Page 3 – The Waltonian

Now more than ever, taking care and being aware of your health is crucial with the pandemic numbers beginning to rise again. However, health is not simply physical; it’s also important to recognize what help you need in terms of your mental health.

Asking for help when struggling with mental health isn’t always easy, but programs like Malvern Behavioral Health recognize that and are actively working to change the stigma around asking for help and getting treatment for mental health issues.

“We opened up this unit specifically for college students struggling with mental health to the point
where it’s debilitating, or they’re at risk of hurting themselves or others” Jerry Kosmin, one of the directors involved in creating the program, said.

Located in South Philadelphia, Malvern Behavioral Health is a 22 bed in-patient unit for 18 to 26 year olds struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, failure to launch, and psychiatric breaks. It focuses on the importance of healthy peer interaction and communication.

Clinical Director of the program, Anne-Marie Esposito, talked about how oftentimes young people are
terrified of going to a hospital or program for their mental health because they feel as though their symptoms may be too acute or minor to warrant help, or they fear they’ll be surrounded by adults who won’t understand their situation. When planning the Malvern Behavioral Health program, Esposito and Kosmin didn’t want it to feel like a hospital, and Esposito described it as having a “dormitory or lounge feel” to make patients feel more comfortable.

Though the program began last November, meaning it’s still fairly new, the response to it so far has been positive. Through their Message of Hope program, patients who are leaving after their (on average) seven to 10 day stay write anonymous letters to incoming patients, encouraging them and writing about the experience they’ve had in the program, with many of them saying that it was the best thing they could have done for their mental health and that the program
proved to be beneficial for them.

Since Malvern Behavioral Health is centered around young adults with more debilitating mental health
issues, Esposito and Kosmin recommended other options for college students to manage their mental
health including yoga, meditation, making good use of the university’s counseling center, and participating in virtual support groups like those through NAMI.

Mental health is a struggle, but with these resources easily accessible, it’s not a struggle to go through alone.

Football is widely considered to be a man’s sport. There are no professional women’s football leagues that are as recognized and esteemed as the NFL, but that doesn’t mean that women aren’t interested in the sport or capable of participating in it in some way.

Sarah Thomas, for example, has become the first and only female referee for the NFL. She began as a
referee for her high school’s football team, then went on to be the first female referee for major college
football games in 2007 before becoming a full-time referee for the NFL in 2015. Thomas also broke
records last year in 2019 when she became the first female official for the NFL postseason.

Despite the challenges that come with being a woman in a heavily male-dominated profession, Thomas has proven herself to be capable and confident in her work and on the field, and in interviews, shows her desire to keep growing in strength and resilience: necessary skills for NFL referees, especially for female
referees.

Other women have made their way into the league in different ways, taking on coaching roles or managerial and ownership roles. On September 27, 2020, the game between the Washington Football
Team and the Cleveland Browns was the first game in NFL history two have two female coaches and a female referee.

Callie Brownson is the chief-of-staff for the Browns and Jennifer King is the assistant coach for the Washington Football Team. King is also the first Black female full-time coach in the league. Thomas was the official in this game, and the three of them together in one game broke league history and hopefully set a precedent for future games to come.

Women like Kim Pegula, co-owner of the Buffalo Bills, Dee Haslam, co-owner of the Cleveland Browns,
and Martha Firestone Ford, owner of the Detroit Lions, have made strides in the NFL as well, taking an
interest in and funding the teams while running their own businesses. They’re proving that women can be in positions of power within business and know how to manage a football team. They’ve made a living for themselves as CEOs in their respective businesses alongside knowing what’s going on in the NFL and making the higher-up decisions for their teams.

While there’s certainly room to grow in terms of women in football, these women show that it’s not just men who can enjoy and participate in the sport. They have set an example for those after them and have made great strides in the walk toward equality.

Sources: NFL, CBS Sports, SportsCasting

Social distancing guidelines and regulations have closed theatres all across the country for the foreseeable future. That means no more Broadway shows and no more community productions until COVID-19 is long gone. Eastern’s own theatre department, however, is still going strong in the midst
of this pandemic. Regulations have been put in place to keep rehearsals and performances safe and to prevent the spread of illness as much as possible.

Recently, Eastern began offering the long-awaited Theatre major and minor for students, including a wide range of new theatre classes put together by the new Head of the Theatre Department, Lois Abdelmalek. This decision was made before the pandemic, and the news was very well received among performers and aspiring actors, directors, and crew members. Now, the department has to navigate new protocol for what classes, rehearsals, and performances can and should look like, putting the safety of students first and foremost.

“Professor Abdelmalek and a lot of the other higher-ups are trying to make it safe, but still a fun experience, so it definitely is still fun and enjoyable, but it definitely is weird because it’s nothing like anyone has ever experienced before,” said Abigail Pardocchi, a senior Theatre major.

Students are required to social distance and sing and dance while wearing masks to ensure that everyone stays safe, which can be hard for theatre productions. Much of the emotions and message of the plays and musicals are shown through facial expressions and the way characters interact with each other through physical distance.

This year, in lieu of a play or musical like Into the Woods and Little Women, the theatre department is
putting together a collection of performances called “Let Our Voices Rise: A Crescendo of Resilience” and will feature a collection of songs and numbers surrounding the themes of resilience and hope.

Instead of in-person auditions, students sent in videos of themselves singing parts of a song or performing monologues, receiving an email if they were selected to be a part of this production. Since this won’t have a set script, the early rehearsals focused on figuring out what songs were going to be performed and what voice part everyone should sing. “It’s a lot of up in the air right now because we’re not entirely sure what we can do with COVID precautions,” said Pardocchi, who will be taking part in the production as well as being the stage manager.

There are decisions that have to be made about the content of the show down to whether or not performers should wear masks while singing, since not wearing masks allows for more expression and clarity in singing, but requires 16 feet of distance between each student for safety purposes.

The show will feature dance numbers as well, which present their own challenges when it comes to
social distancing. “Especially when dancing with other people, you want to do partner work, but you can’t do partner work because of everything,” said Pardocchi.

All of the performances will be recorded ahead of time and edited together to form the final production, so the cast has the ability to use different outdoor locations instead of just the auditorium, allowing them more space to move during dance numbers and allowing for more people to be in a space at once. This also means that the performance will be completely virtual. A link will be sent out for 7:30pm on Nov. 21 for all students and faculty who would like to watch the show and support the theatre department’s dedication and hard work during a time that seems very opposed to group activities like theatre.

Every academic year brings in new students to Eastern University’s campus, and every academic year also brings about the recognition of the students who came before during the homecoming celebration. As with many on-campus activities, homecoming looked a bit different this year due to restrictions and guidelines the school has to follow regarding COVID-19 procedures.

The Alumni Department made the decision to not have an in-person Homecoming event where families and friends can reconnect on campus, participate in activities and fundraisers, and donate to clubs and the school in general. Alumni fundraising and events were moved online to ensure that there would be less of a risk for those who would be coming onto campus as well as for students who live in the residence halls.

However, residential students were able to participate in the Harvest Festival organized by the Student Activities Board (SAB). Students could paint
pumpkins, donate to non-funded clubs by buying raffle tickets, tie-dye shirts, listen to music, and grab a bite to eat from food trucks.

“When we were planning [the Harvest Festival], we were considering what kind of activities are offered at the Homecoming Festival, and we usually think of having food, the whole fundraising aspect of it, and we wanted to wanted to provide a variety of activities like pumpkin painting and decorating, tie-dying, games, raffle baskets, and just offering that food again,” Colton Domblesky, a member of SAB, said.

Free food is always a draw to events for college students, and at the Harvest Festival, they could enjoy snacks like funnel cake, donuts, cheese fries, and hot chocolate: nice and warm for the autumn weather.

In addition to the Harvest Festival on October 3, SAB also hosted a Homecoming Dance on October 10, but instead of it being inside the gym like it was in past years, this year’s dance was held on the tennis courts to allow for more people and proper social distancing. Students dressed up, though because the dance was on the tennis courts, no heels were allowed, and went out for a night of dancing and spending time with friends under
the stars – the theme of the event.

“Social distancing is going to be a little bit of a challenge, but as always, we’ve been trying to watch attendance very closely and ensuring that physical
distancing is happening , and we’re also making sure that all students are properly wearing a mask during the entire time they are attending our events,” Domblesky said in anticipation of the dance.

Despite all of the challenges and setbacks that the pandemic created for SAB and the Alumni Department, the Homecoming festivities were a success whether in person or online.

Let me begin by asking, how are you?

I see you on my daily walks around campus, swimming around in the pond with barely a care, and I wonder if you know what the state of the world’s been like.

Can you tell when students come to sit on the wall or the bench with a head and heart a little heavier? I know for me, seeing you float on the calm water makes me feel a bit better, even if it’s just for a moment.

Swans get a bad reputation for being mean birds, but from my experience, you seem pretty polite, letting me take your picture against the beautiful backdrop of the changing leaves and the stone architecture of Walton Hall without complaint. Maybe you do know that many students are struggling through the semester and are more willing to let us admire you. Whether or not that’s the case, thank you for not trying to scare us away.

I noticed that you’re the only swan on campus, and it occurred to me that you must get lonely sometimes. You haven’t left yet, so it must not be too much of a bother, but I can’t help but think it interesting that a lone swan chose Walton Pond to be its
home. The history behind the pond is one of love, the story being that Mr. Walton had the pond built as a swimming pool for his wife, and it’s supposedly shaped like an anatomical heart to represent his love for her. If that story is actually true, your home has a pretty unique history.

Your pond is also nice and quiet. You have it pretty much all to yourself. The geese seem like they’re leaving it alone, and I hope for your sake that they do. You don’t seem like one for noise and crowds, and I rarely ever see a lone goose wandering around campus. Though there’s nothing wrong with being introverted and preferring quiet, calm spaces, there’s a part of me that hopes that one day you’ll find a friend to swim around the pond with. Life can get awfully lonesome when you keep to yourself all the time.

Until then though, I hope you’ll continue to let me sit and watch you on nice days when I’m feeling a little down or overwhelmed and that you’ll remind me to take time for myself and to relax. I promise I’ll try my hardest to follow through.

Sincerely,
an Eastern Student

September 22 brought the first official day of fall, and the leaves are starting to change and temperatures are dropping to match. With the scenery around campus changing to brilliant yellows, oranges, and reds, it’s not hard to get excited about the autumn season. After all, autumn has Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all of the warm, cozy, and sometimes spooky vibes.

This year, however, activities like apple picking, pumpkin picking, haunted hayrides, and Halloween parties may be off the agenda for most students, especially those living on campus. So how can you make the most of the fall season while continuing to social distance and abide by the university guidelines for safe and enjoyable fall time fun?

Since fall is the season for everything spooky and scary, in lieu of trick-or-treating or in preparation for Halloween this year, you can organize a scary movie marathon with your friends. The Warner Library has plenty of movies for you to rent if you aren’t paying for Netflix, Hulu, or other streaming services. Find a common area for you and your friends to spread out in, (remember, no more than 25 people in a room at a time, making sure that you’re wearing masks and following proper social distancing protocol),dress in comfy clothes, and surround yourself with pillows and blankets so you can be cozy while you’re scared.

For more spooks and scares, you can pick up a new book or podcast to send shivers up your spine. If you really want to be scared, there are plenty of lists online for highly acclaimed podcasts relating to the horror genre like “Bloody Good Fiction,” which discusses and dissects common horror tropes or podcasts that place you in the middle of a horror story.

For those who still want to be able to sleep at night, bundle up with a murder mystery book that will keep you in suspense but make you feel accomplished if you’ve figured out who-dun-it.

This time of year, the air is getting chillier, but it’s not unbearably cold, making it the perfect season for long walks around campus. Bring your phone, a sketchbook, or a notebook and find beautiful scenes to be inspired by. Let the colors and atmosphere of fall find a home in your creative work and make a morning, evening, or afternoon walk all the more enjoyable.

You can also express your love for the season by decorating your room for fall. Order decorations online or make them yourself with construction paper and tape. I absolutely love seeing halls with doors
decorated nicely for fall. There’s something about pumpkins, leaves, and cute Halloween decorations that add so much personality and warmth to a room, and since we’re strongly encouraged not to leave campus unless it’s for essential purposes, bringing the beauty of fall decorations like you would see around town onto campus and inside the dorm buildings can help make this fall feel a little more normal.

Another way to capture the spirit of autumn is through music. Making a new fall playlist gets me excited for this time of year. Fill it with your favorite songs that make you feel warm and cozy and ready to wear sweaters and cardigans every day.

Personally, my fall playlists tend to have more acoustic and folk music, as the simplicity of the harmonies and the calming nature of the lyrics reminds me of the tranquility of falling leaves and the importance of spending time with friends and loved ones that’s emphasized during autumn.

Though it’s maybe not the way you’ve envisioned this autumn going, hopefully these suggestions can help you feel more of the warm and sometimes spooky spirit of this time of year.

Quarantine hasn’t been easy for many, and it would have been even more difficult without music from our favorite artists on repeat. While many musicians were unable to have live performances or fan gatherings for months at a time, quite a few artists were working hard on new music while in isolation, taking inspiration from the current state of the world and spreading messages of joy, frustration, hope, fear, and love.

Artists such as OneRepublic, Pitbull, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and others released new music during quarantine, using the concepts of being together in spirit and staying strong throughout isolation in their lyrics. Alec Benjamin, a fairly up-and-coming recording artist, released a song titled “Six Feet Apart” referencing the social distancing guidelines that everyone is advised to follow in order to keep people as safe as possible. The lyrics of the song showcase the loneliness that comes with quarantine and isolation like in the opening lines, “they say distance is relative, and relative to relatives I have, I’d say I’m relatively close to breaking down because right now I feel so alone.”

Despite the loneliness that Benjamin reflects through “Six Feet Apart,” artists like Grande and Bieber focus on the love that can be shared with people who had to spend more time at home with each other as people worked remotely and were encouraged to stay home as much as possible.

Their song, “Stuck With U,” references the isolated state of the country while focusing on the relationships that grew between people in the same household through lyrics like “there’s nowhere we need to be, no, no, no. I’ma get to know you better. Kinda hope we’re here forever. There’s nobody on these streets. If you told me that the world’s endin’, ain’t no other way that I can spend it.”

The song hit number one on the Billboard charts soon after its release, showing how much people wanted and related to new music that expressed how they felt during this time.

Both of the music videos for “Six Feet Apart” and “Stuck With U” were filmed at home by the artists and participants, further encouraging people to social distance and showing that there is a community surrounding music and art even if they can’t gather together physically.

At the Video Music Awards this year, the video for “Stuck With U” won an award in a brand new category: Best Music Video From Home. More new categories were added to the awards show as well in order to honor the best quarantine performances as well as to honor frontline medical workers for their dedication, hard work, and sacrifice in the midst of the pandemic. The “Stuck With U” video itself features cameos from celebrities besides Grande and Bieber such as Demi Lovato, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Steph and Ayesha Curry, and more.

All proceeds from the “Stuck With U” streams and downloads went to the First Responder’s Children’s
Foundation which helps children of frontline workers by funding scholarships for them.

Pitbull also took part in raising money for charity with his new song titled “I Believe That We Will Win,” promising to donate all of the proceeds to The Tony Robbins Foundation, which has different programs that benefit those in poverty, in prison, the elderly, as well as children, and Feeding America, which aims to stop hunger through food banks, soup kitchens, and shelters.

Overall, the music released during quarantine served to bring people closer together in a time when we were all kept apart by distance. Artists were able to create music that represented how many were feeling and raise money to help those in need who were affected by the pandemic, showing that we really are all in this together and can make a change through art and song.

Sources: Nielson Music/ MRC Data

Your freshman year is exciting, full of possibilities and opportunities to meet new people and learn new things. For many of you, it’s your first time living away from home, and this independence is equally as daunting as it is rewarding.

There are so many newfound responsibilities, time commitments, and expectations that you may feel overwhelmed at times, and it’s okay to feel that way. I’m now a senior, and having experienced feeling lost and overwhelmed as a freshman, I want to share one piece of advice to help you make the most of your college experience that I’ve learned from my personal first-year experience as well as the rest of my time here.

Perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned is that being open to change is being open to new
possibilities. Many of you may have come to college with an idea of what you want to major in and the career path you’d like to take. Some of you are going to stick with that plan and love it, which is fantastic! Others, however, are going to change that plan throughout the years, and that’s great too!

When I came to Eastern, I was sure that I wanted to go on to become a pediatric occupational therapist. I volunteered at a local practice in high school, and I absolutely loved it. I decided to get to that goal through the Exercise Science major. However, I’ve always had an interest in the
humanities, specifically English, so when I registered for my first semester’s classes, I took a creative writing class thinking that it would simply be a fun change of pace. It ended up becoming my favorite class that semester by far, and I found that I was really passionate about writing, more so than I was about Exercise Science. I made some of my closest friends in that class and later
went on to take more writing classes and eventually became an English Writing major, then later, added the Literature concentration onto that as well.

Deciding to change my major and my career path was no easy feat. It was one of the most difficult decisions I had ever had to make up to that point. It was important that I had people around me who guided me through and supported me through that process, regardless of what I chose.

Though change in its essence is uncomfortable, it’s important that the changes you are making are ones
that you think you’re going to feel confident in later. Having people around who want the best for you and want to see you succeed and will support you in making the right decisions is crucial.

There have been many more situations in my college life that have required me to be open to change outside of my major. Friendships, jobs, club commitments, class schedules – you’re going to be faced with tons of opportunities for change in these areas. Your friend groups will look different over time and
that’s natural! You may want to leave a job you’re not super invested in for one that you’re more passionate about. Even something as simple as changing where you study can have an impact if you let it.

As much as college is a time of possibility, it is a time for self-exploration and growth, and nine times out of 10, that growth and self-confidence only comes through change. You never know what opportunities you’ll be presented with and what people you’ll meet if you’re willing to take a leap of faith and change something you’re not completely satisfied with or certain about.

There’s a lot to be stressed about right now. We’re starting a new semester in the midst of the pandemic and having to deal with all of the ups and downs that go along with that. As easy as it may be to get bogged down by all of the negatives this time of year, there is one way to make stress practically disappear: art. Art can take many forms, but each one has its own way of relieving stress whether that be
physically or metaphorically.

Dancing allows you to channel any nervous energy into your body and out through movement. Letting your body loosen up and move freely to music can take focus away from stress and into a natural rhythm. Singing can have a similar effect with the power of words and the strength of voice expelling negativity and stress out of your system. Put on some uplifting songs and sing or dance along as the beats and rhythms carry any worries away.

Negative emotions can be turned into something aesthetically beautiful through painting or drawing. Paint gliding smoothly over a canvas can become tranquil and serene, and erasing pencil sketches is a reminder that most things aren’t permanent. Filling a page in a sketchbook can take your mind off of whatever you’re worrying about by initiating another productive task.

The act of cutting up magazines and arranging them into a colorful collage is a release of any frustration. It’s also a way to turn chaos into something manageable and lovely to look at. You can include pictures and quotes from magazines about current events or choose elements that have absolutely nothing to do with the state of the world at the moment. There are really no rules to making collages, and that can be very freeing.

One more creative way to relieve stress is through baking. Though not what many would consider to be a traditional art, baking is structured, so if the complete freedom of painting, drawing, dancing, or making collages seems overwhelming, there are plenty of recipes to guide you along. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the end product is a tasty treat for you to share with
friends or enjoy by yourself!

None of these activities require you to be masterful at them to relieve stress. None of them require perfection. Most of them are free or require very few supplies, so they’re all accessible at pretty much any time or place. The only thing that matters is that you’re having fun doing something creative that can put a smile on your face, even for a moment. It’s okay if taking your mind off of everything else is the only reason you make art. It’s okay if you’re not the best at making art either. One purpose of art is to make you feel something, and if that something is joyful, peaceful, or more mindful of ways to deal directly with stressors themselves, then it has done its job, and it has done it well.

At the beginning of each new fall semester, students and faculty gather together to participate in Convocation: the kick-off for the academic year. This year, Convocation looked a little different. Instead of being together in the gymnasium, all attendees were able to participate from the comfort of their own dorm room, home, or office through Zoom.

Dr. Kenton Sparks, provost and vice president of student affairs describes Convocation as serving two basic functions, one being to start the school year and place an emphasis on academics, and the second to bring forth and discuss important conversations.

To serve the first function of Convocation, the event started with a worship song performed by Eastern’s
Chapel worship ministry followed by an induction led by university chaplain, Dr. Joe Modica. Afterwards, President Ronald Matthews gave a speech addressing the student body and faculty, welcoming them to Eastern, wherever their learning is taking place this year.
Following that, Perry Brisbon and Dr. Steven Ford led the participants in the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” reminding everyone of God’s never-ending love before a speech from the Student Government Association president, Jessica Kelly, the installation of seven new faculty members, the announcement of student awards, and a breathtaking performance by Turning Point, Eastern’s select choir.

The second function of Convocation came into the picture with a sermon from guest speaker Rev. Steven Lawrence, who is an Eastern alum and the president of the New Conversation on Race and Ethnicity (NewCORE) which seeks to establish justice and understanding with matters concerning race.

In his talk, Lawrence focused on the importance of language in race relations and empathy and how the
language we use can keep us further apart and divided from one another. “How are we going to step across the barrier language has made for us?” Lawrence asked.

As a solution, he proposed that getting to really know other people and asking them questions about the world is going to help bridge that gap made by our language. “Our stories about the world are inaccurate because they are incomplete. And we may suspect that the completing parts of the story are in the other person’s. We need the others for the missing pieces. We need to seek out the other not only to get the truth about them, but to get the truth about the world,” Lawrence said.

In an interview about the decisions surrounding Convocation, Sparks mentioned that bringing in Lawrence as the guest speaker for the event was going to be beneficial for those in attendance and bringing up the relevant and important conversation surrounding race in America.

“There’s an opportunity for America to wake up, to own what’s being done to people of color, especially our Black neighbors, and we want to seize the opportunity by making sure that Eastern is a part of the conversation about that. In particular, we want to make sure that we don’t divorce our academic activities from social justice. It’s really easy to analyze things academically, theoretically, and platonically, but how do you move from that to real life, to making a difference in the world?” Sparks said.

Convocation ended with affirmations for new students, encouraging them to make the most of their time here, with returning students promising to make Eastern a safe and welcoming place, and with many of Eastern’s musical ensembles and groups performing an arrangement of “The Blessing” put together by student Josh Guenther. Though Convocation wasn’t held in person this school year, it was a positive start to the semester and a reminder that we are to love one another and grow with each other as the year progresses.