) on and off Wash. U.’s campus as well as the role of WUPD in mental health crises, among other concerns. Students joined together in both protests and vigils to oppose police violence across the nation. Through initiatives, petitions and conversations, students pushed the

administration to prioritize mental health and disability resources. Protests calling for the abolition of Greek Life questioned the role of Greek Life on campus and how racism, classism and other harms are intertwined with the system. The instagram account @MeToo_ WashU organized a protest to demand advocacy for survivors of sexual violence as well as the prevention of sexual violence. While on-campus activism can work to challenge the administration with the ultimate goal of creating a better college environment for Wash. U. students, the implications of these topics often extend well beyond the Wash. U. bubble. In St. Louis itself, a city with a history of segregation exemplified by the Delmar Divide, calls for racial justice, the reconsideration of WUPD’s off-campus presence, the promotion of mutual aid programs and other conversations are vital. And despite the presence of student activism on campus, activists in the larger St. Louis area noted that they do not witness the same presence of Wash. U. students in off-campus protests. As guests in St. Louis, it is our role to not only treat the city

with respect but also to support community members by listening to their concerns and showing up. In Sept. 2020, I entered Wash. U. as a freshman who was mostly oblivious to both on-campus and off-campus activism. It wasn’t until I attended an on-campus protest that I began to question my previous ignorance. To all incoming freshmen: My wish for you all (besides hoping that you have an enriching and fun-filled first year of college, of course) is that you are not like my first-year self and that you take this opportunity now, before coming to campus, to learn about last year’s activism. Read about Wash. U. students’ past concerns and how, if any, changes have since been implemented. Learn about St. Louis’s history and what community activists are hoping to achieve in the future. Most importantly, keep an open mind. If you, like I did as an incoming freshman, feel unfamiliar with and even slightly hesitant about on-campus activism and the process of challenging the administration, that’s okay. As incoming first-years who are

simultaneously adjusting to a vaccinated lifestyle, getting used to the title of “adult,” preparing for college-level courses and transitioning to live independently, the concept of unfamiliarity is, ironically, familiar. Lean into the newness of it. While it is important for incoming freshmen to learn about on-campus activism, it is the role of all students to ensure that past efforts are continued into this next school year. There is proof that on-campus activism works; for example, mental health crisis response has begun shifting away from WUPD. While this does not address all of students’ concerns, it is a step in the right direction and proves that, to some extent, the administration is listening. When it comes to feeling safe around peers, accommodated in academic settings, cared for by mental health professionals and supported by fellow students and administrators, everyone shares the responsibility of providing a better experience for current and future Wash. U. students—that includes the incoming freshman class.

BRIAN CUI | STUDENT LIFE

Protestors march past the George Washington statue at the “Justice for Daunte” protest in the middle of April. Some have called for the abolition of the Washington University Police Department.

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Where WU sports left off (and where they are going) Grady Nance | Senior Sports Editor Grizzled Bears fans and new cubs alike, welcome back to Washington University sports in their full glory! It has been almost two years since we last saw a full slate of Wash. U. sports on the fall schedule, and we here in the sports section could not be more thrilled to watch our athletes return to the field, track, pool and more. The more pressing matter that arises from this extended hiatus, however, is that at this moment, half of our student population has never seen these teams compete before! Sophomores, after a year of single rooms, quiet Fridays and DormDrop deliveries, you finally can experience what the sports culture is really like here. That field you passed on the way to your only in-person class of the week will finally show signs of life, and you may quickly realize how much you missed sports in your college experience thus far. Incoming freshmen, you have an even greater opportunity to

jump in from the very start as if nothing even happened. Sports are one of the best parts about life at Wash. U., and as you dip your toe into anything that strikes your interest (as all freshmen should), watching these teams compete should certainly be on that bucket list. For the upperclassmen who have been to a game or two, it’s so good to be back. With that being said, it has been a while since these teams have competed, and things have undoubtedly changed, so let’s briefly bring everyone up to speed about what has happened and what they can expect this fall.

Football The story of the Wash. U. football team will be the new faces that man the helm. Head coach Aaron Keen will get his first chance to lead the Bears onto the gridiron following the

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GRACE BRUTON | STUDENT LIFE Then sophomore wideout Michael Allison finds a lane against North Central in 2019.

retirement of Wash. U. legend Larry Kindbom in 2019, a change that runs deeper than simply X’s and O’s. While the team had the chance to practice in a modified capacity last fall, their season opener at University of Chicago, September 4, has undoubtedly been circled on Keen’s calendar since it was announced. Quarterback Johnny Davidson graduated last spring, putting the game’s most important position in flux for the Bears. A strong 2019 campaign (7-3) puts high expectations on the team, especially given the changes it has undergone since then. Matchups to look for are the home opener against North Park University, Sept. 18, and a chance to redeem their 2019 loss in a game against Wheaton College, Oct. 2. The football team plays most Saturdays, and their home games are played on Francis Field next to the Athletic Complex.

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GRACE BRUTON | STUDENT LIFE Then freshman midfielder Riley Alvarez battles for the ball against Transylvania University in 2019.

The women’s soccer team has been one of the school’s—and the country’s—best teams for a number of years now, but like all teams, their success will largely

hinge on the ability of young faces to fill in for graduated players. The last match for the bears, a quarterfinal matchup with Pomona-Pitzer in 2019, ended in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss in penalty kicks; since then, the players have been itching to flush the bad taste from their mouths and re-establish themselves at the top of Division III soccer. Graduated forward Taylor Cohen and four-year goalie Emma Greenfield are just two of the players that have left big shoes to fill on the field. Seniors defender Gabbie Cesarone and midfielder Ariana Miles look to take up the mantle of leadership for a squad with high expectations and unknowns across the board. Look for home games on Francis Field most weekends with the occasional Wednesday or Friday evening matchup. As of mid-July, there is no official schedule yet.

Men’s Soccer

CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE Then freshman midfielder Julian Gancman passes the ball past a charging Pacific Lutheran forward in 2019.

Unlike many of the teams on this list, the men's soccer team actually looks fairly similar to the team that played to an 8-7-1 record in the 2019 season. Losing only a handful to graduation and having introduced a large freshman class in 2019, this Bears team looks to take advantage of what many squads will likely lack: chemistry. A large senior class will provide much-needed leadership, and under 24-year head coach Joe Clarke, the team looks to continue their winning ways. Senior goalkeeper Matt Martin will hold the fort in the back while senior forward Nolan

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE Wolf leads a balanced and experienced attack for the Bears. Though no official schedule has been published yet, rivalry matchups with Carnegie Mellon and Emory will make for exciting games in the fall. Look for the team on Francis Field on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Swimming and Diving After a year of virtual meets and small-sized practices, the swimming and diving team looks forward to finally competing for the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship this fall. A pair of small meets in the spring (in which both the men and women went 1-1) served as the appetizer for the fall's expected full slate of meets. The 2020 spring season ended with the men's team ranked No. 6 in the country, while the women came in at No. 9; with turnover due to graduation, however, it remains to be seen how the team will fare this season. Young stars like junior

diver Rosie Finglass and sophomore freestyler Mark Lipkin headline a group of athletes that are dying to get back into the pool and compete after having their hopes of a full spring season let down. Look for their meets on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in Millstone Poll on Level 1 of the Athletic Complex (hint: turn right once you walk in).

Cross Country While most of the athletes also compete during the track season, the Wash. U. cross country team hasn’t competed in 20 months. The team is coming off of an uncharacteristically low finish at NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, with the women finishing at 59th place and the men finishing in 19th. However, Head Coach Jeff Stiles has two decades of experience leading this team; under him, the women’s cross country team has won the UAA championship 14 out of 19 years. Return-

ing nationals competitors include Ella Behrens, Sophie Young, and Gabby McGinn, while Emma Walter, who had a breakout track season her junior year, hopes to carry that momentum into the fall. The men’s team graduated five out of seven athletes who competed at the 2019 NCAA Cross Country championships. Since then, they’ve had strong mid-distance track performances—including Jacob Ridderhoff and Will Houser putting their names on the all-time list for the 1500m in the 2021 season—that foreshadow a strong season ahead. While these runners have fast track times, they will hope that that training will pay off again in the cross country season without much individual experience on the national cross country stage. Runners to look out for include Alex Cobin, a track and field All-American in the 800. In addition, the team’s fastest six times in the track 5k came from returners, including first season cross country athletes Mason Wong, Alexander Evans, and Cullen Capuano.

Volleyball Women’s volleyball finished their 2019 season ranked third in the UAA with a 24-9 record. Things looked promising for them going into 2020 — the team had been strong, and two of their star players, Kirby Knapp and Michaela Bach, were entering their senior and junior years, respectively. Then, the pandemic hit. Fall sports were canceled. The team began socially distanced practices in October, just before the time their regular season would be ending, hoping for scrimmages in the spring. Those never came. Now, in 2021, Knapp — who in 2019 led the UAA in assists - has graduated. The volleyball team’s hopes will rest on whether their new recruits, both freshmen and sophomores, can fill the holes left by two years of graduated seniors. Managing Editor Isabella Neubauer contributed writing.

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Student-athlete programming restarts for fall season When the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) conducted a survey about student-athletes’ mental health last fall, the overwhelming response was that student-athletes missed the community of Washington University athletics over anything else. They missed the support of their teammates during early-morning weight lifts, the cheers of their friends from the stands and the post-practice team dinners at tables stacked end-to-end in the dining halls. Now though, members of fall sports don’t just have to reminisce over the season they missed because of the pandemic. Teams like volleyball didn’t get to compete at all during the 2020-2021 academic year, while men’s soccer was able to play a shortened spring season of three

games. But, fall sports have a full schedule of conference games, even traveling out of the Midwest to play again. The plan, said Director of Athletics Anthony Azama, is not just to get back to 2019: it is to create an even better environment for student-athletes. “What we experienced this last 15 months, there’s going to be a little bit different sets of energy, and that’s going to create a really fun sense of urgency,” Azama said in an early July interview. While he acknowledged that it is impossible to foresee exactly what restrictions will look like, he says the University's vaccine mandate will allow Wash. U. athletes to have a competition season. “I haven’t seen any indication that we won’t be competing,” he said. Yet for the Athletic Department, it is not just about

the individual teams, as the Athletic Department along and SAAC hope to usher in the new class with new programming. In the fall, that will look like a combination of traditional programming with new, innovative experiences, which Azama described as “a little less program and a lot more fun.” SAAC, which acts as a liaison between the Athletic Department administration and student-athletes, also has ambitious plans in the works to greet the incoming freshmen class and re-introduce the sophomore class to the typical Bears athletic community. The group is led by co-presidents Kally Wendler and Barclay Dale, who are planning some potential in-person programming that is currently in the approval process from the Athletic Department. They

Clara Richards Senior Sports Editor

are hoping that the events will be hosted in-person, and they have built social distancing into the planning process to plan for any potential restrictions. “We’re just trying to get the teams to know each other, getting people comfortable being around each other again, and giving them what they missed out on last year," said Wendler, a senior midfielder on the women's soccer team. SAAC is also hoping to focus programming on the sophomore class as well, giving them an opportunity to experience some things that they missed out on last year. “We’re definitely being mindful of that kind of gap in connection—the fact that they didn’t have an opportunity to get to know peers outside of their own program,” Wendler said. Men's soccer player Alex

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

CURRAN NEENAN | STUDENT LIFE

Director of Athletics Anthony Azama (center) talks to Chancellor Andrew Martin (left) during a basketball game against the University of Rochester during the 2019-2020 season. Smith, a senior on SAAC, remembers the programming his first year as a welcome respite from the crazy first days as a fall sport athlete. He said that the first few days are filled with NCAA regulatory meetings and practice, so having a big athletic-department wide event is “a lot of fun because you’re through a lot of the super hard practice and the boring meetings, so you just get to relax with your team and meet other people.” Events this fall will include SAAC night, a night of games and programming, as well as the kickoff cookout hosted by the Athletic Department. Other events are in the planning process but will be announced later this summer. For many returners though, it is not necessarily the planned programming that they are the most excited for. Instead, they can’t wait for the simple act of going into the locker room and relaxing with teammates without the concern that they are breaking protocol. “A lot of the small talk, like soft stuff that happens outside the lines, transpires in the locker room,”

Wendler said. "When things are tough, regardless of the way that the soccer is going, the people are what I’ve found have made my experience special.” Athletics administrators are equally excited for a return to competition. Seeing the sports play again, Azama “can’t help but get emotional,” he said. “That’s why you get into this business: not because of the titles, not because of the money, but because you want to have a role in young people’s development.” This spring, even with some pandemic restrictions and conference play canceled, five out of seven sports competed in the NCAA tournament, with two making it to the Final Four. It made all the seemingly endless days and long conversations with parents and administrators worth it for Azama. “The thing that is getting me through the summer is this preparation for the fall, knowing that I will be able to taste that again," he said.

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Dealing with mental health on campus One junior discusses finding a sense of belonging on campus EVERYBODY, from pg. 16 I was willing to bet more did than didn’t. I started to wonder: If everyone’s an imposter, who actually belongs here? Here’s an exercise. Google the person you most look up to and tell me if they think they deserve to be where they are. For me, that person was Maya Angelou—an amazing poet and memoirist who was quoted saying, “I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on

everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’” Maybe you’re not so into celebrities. Ask yourself, then, who among your acquaintances you’d most like to be, and ask them if they ever feel like a fraud. And maybe they don’t! But I think you’d be surprised, like I was, at just how many people think they are the odd one out. I wish I could be the upperclassman who single handedly teaches you to feel like you belong, but I probably won’t be. All I can say is, as a fellow imposter, you will probably learn, and change, and

have a little fun while you’re here, and a lot of that growth will come from your contact with people who you may feel are more worthy than you. You are going to live on a campus, in a world, with lots of lovely and talented people who are worth wanting to be. That’s very cool. It’s also cool to consider yourself to be one of them, and even cooler to let yourself enjoy the days where you want to be yourself, not someone else. A good piece of advice the senior gave me was to find little things to be proud of about myself every day. Try it. If you need

it to be tangible, maybe write it down somewhere, on a post-it note or on the inside of your palm. You may notice I use the pronoun “you” in this article, because (even as this article begins to tip-toe on the edge of becoming an inspirational self-help seminar) I am as much talking to myself as I am talking to whoever relates to this. Why then, I’m sure you’re wondering, should I take the advice of a self-proclaimed imposter? Good question: I don’t know that I would, either. But if everyone’s an imposter, what’s the difference?

Recommendations from students, faculty and staff IMPOSTER, from pg. 17 “For me, it was never a question of whether or not I belonged,” Goodman said. Rather, she worried asking for help would alter

others’ perceptions of her, as well as her own. “I definitely am afraid that people are going to find out, maybe I’m not as prepared, maybe I don’t know the answer always; people are going to see, if I asked for help,

GRAPHIC BY HN HOFFMANN | STUDENT LIFE

that I’m weak,” she continued. “We’re all bright students, we’re all here for a reason, and needing help on something for—not maybe the first time—but truly absolutely needing help and being afraid of getting a failing grade was really hard for me to admit to myself. I’m still working through that.” Last semester, Goodman made a point of going to office hours for every one of her classes at least once, at the behest of her advisor. And although, she admitted, this direct confrontation of her anxieties was difficult for her, it is exactly the sort of head-on confrontation many psychologists recommend for combating social anxiety and imposter syndrome. “Nobody knows you, and that can feel pretty uncomfortable,” said Susan Rosse, a staff psychologist at the Habif Health and Wellness Center. “But try to step outside of your comfort zone. Don’t stay in your room. Take people up on opportunities. If they say, ‘Hey we’re going to go grab dinner,’ say yes, even if you already ate. Go along and just have a drink and talk to people.” Rosse also emphasized the importance of reminding students they are not alone in feeling this way. So did Palisoc, who will be a WUSA this fall and plans to use her experience to help incoming freshmen in her cohort. “I think that the biggest thing is sharing my experience and validating their feelings,” Palisoc said. “I’m going to make sure they know that I understand the way they

feel, because I felt that, so many of my friends felt that, and most likely a lot of their peers are feeling that too.” Bono, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of viewing setbacks as “a way to reflect,” rather than “a way to reinforce that idea that we’re an imposter, that we’re not good enough.” “I think that it’s important to use those opportunities of adversity and failure, not as a way that, you’ve jumped to the conclusion that you’ve done something terrible, or that you’re not a good person or that you’re not qualified in certain ways, but instead to use it as a learning experience to say, well, ‘What did this teach me, if I apply for an internship and I didn’t get it?” Bono said. “Instead of drawing the conclusion, ‘I’m not good enough to work for this company,’ saying, ‘what could I have done differently or what experiences can I accumulate so that the next time I will be more competitive,’ or, ‘how might I have responded to interview questions?’” Of course, this is easier said than done. But Palisoc emphasized that all incoming students should know that they belong at the University. “Everyone knows that you earned your place here. Admissions doesn’t make mistakes,” Palisoc said. “It’s a culture shock when you first get in, but once you get past that, Wash. U. is just the best place to be and probably going to be a few of the happiest years of your life.”

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

On behalf of your undergraduate student government,

Welcome to Wash U! Visit our social media or our website to learn about Student Union and how you can get involved!

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Campus colors: Wash. U. through the seasons

BRIAN CUI | STUDENT LIFE

Summer: The sun drenches Walker Hall on the East End of campus.

HOLDEN HINDES | STUDENT LIFE

Spring: Blooming cherry blossoms typically greet students after Spring Break.

St. Louis weather runs the gamut from steamy summers to woeful winters, and falls and springs that land in between. This collection of photos gives a sense of what to expect from your many months on campus.

GRACE BRUTON | STUDENT LIFE

Fall: The trees begin to tint outside Olin Library.

CLARA RICHARDS | STUDENT LIFE

Winter: A plow moves snow from the sidewalks east of Graham Chapel.

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GRAPHIC BY EM MCPHIE | STUDENT LIFE

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The post-quarantine status of these 5 WU activities are still up in the air WILD WILD, which stands for Walk In Lay Down (although no one calls it that), is a free concert that happens once per semester on Brookings Quadrangle. Because of the pandemic, the last WILD took place in fall 2019, when A$AP Ferg headlined. Other recent performers have included Loud Luxury, Tinashe and Carly Rae Jepsen. As of July, there has not been any official word from the University as to when the

Happy Hour

next WILD will take place.

Moonlight Breakfast During every semester’s finals season, a free all-you-can-eat breakfast is offered for one night at the Village and Bear’s Den, along with in-person music and dancing. This event has survived the pandemic and was last held in spring 2021 in a smaller capacity, so chances are good that it will continue in the future.

Led by the Social Programming Board and occasionally co-hosted by various student groups, this weekly event offered free pizza and wings (and beer to those over the age of 21) to all students. There has not been an official announcement about whether Happy Hour will resume this semester, but consuming food and drink in outdoor gatherings is now acceptable under the University’s current summer 2021 guidelines.

Sumers Recreation Center

A$AP Ferg performs at 2019 Fall WILD.

BRIAN CUI | STUDENT LIFE

Sumers Recreation Center Center reopened in the middle of the fall 2020 semester at an extremely limited capacity. Cardio equipment, fitness classes, locker room usage and other features were prohibited, but

Jayla Butler Managing Editor some of these restrictions have loosened throughout the year. This summer, Sumers is offering outdoor fitness classes and has now begun to allow 45 people to register to use the facilities within a given time slot. Leadership at Sumers are currently awaiting guidance from the University as to whether in-person fitness classes will be allowed to resume at full capacity soon.

In-person Meetings While the plan for the fall semester has not yet been released at the time of publication, under the summer campus guidelines, there are no limits on meeting sizes. For indoor events with more than 30 people, however, masking is required for all individuals. For outdoor events and indoor events with fewer than 30 people, masking is required for unvaccinated individuals and optional for vaccinated individuals.

Welcome to Life on the South 40, Class of 2025! Residential Life would like to send a warm welcome to the Class of 2025! We are glad that you chose Washington University in St. Louis as your new home. Our office provides a variety of living environments that will make it easy for you to live comfortably, study hard, and build friendships with your peers. Housing at WashU also includes staff involvement in the residential experience. These individuals include but are not limited to: • • • • • • • •

Residential College and Community Directors Resident Advisors Washington University Student Associates Live-In Faculty Members Student Technology Coordinators Residential Peer Mentors Housekeeping Staff Maintenance Staff

Welcome home! We can’t wait to get to know you by name and story! https://students.wustl.edu/residential-life/

314.935.5050

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Staff Bios The Student Life staff is made up of 26 undergraduate editors and many more reporters, photographers, designers and other staffers. Some of us have been involved in student journalism since middle or high school, while others stepped into the office on the third floor of the Danforth University Center during sophomore or junior year of college without any relevant experience and have not left the paper since. These short biographies serve to introduce our staff so that you can get to know a bit more about the people who produce Student Life. If you’re interested in joining the staff, you can visit our office, email join@studlife. com or fill out the interest form at studlife.com/getinvolved.

Matthew Friedman Editor-in-Chief Matthew Friedman is a rising senior from New York City who is trying to talk less about New York City this year. He joined the Student Life staff as a sports reporter in the fall of 2018 and has been jokingly frustrated by the newspaper’s name ever since. His favorite StudLife projects include an oral history of the men’s basketball team’s last week before Covid-19 ended their 2020 season in the Sweet 16, an article about members of the Board of Trustees’ silence regarding their support of Senator Josh Hawley and a 3,500-word profile of the athletic department’s limited history of head coach racial diversity.

Matthew ostensibly majors in political science, but he mainly spends his time outside StudLife going on long walks, looking at maps and finding new ways to make chili. He is incredibly excited about getting back into

the StudLife office this fall and wants to welcome anyone interested in joining the paper as we document Washington University’s goings-on and hold power to account.

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Jayla Butler Managing Editor Jayla Butler is a senior from Naperville, Ill. working through her intense discomfort for writing about herself in the third person. At the start of her freshman year, Jayla decided she wouldn’t get involved with anything journalism-related after doing it for most of her high school

years, but here she is anyways and excited for her second year as a managing editor. She is incredibly excited about returning to the StudLife office after a year of working on the paper remotely—namely, the opportunity to spend 12+ hours in one room and the chance to resume her role as Senior Office Decorations Editor. However, she is most excited to meet as many incoming freshmen as possible this year!

Em McPhie Managing Editor Em is a rising senior from California who genuinely loves St. Louis weather. She’s majoring in communication design and minoring in writing because she thinks that never having a stable career will be fun and exciting. After a year of writing

and editing for the news section, as well as a couple of summers doing tech reporting in DC, she’s excited to explore other forms of journalism with the scene and multimedia sections. No matter what section she’s writing for, she’ll never stop peppering stories with far too many of her favorite punctuation mark— the em dash, obviously. Em is obsessed with her cat, going on walks in Forest Park, her cat, exploring every bookstore in St. Louis and most of all, her cat.

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Ted Moskal Managing Editor Ted Moskal, a senior from Gloucester, Mass., is double majoring in History and International and Area Studies with a minor in Russian Language and Literature. Ever since Ted’s SOAR leader, former Editor-in-Chief Elena Quinones, introduced him to the world of StudLife, he has kept return-

ing to the office for top-notch journalism and fun production night banter. Outside of StudLife, Ted is a group leader for the Wilderness Project. In addition to running recreationally, sailing and playing tennis, Ted also enjoys irritating his suitemates by taking up all of their floorspace with increasingly large jigsaw puzzles. This summer, Ted is leading sailing trips in the Caribbean, so he is cherishing all the water before returning to the landlocked state of Missouri.

Isabella Neubauer Managing Editor Isabella is a senior from Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and is spending all her time mourning the lack of beaches in St. Louis. If there were beaches, that is where she would read books for her thesis - on two crusading poems of the 14th century - but as there aren’t, she reads them in the Seminary park instead. Isabella is majoring in English,

as is obvious from her extensive collection of YA romance novels, and Anthropology. After selling her soul to StudLife during pre-orientation in 2018, she spent two years as a copy chief and cadenza editor, and is absolutely terrified about being a managing editor. When she’s not reading, Isabella is probably getting swole with HN, knitting obsessively, or talking about superheroes. It theoretically is possible to have a conversation with Isabella where she doesn’t mention her excessively grumpy cat, but it hasn’t happened yet.

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Senior News Editor Orli is a sophomore majoring in Political Science and minoring in Psychology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She is from Chicago, which explains her excitement about how “warm” St. Louis winters are. While she is now a senior news editor, she almost didn’t join StudLife because the training module looked annoying. She is very happy that she overcame

her laziness that September afternoon and promises to improve the training process for future StudLifers. Outside of StudLife, Orli enjoys getting into political arguments, going on midnight runs and attempting to replicate the avocado toast from Meshuggah Cafe. After a remote year on the paper, she’s looking forward to discovering that a bunch of tiny Zoom boxes do, indeed, translate to real people, and she can’t wait to welcome new writers to the news section!

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Olivia Poolos Senior Scene Editor Olivia (Via) Poolos is a rising sophomore, who will respond to just about any variation of her name at this point. She is from Seattle, Washington, where no one knows where St. Louis is, but has pretty cool mountains. Via is majoring in Psychology-Neuroscience-Philosophy and would love to debate you on free will. While dabbling

in a few sections of Student Life during freshman year, Via fell headfirst into Scene after learning she could talk to and write stories about interesting people all day and call it journalism. When not caught up with StudLife work, Via is usually running circles in Forest Park, photosynthesizing on Mudd Field or eating a BD stir-fry. She is incredibly excited to step foot into the Stud Life office this year and even more so to spend ridiculous amounts of time with the rest of the staff.

Reilly Brady Senior Forum Editor Reilly Brady is a sophomore from California who, despite spending eight months in St. Louis, is still adjusting to weather in the Midwest. She is more undecided about her major now than when she first started college, but she has enjoyed all of her humanities-related classes. Reilly is currently a co-editor of the Forum section, and she also helps with design for the paper. She cannot wait to spend time

working on the paper in person with the StudLife team after a year of communicating through pixelated Zoom squares. When not writing a last-minute article or designing a graphic to fill extra space, Reilly can be found eating a sharing size bag of peanut butter M&Ms, watching “Survivor,” starting (and abandoning) various crafting projects, playing card games or wishing she could include the Oxford comma in this sentence. Her most recent hobby is learning all of the songs from Olivia Rodrigo’s album “SOUR” on piano while her family begs her to stop.

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Jamila Dawkins Senior Forum Editor Jamila Dawkins is a rising junior and English major who spends the majority of her days guilt tripping herself for not reading enough outside of the 298 books assigned to her each semester. After four months of psyching herself up, she started writing for the Forum section of StudLife in the second semester of her freshman year, and hasn’t stopped since! As a person who

despises both water and her own kidneys, she is always up to discuss her own dehydration in the form of her formalized (and patented) apple juice brand tier list. She’s also a New York state native who has never tried a NYC bagel, so please stop asking her for her opinion on bread sliced bagels, because she has none. What you and your family do in your own home is none of her business. This year, she’s looking forward to meeting new StudLife writers and converting them (perhaps against their better judgement) into Forum writers.

Clara Richards Senior Sports Editor Clara is a rising sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., majoring in Political Science and English. She initially dabbled in a couple sections but has ultimately settled in sports, the indisputable best section of the paper. She might have had a rocky start with covering live sports—she got hit by a car on her way to her first

Grady Nance Senior Sports Editor & Senior Copy Editor Grady is a senior from Philadelphia who despite his best efforts has fully caved to his passion for writing and literature. If you see him frantically typing and mumbling gibberish into a tin can, he probably forgot to ask his professor for an extension on his English paper. He decided during quarantine that he needed more friends and joined the paper

on a whim—he’s loved it ever since. He started as a mere staff writer for Cadenza and Sports, and he is now pulling double duty as Sports Editor and Co-Copy Editor. If he’s not behind a keyboard (computer or piano), you’ll likely find him screaming at the TV during any Philly sports event, using club baseball to work through his issues or playing family friendly games on a Friday night with his friends. Eat his leftovers and he’ll never speak to you again. Talk to him about comics and he’ll love you forever.

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live sports game—but she’s excited to attend more games in person and finally do faceto-face interviews. When not interviewing or “doing work” at Kaldis in DeMun (mostly just petting cute dogs), she’s usually found outside—whether that’s on a run in Forest Park or sitting in a hammock on Mudd Field. She’ll be on a sailboat somewhere across the Atlantic in the fall, but she’s looking forward to returning to campus and politely pestering the athletic department again when she gets back.

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JJ Coley Senior Cadenza Editor & Senior Copy Editor JJ Coley is a senior from Montross, Va, majoring in American Culture Studies. She is incredibly excited to begin her third year as Copy Editor and first year as Senior Cadenza Editor. She also can’t wait to

meet the class of 2025 and hopes some of you decide to join StudLife (and write for Cadenza)! Outside of StudLife, she is a student programming coordinator for Deneb STARS, writes for Colour magazine, is a member of WUSLam and works at Olin Library. In her free time she enjoys singing, reading, expanding her general knowledge about the world and playing with her two cats, Maya and Molly.

Gracie Hime Senior Cadenza Editor Gracie Hime is a sophomore double majoring in Political Science and PNP from Branson, Missouri. Gracie started with StudLife writing for Cadenza and Forum as an outlet to share her unsolicited opinions about music and local politics, but eventually fell into the position as Senior Cadenza Editor. In the rare

case that Gracie isn’t with her roommates (thanks COVID for codependency issues), she can be found hoarding BD dumplings while reading or writing. On the even more rare occasion that she isn’t doing either of those things, she is probably failing a clan war in Clash of Clans, arguably, the best mobile game (fight me on that Thomas and Matthew). She looks forward to actually being in the StudLife lab with all of the other beautiful StudLifers.

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HN Hoffmann Senior Multimedia Editor

HN is a senior, staff illustrator, proud St. Louis native, purebred American quarter horse, and legacy evildoer studying Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology alongside Film and Media Studies. While being described in researcher files as “extremely hard to perceive” and “possibly non-sentient”, HN can sometimes be spotted fervently illustrating the escapades of several highly violent men, longboarding around campus, bleeding to death in the DUC (from injuries caused

Kamala Madireddi Senior Multimedia Editor

Kamala Madireddi is a sophomore from St. Louis majoring in Psychology and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She joined StudLife during her freshman year not thinking much about it, but soon got involved in designing and the podcast.

by said longboard), curating hyper-specific Spotify playlists, [REDACTED], tweeting about Blaseball, going on week-long Fallout: New Vegas binges, and being a general gym rat with Isabella. HN does participate in other clubs, but why do you want to know that? What are you planning to do with that information? Get an upper hand? Nice try. Inquiries or requests for fistfights, a 30-minute dissertation on Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ,” psych-rock song exchanges, or viewings of HN’s emotional support pliers (they’re red and good at breaking things) should be handwritten and thrown off the overpass to ensure safe arrival.

Kamala is excited to be a part of the StudLife community this year as a Multimedia Editor. When she’s not working on the paper, Kamala can be found watching sitcoms (she’s currently obsessed with “Community” and “Schitt’s Creek”) and corny detective shows, and she’s always open to recommendations. She’s looking forward to working more on the weekly podcast and other multimedia projects, and she can’t wait to meet all of you!

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Jaden Satenstein Senior Multimedia Editor

Jaden Satenstein is a senior trapped in the psyche of a second semester sophomore who just learned she won’t be allowed back on campus after Spring Break, even though she’d left behind many delicious stacks in her dorm. A New Yorker studying Political Science & Creative Writing, Jaden far too confidently considers herself a connoisseur of campus dining. From Village Brunch to Cherry Tree desserts, Jaden can often be found eating or enthusiastically talking about her next meal

Sabrina Spence Senior Social Media Editor

Sabrina is a senior from Memphis, Tenn., with a very unfortunate caffeine dependency. She’s an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing and double minors in WGSS and Drama; she kind of knows what she wants to do with that but not really. When she’s not in the StudLife office she’s in rehearsal for whatever show she happens

point splurge. She can’t wait to be back in the StudLife office, munching on Ibby’s to-go and hanging with her fellow staffers/best buds. After serving as Senior Scene Editor for three semesters, Jaden gracefully exited the world of removing Oxford commas in order to pursue her true dream: forcing everyone to hear her talk even more than she already does (AKA launching StudLife’s weekly podcast, Editor’s Note). As Senior Multimedia Editor, Jaden is excited to continue expanding the paper’s audio desk and produce exciting video projects. She can’t wait to meet you all (in-person!) and especially enjoys discussing all things rom-coms, musicals, satire and, of course, food.

to be stage managing at the time—she likes to do multiple shows at once to keep life interesting. Not only has she done multiple shows at once, but she has also done multiple StudLife jobs at one. For two years, Sabrina was Senior Cadenza Editor and Senior Social Media Editor. This year she’s stepped down from the arts and entertainment dais to focus more on tweeting from the verified account she runs (hint: it’s the StudLife Twitter). She can’t wait to see everyone’s faces—and likes and follows—in the fall!

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Grace Kennard News Editor Grace Kennard is a senior majoring in Urban Studies and minoring in Religion & Politics. A proud St. Louisian, she missed St. Louis so much that she transferred to Wash. U. last year. She was involved with

Nathan Springman Senior Web Editor Hey kings, he’s back at it again. Nathan Springman is a senior from Franklin, Tenn., studying Computer Science and Communication Design. It’s year three (3) of writing a bio for this publication. Last year he provided a list of his favorite snacks, which can

her previous university’s newspaper since freshman year but joined StudLife upon coming to Wash. U. last fall. She is so excited to co-lead the news section this year. When she’s not covering breaking news (and removing the beloved Oxford Comma in the process), Grace likes to bake, play board games, exercise and eat Imo’s pizza.

be found and reflected upon at https://www.studlife.com/ media/pdf/2020-2021/special-Starting-Line.pdf. After careful consideration of the items provided, please direct your responses to matthew. friedman@studlife.com. This year, he would like to also provide the incoming class with a taste of home: https://www. allrecipes.com/recipe/16390/ tricias-fantastic-fudge-pie/. Have a nice day.

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48 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Curran Neenan

Senior Photo Editor

Curran Neenan is a rising senior from Nashville, Tenn. He started as a reporter and

editor for the news section before jumping ship to take photos. He likes golf shirts, crosswords, and grilling. Curran would describe his fashion sense as “dadcore,” and his worst quality is his overzealous affinity for CNN.

Jade Leslie Senior Design Editor

Brian Cui

Senior Photo Editor

Brian Cui is a rising junior pursuing a BFA degree in Communication Design with a second major in Computer Science.

As a Student Life photographer, Brian has taken photos of everything from basketball games and protests to East End architecture and fashion shows. He’s a designer by trade, coder by accident and most importantly a photographer at heart!

Jade is a senior from Atlanta, Georgia, who is passionate about way too many issues. Food is one - she has a food Instagram she’s super proud of (follow @foodiejade!!!), and loves to cook. And eat. She dreams about eating pasta in Italy. She’s never been able to travel there,

Julia Robbins Ani Kesanapally Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editor Ani hails from the San Francisco Bay Area and in his free time loves to be homesick for palm trees, good weather, $20 burritos and winning sports teams. As a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, he is majoring in biology on the genetics and computation-

Senior News Editor al biology track and minoring in philosophy of science, and yes, he does know that is a mouthful. He is very excited for an in-person fall and hopes to experience campus to the fullest, namely discovering places to eat that do not begin with a B and end with a D. Ani will be serving as this term’s senior diversity, equity and inclusion editor, and would like to continue StudLife’s commitment towards making the paper more representative of the campus community and interests.

Julia is a sophomore with a dream of majoring in religion and a reality of probably majoring in history. She’s a huge fan of humming and spends her days spreading love for an under appreciated instrument called the guitelele. While she’s never gotten a runners’ high, she does get an interviewer’s high after particularly riveting conversations with sources. You’ll likely find her throwing a frisbee with friends or being disappointed that Parks and Rec is only on Peacock if she’s not busy reporting at an

but she does enjoy traveling to Taiwan to visit family. That’s a lot of plane travel, and to balance it out, Jade is also passionate about sustainability. When she’s not cooking or traveling, Jade works as an admissions intern, plays Ultimate Frisbee, and is beginning her time as senior design editor. She joined StudLife after a friend texted her about it, and is both excited and terrified about the year of late production nights ahead of her.

event for the newspaper. This past summer she finally lived out her small dream of being a camp girl by becoming a counselor at a sleep away camp in New Hampshire. She was best known at camp for singing too loudly in the dining hall and cheering on kayakers from her life guarding stand with the help of her trusty megaphone. Perhaps most importantly, she still doesn’t have a driver’s license but is now legal to drive a commercial boat in the great state of New Hampshire. She’s super excited to finally get down to business in the Stud Life office and order way too much Peet’s Coffee because of its close proximity to the press room.

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

Vivienne Chang Senior Engagement Editor Vivienne Chang is a junior from San Francisco, majoring in Economics and Finance with a minor in Dance. Because she has not yet mastered the art of bio writing, here are some fun facts about her. 1: In her first

year, she ate at Ibby’s so much that she sat at every table in the restaurant. 2: Her favorite animal is the whale shark and she absolutely loves aquariums. 3: Vivienne is passionate about financial empowerment, Taiwanese American culture and the color yellow. Vivienne is excited to continue leading Student Life’s engagement team this year and to continue checking off boxes in her St. Louis bucket list.

Sarah Wang Senior Design Editor Sarah is a sophomore from Austin, Texas, (emphasis on Austin) who is frantically trying to finish up this magazine while on a four-hour road trip. She’s an absolute sucker for any second-hand clothing shop, gentrified brunch spots and outdoor swimming holes around St. Louis, so reach out if these things sound fun to you! If you ever see her in per-

son please say hi because she needs the constant validation of people’s acknowledgement to make her happy. In addition to serving as a Student Life design editor, Sarah is also majoring in Communication Design, so you can probably find her in the wild somewhere on the East End having a mental breakdown about her next critique. Legend says if you give her any kind of boba from Cube Tea or take her out to eat K-BBQ you two will automatically become best friends forever.

50 STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

See more online! Get to know the a cappella scene

GRACE BRUTON | STUDENT LIFE

The Ghost Lights sing in their spring 2019 concert, “A Night at the Movies.” A cappella is a major part of student life at Washington Univer-

sity. The campus is home to 13 a cappella groups, all of whom hold

popular, well-attended concerts at least once a year. Many of campus’s regular events were paused during the pandemic, and a cappella concerts were no exception. But after a long year of quarantine, Wash. U. a cappella is back: They spent the spring practicing virtually and recording for the Association of Collegiate A Cappella’s campus-wide album. In the fall, they’ll be fully back in action. The Student Life a cappella project presents interviews with the music directors of 11 of the campus’s 13 groups, along with music selections the groups submitted. (The other two did not respond to requests for interviews.) These interviews, which were conducted in March and

Isabella Neubauer Managing Editor

April of 2021, present a little slice of campus a cappella culture— what makes each group unique and the reason that all of these members keep coming back to a cappella year after year. To the freshmen: You haven’t been able to experience Wash. U. a cappella. May this act as an introduction. Scan this QR code to read the interviews!

A baseball pipeline school?

Did you know? Two WU baseball players were recently selected to play for the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. Scan the QR code to read more.

Our favorite campus spots

CLARA RICHARDS | STUDENT LIFE

Left: Caleb Durbin, who struck out just twice in 190 plate appearances this spring, watches the ball after a swing. Right: Ryan Loutos, who had a 1.33 earned run average this year in 94 2/3 innings, winds up on the Kelly Field mound.

Scan this QR code to see Student Life staffers show you their favorite spots on campus.

STUDENT LIFE | THE STARTING LINE

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