F O U RT H E S TAT E April 15, 2019
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Volume 6 Issue 21
INTERCULTURAL DANCE COMPETITON page 10
News page 04
VICTIMS’ RIGHTS 5K
THE GREEN
Sports page 14
MACHINE
@ivestate | gmufourthestate.com
UPCYCLED FASHION CHALLENGE
Culture page 10
THE STREAMING WARS Opinions page 20
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FOURTH ESTATE
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ALEXANDER SHEDD Editor-in-Chief
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
BASMA HUMADI Managing Editor IZZ LAMAGDELEINE Copy Chief
Dear Patriots,
LIZ ELKIND Assistant Copy Chief
This week is International Week, which is one of the most important events that Mason holds. Mason is an incredibly diverse campus, and it is important to celebrate that. Whether you are celebrating your own culture or exploring someone else’s this week, get the most out of the experience, and be sure to try as many new things as possible.
SARAH LURIA BEN STOVNER Copy Editors
In the pop culture scene of the world, Game of Thrones is back. By golly, I am not ready for this emotional rollercoaster.
DANA NICKEL News Editor
In News this week, there is a piece about both Autism Awareness month and the organizations that work to support individuals with autism, such as Mason Autism Support Initiative (MASI). We also have stories in this issue about “Bafa’ Bafa’” culture, a profile on Mason’s swim club and an opinion on college-debt reform. After taking a break from printing next week, we only have one issue of Fourth Estate left. Hope you have enjoyed reading our paper as much as we have enjoyed working on it. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, send us an email at masonfourthestate@gmail.com, and someone more qualified than I will surely respond to you.
ABIGAIL ADCOX Assistant News Editor MONICA ECHOLS Culture Editor HAILEY BULLIS Assistant Culture Editor CHRIS KERNAN-SCHMIDT Opinions Editor NATALIE HEAVREN Sports Editor DOMENIC ALLEGRA Assistant Sports Editor LAUREN SULLIVAN Investigative Editor
Sincerely, Alexandria McAlpine
ALLIE THOMPSON Photo Editor
Art Director
ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE Art Director BILLY FERGUSON Online Director LAURA SCUDDER Social Media Editor DOMINIQUE BERNARDINO Multimedia Editor
We are always recruiting volunteers for: - WRITERS - VIDEOGRAPHERS - ILLUSTRATORS - COPY EDITORS - PHOTOGRAPHERS
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APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH Student organizations to host events throughout April in support of autism awareness LAURA SCUDDER SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR
One of those programs is the Mason Autism Support Initiative (MASI), which works with autistic students year-round to provide additional support both in and out of the classroom. “MASI is a comprehensive program for degree-seeking students with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder,” Christopher Williams, the MASI program coordinator, explained. Students with autism who wish to enroll in MASI must first apply for admittance. From there, Williams and the associate director of the program, Jamilah Anderson, choose which students are admitted. Once students are accepted, there is a cost: $6,000 for the upcoming 2019-2020 program year. “There is an application process to be admitted into the program,” Williams said. “So, what we are definitely looking for [in] students that want to participate is one, they [feel]. They have to provide documentation to us of their disability. … [They] have recommendation forms they have
to get filled out, and they have … a personal essay that they have to use to apply.” The fees for the program are self-generated and pay for the faculty who help out with MASI, which consists of peer mentors and learning strategists. Williams and Anderson look for students who are willing to help others when hiring for these positions. Peer mentors are undergraduate students who help those enrolled in MASI with acclimation to social life on campus, while learning strategists are graduate students who work to provide support to students in an academic realm. “I supervise the peer mentors in the program,” Williams said. “Jamilah oversees all operations of the program―so overseeing all learning strategists―and also we co-teach the skill-building classes for the students … and then we meet with students on an as-needed basis as well for any concerns that they have.” There are currently 32 students enlisted in MASI, and the number is expected to increase to 38 in the following academic year, according to Williams. Williams explained that he and other staff would like to grow the program to 50 students, but for now, they are
focused on increasing the staff and working on what MASI offers to students. Justin Boachie, a junior in MASI, explained that he has gotten a lot out of the program during his time at Mason so far, particularly when it comes to the independence that MASI gives students. “They are providing you resources, but they aren’t holding your hand,” he said. Boachie enjoys the independence. “I want freedom; I want space; I want to explore,” he said. “I want to do things on my own and figure things out.” Not only does Boachie appreciate the independence that MASI gives him and his fellow peers, but he thrives in the social environment that the
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON POLICE DEPARTMENT
Organization and programs around campus are working to support those with autism during Autism Awareness Month.
program has constructed. Boachie is a part of a new social-event-planning committee run by the students in MASI themselves in MASI. “We, the students, are actually generating the social events for the students … hearing from their point or perspective on what they’d like to do as a program,” Boachie said. He made sure to emphasize that though the program is fun, it should be taken seriously and is a chance to really support those in the autistic community. “We want to be accepted into society, as well,” Boachie explained.
FOURTH ESTATE ELISABETH WANERSTEN
MASI is a program that supports students with autism throughout the entire year, but there are other groups on campus working to support autism awareness with events during the month of April. Mason’s police department is selling custom patches in honor of autism awareness for $10 each, with 100 percent of the proceeds going toward the Special Olympics. Those interested in buying a patch can head to police headquarters on the Fairfax campus. The GMU Psychology Club is hosting a paint ’n’ sip for Autism Awareness Month on Monday, April 22, from 5-7 p.m. in HUB VIP 2. The club’s description of the event details: “The event will feature catering, painting materials, and a guest instructor to lead the event to raise funding for local
autism health groups. A percentage of funds raised will be donated to the GMU Psychology Clinic in recognition of their support for patients with autism.” Alpha Xi Delta, a sorority on campus, will be hosting various events in the coming week to raise money for Autism Speaks, their national philanthropy. According to Hunter Nappi, the organization’s vice president of philanthropy, the chapter raised over $18,000 for Autism Speaks with the Autism Speaks Walk last fall. Nappi explained that she thinks the philanthropy work the chapter does it important for including those with autism in the conversation. “I think it’s really important for people to understand it better, so people [with autism] can be more included in everyday life,” Nappi said. Autism Speaks has received criticism for its past handling of autism as a disease, rather than a condition. However, it has moved toward a more inclusive perspective, according to Grace Oh, the former vice president of philanthropy for Alpha Xi Delta. Oh explained that Autism Speaks has changed their mission statement to move toward ensuring understanding and acceptance of autistic people, rather than trying to find a “cure” for autism.
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FAIRFAX PETLAND CLOSES AFTER ALLEGED ANIMAL NEGLECT HSUS undercover investigation reveals dead rabbits left in the freezer ABIGAIL ADCOX ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
On Wednesday, April 3, Petland ended its franchise agreement in Fairfax due to an ongoing investigation by the City of Fairfax Police Department of alleged animal abuse. The store, which was frequented by many Mason students, has now shut its doors and removed the signs from the storefront. The Fairfax County Animal Shelter
confirmed that it took in 17 rabbits from Petland following its closure. The shelter’s communications manager, Amanda Novotny, said in an interview with Local DVM, “We did get custody of the 17 rabbits from the Petland store closure, but they have all been sent to foster homes to get some tender love and care for the next two
to three weeks.” It’s unclear at this time whose care the puppies from Fairfax Petland are under. According to NBC Washington, “Police seized documents and bodies of dead animals from the store Monday after an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States [HSUS] revealed the bodies of 14 dead rabbits in the store’s freezer.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
The police search of the premises followed a tip from the HSUS alleging mistreatment of the rabbits at the store. The HSUS had an undercover investigator working at the store for two months as part of a larger investigation into the handling of pets at Petland stores across the country. The investigation involved the use of a hidden camera, which revealed proof
of the dead rabbits being left in plastic bags in the freezer. The investigator, whose identity is unknown to the public, noted their findings in a blog post on the HSUS website titled “Dying Without a Sound.” It describes how “one rabbit who had been put aside in a basket under a shelf, [was left] to spend his last hours without veterinary care or relief from pain. If they were dogs, they might cry out.” The investigator also found that, when rabbits got sick, they weren’t given veterinary care but were instead left to die. The post also contains interviews with employees who were aware of this practice. One employee was quoted in the blog as saying, “There’s like, nothing we can do, because they don’t get treated by a vet. When they’re sick, they’re sick. We just let them die.”
Animals found at Petland largely come from puppy mills or, in the case of the rabbits, large-scale commercial breeding locations. The undercover investigation by HSUS also allegedly tracked down the rabbit supplier for the Fairfax Petland to a farm in rural Maryland. In regard to the conditions of the farm, the blog post noted after a trip in March, “Rabbits crowded into rows of outdoor hutches open to the elements or into filthy wire-floored cages in a barn. Some rabbits appeared to be sick or injured. The investigator found a dead rabbit placed on top of a hutch.” The Fairfax Petland is still under investigation by the Fairfax police, though the store has been closed.
LAST WEEK IN POLITICS Monday, April 15 California congressman Eric Swalwell announced he is running for president in 2020. Fourth Estate’s Social Media Editor, Laura Scudder, celebrated her 19th birthday. Kristjen Nielsen resigns as Trump’s Homeland Security Secretary. Ralph Metzner, renowned LSD researcher, dies at 82.
Tuesday, April 16 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announces that 16 Saudis, including one of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s closest aides, have been barred from entry to the U.S. President Trump signals for a harsher immigration agenda, with the potential return of family separations.
Thursday, April 18
Friday, April 19
Attorney General William Barr says he plans to release Mueller report “within a week.”
CNN reveals never before seen letters from Joe Biden in the late 1970s seeking support from segregationist senators.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refuses to respond to what the U.S. will do if Israel annexes West Bank.
Astronomers capture first ever image of a black hole.
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, is arrested in London as U.S. and will face charges in the U.S. of conspiring to hack into a Pentagon computer network in 2010.
Wednesday, April 17
Trump administration plans to push for tougher asylum rules.
Attorney General William Barrs asserts that intelligence agencies spied on Trump’s presidential campaign. U.S. Department of Treasury declines House request for President Trump’s tax returns.
A bill passed by New York City Council bars marijuana testing as part of job applications. Billionaire investor Ron Burkle is said to be in talks to purchase the National Enquirer.
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HONORING FORMER MASON ATHLETE AIMEE WILLARD
The 23rd annual Victims’ Rights Run/Walk 5K opens the discussion on interpersonal violence and the importance of community HAILEY BULLIS ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR
“We do this event to honor her and honor our other survivors on campus and [let survivors] know, ‘Hey … we’re here,’” Nichole Nicholas, assistant director of health and wellness education at Mason, said. “We also do it to show students and our faculty and staff that we have a fund here that supports our survivors.”
FOURTH ESTATE HAILEY BULLIS
All ticket proceeds from the 5K went to the Mason’s Victims of Violence Fund. This year, the organizers decided to make the event Mason-spirited instead of using the usual logo from the Department of Justice website, Nicholas explained.
On April 11, Mason hosted its 23rd annual Victims’ Rights Run/Walk 5K in honor of Aimee Willard, a star lacrosse and soccer player at Mason in 1996. Willard was on her way home from a bar near Philadelphia when she was brutally raped and murdered in June 1996. Willard’s killer was later found to be a repeat felon, which sparked the creation of what is known as “Aimee’s
MASON WEEKLY CRIME LOG
Law.” The law requires that “a state that granted early release to an individual convicted of murder, rape or child molestation to pay for the costs of prosecution and incarceration if that individual is then convicted of one of the three listed crimes in another state. The penalty would be taken out of federal law enforcement assistance allocated to the state that had granted
the early release,” according to www. womenspolicy.org. Mason Athletics, University Life departments such as the Student Support and Advocacy Center (SSAC), and Mason’s police department organized the 23rd annual Victims’ Rights Run/Walk 5K in an effort to raise awareness about interpersonal violence during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
The event also brought in outside sponsors and community members, including Debra Ranf, the community engagement supervisor of Fairfax’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Services. “The idea is to join efforts in getting this done and partner [together,]
Courtney Diener, assistant director for interpersonal violence at SSAC, also expressed the importance of the community. “It’s not until our entire community comes together and really talks about the issues and addresses the issues that change is going to happen in the way that we want it to happen,” she said. For Diener, the event is part of a larger goal of continuing the conversation of interpersonal violence. “I think that we should be talking about these issues all the time, and I might be a little bit biased, because it is my full-time job to support survivors and to do prevention work,” Diener said. “This particular event really has the space of honoring survivors. It’s centered around victims and survivors, and you don’t always have that with some of the prevention that happens.” Survivors of interpersonal violence can call SSAC’s 24-hour sexual and intimate partner crisis line at
Sunday, April 7 - Roberts Rd.
Tuesday, April 9 - Planetary Hall
Drug/Narcotic Violations: Three subjects (GMU) were referred to Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for possessing illegal drugs.
Theft from Building: Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of a cell phone from a backpack during class.
2019-003614 - Referred to OSC
2019-003697 - Inactive
Tuesday, April 9 - The RAC Monday, April 8 - Rappahannock Parking Deck
PHOTO COURTESY OF MASON POLICE
Participants could find signs against interpersonal violence along the course. A Mason’s clothesline project was also displayed on Merten Hall Lawn.
because I think that when we partner [together,] we are collaborating, and when we are collaborating … I think that we are making a difference in the community,” said Ranf.
Theft from Motor Vehicle: Complainant (GMU) reported the theft of clothes from an unsecured vehicle.
False Pretenses/Swindle/Confidence Game/Scam: Two complainants (GMU) reported a scam involving spoofing and requests to purchase gift cards by an unknown subject posing as someone known to the complainants.
2019-003675 - Inactive
2019-003717 & 2019-003830 - Pending Tuesday, April 9 - Fairfax Campus
Monday, April 8 - Commonwealth Hall Liquor Law Violations/Medical Assist: Subject (GMU) was referred to Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for possessing alcohol while under age 21. Medical amnesty applied. 2019-003658 - Referred to OSC
Stalking: Complainant (GMU) reported receiving unwanted contact from known subject (GMU) on multiple occasions. 2019-003729 - Referred to Title IX
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SOULJA BOY HELD IN PRISON WITHOUT BAIL Mason Day headliner canceled after breaking parole DANA NICKEL NEWS EDITOR
Thursday, April 11, a judge in California ruled that, because Soulja Boy had violated the conditions of his parole, he would remain in jail without bail.
According to People magazine, police raided Soulja Boy’s home in February after receiving claims that the rapper had kidnapped and assaulted his girlfriend.
It is unclear who will replace Soulja Boy for Mason Day, but the Office of Student Involvement is looking for new entertainment.
The rapper will remain in jail until his next hearing on April 30.
While there, police allegedly found ammo.
Many Mason students were disappointed at the news that Soulja Boy would not perform at Mason Day.
As a result, he was arrested for parole violation.
“I mean, I’m really disappointed Soulja isn’t coming,” expressed
Shannon Howley, a junior at Mason. “I really wanted to see him do his [Soulja Boy] dance live,” stated Gerrit Hansen, a senior at Mason. “I’m sad to hear he wouldn’t doing his Crank That dance at Mason Day. It’s the only reason I [was] going.” PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
Popular 2000s rapper Soulja Boy was arrested last month after police raided his home and found ammunition. He has since been canceled as the main source of entertainment for Mason Day, which is set to take place Friday, April 26.
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. More details will be updated as they become available.
STUDENT ACCUSED OF VIDEOTAPING IN WOMEN’S BATHROOM WILL NOT FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES Student referred to Office of Student Conduct ZACHARY PETRIZZO STAFF WRITER
Later, Mason PD obtained a search warrant for his on-campus residence and electronic devices. After the search warrant was executed, the suspect was cleared of criminal charges and referred to the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for evaluation for potential disciplinary action. Mason PD received a call Feb. 11 about a “a suspicious male who was seen in and around a women’s bathroom in Innovation Hall,” per a WJLA article. Responding officers found that the man had left the area by the time they arrived. On Feb. 26, Mason PD released a statement notifying students that officers “found a man attempting to hide in that bathroom with a smartphone … that contained evidence
of an attempt to film women in the bathroom.” The statement concludes by elaborating on actions by Mason PD in response to the incident, including that the student was questioned. As Fox 5 DC first reported back at the end of February, the student was not charged with any civil or criminal counts and is now being referred to the OSC for further investigation or punishments, if any, for his actions. According to Mason students, the student is still on campus without punishment. Mason students expressed their frustration with the university’s lack of speed in notifying students. This delay is what many consider to be the most troubling, along with Mason PD not pursuing charges, while other students remain puzzled as to whether the perpetrator is still a student at the university. One Mason student, junior Julia Craig, spoke to Fourth Estate regarding her feelings on the incident as a woman on the Fairfax campus. “I’m very disappointed and angered
by the way this situation has been handled,” Craig said. “The incident was disgusting and makes me and many other friends and students feel unsafe. How are we supposed to feel safe on campus when we can’t even know for sure that it’s safe to use the bathroom?” Craig continued, “[It] makes you wonder how much the university actually cares that we as women feel safe on campus.”
strategic communication and Mason PD’s public information officer, referred us to an email sent out to students Feb. 27. Sandler elaborated, stating that the police department “didn’t pursue charges because there was insufficient evidence, but they did refer the case to the Office of Student Conduct.”
When Fourth Estate asked about the status of the student at Mason, Sandler stated, “Because of FERPA, we are not permitted to discuss student records.” FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is a federal law that focuses on student privacy.
Craig told Fourth Estate that she was “very confused by the fact that the student isn’t facing charges. The daily police report refers to the incident as ‘unlawful filming of another.’ So, if it’s literally called ‘unlawful’ in the report, why won’t Mason PD pursue charges?” Craig continued, “At the very least, the police department could tell us if the student is facing any consequences from the school or what they’re doing to prevent this happening again. I just want to know that it’s safe to use the bathroom as a woman at my own school, but they won’t even give us that.” In an interview with Fourth Estate, Michael Sandler, Mason’s director of
FOURTH ESTATE ANGELIQUE ARINTOK
On Feb. 12, a Mason student whose identity has not been made public, was detained and questioned by Mason’s police department (Mason PD) after he was found in the fourth-floor women’s bathroom in Innovation Hall with a cell phone that showed recordings of female students. As of now, this student will not be facing any criminal charges.
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TUBA EUPHONIUM ENSEMBLE GETS LOW
Mason’s Ensemble is going strong with performances scheduled throughout the spring IZZ LAMAGDELEINE COPY CHIEF
The ensemble is led by Dr. Dave Porter, one of the tuba instructors in the School of Music, known simply as “Dr. Dave” to those who play under him. The group has improved greatly in the last several years, playing their music at world-class events and competitions. “We picked out the repertoire starting in the fall and started rehearsing, working on it, and then we performed some of it,” Porter said about the music that they played in their concert Sunday, April 7. “And some of it is also going to ITEC [the International Tuba Euphonium Conference] in Iowa … because that’s a … global event. So because it is, we picked out pieces we could rehearse all year and make better.”
The group rehearses once a week on Friday afternoons, with additional rehearsals held if individual members need the practice. Jordan Gibson, a sophomore English major, arrives late each week because she has to work during most of the group’s normal rehearsal time. “Catching up is kinda hard, but yeah, I’m excited to play the pieces,” she said. Even though Gibson misses a majority of the rehearsals, Porter works around schedules with the students as long as they show that they are committed to their and the group’s success. “If they want to be in it, then I’ll bend over backwards to help somebody play in it,” he said. “If they don’t want to be in it, [or] if they want to be in it and just not do anything, I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s not [OK.]’” The ensemble also has to keep in mind the challenge of being a group composed of only tubas and euphoniums. “We’re always listening for the melody. Whatever we’re doing, [we’ve] got to hear the melody,” Porter said. “And we also listen for the bottom tuba part, the lowest tuba part. So we have
the melody and the lowest tuba part, and then the other voices fill in, and that gets a real rich balance.” During rehearsal, the members work to ensure that this is happening every time they play, as well that no one player or part is overpowering the group. Another issue is finding funding for all that the group wants to do. “We’ve received a couple of invites from leading players in the brass fields, to come out and attend their conferences and be the premier thing happening,” Jacob Aeschleman, a music major and the current vice president of the group, said. “So that’s our goal next go-around.
highly enjoy it. Gibson said that time management was what she most learned from being a member of the group. “That’s what I can use in the future with Tuba-Euph that I can use with anything,” she said. “For me, I’m very passionate about the sound of tubas and euphoniums playing,” said Porter. “That’s basically what keeps me going. There’s something exciting about it. I love
listening to it. I love playing it. I love helping to make it sound better … and I haven’t gotten tired of it yet, so we’ll see.” The Tuba Euphonium Ensemble will be kept busy after their concert, with five more performances to round out their year, including at A Musical Feast May 4 and a 50th-anniversary tribute to Woodstock May 5.
“The problem was financing, as always. It takes a lot of money to move 13 people and 13 instruments and house them for a week. I know our trip to Iowa is going to cost us between [$4,000] and $5,000 dollars, so we’re trying to figure out how we’re going to cover that right now.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID PORTER
When most people think of a professional music ensemble, they think of a symphonic band or a jazz group. However, Mason has plenty of other musical talent to offer for listening ears. The Tuba Euphonium Ensemble, a group composed entirely of the lowest of brass instruments, is one of them.
Even with all of the challenges that can come with the ensemble, both Porter and the group’s members
HIDDEN HANGOUTS: CALL YOUR MOTHER, REALLY! Wood-fired perfection PETER NJOROGE STAFF WRITER Call Your Mother is the destination for bagel-lovers in the DMV area.
FOURTH ESTATE PETER NJOROGE
If that description isn’t reason enough to believe that Call Your Mother is worth the trip into D.C., “Food and Wine” wrote that Call Your Mother is on their “14 New Names to Know” list in Jewish delis across the entire country.
Get your mom, dad, brother, aunt and second cousin twice removed on the line for a bagel that will change everything that you think about breakfast. New-ish to the Parkview neighborhood in Washington, D.C., is Call
Your Mother, a self-proclaimed “Jew-ish Deli” that serves a ton of different creations on bagels that taste truly unique. For all who think a bagel is just a bagel, making this trip is an important, educational experience.
The breakfast-bagel sandwiches offered are highly unique, combining flavors like bacon and strawberry cream cheese or spicy honey and cheese. With names like “The Efron” and “The Rihanna Flex,” the sandwiches’ iconic names match the delicious taste of the food they describe. The offerings and options are plentiful. The obvious standouts are their classic wood-fired bagels that can be ordered
singularly, in a half-dozen or a dozen at a time. They also serve “Luuuunch,” which includes another group of interesting sandwich creations accompanied by chips, relish and a pickle spear. Lastly, their menu also has a wild-card section titled “Other Jew-ish Stuff.” Here, they offer Pastrami Fried Rice, a pizza bagel and the only Jew-ish taco this side of the Mississippi. In the evening, they also hold all-inclusive family dinners for 18 guests that are “like dinner at your mama’s house but way tighter,” according to the deli’s website. The staff is friendly and serves lots of different beverages, including coffee, to either get your morning started or keep you going throughout the day. They also proudly display that they put a real emphasis on locality when it
comes to their ingredients. According to the menu, they “only use that good good!” The store is incredibly colorful, inside and out, and much like all of the menu items, the bright signage and equally bright furniture appeals to the more fun side that is hidden within us all. Additionally, there are, plenty of Drake photos to go around along with a collection of old-school pool chairs in their patio area that help contribute to their satirical aesthetic. The whole business seems to be poking fun at everything, everywhere, while casually reminding you of something from your more innocent years. Call Your Mother is a spot that is definitely worth the work to get there.
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THE BENEFITS OF PRACTICING YOGA What you should know about yoga and why you should implement it into your life ANASTASIA SHKRETOVA STAFF WRITER
According to Cambridge Dictionary, yoga is “a set of physical and mental exercises, originally from India, intended to give control over the body and mind,” as well as “a Hindu system of philosophy that aims to unite the self with god.” There are many different kinds of yoga. It can range from Anusara, a physical practice and heart chakra opening; Ashtanga, which incorporates breathing techniques; Bikram, which takes place in a heated room, and is usually used to lose weight through a highly intense workout, which leads to an intense amount of sweating, and Vinyasa, which includes different kinds of flows and sequences. Nivita Ganesan, who practices yoga using the sequences of world-renowned yogi Sadhguru, explained that
conditions and the purpose of why you’re practicing it. If you are looking for freedom within yourself, one of the ways to explore it is through yoga.
yoga is “the ultimate union, a state, where all boundaries disappear. It is the state of consciousness, when we start experiencing ourselves as one with the universe.” Yoga is not a workout. “It is a fallacy that yoga is another form of exercise,” Ganesan said. “In its true sense, one can not ‘do’ or ‘practice’ yoga, as it is a state of being. It is a state of consciousness that can help to resolve many of the problems that currently plague our society.”
There are many benefits to integrating yoga into your life. “If we start experiencing ourselves as one with our fellow human beings and nature, issues like pollution, discrimination, violence and terrorism will naturally decline,” Ganesan said. “Moreover, good health is a natural side effect of yoga. All societies should embrace yoga, as it is the most viable solution we have at hand.” FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Yoga is a popular movement that brings together large groups of people. It is well-known for its positive effect on both humans’ minds and bodies, because its main purpose is to make a connection between both.
The main differences between yoga and other types of physical and mental healing is that while practicing yoga, the largest part of your thoughts are supposed to be focused on your inner world, the intention of the workout, your psychological
Ganesan explained that the benefits of yoga depend on how consistent you are with it. “As you integrate [yoga] into everyday life, things will start changing,” she said. “Allergies, headaches and other health problems may disappear after a few months of practice. After some years, dependency on food and sleep will be reduced. You will become more joyful and carefree.” Yoga can also help improve your state of mind and overall well-being. “Our modern education and society lays too much emphasis on word and thoughts,” Ganeson said. “As a result, most of us are constantly living in our minds. No wonder mental health is a serious problem nowadays. There is so much life happening in and around us, for which we have no time and attention. We should realize this, and integrate yoga in our lives to go beyond our mind and appreciate the world.”
THE GOURMET: THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING STAFF A review of Pho Banh Mi & Grill in Fairfax, VA
Editor’s Note: Restaurants are scored by three categories: decor, service and food.
FOURTH ESTATE ETHAN REYNOLDS
I live in the far lands of the Mason townhouses, and because I don’t have a car, saving me gas money I don’t have, I walk past the Pho Banh Mi & Grill everyday while heading home. Every day, I could see the lit-up bar filled with all sorts of drinks, and smell the delicious scent of flavorful pho, but I could not see anything else within. I decided it was a mystery that I had to solve. Decor- Beyond the tinted windows of the restaurant lies … well … not much. Sure, it has a great-looking bar, but the decorations inside looked old and tired. I understand this is a restaurant chain, but I would have really liked to see authentic Vietnamese decorations. When I sat in my chair, I gazed upon the floor, and my goodness, it was not pretty. It looked as if the building was a laundromat before a restaurant. At least when I looked back up,
ETHAN REYNOLDS STAFF WRITER I saw a nicely positioned TV playing jalapenos, mayonnaise with pate and “Chopped” on the Food Network. a “pickle,” which was just a cucumber How fitting. with no vinegar at all. I did not really taste the pate, nor the mayo. Despite Service- The service was subpar at all of this, the sandwich was good. best. Once people started dripping in slowly, I noticed that there was only a The noodles were next, and with the dynamic duo of servers at the restau- right additions, they were delicious. rant. Managers, make sure you hire They were primarily filled with tofu, more staff, because I had to ask for carrots, scallops and shrimp balls. The everything, and I mean everything. I noodles were served hot and ready, had to ask for refills, a box and my bill, and I took my time eating them, which all things many servers who are not was nice. The flavors were balanced occupied serving five different tables at and authentic. most could have solved. Pho Banh Mi & Grill was a place Food- The food was by far the best part of the visit. I ordered the pork banh mi sandwich with tempura udon noodle soup. The sandwich was served first. The only complaint I have about it was its assembly. I wanted to take a solid bite out of the sandwich, not have a mouthful of veggies or pork. The sandwich had a crunchy, well-baked bread. Inside was pork, radish, sliced
filled with good food, but mediocre service and pretty bad decor. If you are looking for a place to have a long, casual date with some decent food, this is the place to be. Otherwise, I think there are better places around for pho. It seems this mystery is closed, and I’ll give it a simple and digestible rating of 2.9 empty cups of water out of 5.
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GET CARRIED AWAY Abby Rasheed boomerangs between genres IZZ LAMAGDELEINE COPY CHIEF
“At this point, I’m not trying too hard to produce music from a particular genre,” Rasheed said. “I think eventually it would be a nice little challenge to try to make music for a certain genre ... try to play songs different than I’ve played before; but right now, I’m just kind of writing what feels natural and pushing myself a little bit.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF JORDAN WINTER
For Rasheed, who started performing when she was 14 years old, what feels natural can take a while to be heard by others. Songs for “Carried Away” had been in the works long before the album was released. One, a short acoustic ballad titled “Broken
Furniture,” was released as a demo in November 2016, nearly two years before the album with its newer version came out. “I feel like I worked on the album for several years, because I really wanted to make that happen, but I didn’t know that much about the recording process or how to get musicians to play with me on it,” Rasheed said. “I didn’t have the resources, and I didn’t make the time yet, so when I finally did it, I was really proud to get something out there. And we kind of did it ourselves, with a lot of help from a lot of different people [and] students. So it was very DIY but very fun and a good learning experience.” Some of the students heard on “Carried Away” are ones with whom she still plays often. Saxophonist John Longbottom, bassist Massimo Zaru-Roque, electric guitarist Jack Philipoom and congas, shaker and tambourine player Mark Rudnicki are now members of Abby Rasheed and the Sundry Collection, along with Rasheed and Nick Lee, who plays mandolin for the group. “I play solo sometimes, but I do like to play with a band,” Rasheed said.
“I prefer it. I think it gives it a fuller sound, and I think everybody enjoys it a little bit more, too, when we play. Everybody does have their own project that they work on, too, and then when we play in this band, I write the songs, and they help me make the songs a lot cooler.” All of the musicians on the project are heavily involved in music outside of the group. ZaruRoque is currently the president of Mason Noise, a music tech club on campus and the audio engineer behind “Hawaiian Brothers Forever! Presents: Hawaiian Brothers Together ... Forever!” a project featuring fellow Sundry Collection members Longbottom and Lee. Philipoom plays guitar for a group called Albino Rhino, which Longbottom is involved in. Rasheed had nothing but good things to say about her bandmates and praised their musicianship. “Jack and
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROLIN WEINROTH
Senior Abby Rasheed’s favorite song she’s created, “Lunar Letdown,” from her debut album, “Carried Away,” starts slow. A guitar and tambourine can be heard in the background as a saxaphone steals the show, playing a melody that can almost be called mournful. As the drums and Rasheed enter, crooning about a man who “turns his head way too soon” and is always “down by the moon,” while strumming along on her acoustic guitar, you do not know what you are going to hear next—something that you could also say about the rest of the album and Rasheed herself.
I have been playing together for a long time, and he is one of the best guitar players I know,” she said about Philipoom, with whom she has been performing since the demo of “Broken Furniture.” She continued, “He’s really good at jazz, but he can play anything, and he’s a good listener. I think that’s why I like playing with him so much, because he’s good at listening to what other people are playing and playing along tastefully, not overdoing it or noodling too much in it.” Rasheed’s music is in part inspired by both the area that she is from and the area she lives in now. Staunton, Virginia is known for the American Shakespeare Center and Mary Baldwin University, as well as several festivals that are held there during the summer. She grew up there, participating in open mic nights and the local scene, which is where she got her start in music. “And then when I came to college, immediately I searched for a music club, because I knew I wanted to get involved with that, and then I found the Music Productions Club,” Rasheed said. The club provides opportunities for music made at Mason to be heard by a larger audience, including fellow musicians and music enthusiasts. She became its treasurer her second semester, then the president for a couple of years after the one before her graduated. “I’ve grown a lot at Mason, definitely,” Rasheed said. “The Music Productions Club … helped me
become more confident in my leadership and in my playing. And then the guys I play with, too, they’re just really good, and they help me grow, too, because I want to be as good as they are at their instruments.” Currently, Rasheed is working on some new music that she hopes to debut soon. “I’m working on writing some stuff, finishing some songs, and then there are also songs we have in our sets we’ve been playing for a while that we haven’t recorded yet,” she said. “Our sound also kind of changed this year, so I want to start recording again this summer, after graduation.” Rasheed also wants to go on a tour sometime this year. “We went on a really small one last summer, so I want to plan a bigger one this year,” she said. “Maybe not in the summer. It might happen to be after that, but it’s something that I really wanted to do for a long time. And I’m hoping I’ll get to do [it], because … being able to play in different environments for new audiences, that’s a dream.” Abby Rasheed and the Sundry Collection have several performances coming up soon. They will be playing Plazapalooza, a music festival at Mason hosted by the Music Productions Club this Friday, April 19, as well as “Hometown Thursday,” a concert where both they and student band Cinema Hearts will be playing.
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MOVING TO THE BEAT OF THE WORLD Mason students celebrate diversity by performing dances from all over the world
Guests were first greeted with a dinner featuring delicious meals from various countries, which helped the students get even more excited about the upcoming performances. The event had two hosts, who started the show by welcoming the students and judges, and helped make sure that the audience was energized before the show even started. The first team that got to perform was GMU Bhangra, who dazzled the crowd with both their bright clothes and incredible dance moves. After that came the Pakistani Student Association (PSA), who had the crowd dancing in their seats.
Next came the Bengali Patriots Association (BPA), who decided to add an exciting twist by performing an “epic love story.” The Nepali Student Association (NSA) followed the BPA and had the audience cheering so loud you could barely hear the music. FORTH ESATE NICOLAS MACOTTO
AHMED FARID STAFF WRITER On Thursday, April 11, Mason hosted its annual International Week Dance Competition. Students from eight different organizations came together to showcase their culture by performing traditional dances from different parts of the world.
The intermission gave guests the opportunity to take a short break until the next performances, but the enthusiastic crowd did anything but that. Instead, students started a shouting contest, yelling the name of their favorite teams to see who had the most spirit. Nida Mohamed, who came to support her friends in the PSA, wanted to make sure that everyone remained excited for her favorite team. “I loved all the performances,” she said. “Everyone so far has been unique, which is great, because it really shows [Mason’s] diversity. I’m still cheering for the PSA, though.”
When the competition resumed, the Indian Student Association brought the students back with an incredible dance. UrbanKnowlogy 101 (UK 101), who presented an incredible hip-hop dance, followed. The Afghan Student Union then came onstage to cheers from the audience. Finally,
Mason Ke Rang, who have performed in competitions all over the country, gave the last performance of the night. The NSA were chosen as the winners of the night by the judges, while UK 101, Mason Ke Rang and GMU Bhangra came in second, third and fourth respectively.
Although not all the groups could be crowned winners, they all met the approval of the crowd by showcasing the amazing and diverse cultures we have here on campus.
UPCYCLE INSTEAD OF BEING A PART OF THE CYCLE The MIX@Fenwick hosts a sustainable-fashion challenge NAYOMI SANTOS STAFF WRITER According to fast-fashion critic Elizabeth Cline, “Americans consume nearly 20 billion garments a year, equivalent to 62 garments each.” This is the result of the rise of the fast-fashion industry. These pieces of clothing are produced, often unethically, in other countries at the cost of the environment. The danger of fast fashion to both the environment and to the laborers who work in the industry led a group of faculty to create the
Upcycled Fashion Challenge last year. “It started out last year as a partnership between the MIX and the Office of Sustainability,” Amanda Jarvis, the MIX maker manager, said. “This year, it grew into a larger campaign.” The MIX asked people to donate clothing that could be “upcycled” into new pieces. “The purpose of this is to raise awareness of the fashion industry and how wasteful [it can be],” Jarvis
said. The challenge encourages people to give new life to their own clothing instead of going out to buy something new. Submissions are due by April 19, with voting opening the same day for the Mason community and continuing through April 24. On Wednesday, April 24, at 5 p.m., the MIX will host both an exhibit of the pieces submitted and a sustainable fashion panel discussion.
FORTH ESATE ALLIE THOMPSON
“Experts in sustainable fashion in local businesses and on campus [are] going to be talking about sustainable fashion in different areas,” Jarvis said. Afterward, there will be an awards ceremony based on the results of voting. In addition, the MIX will hold a series of workshops that teaches people to upcycle and repair clothing. Therefore, participation in the challenge is not limited to people who have experience in sewing and textiles. Anyone can join and participate in the movement for sustainable fashion. “We have gotten some more people in
on it to help us out this year,” Jarvis said. “Last year, we only got six entries, but this year, we are hoping to double that and maybe more.” The challenge consists of taking donated clothing from the MIX or thrifted clothing that the participant has found. “It should be recycled clothing, not something that you bought new.” Jarvis continued, “Then, you can sew it into something new, give it a second chance, a second life.” Once the piece is ready, you can submit it in the MIX@Fenwick. “We don’t have super-strict restrictions on it, because we are trying to get the most participation as possible,” she said. “Really, the importance of this event is that it’s promoting sustainable fashion,” Jarvis said. Both individuals and groups can submit pieces. There are endless possibilities to upcycle garments. For example, the MIX hosts a fiber arts guild for people who are interested in needle arts, which meets every Wednesday evening at the MIX. Members of the guild make yarn out of recycled T-shirts and knit
it into new things. “Doni, who runs the greenhouse, is knitting baskets for her vegetables with this recycled T-shirt yarn,” Jarvis said. In the future, Jarvis hopes to expand the challenge to the social entrepreneurship area. “This year we have been focusing on … the maker side of things, but we also, in the future, would like to add the social entrepreneurship element as well,” she said. The current challenge focuses on the impact that fast fashion has on the environment—but the damages that the industry does do not end there. There are many social problems that come with fast fashion. Jarvis hopes to explore and challenge people at Mason to think of them. The fiber arts guild at the MIX will also participate in the Maker Faire NoVa. So, even after the Upcycled Fashion Challenge, the guild will continue to meet every Wednesday in preparation for the fair. The group welcomes all Mason students who have an interest in the needle arts.
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DEAR IVY, There is a person on my floor I have had a crush on for most of the year. Let’s call them C. After hanging as friends for a while, C finally asked me out. We dated for a month, but we both work two jobs and are full-time students and struggled to meet up. C had a conversation with me deciding that we should just stay friends, because school comes first and both of us are too busy. Dear Hopelessly in Love, I am sorry you’re in such a rough situation. It is great that you and C were mature enough to decide that it is better to just be friends. And I really respect your decision to put your schoolwork first. That said, attempting to not have feelings for someone that you have feelings for can feel impossible. Right now, I know it seems like you will always feel this way. My advice to you would be to wait it out. For now, work on being just friends. T h r o w yourself into your other friendships, your studies and your work. It already sounds like you are doing a great job of this. When you feel like messaging C, text another friend, call your parents or do something else to take your mind off of them. Space is crucial at this point, and if you live on the same floor, you will continue to be friends, even if you are texting less than you would prefer. This will help you regulate your emotions towards C and get more level-headed about the situation. Then, when the semester and finals are complete and summer rolls around, reassess your feelings. If you find that you do not feel the same
I have had intense feelings for this person for so long and do not want them to leave my life, but it is so hard not to message C all the time because I know they need their space. How do I balance staying friends and giving them their space? Love your column. Thanks for the help. -Hopelessly in Love
way about this person after a month or so of creating space and focusing on other things, then the two of you can be friends and put it all behind you. If you do still have feelings, then it is time to have another conversation with C where you can tell them how you feel and see if they would be willing to give it another try after classes are over. If they have feelings for you at the end of the semester, that is great. I’m sure you can work something out. It would be great to spend those first few months of a relationship without the distractions of school and class, and build a strong foundation that you can work from once school starts up again. FORTH ESATE BILLY FERGUSON
Dear Ivy,
And if they don’t have feelings for you, then unfortunately it might be time to move on. This process looks different for everyone. Whether it means rebounding, spending some time alone or just focusing on your other friendships, remember whatever it is that helps you get through, and remember to be compassionate with yourself. Best of luck! -Ivy
BAFA’ BAFA’ STIMULATES THOUGHT
Simulation addresses the difficulty of cross-cultural interaction DE’ANDRE DARBY STAFF WRITER On Wednesday, April 10, 13 students for the groups to interact, it would be experienced a simulation that forever “two worlds colliding.” changed their perspectives of different The first objective of the simulation cultures. was that the groups would familiarize The students attended the Bafa’ themselves with their cultures, then Bafa’ Cultural Simulation, an event choose one person to send to the other sponsored by Social Action and room to silently observe the other Integrative Learning (SAIL), INTO culture. Afterwards, the “observer” Mason, the Honors College and the would go back to their own culture Office of International Programs and and inform their partners of what they Services. saw. The immersive role-playing game that lasted from noon to 2:30 p.m. allowed participants to both strengthen their acting skills and undergo a true cross-cultural encounter. As students checked in, they were assigned color-coded name tags that were later revealed to be how they would be split into groups. Half of the students were assigned to the blue group, the Alphas, while the other half were assigned to the red group, the Betas. Once the students were sorted into separate rooms, each group had to learn a pretend culture, then practice that culture until they were well-acquainted with its rules and regulations. The two cultures provided to the participant groups were completely unique, so that when it came time
Next, each group sent two to three visitors to the opposing culture to interact. This was repeated two times. Throughout the two visits, both the Alphas and the Betas were encouraged to keep their assigned cultural beliefs in mind, but assimilation to the new culture was not penalized. The main response from the Alpha observer after her cross-cultural visit was that the other culture was “weird.” It was difficult for her to attempt to describe their habits. After the “visitors” of the Alpha group experienced the Beta culture on two occasions, they remarked on the confusion they felt when they attempted to introduce both the Alphan culture to the Betas and the difficulty they had trying to assimilate into the Beta’s culture.
The conclusion of the visits gave time for a discussion amongst each culture in their individual rooms. Once the Alphas and the Betas shared their thoughts on their experience, it was time for them to reunite into one room for a question-answer session. The Alphas and the Betas were allowed to ask questions about each others’ culture to comprehend their actions during the visits. Many aspects of the distinctive Alphan and Betan cultures were revealed, and much of the confusion on the interaction was clarified. Further discussion allowed the participants to understand that there are various aspects to culture that can easily be misinterpreted, especially if you are not able to ask questions during an interaction. The most important message that the coordinators of the Bafa’ Bafa’ Cultural Simulation wanted students to learn was that when you experience another culture, you should be mindful of their values. If you do not understand an aspect of someone’s culture, the best way to understand is to ask questions and learn rather than critique someone’s way of life.
FORTH ESATE ALLIE THOMPSON
Ivy helps a student who has a crush on their floormate
CULTURE FACES OF MASON delves into the lives of Mason students, faculty or alumni, and organizations every week. This week we take a close look at students Liz Aveni and Justine Suegay, and the student organization Mason for Survivors INTERVIEWS BY ANGELIQUE ARINTOK AND IMANI HOLLOMAN
S T U D E N T O R G A N I Z AT I O N , M A S O N F O R S U R V I V O R S With the teach-ins you’ve hosted and the petition handed off the Vice President for University Life, Rose Pascarell, what’s next? We delivered our petition to Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell last week, but that by no means indicates that support of our cause has halted. New supporters are signing the petition even [now], and that trend shows no indication of stopping, in my opinion. Our next planned event is a dialogue with graduate students on the Arlington campus about the university’s hiring of Brett Kavanaugh, its implications and opportunities for graduate students to take action with us. We have also launched an Alumni Non-Donation Pledge and Parent Non-Donation Pledge in order to give those who aren’t students, but still have proximity to the Mason community, a platform to let the university know that they stand with survivors and do not support Kavanaugh’s presence on our campus.
FORTH ESATE VIJAY IYER
A town hall regarding Kavanaugh’s hiring, one of our demands, has been planned by the university for April 16. I would encourage anyone who’s uncomfortable with, feels harmed by or otherwise has questions about the circumstances surrounding Kavanaugh’s hiring to attend this town hall. But more than anything, what’s next is that we’re still going to be here, we’re still going to be speaking out and we will not yield until the university meets our list of demands. How can people join and/or keep updated with Mason for Survivors?
What is the mission statement of Mason for Survivors? Mason for Survivors is a student coalition at George Mason University committed to working towards justice for survivors of sexual violence and safety for all students, demanding, including, but not limited to, that the university void any and all contracts or affiliations with Brett Kavanaugh, reform and increase staffing for the Title IX office, increase the capacity of current resources for survivors and create additional ones, and implement trauma-informed training for Mason Police. Since starting the organization this semester, how have Mason students responded to it? In my personal opinion, the response from the student community has been much more welcoming than I expected it to be. However, the most common objection I hear from other students is that Kavanaugh was found innocent. This argument either ignores or misunderstands the fact that Kavanaugh never underwent a criminal trial, and that the Judiciary Committee did not have the authority to issue any verdict, whether it be guilty or not guilty. This argument also overlooks the fact that disaffiliation with Kavanaugh is only one of our demands, and that Kavanaugh’s hiring is only
one part of a systematic oppression of survivors at GMU, which can be seen in many other circumstances—the incident of female students being filmed in the Innovation Hall restroom, the situation surrounding former student body President David Kanos, the situation surrounding the former director of the GMU Forensics team, Peter Pober, and the university’s lack of action in the wake of all of these incidents. But, like I said before, aside from this objection, the student response to our efforts has overall been welcoming. 60 students gathered within days of Fourth Estate’s announcement of Kavanaugh’s hiring to begin the process of organizing against him. Our petition has reached upwards of 3,400 signatures in approximately three weeks, and so many of us marched to Merten Hall last week that we could hardly all fit into Vice President for University Life Pascarell’s office. Obviously, it’s hard to speak in absolutes, and I’m sure that there is at least some amount of Mason students who disagree with us, but in my experience it’s been humbling to see so many students come together in support of survivors, and to demand that GMU addresses the systemic issues and culture of silence surrounding sexual assault on this campus.
They can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @ Mason4Survivors, or email us at mason4survivors@gmail.com. We post updates and relevant news regarding the organization as well as any of our upcoming events on these social media platforms, so liking and following is the best way to stay informed and get involved in any future actions. The most immediate way you can help us is to show up to the town hall meeting scheduled for April 16. Beyond following us on our social media and showing up to any actions we have planned or will plan in the future, the best thing you can do to support us, in my opinion, is to believe and unconditionally support any survivors you know. It may be difficult to understand from the perspective of a non-survivor. But, for me, as a survivor, the university’s hiring of Kavanaugh has been an incredibly re-traumatizing experience. After watching three separate abusers, one of them being my own, face little to no repercussions for their actions last year, the university’s decision to hire Kavanaugh really made me realize that there’s a culture of silence and systemic mistreatment of survivors that has permeated this university for far too long. I can’t speak for other survivors, but what I do feel comfortable saying is that we need the support of our communities and friends now more than ever. If you are a survivor and find yourself in need of support and resources, you can contact the Student Support and Advocacy Center at ssac@gmu.edu or 703-993-3686.
CULTURE S T U D E N T, L I Z A V E N I How did you get involved with off-campus housing? So, I’ve been an off-campus student since freshman year, and they sent me an email my freshman year saying that I needed to meet with an off-campus advisor to learn about resources off-campus and all that. And so I went in for the first time my freshman year, and I really liked the office. I really liked my experience there, and so since I’m an off-campus student they sent me an email when they were hiring, and I decided to check it out. So, I applied, and the rest is history. Now, I’m an advisor.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LIZ AVENI
What services are offered through the off-campus housing organization? So, off-campus housing, our office, we help students mainly with housing. So, we help them find housing off campus, we have a website, och.gmu.edu. Students use it, we show them—literally sit with them, walk through it step-by-step with students. We show them all the listings available, help them find more specifically what they are looking for and are really just a source of comfort and assurance throughout that process, so they’re not just panicking, [so] they know there’s people who actually care and are invested in them. What part of your job do you like the most? Working with students. There’s obviously office work and
stuff like that, but my favorite part is working one-on-one with students: getting to sit in on appointments with them, meet with them one-on-one, ... learn more about them, and figure out ways I can help them and impact them directly here at Mason. What do you do as an off-campus student at Mason? So, a lot of my time is spent working as an advisor, but a lot of it also going out and about, meeting students at events, working events, getting to know students more. And then in my down time, I do a lot of homework. I’ve met a lot of friends through clubs and activities here at Mason through GetConnected. So I spend a lot of my time on campus even though I’m off. I spend a lot of time on campus using all the resources that are available to me and getting involved in clubs and stuff like that. What organizations are you in? I’m in Mason Intervarsity, which is a Christian fellowship group. I sing at the Catholic Campus Ministry, they needed singers for their choir, so I sing with them. And then I’m also involved in PSAG-board, which is [the] President Student Advisement Group with President Cabrera. ... Oh, I did intramurals all my freshman year as well.
S T U D E N T, J U S T I N E S U E G AY How has your college experience at Mason been so far?
Did you ever expect taking on a leadership role in a student organization?
My college experience at Mason has surpassed everything I thought it would be. Mason wasn't where I had planned to go to college, but like the saying goes—everything happens for a reason. In my three years here, I can say that I've been challenged academically through the Honors College, and have realized my greatest passions in these classes. I've met professors and faculty that have also become life-long mentors. But, the most defining part of my college experience has been joining the Filipino Cultural Association (FCA) because of the organization itself, not to mention all of the work opportunities it has given me.
As presumptuous as it may seem, I knew that I wanted to take a leadership position in college, but only for a group I would be passionate about. All throughout high school, and even before that, I recognized my passion for leadership and serving others. In high school, I had the tendency of taking on too much and spreading myself too thin when it came to leadership roles. Although I was passionate about some of the positions I took, some were just made to be resume builders.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTINE SUEGAY
These multiple facets of my experience as a Mason student [have] presented me with my lowest moments, with packed schedules, constant stress and loss of motivation. But every college student goes through that same cycle, and it's okay, because the same things that gave me my lows taught me how to overcome them and gave me my highest moments. I've met the best people, learned countless lessons, accomplished the most ambitious goals and so much more. These moments [have] shaped my best experiences, not only at Mason, but in life so far. What keeps you busy during your free time? During my free time, I like reading articles and watching videos that teach me about Asian-American history and issues, civil rights, immigration and many other issues I'm passionate about. I'm privileged to learn some of these in my classes, but I'm always out to learn. On a lighter note, I love watching food & travel videos, discovering new music and spending time with my friends, especially when it involves Asian food and boba.
At Mason, I told myself I'd only join one or two clubs, and do leadership in one. This was an easy decision when I joined FCA. Being an immigrant from the Philippines, combined with my desire to learn about and advocate for Filipino-American history, identity and issues, I knew that this was the student organization for me. So I did expect to take on leadership in college, I just didn't know it was going to be the best time of my life. What are some of the most memorable moments you’ve had at Mason? This is a tough one. I honestly am such a sentimental and an easily pleased person, so I've had a lot of memorable moments at Mason. That said, any time I've spent growing as a person and leader have been my favorite, as well as meeting new FCA members. When it comes to specific programming, I've enjoyed the two Asian Pacific American Coalition retreats I have attended, planning for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Immigration Monologues, our annual Philippine Culture Nights, International Week—even competing at the dance competition once— and studying abroad in Madrid, Spain.
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THE GREEN MACHINE Sydney Green reflects on her time with Mason Women’s Tennis
DOMENIC ALLEGRA ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON ATHLETICS
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON ATHLETICS
Green accumulated many awards during her time in high school, including earning First Team All-Chagrin Valley Conference honors in 2013 as conference champion, and Second Team honors in 2014. She was also the 2012 doubles runner-up of the Ohio High School Athletic Association state tournament and led her team as the captain in 2014. “Once I started playing tournaments, in juniors, I played like 10s, 12s; I just kept going, and I knew I didn’t want to put anything to waste [or] just play for fun. … I really liked [playing], and I liked competing, and [I wanted to] see if it paid off in college and [got] me a scholarship.”
“That the better self shall prevail, and each generation introduce its successor to a higher plane of life.” It is under this motto that senior Sydney Green played at her high school, Hawken Upper School, just an eight-minute drive from her hometown of Richmond Heights, Ohio. It is there that her tennis journey flourished. The tennis journey started when she was 8 years old, learning from her older sister Jordan, who pushed Sydney to start playing tennis. Despite having LeBron James as a Cleveland sports star, Green looked up to Serena Williams. “Definitely Serena Williams, because LeBron is always
leaving,” she said, laughing. “Serena has never left.” However, her dad also served as a role model for Sydney in her tennis endeavors. “He always stuck with me through tennis; he would always be out there on the court helping me with playing and practicing. Also, throughout my career, he’d always come to my tournaments and be my coach.”
Green noted that, when she applied to Mason, “I liked the area a lot, but I also liked the coach, coach Curtis. He was very nice, and I could just see he was willing to help me get better as a player, and I [liked] the overall combination that was happening here at Mason.” Coming on board in 2015-2016, Green finally had her chance to play tennis on the Division I level. It was daunting going into her first collegiate match ever.
played in the No. 1 position in doubles, finishing 8-12 with her partner Brittany Pilkington, who was a senior at the time. In 2016-2017, Green finished the season with a record of 14-12 from the doubles position and 11-9 in the doubles position at the No. 1 spot. Green also finished with a record of 13-15 from the singles position at the No. 1 spot.
When she enrolled at Hawken, a coed college prep school founded in 1915, Green considered gymnastics, softball and soccer before opting to play tennis.
“I was definitely scared, because I had never done anything like it before,” she said. “However, after a couple of games, it was normal.”
In 2017-2018, Green finished on the A-10 All-Academic Team with a singles record of 14-15 and a doubles record of 2-7, partnering with Rachel Lee. Green played all of her matches in the No. 1 spot.
“I just loved [tennis] more than any of the other sports, and I wanted to stick with it,” Green said.
As a freshman, she finished 9-12 in her dual matches, playing in all 21 of those from the No. 2 position. Green
On April 7 against Monmouth, Green recorded her 100th win on the collegiate level. She reflected on the win:
“It means a lot. I wasn’t expecting it; I wasn’t counting, but when it happened, I was excited.” When asked what she cherishes most about playing on the tennis team, Green said, “Definitely just the close matches we have as a team, especially when it’s three-all and we need one more match, and [we’re] cheering that last person on so we can get the victory.” With two more matches before the end of the regular season, Green has a couple things she would like to accomplish before she graduates: “I’d try to get more wins, but just have fun. I don’t think we’ve ever won the first round of the A-10 tournament, so that would be very special if we could do that.”
UPCOMING SPORTS April 17 Baseball vs. University of Maryland: 3 p.m.
April 20
April 19 Baseball vs. University of Dayton: 3 p.m.
Softball vs. La Salle University: 12 p.m.
Softball vs. La Salle University: 4 p.m.
Women’s Tennis vs. University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Softball vs. La Salle University: 6 p.m.
1 p.m. Baseball vs. University of Dayton: 2 p.m.
April 21 Baseball vs. University of Dayton: 1 p.m.
Mason LEGACIES: Listening to the Ancestors
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SPORTS
04.08.2019
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE @IVESTATE_SPORTS
SPRINTING TO SUCCESS
Rico Gomez looks back on his track career at Mason DANA NICKEL NEWS EDITOR
us,” Rico recalled. “They had always beaten us at the 4x4. It was actually kind of a normal thing at this point. “It was actually one of my coaches. … He never really yelled at all, but I remember seeing him on the infield, and he just yelled, ‘Go get ’em!’ and he got so excited in that moment.”
Rico Gomez walked through the indoor track at Mason’s field house as if by muscle memory. It seemed like Gomez had spent so much time there that the field house was his second home, and it was. It is often said that college athletes live and breathe their sports, and for Gomez, that is true. Gomez is a senior at Mason, but his track career began long before he stepped on campus in 2015. He has been running since his sophomore year of high school. Despite his now-immense love for track, Gomez and his sport did not get off to a great start. “I originally wanted to play football,” Gomez explained, looking back to his freshman year of high school. He mentioned that he was not able to go out for his high school’s football team, because he did not have any rides to the practices. It was actually a friend who convinced Gomez to go out for the track team. “When she decided that she wanted to start running track, she told me to come with her,” he explained. “So
then I had a ride to the practices, and that’s basically how it started.” When asked if he instantly fell in love with the sport, Gomez said, “No. After the first practice, I felt pain in my glutes so bad, and I just kept thinking, ‘What is this?’ for the entire first season, and just about every day, I almost wanted to quit.” However, quitting was never in Gomez’s nature. “It sucked every day, but I’m the type of the person that once I start something, I won’t let myself quit,” he stated. “So I had no choice but to finish, and it was at the end of that season, at our regional championships, that I fell in love with it.” Gomez described this memory: “It was my first win when I anchored the 4x4 [4x400 relay]. I still remember that moment vividly. It was great.” The 4x4 is the last event of a track meet. A relay team of runners race for 400 meters. Gomez explained that he was the anchor of his team in high school. “When I was passed the baton … there was this school that was ahead of
“I remember this one practice where everyone was just kind of lollygagging around and doing warmups, and our coach pulled us off to the side,” he stated. “He just said, ‘Cut out the B.S.,’ and he turned to me and said, ‘You can be really good at this.’” It was at this moment that Gomez realized that he was good enough at track to compete at higher levels. When Gomez came to Mason, he was excited to start here with a team that really felt like a family. “I didn’t really know much about [Mason] when I was in high school, but I really loved the campus when I got [to Mason],” Gomez said. “I also really wanted to go to a more diverse area for school, and Mason provided that for me.” Though many college athletics teams do not have a captain, Gomez explained that in his best event, the 4x4 relay, he felt like an unofficial captain for his teammates. “We really see ourselves as equals, but at our meets and conferences, I really tried to motivate everyone to do their best at their events,” he said. As his Mason track career comes to a close, Gomez looks forward to pursuing a professional track career after college. After that, Gomez is planning on going for the Olympic Trials coming up in 2020. “It will definitely be more competitive than college, and a lot of traveling is involved,” Gomez said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON ATHLETICS
His high-school coaches played a major role in his athletic career before and even during college.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON ATHLETICS
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON ATHLETICS
He continued, “I was just coming around the curve, and I saw this guy in front of me, and then I got him. Once I got him, I thought to myself, ‘Well, I can’t let him catch me now.’”
SPORTS
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
04.08.2019
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WE SWIM, WE SWAM, WE SWUM Mason Swim Club swims together as one
IZZ LAMAGDELEINE COPY CHIEF
championship. These swimmers broke 10 team records in events ranging from the 200 backstroke to the men’s and women’s 800 freestyle relays.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON SWIM CLUB
One Swim Club member, Georgianne Cushmore, placed ninth, 11th and 13th in the nation for the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly and 50 butterfly, respectively.
In the Mason Swim Club, which just came back from the Collegiate Club Swimming National Championship, two very different factors are at work: the family feeling that the members find within the club and the fierce competitiveness that the members hold within themselves. “I know when I was going up for one of my swims, I had another swimmer come up to me on the team, and he looked at me, and he goes, ‘You get
mad, and you swim. Get angry,’” the incoming secretary of the club, sophomore Lauren Jerothe, said. She continued, “And I was like, ‘OK, I like that. We can do that.’ So it’s like they realize that we’re gonna be competitive with each other, but they also know how to make you competitive within yourself.” This competitiveness helped the team to place in the upper half of the 120 groups that competed at the
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON SWIM CLUB
When the members of Swim Club participate in a meet or championship, their motivation is always to improve on what they have done before—which makes the group even more competitive. It is also what drives them to beat their times like they did at the championship this year. “We’re all super competitive within ourselves, not even with just each other, but we look at our times, and we’re like, ‘Nuh-uh, we’re going to beat that today,’” Jerothe said. “We’re just a competitive group. It’s really fun.” Part of what makes them so competitive is their coach, Cheryl Ward, who placed fifth in the 1984 Summer Olympics in the 100-meter freestyle relay for Canada. Being coached by a former Olympian has helped the team become a much stronger group of swimmers.
“She’s pushed us a lot,” Jerothe said. “Not a lot of swimmers have the opportunity to train with an Olympian, so the fact that we have access to that helps motivate us, and [it helps] us realize [we’ve] got to work for this, but it’s also [that] she makes it fun.” Besides having Ward as their coach, the team has continued to revamp the structure of the club as they work to ensure that as many people as possible stay and help it grow. They have active social media accounts on several different platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MASON SWIM CLUB
They also have numerous practices during the week, allowing members to come whenever it works best for them and their schedule. “[We] require that you go to three practices a week,” the upcoming co-president, junior Patrick Kearney, said. “[You] can pick and choose whatever you want, and you can practice with us if you want, or just go to the gym on your own. And so we have practice every day, so it’s flexible for everyone.” With all the different times that members can take part in the club, it can be hard for them to hang out and bond as a team. However, they all ensure they stay close as a group to keep their family bond.
“[I] was a new member this year, and it was really cool to come in and see how the Swim Club is like a family,” the upcoming co-president, freshman Alex Stechschulte, said. “They’re really accepting of all the new members. We were welcomed into the family. They let us compete. The older members, current members, push us to do our best, and it’s really cool. It’s nice to be a member of a family like this.” As a member of the club who has been around for a few years, Kearney knows how important it is to ensure that it keeps a warm, accepting atmosphere. “And as … an older member of the team, I always see it as great to have new people, because our team was very small a few years ago, and we want it to just be growing and growing,” he said. “So we always embrace the new people and want them to stay and not leave. And we’re very embracing.” The Mason Swim Club is always looking for more people to join, with practices Mondays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesdays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursdays 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to noon and Sundays 9:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Aquatic and Fitness Center.
THIS WEEK AT NOVA Monday 4/15
Tu e s d a y 4 / 1 6
We d n e s d ay 4 / 1 7
Thur sday 4/18
Fr i d a y 4 / 1 9
Spring Fling: NOVA Spirit Day. NOVA’s Alexandria campus is hosting NOVA spirit day in the Bisdorf cafeteria and courtyard from noon to 5 p.m. There will be an opportunity to make your own name art design and name street sign, as well as a scavenger hunt to find the NOVA Nighthawk.
Spring Fling: Earth Day “Journey to Zero Waste”: NOVA’S Alexandria campus is holding an Earth Day celebration, with activities spread throughout the day. From resource tables in the Bisdorf Courtyard at 11 a.m. to a Waste Audit at 1 p.m., students can learn about recycling and creating less waste. The events are hosted by both the Green Club and the Earth Day planning committee.
Manassas Day!: Come out to the Howsmon patio from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for carnival games, balloon artists, food, airbrush tattoos and more for Manassas day. There will also be a raffle where people can win an iPad mini, an Apple Watch and more.
Spring Fling: Parade of Counties: At 11:30 a.m. NOVA’s Alexandria campus is hosting a fashion parade in the walkway between Bisdorf and the AFA Fine Arts Building. Students, faculty and staff will be participating. The fling will mark the start of the Multicultural Festival that begins after the parade.
Kings Dominion Trip. Student’s attending the Kings Dominion trip should meet in front of the CE building on NOVA’s Annandale campus. The trip will be from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Festival of the Arts Juried Student Show. Come to the Festival of the Arts and see various mediums including drawing, digital art, painting, photography and sculptures in the opening reception of the show. The student show will be on the Woodbridge campus from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the WAS Gallery.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NOVA
What If ? Journey to Zero Waste: With Earth Day just around the corner, NOVA’s Alexandria Campus is holding an interactive workshop including a short video, discussion and sharing of college and community resources. The workshop is from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on NOVA’s Alexandria campus in ASC Annex, room 234.
More Effective Communication with Clients with Dementia, Presented by the Alzheimer’s Association: The Alzheimer’s Association is holding a free presentation from noon to 12:50 p.m. in room 352 on NOVA’s Medical Education campus. Student’s faculty and staff are all welcome to attend. NOVA Day w/ a twist…. UNITYFEST: NOVA’s Alexandria campus is celebrating the end of the school year in the Bisdorf courtyard from noon to 4 p.m. There will be games and music. Volunteers are still needed. “I, Too, Sing America” ~Langston Hughes: NOVA’s Woodbridge campus is holding a poetry reading to celebrate diversity both at NOVA and in the U.S. in the Library Reading Room from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Spring Fling: Multicultural Festival: Following the Parade of Countries, the Multicultural Festival will be from noon to 5 p.m. Come and learn about different cultures and countries while enjoying music and food. Outdoor Movie featuring “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse”: At approximately 8 p.m. at NOVA’s Woodbridge campus there will be an outdoor screening of “Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse” at Lake Patio. Students must bring their own chair or blanket. However, free popcorn will be available. Hypnosis Show: NOVA’s Loudoun campus will be hosting a hypnosis show at 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the LC Cafe.
UndocuNOVA Webinar Training: From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. NOVA is holding a webinar training aimed at informing the community about the issues that affect the undocumented student population at NOVA. Those interested can register here: https:// forms.gle/7uBdJRaDhW7d56sQ8
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04.08.2019
OPINIONS
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to ckernans@gmu.edu
SO, WHAT’S NEXT?
SUSAN KATHERINE CORKRAN STAFF WRITER
About five seconds after the word “congratulations” leaves their lips, the question inevitably follows. “So,
what are your plans after graduation?” There’s still a mouthful of celebratory cake in your mouth, relatives clamoring to get a picture of you in your cap and gown, and it’s the 20th time you’ve heard this question today. It’s as obligatory as the copy of Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!”
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
I actually feel really lucky whenever I think about this pervasive question. “THE PLAN” has been consistent, even when unexpected roadblocks like anorexia reared
their ugly heads. I can answer in my sleep that “I am going to graduate school to pursue my master’s in elementary education. After that, I hope to teach in the area.” And no matter how many times I repeat the sentence, I never tire of the sound of it, because I know with all of my heart that it is my vocation. But that love and confidence didn’t magically appear overnight. I was gradually led along this path by the volunteer work I have done, the classes I have taken and the internship that gave me the experience to know what I want as I transition from student to teacher. Finding what you love is a process. Figuring out how you’re going to make it there is another, even harder one. None of it is linear, and I don’t think any of it goes the way we expect it to go. Yet we are all still asked, “What is your plan?” sometimes in the same
conversational tone most people ask, “How are you doing?” without wanting more than a single-sentence reply. Some majors are met with approving nods and smiles, reassuring signs that you will find a job after the gown and cap come off. Our son, the business major. Our daughter, the future lawyer. Then there are those other majors that bring cheeky jokes at family dinners—philosophy? English? How will you feed yourself with that? Will you read books for money? I hate this mentality. After four years of hard work, long nights, lost sleep, heavy armfuls of books, tearful fears about our intellectual self-worth and countless hours of devotion to becoming well-rounded, critically thinking scholars, we are then put on the spot to offer up an impressiveenough “PLAN,” though it’s unlikely that any one plan is going to satisfy everyone’s expectations at once. Does
our own happiness and satisfaction even come into the picture? I’m becoming less and less sure that it does. But it ought to. In fact, it ought to be the most important thing. Graduation is coming closer and closer for many of us this spring. That familiar question will keep appearing. For some, it could become increasingly painful to admit, “I don’t know. I don’t know what I will do, or even what I want to do or where on earth to start.” But you know what? That’s OK. It really is. There is no universal timeline for these things. Your life and your future belong to you. Your passions, interests, skills and dreams are all your own, and the possibilities open to you are yours to decide. You are more than a single-sentence explanation of a postgraduation plan, and your life is more than this single season of uncertainty.
GAME FOR THOUGHT: BRACING FOR GOOGLE STADIA ARIANNA GOODMAN STAFF WRITER
The Google Stadia, as they’ve chosen to call it, appears to be the newest, and perhaps the most daring, member of the Google Suite. Given the success of movie streaming services like Netflix, perhaps it should not surprise us that the gaming industry would move in a similar direction. However, what does all of this new development mean for developers? How will it affect consumers? According to their website, Stadia wishes to bring AAA games to everyone on nearly any screen with access to a high-speed internet connection. Taking inspiration from real-world stadiums, Stadia promises to be the new center for both playing and watching games. In fact, it claims to be the future of gaming, integrating already-present YouTube capabilities with even easier access to the games being played and shared.
The equally brand-new Stadia Controller was built specifically for the process. Two unique buttons sit on top of the hardware: the capture button and the Google Assistant button, which both give Stadia a distinct
FOURTH ESTATE KYLE WILLIAMSON
On March 19, at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, California, Google announced its development of what could be another turning point in the trajectory of video games—a cloud-based gaming platform.
Google touch. The capture button will allow seamless transitions between playing a game and uploading the recording to YouTube, while the Google Assistant integration will allow players to access the internet with the push of a button, presumably through voice-activated commands.
Additionally, the Stadia will supposedly allow for both split-screen online and local multiplayer gaming through My Stream Connect. The feature Crowd Play will allow YouTube content creators to play directly with their fans in a similar way on streams. As with the new service, Google announced a gaming company in the same namespace: Stadia Games and Entertainment. The company is meant to ensure that the games hosted by Stadia will give both a flawless experience and a consistent, high quality. But is all of this too good to be true? In the time after the announcement, Google has remained suspiciously quiet concerning the business model of their new service. Many developers are concerned with how this new era of gaming might affect their own
pipelines. Specifically, the wide array of supported screen sizes could prove to be a challenge for game optimization and quality assurance. For consumers as well, the lack of information concerning the pricing plan for the new Stadia is plenty of cause for alarm. During the announcement, Google completely avoided delving deep into the most common concerns for gaming, and chose to focus solely on the product itself. While this could be a useful marketing tactic for building awareness and hype, it has earned a good amount of uncertainty and even suspicion from the service’s future prospects. Game latency and input lag are extremely important to a lot of gamers out there, and yet Google merely glossed over it with a live product presentation. On the other hand, Google has done a good job in setting up a high barrier to entry for competitors in the same field. Both Apple and Microsoft have announced or hinted at the development of similar services, but neither has anything too distinct or promising to offer in competition yet. Stadia’s YouTube integration, for instance, takes it beyond just
a simple game streaming service. Furthermore, unlike its budding competition, Stadia appears to be genuine, or as genuine as Google can be, in its interest in propelling the gaming industry forward. While cloud gaming seems to be the newest business trend of 2019, Google has explicit reasons for entering the market aside from just its popularity. Obviously, as with any large corporation, the intent and expectation is to make money. But it is my opinion that Google may be really on to something here. Stadia is almost like a natural progression for Google in that it bridges the gap between Google’s efforts in entertainment, specifically, YouTube Gaming, and utility, their cloud services. With the launch being sometime this year, I am rather excited to see where this new development will lead us as both players and aspiring developers. Hopefully, we can prepare ourselves for this new era of gaming by both searching for more information on the Stadia and keeping in mind the implications of their service.
OPINIONS
04.08.2019
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to ckernans@gmu.edu
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
SUMMER BROWN STAFF WRITER
Mental health affects a large portion of the population of the world on a daily basis, and students are definitely not an exception to this. Mental health issues can make completing daily tasks absolutely difficult and sometimes infuriating. As someone who struggles with mental health every single waking hour of the day, I understand. Trust me, I understand the struggles that are presented to those who suffer. If asked to be completely honest and come forward with my story, I absolutely will. I am someone who always tries to be as transparent about it as possible to avoid any confusion or misunderstandings, and hopefully even educate those who do not understand what it’s like to suffer because of uncontrollable circumstances. I have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder of the severe type, Social Anxiety Disorder of the panic type and PTSD tendencies that affect me on a day-to-day basis. Starting during the beginning of last year, it became extremely hard to function by myself as a result of these uncontrollable diseases, to the point where I convinced myself that suicide
was the best option, as it seemed to be the only way out for the second time in my life. Luckily, I practically stumbled upon my current psychologist, who helped me overcome so much more than I could have ever imagined. I was able to get to the point that my mental illnesses didn’t affect me every single waking second of the day, because I was taught properly how to manage them, work with them and alleviate the side effects of them momentarily. However, through this experience, my psychologist determined that what I have to deal with definitely affects me enough on a day-to-day basis where it can be classified as a disability. At first, I didn’t know how to deal with the concept of me being diagnosed in such a way, since in my family there’s such negative stigma towards those with disabilities. But when I was able to settle my conscious, I realized this diagnosis gave me the answer to my never-ending question of, “Why am I this way?” For those who don’t know what it’s like to deal with depression, particularly in my case, it feels like you’re constantly waiting for a sunny day. You feel as if
you have this black hole in the center of the fiber of your being that sucks everything out of you and leaves you with emptiness, sadness, guilt over even existing, hopelessness, loss of interest in things that once brought you joy and so much more. For those who don’t know what it’s like to deal with social anxiety, particularly in my case, it feels like you’re constantly being put under a microscope. If you do not deliver above and beyond your personal expectations, others will judge you harshly. They will ridicule you. They won’t like what you have to say. They will reject you. They will ignore you. They will ignore your intentions. They won’t care. For those who don’t know what it’s like to have any of the symptoms of PTSD, even though I am not classified as a PTSD patient, it feels like you’re in a constant state of horror. Every turn you make, the thing you are most scared of will be there around the corner, waiting to pounce and devour you. In my particular case, people’s actions set off my PTSD tendencies, so I end up having reoccurring, relentless nightmares and flashbacks of situations that happened over 10 years ago. I end
up being overly paranoid over just the littlest things. I end up losing lots of sleep over what seems small to others. I often avoid the things that set off my triggers, and frankly, there is a lot more I deal with that is so incredibly hard to describe to those who do not understand. Through all of my sessions of therapy, I feel like one of the most important things I learned was that no matter who you are you are absolutely not alone. There are other people just like you who understand what you’re going through. They experience it day to day just as you do. They get it. One of the things I struggled with the most throughout the process was the feeling that I was the only person to ever go through what I go through. Once I found individuals who understood what I was going through, it made my life so significantly easier. I didn’t have to explain myself. I didn’t have to apologize for wanting to go “the long way” to a certain class. I didn’t have to apologize for any of my oddities. Once people got it, they got it. They understand that you are struggling, and respect that you need
to do what you need to do in order to stabilize yourself. They then became here for you. So, I just wanted to say to all of those fellow students who are struggling with mental illness and are having a rough time—you are not alone. Reach out to others and explain your situation. The right kind of people will not judge you. They will listen intently, and make sure they can help you in any way, shape or form that they can. If they judge you? Please listen to me and know that when I say don’t waste your breath on them, I mean it. The world is big, and you will find others who can lift you up, not bring you down. You already struggle enough as it is, so why make yourself struggle more? And if you say to me in person that you cannot find someone who understands you, I will say that’s a lie, because I understand you and am here for you.
WHO WILL WIN THE STREAMING WARS? (HINT: YOU WILL)
JACE WHITE STAFF WRITER
Without the threat of new entrants into the streaming business, Netflix wouldn’t have to dedicate such large amounts of money to producing new shows. But, with so many services competing for membership, every company has to step up its game or risk losing its customers to its competitors. Some people have expressed dismay at the growing number of streaming services. They fear that they will be forced to have dozens of subscriptions just to see the shows that they want to watch. It’s true that in order to have access to
every show on the planet, you would have to subscribe to every streaming service on the planet. But the
because Netflix will be spending more on new shows to compete with Apple.
concepts, and their executives often intervened in the creative process.
The streaming wars are a perfect
Online streaming allowed riskier,
FOURTH ESTATE BILLY FERGUSON
Apple recently announced Apple TV+, a movie and tv streaming service that will compete with Netflix, Amazon and others. The company reportedly spent nearly $2 billion creating new content featuring big-name actors and directors to attract users to the new platform, which is set to launch in the fall of 2019. With this launch, Apple is entering a fiercely competitive field. In order to keep its title as the king of streaming, Netflix will be spending around $15 billion this year on its programming.
emergence of new streaming services means more new shows, even for people who don’t subscribe to them. Netflix customers who choose not to purchase Apple TV+ will still be better off after Apple enters the streaming market,
example of the ability of markets to give people what they want. Before there was streaming, formulaic network television content was beginning to feel stale. Big TV networks were less likely to approve of shows that had unique and untested
more original shows to have a chance at finding an audience. The success of streaming platforms depends on their ability to provide shows that their viewers want to watch, which means that the harder they compete, the better their content will become.
Even if you aren’t at all interested in signing up for Apple’s new streaming service, you should still be excited by the fact that it is coming out. Now, whatever streaming service you currently use will be forced to spend billions of dollars just to compete for your attention. You will have access to a library of even more big budget shows without having to spend any more money. It isn’t clear who will end up with the most subscribers as Apple, Netflix and others duke it out over the next couple years. But, it is clear that everyone who subscribes to any streaming service will be able to watch more high-quality shows than before, making all of us the true winners of the streaming war.
PHOTO COURTESY EVAN CANTWELL
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21 OPINIONS COLLEGE DEBT REFORM POSSIBLE IF DEMOCRATS TAKE OFFICE 04.08.2019
GMUFOURTHESTATE.COM @IVESTATE
Opinions do not reflect the views of Fourth Estate. Submit opinions to ckernans@gmu.edu
OWEN FERGUSON STAFF WRITER
It is obvious that the popular opinion in the U.S. is that college has become too expensive, and that the debt students incur is a real problem. In a study done by Harvard’s Kennedy School Institute of Politics, it is shown that the issue of college debt is an important one on both sides, with 62 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans claiming that it is a major problem. Even with overwhelming public support for college cost reform, the big question still remains: when will we actually see change? The good news is that it could be coming soon. Almost all of the major
Democratic candidates running for president support either free college tuition or big changes in controlling costs. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard all support Sen. Bernie Sander’s bill that would eliminate undergraduate tuition and fees at public colleges and universities, as well as lower interest rates on student loans. This major stance is one that is deemed necessary by candidates and voters alike. Along with support of already existing legislation, the major candidates have some ideas of their own. To start, Sen. Kamala Harris strongly supports making college more accessible, as she is co-sponsoring Sen. Bill Schatz’s bill that calls for more federal aid to students at public state universities, makes federal aid available for DREAMers and provides help to students that are convicted of possession of illegal drugs. Sen. Harris also supports Sen. Bernie Sanders’ College For All Act, which eliminates tuition costs at public colleges and universities. The former prosecutor also states that she will
take an aggressive approach to private for-profit colleges and universities, which she has been successful with in the past. For example, when Harris was California’s attorney general,
FOURTH ESTATE ALEXANDRIA MCALPINE
Since 2006, we’ve seen college debt triple across the nation. With the total U.S. college debt now at upwards of 1.5 trillion dollars, it’s obvious that the system needs to change. For years now, the Democratic party has been focusing on making higher education available to more people. Now, with the slew of Democrats running in the 2020 election, coupled with rising liberal mindsets and voting patterns in congressional elections, reform is possible.
her office won a $1 billion judgement against the fraudulent Corinthian Colleges Inc., which was a private for-profit postsecondary education system. Another front runner, Beto O’Rourke, hasn’t gone into great detail on what
he would do if elected to office. In the past, he has supported legislation that would make two years of community college free for students. In a 2017 interview with University of Houston’s student run newspaper, The Cougar, O’Rourke said he’d love to continue the proposal President Obama made regarding free community college. In the same article, when asked what else he would do to make college affordable, he stated, “If you agree to come back and serve your community in an in-demand, underserved area, we should wipe your debt clean or not allow you to accrue it to begin with.” As time goes on, we should expect O’Rourke to take a more official stance on the issue. The last candidate I’m going to highlight is Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Warren has been very vocal in her opposition to student loan debt and for-profit industries during her time in
Now accepting 2019 – 2020 student member applications! Discuss current issues and actions relating to the student experience at George Mason University with President Cabrera, Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell, and fellow student members. This group will meet for two hours, over lunch, twice a semester. Attendance is required.
TO APPLY, complete and submit an online application by April 14, 2019
getconnected.gmu.edu/submitter/form/start/255369
the Senate. Sen. Warren has also been a critic the Department of Education’s oversight in those areas. Most recently, she joined Sen. Hassan (D-N.H.), in a letter to the Deptartment of Education, calling for the department to re-establish a mechanism that allows citizens to autonomously report fraud and abuse in federal financial aid programs. In regards to ways in which the senator would try and eliminate student debt, she has said that proceeds from her proposed tax on the richest Americans could possibly be put towards student loan relief. Although Warren has not officially stated what she plans to do to fix the system, we can expect for her to be hard on student loan industries at the very least if elected to office. No one really knows what will happen in the 2020 election, or if any collegecost reform legislation will get through Congress anytime soon, but there’s still hope. This is the best time for everyone, especially college students, to get involved with campaigns on the grassroots level, or even show their support online at sites like freecollegenow.org.
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