Category: On-Campus Culture Posts

As the spookiest time of the year comes to a close, the month of October gives way to November, and with it, the season of autumn firmly implants itself at Emory University. Growing up, autumn always had a special place in my heart. For me, it meant crisp fresh air, trees filled with vibrant plumage, and of course the sound of crunching leaves as I left Starbucks with my Pumpkin Spice Latte. In my opinion, the month of November just doesn’t get enough credit. It’s stuck right between the crown jewels of capitalist exploitation; Halloween and Christmas. The poor month never stood a chance. Don’t get me wrong, November has its core group of fans, but when compared to the amount of cash flow from pumpkins and pine trees, turkeys just don’t measure up. The argument for November as the best month of the year could be won solely due to the fact that my mom was born on November 5th (shout out to Mamma Kidd), but here are my top five reasons why November is so great at Emory.

1. Emory Athletics                                                                                                                    November marks the beginning of championship season for many Emory sports including Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, and

   

   Women’s Basketball. Volleyball will compete at home in the UAA Championships on Friday, November 3. For a full schedule of the regular season and championship games for all varsity sports visit the Emory Athletics website.

2. Emory Theater                                                                                                                        Emory’s theater department puts on

   

   four performances throughout the year.Its 2017-2018 fall show is entitled The Anointing of Dracula: A Grand Guignol, which will run until November 5th. General admission tickets are $22 per person, however, all freshmen received an Emory Arts Pass which they can use to receive free admission to the show. If you come in costume to the 11:00pm showings on either October 31st or November 4th you can get in for free. For a complete list of show dates and specialty ticket prices visit here.

3. Emory Dance                                                                                                                           The Emory Dance Company’s Fall Concert will take place during November as well. The concert runs from Thursday, November 16th through Saturday, November 18th. All performances will be held at the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. Regular admission tickets are $15, but once again, freshmen are able to use their Emory Arts Pass. For a complete list of performance, times visit the Emory Dance and Movement Studies Program events page.
4. Emory Film                                                                                                                                     The Emory Film Department conducts multiple film series throughout the year and during the month of November, the department will continue with this trend. Shakespear on Film will conclude with a screening of Titus (1999) on Friday, November 4th. The Emory Cinematheque will continue in November with The Tin Drum (1979) on Wednesday, November 1st and will screen a total of four films. A full list of showtimes, dates, and locations can be found here.
5. Emory Celebrations                                                                                                                 While many students are looking forward to Thanksgiving Break, which begins on Wednesday, November 22, it is important to celebrate other holidays as well.

   

   The Spanish and Portuguese Department in collaboration with Casa Émory presents Fiesta Día de Muertos. The event will take place on Wednesday, November 1st at Casa Émory and will celebrate the Mexican holiday of Día de Los Muertos.

Although not as flashy as October or December, the month of November still has a lot to offer. At Emory in particular, it brings with it classic traditions such as Emory Dance Company’s fall concert and it ushers in the beginning of championship season for the school’s varsity sports. No matter your interest, Emory offers a plethora of activities and events for its students to enjoy. The Emory University events calendar for November can be found here. I encourage everyone who reads this article to not only attend events you’re interested in but to also explore events that you normally wouldn’t go to.

 

 

As a school that lacks a football team and love for sports of any kind, I always get asked the same question: “So what do y’all do for school spirit?”, and I always give the same answer: “Homecoming week.”

Every year, Emory students, parents, and alumni gather in Asbury Circle to watch the Homecoming Parade while enjoying music and food trucks. Residence halls, fraternities, and other on-campus organizations decorate their floats in accordance to the theme. This year, the “Candyland” theme gave rise to decorations involving board games and candy. The group with the best float in the residence hall division would win points towards Dooley’s Bowl, which is Emory’s version of the “House Cup” in Harry Potter.

As a the Spirit Programming Chair of Complex Hall’s Residence Hall Association Council, I worked a lot on the planning and execution of Complex’s float. Let me tell you, it was a process.

Our idea was “The Sweet Life on Deck”, putting a twist on the title of the popular kid’s television show from the 2000s, Suite Life on Deck, which was centered around twin boys named Zack and Cody who attended school on a cruise ship. We decided we would turn our golf cart into the ship from the TV show, including windows with Zack and Cody’s faces inside, and we would place big versions of candy boxes on the top of the float. Formulating the ideas was the easy part.

After purchasing almost $200 worth of supplies from Walmart, we started painting the Sunday before the parade. After two hours of work, we quickly decided we needed another day during the week to finish everything up. So, that Wednesday, we ordered a pizza and began our work at 9:30 P.M. I didn’t get in bed until 3:00 A.M. that night.

Saturday, the day of the parade, finally came. I woke up at 8:30 to go pick up our golf cart, and after about 30 minutes of cluelessly walking around campus searching for the pickup spot, I finally found it, and my RHA team was able to get to work on building our float.

Our “cruise ship” included windows featuring Zack and Cody’s faces, Froot Loops strung from the ceiling, and giant candy boxes on top. We were able to put it together easily, and didn’t have any mishaps… Until we had to drive it to check-in, that is.

 

We had to drive all the way to the intersection of Peavine and Eagle Row (on the opposite side of campus from our dorm) for check-in. Once we reached Asbury Circle, we encountered a large crowd of people and booths that were setting up for parade viewing. As we were blasting Darude’s “Sandstorm” from our speaker, we were cruising in our cardboard-covered golf cart at a speed of 3 miles per hour, surrounded by crowds of upperclassmen and adults staring at us, unimpressed. It was embarrassing, to say the least. But don’t worry, we were laughing at ourselves.

At check-in, we saw all of the other floats ready to go for the parade. Jungle themed, Monopoly themed, and board game themed carts filled the parking lot, and participants applied body paint, danced to their music, or performed some chants in preparation for driving. Then, the cue came from the megaphone, and everyone loaded into their floats.

Driving through crowds of people who share a love for my school was truly exhilarating. I loved seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces when I would throw them a piece of candy, or the laughs that came from those who found humor in the recognition of our Suite Life on Deck reference. I got to wave to friends I saw in the crowd, and I even passed my parents. Asbury Circle was buzzing with activity at this point, with people gathered around to watch the parade and enjoy lunch from the many delicious food trucks that were there. I could feel the sense of school spirit everyone shared and it reminded me of just how tight of a community Emory really is.

While many colleges base their spirit off of sports, Emory has been able to spread school pride in other ways through traditions that our specifically our own. Since I’ve been here, I’ve allowed myself to take part in activities that help spread spirit around campus, and I’ve found that our sense of community here is very strong. Participating in events such as the homecoming parade has made me proud to be a student at Emory, and I can’t wait to continue repping the name over the next four years.

 

By Kate Monger

When I drove up to Raoul Hall on move-in day, I was greeted by three eager-looking sophomores ready to help. After exchanging brief introductions, they proceeded to lug all of the boxes to my room, leaving my mother and me empty-handed. Although these students had just moved in a few days ago themselves, they were committed to making my move-in day experience seamless.

Emory’s culture of designating Resident Advisors (RAs) and Sophomore Advisors (SAs) to oversee freshmen’s college transition and well-being speaks to the strength of the greater school community. These students may end up in the same classes, clubs, and parties as their residents, but they commit themselves to helping new students face the same challenges they have.

While Residence Life staff are all motivated by different goals and appreciate different aspects of their roles, they come together to foster community for themselves and for incoming students.

Freshman, reach out to your RAs and SAs. Use them as resources. They have found their places at Emory, and they are here to help you find yours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*What’s your name?*

Anisha: Anisha Verma.

*Where are you from?*

Anisha: Wisconsin

*What Emory class are you in?*

Anisha: I’m a senior.

*What Emory clubs do you belong to?*

Anisha: I am in ECAST which is the Emory Climate Analysis Solutions Team, and EUSAC which is the Emory University Sustainability Advisory Council. And I’m part of Campus Kitchens. Um, I’m really into running. I like reading, writing, working.

*What motivated you to be an SA/RA?*

Anisha: I really liked my RA my freshman year. She was just a lot like me, I guess, in terms of like of how she was super sarcastic and people thought she was being mean but she was just being herself and, like, making jokes, and I have that problem a lot too. So I just kind of like try to establish some ground form of, like, friendship before I start, you know, cracking jokes, being mean, that sort of thing, yeah. And, um, I thought that Res. Life would be a cool and welcoming community to be a part of throughout the next three years at Emory. And yeah I really like helping the First Years with their adjustment to Emory.

*What has been the most rewarding part so far?*

Anisha: I think when like I see my residents from sophomore and junior year, and they’re like still really excited to see me, and they — because I think there’s like no way to tell whether or not you’re doing a good job as an RA, and so like when there – they still wanna be your friend and wanna be around you it kinda makes me feel that I’m doing something right.

*What was the hardest part of your freshman year?*

Anisha: Um, all my friends joined Greek life, and I did not, so they were kind of like we don’t really need you anymore because we have all of these new, hip, and cool friends who are in my sorority and fraternity. And then, I was kind of left alone with no friends. (Laughs) But it’s fine.

*What would you tell your freshman self?*

Anisha: I would tell my freshman self to stop talking as much, because I still have this problem where I’ll have something to do but then somewhere I’ll see someone and I’ll be like you know this conversation will be worth more in the long run than me studying for this test and getting a good grade, which isn’t always true. Um, so, you know like prioritize more efficiently I guess.

*What do you think makes the Emory community so unique?*

Anisha: There’s an Emory community? I don’t know. I think people are just kind of like doing their own thing. You’ll know what I mean when you like spend more time here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*What’s your name?*

Josh: Hi, my name is Joshua Fischbach.

*Where are you from?*

Josh: I’m from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

*What Emory class are you in?*

Josh: I am part of the Class of 2020.

*What Emory clubs do you belong to?*

Josh: I really like soccer, music, uh, different cultures, language. So I’m part of the club soccer team at Emory. I’m part of, um, Emory Students for Israel. I’m, uh, hopefully going to be part of TEDx at Emory. Um, and then I do, uh, and then I do, um, Coaching Corps. Um, I’m also part of Res. Life, so I’m a Sophomore Advisor.

*What motivated you to be an SA/RA?*

Josh: I thought it’d be a good way to get involved in the Emory community, uh, and it’d also be a great way for me to reach out and meet, uh, a diverse range of people from different backgrounds and be able to help them transition into college.

*What has been the most rewarding part so far?*

Josh: So far I’ve really liked, uh, the relationships that I’ve formed, um, both with my fellow SA — fellow Res. Life staff members and also with, um, the residents.

*What was the hardest part of your freshman year?*

Josh: The hardest part of my freshman year was probably, um, figuring out ways to manage my time, uh, efficiently so that I wouldn’t, um, be stressed out or constantly drag out work so definitely organization — time management in order to succeed here.

*What would you tell your freshman self?*

Josh: I would tell my freshman self to, you know, don’t worry about anything, like, social pressure, academic pressure, you know…it’s all trivial…just be happy and enjoy yourself, where you are in life.

*What do you think makes the Emory community so unique?*

Josh: There’s a diverse range of people in the community, so you can find really any type of person that would sort of — sort of fit into any type of category or label that you want, so there’s –there’s people for everyone here which is really nice. There’s not just one type of student or one type of person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*What’s your name?*

Caroline: Caroline Rosen.

*Where are you from?*

Caroline: Pennsylvania.

*What Emory class are you in?*

Caroline: I’m the Class of 2020.

*What Emory clubs do you belong to?*

Caroline: I’m on the club gymnastics team. Obviously, I’m involved in Res. Life, and I’m on the executive board for Emory Miracle.

*What motivated you to be an SA/RA?*

Caroline: I was very close with my SAs and RAs last years, and I really liked their role of getting to know the residents and helping people adjust to college, and I wanted to do that too.

*What has been the most rewarding part so far?*

Caroline: Meeting my residents.

*What was the hardest part of your freshman year?*

Caroline: The hardest part of my freshman year…was probably getting sick. That sucks. And like the whole hall was sick, it was a nightmare.

*What would you tell your freshman self?*

Caroline: Um, calm down. Everything will be fine in terms of your social life, and academics, and everything

*What do you think makes the Emory community so unique?*

Caroline: I think we all are, you know, very involved in academics, but also really value spending time with spending time with the people we care about and being involved, uh, outside of academics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*What’s your name?*

Kevin: My name is Kevin Niu.

*Where are you from?*

Kevin: I’m from Canton, Ohio.

*What Emory class are you in?*

Kevin: I’m part of the Emory Class of 2020.

*What Emory clubs do you belong to?*

Kevin: Some of my interests would include definitely music, I play piano, I’m an avid rock climber. Um, in terms of extra-curriculars I’m part of the club swim team here, I’m part of Student Programing Council, and as well as Emory Student Ambassadors.

*What motivated you to be an SA/RA?*

Kevin: Being an SA sounded like a really good opportunity to meet people while also having fun. The idea of second year housing just didn’t seem appealing to me, in the sense that nobody was going to try and establish a sense of community. Um, and I thought first-years would be more willing to have engaged conversations with people who they lived near — they live near.

*What has been the most rewarding part so far?*

Kevin: I think it’s been really neat to see everybody kind of find their way through Emory and see, like, who these people were when they got here and kind of the things they get involved with afterwards, and kind of see people discovering new things.

*What was the hardest part of your freshman year?*

Kevin: I think the hardest part of freshman year was there were a lot of times where you’d feel very alone just because you had a lot of friends, but you’ve only known them for, like, two or three months and so you don’t really trust them the way that you did people back home. And I think that was one of the most significant challenges, learning how to cope with issues and problems on your own.

*What would you tell your freshman self?*

Kevin: I would probably tell my freshman self that the biggest way to, like, succeed in college is to just push through, uh, because there’s a lot of stuff that happens in college, um, a lot of times where you feel like, you know, you’re just under way too much stress and under way too much pressure. Um, and I think being able to find things to look forward to is a great way to kind of keep yourself moving.

*What do you think makes the Emory community so unique?*

Kevin: I think the fact of the matter is that anybody who really tries to fit in to the Emory community will fit into the Emory community. I think at other places in it at like state schools or extremely small liberal arts college it is very possible that it’s not a good fit for someone, but I think at Emory, like, everybody is, like, welcome and everybody has the potential to find a community here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SuVg-C5YZA

The Beat Generation & Counterculture, 1940-1975: an exhibition celebrating the contributions of the writers, poets and artists of America’s Beat Generation. This exhibition reconsiders postwar literature and the ways it mirrored, predicted, and remade the culture around it. With its emphasis on the influential group known as “the Beats,” the show rediscovers a number of fascinating countercultural writers and remains the first major consideration of the Beats in the U.S. in nearly a decade.

The Beat Generation emerged as a key part of the U.S. counterculture in the years following World War II. The exhibition showcases the Beat spirit of exploration and experimentation around practicing politics, making art and building community.

This is an exhibition that looks at the power of literature to change our perceptions and to influence our culture. Thus, having an impact that is multi-generational and cross-disciplinary. All are invited to study, peruse and to be inspired by such creative energy. There remains a diverse group of people within this movement, united despite their differences by a commitment to radical experimentation and resistance to the mainstream; They have women and people of color writing, who congruently want to share their stories.

As we ventured into the realm of poetry for one hour in the Oxford Road Building, we began to evaluate and reminisce upon the environment in which the Beat took place. Co-curated by English PhD candidates Aaron Goldsman and Sarah Harsh, the pre-exhibition event began with the introduction of Anne Waldman’s endeavors.

As a prominent figure within the Beat Poetry Generation, Anne Waldman has been recognized as an organizer and instigator for the experimental poetry community; She has worked as an editor, teacher, performer, and cultural/political activist. Waldman, in her own words, is “drawn to the magical efficacies of language as a political act.”

Waldman has raised the bar as a feminist, activist and powerful performer. She has read in the streets, as well as numerous larger venues such as the Dodge Literary Festival in the U.S. and the Jaipur Literature Festival in India, while continuing to teach poetics all over the world. She remains a highly original “open field investigator” of consciousness, committed to the possibilities of radical shifts of language and state of mind, in order to create new modal structures and montages of attention. Waldman has received numerous awards and honors for her poetry, including the American Book Awards’ Lifetime Achievement, the Dylan Thomas Memorial Award, the National Literary Anthology Award, and the Shelley Memorial Award for poetry.

As Waldman entered the room, her long, dark hair, draped in black clothing and complemented with gold accents, set the tone for her poetry readings; She seemingly embodied the spirit and soul of her presentation. We began to recognize Waldman’s strong, firm stance as she spoke in a deep and fiery tone, which emphasized her rhetoric and purposeful language. Her words, wrought with passion and embrace, conveyed a lively and powerful voice. As she spoke, we glanced around at the ubiquitous captivation that took place within each individual of her audience: all eyes, bodies, and ears were focused directly on her.

Waldman’s poetic hymns are deeply connected to her work as an activist, along with her practice of Tibetan Buddhism. As she remains true to her artistic integrity, Waldman utilizes transitions which speak upon her performativity, often including rhetorical usage of chants, song, and emphatic reading.

As we employed Anne Waldman’s stylistic approach to poetry, we curated a poem which embodies the many aspects of our rapidly changing ecosystem. Just as Waldman conveys her message on environmental change, we harnessed her methodology within our reading. The Beat Generation, from 1940-1975, was an era in which poetry and art were simultaneous commentaries on American culture and political issues. Now, maintaining consistent ideologies, writers like Anne Waldman have brought back to life the importance and value of these messages in today’s society. Her galvanizing performances, extensive collaborations, and radical mission to inform our world on constantly changing policies and environment have reminded us just how powerful the effect of poetry can be.

Waldman’s provision and emphasis upon poignant views within her writing have conveyed not only the importance poetry has on our rapidly changing world, but how to properly implore the mechanisms of rhetoric within her poems. Thus, emanating her message tenfold. We highly recommend attending one of Anne Waldman’s performances, as we guarantee you’re in for a passionate, lively, informative experience like none other.

If you want to learn more about upcoming shows in the Beat Generation Exhibition, utilize this link : http://arts.emory.edu/calendar/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D124582818

Jenna Gursky and Daquon Wilson

Disclaimer: Not many pictures because the BlackStar Magazine livestreamed and took photographs of the event, and asked that past a certain times, no pictures be taken.

 

 

 

 

 

In 2009, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie gave a TED talk called “The Danger of a Single Story.” It was about what happens when different human beings are reduced to a single narrative or experience. For example, when Africans  are treated as pitiable poor, starving victims with flies swarming their bodies. More fitting for this article, when black people are all expected to share beliefs, culture, and history regardless of where they come from and what their backgrounds actually are.

On Tuesday, September 26th, black people of all different shades and backgrounds poured into the Emory Black Student Union (EBSU). The occasion? An event called “The Linkup.” Representatives from the Black Student Alliance (BSA), Emory NAACP,  and the African and Caribbean Student Associations came together to begin a series of tough talks in the black community at Emory. The moderator, pictured standing, focused on the power of being an advocate for social change. He emphasized the importance of learning effective communication and being willing to listen to conflicting point of views with the intent to learn, and not sway.

The topic for this debate was in question form, “Do black students find the black community to be alienating despite a large focus on inclusivity?” The debate was separated into a “yes” and “no” side of the argument. It included opening arguments, rebuttal, cross examination, and a closing argument. The “yes” side focused on how many cultural communities are judgmental with the typical “you’re not black enough” narrative. They also mentioned the importance of creating community and safe spaces for people to express and deal with their experiences and their emotions. The “no” side focused on points such as a large increase in participation in events put on by black organizations and the fact that many black communities on campus pride themselves on their stance that blackness is all encompassing and not a singular experience.

In the end, there seemed to a general consensus that there doesn’t always need to be a general consensus. Blackness is not a single story. All black people don’t look alike, all black people don’t eat the same food, we don’t share the same family unit, our hair doesn’t hold the same curl as each other, and our identities as a black person and also as an individual are not exclusive. We do not share a single story, and we embrace that.

“To Be or Not to Be”. Hamlet’s soliloquy left me with unanswered questions as I picked up a pamphlet from within White Hall. “Resisting Fascism” was the theme of the screening as I found myself sitting with baby boomers from all over Atlanta browsing the newest addition of The Emory Wheel. The lit lecture hall contrasted perfectly with the dark night and eerie mood following the school lockdown. The apprehensiveness on campus following the incident seemed to be spreading as I noticed only a few students in the room with me.  

As I hid myself in the back left corner of the hall, Paul Buchholz, a German studies professor, introduced himself on stage. Though everyone could tell he was quite nervous, Mr. Buccholz did a fantastic job emphasizing the historical importance of the film. It was at this moment that I became very puzzled. Professor Buccholz explained that the film was a dramatic comedy on Hitler’s dominance of Poland. I was pleased to see that I was not alone with my confusion as everyone checked to see if they had heard Mr. Buccholz correctly. Comedy and Hitler? How did that make any sense? He went on to praise the director, Ernest Lubitsch, for his unique approach to the film as he broke many barriers in the world of dramatic comedy. Mr. Buccholz said that Lubitsch’s use of comedy was to “unsettle the audience not relieve it” and called this technique “the Lubitsch touch”. Combining this approach with the delicate topic of the Nazi regime, many contemporary critics considered Lubitsch to be tasteless and inappropriate. Though his work was not exactly respected at the time, modern day researchers and film enthusiasts around the world praise Lubitsch’s forward thinking. Mr. Buccholz talked about the new wave of European filmmakers making their way to Hollywood in the early twentieth century and how Lubitsch served at the forefront of this revolutionary change. I was suddenly fascinated. Professor Buccholz then dimmed the lights after his conclusion and the film began.

The trailer (would not allow me to insert into post): 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W_B10VbYjI.

Within minutes of the movie the audience was already jumping out of their seats in laughter as a man dressed up as Hitler was mocked in the streets. The film revolved around a Polish theater couple and their experiences with the invading Nazi regime. It almost seemed as if the comedic presence of the story increased with Hitler’s power. Whether it was mocking Polish culture or poking fun at the brainwashed Nazi officers, To Be or Not to Be seemed to shed light on the lack of humanity in the early 20th century.

I noticed a perfect example of Lubitsch’s technique with the use of the Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To Be or Not to Be”.  The scene revolves around a man, Mr. Tura, and his performance of the soliloquy in the city theater. As Mr. Tura steps on stage with hundreds of people in attendance, his soliloquy is cut off by a man who gets up from the second row to meet Mr. Tura’s wife backstage. The awkwardness and irony of the scene left the audience bursting in laughter, but what makes it so interesting is the meaning behind the soliloquy. Written by Shakespeare, the monologue is about Hamlet and his suicidal thoughts as he compares death to a peaceful sleep. Though Professor Buccholz did not speak on this after the screening, I believe Lubitsch chose this soliloquy as the title to point out the irony of his own film. Though the monologue has a tense and depressing mood, Lubitsch makes the bold decision to combine it with the comedic value of romantic comedy. I believe this connects perfectly to the overarching theme of the movie as Lubitsch combines comedy with the dark topic of World War II.

Writing this exactly four days after the screening I still have not made my final stance on Lubitsch’s work. His ability to take something so sinister and transform it into a playful matter was a skill Hollywood had never seen before. Though many praise the film today, I started to think about the other perspectives such as the Jewish community and all those affected by Hitler’s reign. With art often acting as a catalyst for conversations regarding social change, I began to question whether there should be a line in what is appropriate for mainstream works. When do artists take it too far? Though I am a firm believer in freedom of expression, it is important to be aware of the feelings of others and how different cultures might view your work.

If you are interested in future screenings from “Resisting Fascism” I would highly recommend attending. Below I have listed the dates and films.

Wednesdays 7:30pm, White Hall 208, Free

9/27: Hangmen Also Die 

10/4: The Stranger

10/11: Naked Among Wolves

10/18: Army of Shadows

10/25: The Conformist

11/1: The Tin Drum 

11/8: Amen

11/15: The Counterfeiters

 

Pictures/Videos:

Danios12345. “To Be Or Not To Be (1942) Trailer.” YouTube, YouTube, 16 Sept. 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=7W_B10VbYjI.

Lemaster, Dana. “Dana Lemaster.” Thinking Cinema, 19 June 2015, www.thinkingcinema.com/film-appreciation-to-be-or-not-to-be/.

“Paul J. Buchholz, PhD.” Department of German Studies, german.emory.edu/home/people/faculty/buchholz-paul.html.

“To Be or Not to Be (1942).” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0035446/mediaviewer/rm3433567232

-Michael Malenfant

This past Saturday, the Emory Women’s Volleyball team had an explosive 3-0 victory over Juniata at the Women’s Volleyball East/West Challenge. Set one was a hard fought and could have been anyone’s game, but the Emory Eagles came out on top in a close 27-25 victory. Emory had strong starts in both sets two and three and they had strong wins being 25-20 and 25-18 respectively. This blow-out brought Emory, which is ranked Number 4 in the NCAA Division III category, to an 8-1 win/loss record.

With all that being said, I know nothing about volleyball and a lot of other sports. During the game, and the writing of this blog post, I was constantly looking up rules and terminology because this was probably the first ever volleyball game I went to. As someone not familiar with the sport, it was a little

off-putting being surrounded by what seems to be mostly family and friends of the players. I had to look around to figure out when to clap and what was going on. In terms of the audience, it’s definitely a different vibe at a regular volleyball game compared to one that can be used for PACE requirements. The crowd was relatively small and was formed of mostly older people. Either way, Emory’s volleyball team loved every minute of it: doing different dances and cheers every time they scored, getting into huddles after every point for advice and support, and overall showing good sportsmanship.

 

I will say that I most likely won’t be attending many more volleyball games in the future because I still don’t fully understand the game and it’s not that interesting to me. However, I highly encourage everyone to go to at least one sporting event over their undergraduate career. If, like me, you’re not a sports person, then it won’t be a highlight of your weekend or college experience but it’s still something to do and it feels nice to show that, despite popular belief, Emory does have some school spirit.

This past Sunday, we decided to venture into the world of sports here at Emory. As we stepped onto the scorching hot metal bleachers, we initially noticed spectators holding sun umbrellas with iced cold drinks in-hand to cool down. We, on the other hand, were suffering tremendously. As we wiped rivulets of sweat off our dripping faces, we wondered: “How can these players be compensating so well in this heat?!” Both the Emory Soccer team, along with Birmingham-Southern College’s team, were dressed in their thick T-shirts, long shorts, and high knee socks – the sweat and pressure was on for these women. Yet, as temperatures had risen, our team only progressed more, persevering through the treacherous heat. Throughout the first half of the game, we began to recognize the mutual dedication between not only the players, but the fans watching the game as well. The juxtaposition between the players, field, and their communicative strategies was quite harmonious. During half-time, we decided to interview some fans of the team, in order to gain insight on their personal dedication for coming out to watch.

We commenced our interviews by asking a woman in-line at the vending machine of her reasoning for attending the game. We initially explained our blog post idea, as “trying to gain insight on players and spectators dedication to the game.” She seemed intrigued, and gladly obliged to assist us. 

“Are you a parent here?” We began asking.

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m visiting my daughter this weekend, and it’s really cool to see her play in person. We usually have to watch her games on the computer, since we’re from Chicago. I’ve been watching her games ever since she was five – because that’s just what parents do!”

Susie, mother of a third-year student here at Emory, seemed to be tremendously committed to her daughter’s soccer, even throughout her duration of college. After speaking with her, we watched in the stands how she called out and cheered for her daughter immensely. It was clear how as a mother, she deems her daughter’s sports career to be of utmost importance. She exuded an intrinsic motivation to come out and support her kin, just as any loved one should.

We then noticed a twenty-something year old woman purchasing an iced cold water bottle. Again, introducing our idea, we started off by asking what her purpose for attending this game was. After we introduced ourselves, Jessie, amidst her mother Nancy, began to explain her prior experience with the sport:

“I actually played for the Women’s Soccer team at BSC all throughout college,” said Jessie. “I’m from Kennesaw and now live in Augusta, so I decided to come out and watch.”

“How did you feel your dedication to the sport interfered with your studies?” We then asked.

“I mean, D3 is a good balance between academics and sports,” she started, “but we usually had practice every day though – around 2 ½ hours. If you were just a runner, you’d only have to practice 1 ½ hours, the length of a game. We also played Emory every season… and I actually tore my ACL playing here. It’s my second year out of school and I try to watch the games every chance I get.”

As we stepped away from Jessie and her mother, we reminisced upon each individual’s similar yet contrasting motivation for being here: While we show a desire to gain perspective, others come to support their loved ones, while most come to give encouragement for their past teammates.

After stepping inside to cool off, we entered the second half of the game. Just a few minutes in, our focus began to wander away from the soccer players to the conversations of the zealous relatives who sat behind.

“Go DeDe!” One man proclaimed as his daughter’s teammate finally scored a goal. “SHOOT!” He yelled out. “As much as she’s been working – she deserved that one [shot]. If she was old enough I’d buy her a drink!”

The comment elicited bountiful laughter from those nearby, and immediately our eyes fell upon the soccer player, DeDe, who continued to play with unabating enthusiasm despite the unrelenting Georgia heat. Perseverance was evident among all the lady Eagle soccer players, which got us thinking about how  interconnectivity between dedication and perseverance applies to life here at Emory.

Just as injuries and weather conditions can serve as obstacles in a soccer game, the road to achieving our aspirations may lead to many hardships. Having a set goal in mind that one is passionate about makes obstructions that arise in our paths worthwhile, and the gratification received from achieving our dreams tenfold.

It would be hard to imagine the nosebleeds and torn ACLs these soccer players endure are to no avail. Even amidst the most crucial moments of the game, it was clear that women were willing to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of their team. Although such selfless and diligent behavior may put players at risk physically, having their family and friends there to provide support has ultimately assisted their drive to win.

Throughout the duration of the second half, we interviewed Kettly, a mother sitting next to us in the stands:

“Have you been a fan of the team for a while?” We asked.

She began by telling us: “I’ve been a fan of the team since my daughter, a junior, joined [the team] in her freshman year.”

We followed up with asking if she was from around here, and how often she has attended the games: “We are from Tampa,” Kettly followed up, “which is a seven hour drive away. I try to make it to as many home games as I can.”

“Has the team been doing well so far?” We concluded.

“A couple of seniors graduated from the team last year,” said Kettly, “and we have lost a few games. But the team has been doing well, and it is always good to watch.”

About five minutes after we interviewed Kettly, her daughter, Danielle, scored the fourth goal in what eventually lead to a 5-0 demolishment of BSC. We made sure to congratulate Danielle after the game. On the walk back to our respective dorms, we reflected upon the underlying theme that paralleled the lives of Emory athletes and students not committed to sports.

Whether you are a spectator or player, individuals congruently share some form of intrinsic motivation throughout their lives. As many students of Emory arrive with a drive to succeed academically, a vast majority of student athletes are forced to give up the development of other aspects of their lives. How much are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals? ⚽️

Jenna Gursky, Josh Maisel & Rachel McNeil

Close your eyes and think back to home. Is home in Georgia? Is it far away from Georgia? Is it on the West Coast or East Coast? Is it in the Midwest? Is it out of the country? Now imagine a law has passed stating that you can never live anywhere outside of your home state. How would that affect your enrollment at Emory? In what ways would you be limited? As horrible as this sounds, this scenario was reality for many Jews between the years 1791 to 1917, during which the Pale of Settlement was established.

The Pale of Settlement was an area apart of Russian territory that allowed Jews permanent residency, but forbade them from taking up residency anywhere else, which crushed the dreams of many young people who wanted to pursue a higher education outside the borders of the Pale of Settlement. However a loophole was found with the issuing of yellow tickets: a nickname for the identification cards that were given to Russian prostitutes that allowed them to live outside the borders. Many Jewish women took on the titles of prostitutes in order to expand their rights and live or go to school wherever they wanted, and The Yellow Ticket is a 1918 film that depicts such a scenario.

When one of our group members, Rachel, first rushed in, trying to find where the movie was located with only two minutes left before it started, a girl walking behind her stated that one of her friends told her the movie was filled with prostitution, which immediately had Rachel questioning Emory University’s taste in film. But we were pleased to find The Yellow Ticket was an engaging film about the struggles of a young woman who loses everything and must take on a double life as a prostitute and university student in order to have a chance at a better life.

Leaning back in our seats in the Emerson Concert Hall at Schwartz Performing Arts Center, we had no idea what to expect. We had just bought tickets to see the silent film The Yellow Ticket accompanied by a live score. Having never attended an event like this before, we had no idea what to expect.

The lights went dim, and the three performers were introduced: composer Alicia Svigals, pianist Marilyn Lerner, and clarinetist Laura DeLuca. It was easy to tell who was the star of the show: Alicia’s long red dress immediately captured the spotlight.

Svigals, the world’s leading klezmer fiddler, founded the Grammy-winning Klezmatics and has collaborated with many renowned musical artists. She has also made appearances on shows such as David Letterman, MTV, and more. She is the recipient of the Foundation for Jewish Culture’s 2013 New Jewish Music Network Commission for her score of the Yellow Ticket.

Lerner’s musical style is seasoned with multiple different cultures, performing internationally from Montreal to Havana to Jerusalem. She is a recording artist, and has also toured with other groups of performers.

DeLuca started playing in the Seattle symphony in 1986 and is one of the founders of Seattle Chamber Players. Aside from performing in concert halls all around the world, she has been featured in more than one hundred recordings and has collaborated with distinguished composers and performers.

Beautiful music filled the concert hall the very second the film began, and the tone perfectly matched the mood of each scene. Alicia’s singing voice perfectly complimented the strings she played, matching with her partners beside her. We watched as the music got louder and darker during the dramatic scenes and soft during the comedic ones. The audience, consisting mostly of older adults and a few college students here and there, was captivated by the abilities of the performers and the emotions they evoked from the film.

One student in our group, Michael, was able to meet Alicia Svigals as she came to speak to his Music in Film class. Svigals stressed the effort and thought she put into every second of the film as she essentially lived in her studio for two whole months. With The Yellow Ticket being a silent film, Svigals said that she wanted to “make the narrative more clear and bring out the emotion” of the film. Though looking back at it, Svigals said that scoring the film from second to second was a “rookie move”, she is constantly fascinated with how such precision in the score makes each performance slightly different and unique. She explained that playing in complete unison with the score and film was essentially impossible with the amount of detail she put into every scene. Though at first this seemed like a detriment to her work, Svigals came to realize that each performance acted as a snowflake, patterned differently and completely unique from the others.  

Svigals also stressed how the film is filled with unknowns. From the very beginning, the director gives little background information or hints about the setting or main character, Sofia. Instead of trying to make sense of these unknowns, Svigals took advantage of this and layered the score with music from multiple cultures. This melting pot of different sounds emphasized this unknown as Sofia takes us on her journey to St. Petersburg. When viewing the film with Svigals’ score, one might notice that some melodies repeat themselves throughout the movie. Svigals created these specific melodies to represent different emotions and gestures. As Sofia makes the final decision to become a prostitute Svigals plays a melody of shame with a diminished harmony and a strong sense of darkness. This melody appears every time Sofia is seen working her night job in her alternate life. Along with shame, Svigals composed a waltz melody to symbolize romance as Sofia’s classmate quickly fall in love with her. The melody is layered with the three instruments and composed perfectly to bring out the growing feeling of love that falls within Sofia’s story.

Following the performance was a twenty minute Q&A with the artists. Audience members asked about the creation of the score, how they keep up with timing and precision, and the personal lives of the artists in general.

This performance of The Yellow Ticket was a very interesting and unique experience. We enjoyed observing the passion and excitement of the performers which was shared by the audience. The show brought to our attention the effects that music has on the emotions that a film portrays. We left the concert hall impressed, enlightened, and inspired.

By Rachel McNeil, Kate Monger, and Michael Malenfant

Green, David B. “1791: Catherine the Great tells Jews where they can live.” Haaretz.com, 26 Dec. 2016, www.haaretz.com/jewish/features/.premium-1.564905. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.

 

“JewishEncyclopedia.com.” PALE OF SETTLEMENT – JewishEncyclopedia.Com, www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11862-pale-of-settlement. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017

 

“Pale of Settlement.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Aug. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_of_Settlement#Jewish_life_in_the_Pale. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.

“Yellow ticket.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 July 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_ticket. Accessed 11 Sept. 2017.

 

Skipping, chanting, and smiles never left the gym on Saturday, September the 9th at the Emory women’s volleyball game. The joyful spirit of the girls lasted for the entirety of the match that they won three sets to zero. Although the athletes’ performance impressed us, their sportsmanship fascinated us more. Not every sports group has members that support each other unconditionally. The girls’ ability to remain positive and show support for one another during their game helped lead them to victory.

When we arrived at the match against DeSales University, there was a concession stand set up next to the gym entrance. The snacks were all overpriced, and probably unnecessary considering the match did not last for very long. As we rounded the corner, there was a small bleacher set up on the gym floor, since the actual court was only in the very center of the west half of the gym. The crowd, neither extremely large or small, consisted of a few interested students and mostly parents who came to watch their daughters play. The crowd remained calm throughout the match, however, not much excitement was needed; the girls produced enough pep to last them through every set. Surprisingly the girls never seemed to have a shortage of energy and did not need to use timeouts like the other team. Smiles remained planted on both the players and coaches faces. Typically athletes remain straight-faced and look serious while they play. Even the girls on the other team looked this way and rarely smiled.

warm smiles on the players and coaches faces let us know that they actually enjoyed playing the game. Clearly, the girls found the game fun and they still appeared to have a passion for the sport. While winning obviously remained their objective, they made sure to enjoy the entire process. This happiness and pure love of the game allowed them to stay positive and cheer each other on that afternoon.

After the first set, the teams switched sides. This almost seemed to have an effect on the girls’ performance because they started to fall behind. Even while the girls were losing, the coach was placid and the girls were smiling. Their attitude is undoubtedly why they were able to easily rally and win the second set. Again, at the start of the third set, Emory dropped some points, but the team found its footing and pulled off the three to zero sweep. No setback ever seemed to faze them. They remained cheerful and positive until they eventually lead the game like they knew they would.

Every team has some form of bond between players that affects the way they interact and play together. On Emory’s team, the girls have a noticeably strong bond. No matter what happened, the girls always appeared to have a united front. Instead of cheering for certain players, the whole group on the court received recognition. Unlike the players from the other team, even when a girl made a serve that did not make it over the net or hit the ball out of bounds, the girls remained supportive of one another.

The girls frequently had group hugs and shared reassuring smiles to comfort each other throughout the game. We could tell that the team members had a very close relationship just by the way they interacted on the court. Even off the court, the girls typically do things together probably as a result of all the time they spend practicing and bonding. This relationship allows them to communicate and play collectively. The girls display trust for each other and belief in the abilities of the team. Studies show that the level of trust and time spent together have a significant impact on team performance. Team members that trust each other perform better because they can work more effectively together (Elsass 137).  When the other team successfully scored, the girls still smiled and cheered each other on because they knew that they had the ability to move past the setback and win the game. Although several girls did stand out as star players, the game did not revolve around them. Each girl playing was given an opportunity to contribute to the success of the team. Emory’s team honestly looks like a huge group of best friends. Friendship and their great spirit lead them to victory.

At the end of the tournament, the girls walked away undefeated. Emory won every game three sets to zero in the tournament.

It is worth noting that while all these three aspects of the team led them to victory, the skill set of the girls played arguably the most significant part in leading them to victory. Currently, the team is ranked fifth overall in the NCAA Division III category, previously being ranked second. They have made it to the final four five times, they won the national tournament in 2008, and they have seven UAA championships. In fact, the girls have only lost one game this season. We wanted to look beyond their skills to determine what makes them so successful. Virtually every team has amazing players, but some teams have unique qualities that set them apart from the rest of the crowd. What sets Emory apart and gives them a competitive edge are these three qualities that allow them to work harder and to work more efficient collectively.

Tatiana was able to get in touch with freshman Murphy Powell to ask her about her experiences with the game and with her team:

Tatiana: How would you describe the crowd’s energy level at the DeSales match? How did their energy level affect (or not affect) your playing?

Murphy: The crowd’s energy level during the match vs DeSales this past Saturday was pretty good because I’ve been told the bleachers haven’t been that full in a long time. The crowd’s cheering was a motivation bonus added to our own cheering so it affected our play positively. 

Tatiana: Was there a specific goal you had set for the DeSales match?

Murphy: We wanted to keep them from scoring more than 15 points per set (which we were able to do for the 25-12 set but not for the 25-16 and 25-19 sets) and always have more energy than they did, in which I think we did a good job of.

Tatiana: How well did your team play again DeSales University? Do you consider it a good/bad/average game for your team?

Murphy: It was an average game for our team because we beat them by a hefty amount, had an awesome passing game, but also missed a lot of serves and hit a lot of balls out when attacking.

Tatiana: What is the dynamic between you and your teammates during a game?

Murphy: We all keep each other hype no matter what the score is and we all have positive attitudes throughout warmups and in games.

Tatiana: Are you and your teammates close? And how does this affect your playing?

Murphy: My teammates and I are very close – it’s like a family. This affects our playing because we play harder when we want to play well and win for our “family”.

Tatiana: What is your goal for the season?

Murphy: Our goal for the season is to be national champions!

Watching the Emory Women’s Volleyball Team play was very entertaining. While it is always fun to cheer for the winning team, it is clear that our squad has something special. Their non-stop energy made the game enjoyable for themselves, the fans, and even the other team to an extent. It is very easy to see Emory Women’s Volleyball going to the national finals, and we think they will win this year.

Priscilla Elsass. “Trust and Team Performance in NCAA Basketball.” The Academy of Management Executive (1993-2005), vol. 15, no. 3, 2001, pp. 137–138. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4165768.

[Emory Volleyball Girls High-Fiving]. [image]. (n.d). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.evbcvolleyball.com/Default.aspx?tabid=25272

[Emory Volleyball Girls Holding Hands in Air]. [image] (n.d.). [Photograph]. Retrieved from http://www.evbcvolleyball.com/Default.aspx?tabid=25274

[Emory Volleyball Coach]. [image]. (n.d). [Photograpgh]. Retrieved from http://www.emoryathletics.com/sports/wvball/index

By: Faith Muyoyo, Josh Maisel, and Tatiana Bennett