If you ever walked into any nightclub or bar on State Street in the last year, chances are you’ve heard dylanborghini DJing at least one of them. Dylanborghini is the stage name for Dylan Yang, a junior majoring in computer science who goes by the stage name. Since 2020, he has been teaching himself how to DJ and has since shared his skills with the Binghamton University community.

Like many others, Yang’s interest in DJing picked up as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Suddenly forced to stay inside for long periods of time, Yang started messing around with DJ equipment until he figured out his style.

“I stayed on campus in an isolated single dorm and I always wanted to do something with music, so I brought a DJ controller and started teaching myself,” Yang said. “At first, I was figuring the basics, out how to use the board.”

When he returned to New York City, Yang took a class at Rock and Soul DJ Equipment and Records in Midtown Manhattan to learn more advanced mixing techniques. After practicing all summer, Yang decided to work at nightclubs in the Binghamton area, ranging from Jimmy’s to The Rathskeller and, currently, Aqua Nightclub.

Yang describes his own music as “Bad Bitch Muziq” and is inspired by several DJs, such as Arca and Sophie Xeon. At clubs, Yang mixes well-known party songs and Afro-Latina beats for those looking to dance. Yang recently DJed at Moefest, a music festival held annually by WHRW 90.5 FM on the Peace Quad. During his set, Yang used much more techno- and house-style beats, playing songs from artists such as YKaY, DJ T Marq and KAYTRANADA.

“I mostly mix rap, pop, house and jersey club,” Yang said. “I am inspired by Arca, the late Sophie Xeon, Mazurbate, and also my friend Madisen [who is on Instagram as] @madbadting who I look up to!”

While he hasn’t released any music, Yang plans on doing so one day. While he can make sick beats and effortlessly blend songs together in his sets, there is one thing that sets Yang’s music apart from other student musicians at BU.

“I cannot sing,” Yang said. “I cannot and will not.”

But that’s the beauty of DJing. You can bring people together with the songs they love, presented to them in a new way.

“My favorite thing about DJing is how the music I play can bring everyone together to dance, to jump, to mosh, to shout and it’s the bringing everyone together part that I love the most,” Yang said. “I also love the fact that when I DJ I tell the terms and I set the mood for the parties.”

While working at bars and nightclubs brings a thrill, Yang knows that his studies are his main priority. After college, he plans on working in cybersecurity while still DJing at parties and clubs for fun.

“While working a night job is very demanding at times, school always comes first,” Yang said. “I’m always listening to new music while doing schoolwork and every so often my muse finds me and gives me a melody or idea for DJing.”

For others who want to get into DJing but might not know where to start, Yang has a simple piece of advice: practice, practice, practice.

“Learning how to DJ is like learning how to play an instrument like the piano or violin,” Yang said. “You have to put a lot of hours and dedication into it! YouTube tutorials are your best friends but taking a class will be good too.”

So the next time you’re out on State Street and walk into one of the bars, take a look over to the DJ booth. Chances are, it’s dylanborghini putting out your favorite songs.

Follow dylanborghini on Instagram @dylanborghini.

Pomerantz, Van Deusen and Speciale discussed Under the Sink’s origins and music with Pipe Dream.

Pipe Dream: What were the band’s origins? How did everyone meet?

Charles Speciale [CS]: I guess me and Nick have known each other since middle school.

Van Deusen [ND]: We played some music on and off together in high school. Remember Mistle Tones? Valen Tunes?

CS: Yeah, we used to go classroom to classroom during the holidays and play songs to people on request to fundraise for the music department. I would play the world’s worst renditions of Christmas carols on a crappy plastic string guitar while people sang.

Lila Pomerantz [LP]: Did people like it?

CS: I don’t think so. So yeah, Nick and I have known each other for a while. Lila and I met freshman year when I was coming back from guitar club.

LP: It was a chance meeting.

CS: And then we played guitar in each other’s dorm rooms every once in a while. And this year …

VD: You approached me at the end of last year about maybe doing it.

CS: Yeah, because Lila’s always been talking about being in a band as long as I’ve known her. And then I’ve been putting together these shows and I’ve got a drum set so I was like, ‘Fuck it, we’ll have a band.’

PD: How would you describe your music? What bands inspired you?

ND: Rock covers. I don’t know how to describe it. Definitely Red Hot Chili Peppers, because that’s how I learned to play the bass. Struggling to try to play their songs. And also I really like Chris Cornell. So yeah, Soundgarden [and] Audioslave inspired me.

LP: Absolute batshit insanity. You couldn’t handle it. You don’t want me to talk about it. I would say I learned to play lead by listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan’s songs. Sublime. Music of all sorts.

CS: It’s really just a collection of different stuff we all like because we do it for fun. My playing is mostly blues-inspired.

LP: Same here.

CS: My dad had a framed picture of Buddy Guy in the basement when I was a kid. It’s still down there. Brant Bjork and Jack Wilkins are two big inspirations in very different ways.

PD: What was the best show you ever played?

LP: The first one.

CS: First one.

ND: Oh yeah.

CS: Yeah, that was a great show. A 5 Jay [St.] show.

ND: We set off a fire alarm because people kicked up so much dirt.

LP: That was crazy!

PD: What is your favorite song you’ve performed?

ND: “1979” [by The Smashing Pumpkins]. Or “Heaven Beside You” [by Alice In Chains]. Maybe “Territorial Pissings” [by Nirvana].

LP: I think “Heaven Beside You.” It’s so crunchy. We have good chemistry on it.

CS: I like “Black Magic Woman” [by Santana]. That’s the song where when we hit it, we hit it very hard.

PD: What makes your band different from other bands?

CS: We cover a very wide variety of stuff.

ND: We have a very casual approach to music. Most of the time it’s not very serious. Hanging out, playing music.

PD: How do you balance being in a band with being a college student?

CS: I don’t.

LP: I don’t either.

ND: It sucks. Speaking of which I have to give a presentation at 9:30 in the morning tomorrow.

CS: It is currently 1:41 in the morning.

ND: Let’s go.

CS: I think there’s definitely sacrifices you have to make, especially for me because I do a lot of organizational stuff outside the band. Ultimately you only have so many hours in the day. You have to give up something for something else at some point.

ND: You might as well make it for the stuff that’s fun and that you enjoy and take a little bit of a grade hit.

PD: What are your plans for after college?

LP: Be famous and rich and live in a mansion in the middle of the countryside away from everyone.

CS: Hey, that’s my dream. You stole that from me.

LP: You told me that today.

ND: Get a job in engineering. I don’t really know what I want to do yet.

LP: All I want is to find what I want.

CS: I’d love to open a venue.

PD: Do you think Binghamton has a rich music scene, especially for student bands?

LP: Yes, because of [Speciale].

ND: Literally because of you, Chuck. You’ve caused a boom.

CS: No. No.

ND: I’ve only heard [of] KWK because they live next door to me and started throwing shows. And then I heard about [Speciale’s] shows and after that, I feel like there’s a million different concerts happening each weekend.

LP: This was not a thing until this year.

CS: I can’t really speak for before [COVID-19] but it’s definitely on the up and up. We’re getting there. It’s probably richer for student bands than it is for local bands even.

Binghamton University’s very own Josef Thompson is in the process of making his name as a rapper and DJ. Thompson is a junior majoring in systems science and industrial engineering. When not studying engineering, Thompson can be found making his very own music under the stage name Dream!

Currently, Thompson produces his own rap music and performs as a DJ at musical shows. He has six original songs that can be found on his SoundCloud @yourdreamsssss. Thompson has been inspired by a variety of musical artists, not just limited to rappers.

“I make rap music, specifically melodic rap music,” Thompson wrote in an email. “I love the combination of lyricism, melodies and harmonies. While I do also like listening to this genre, I take inspiration from many different genres of artists, from Baby Keem, to Michael Jackson, to Erykah Badu.”

Thompson’s journey to becoming a rapper and DJ did not start at BU. Although it has not always been his top priority, music has been a longtime passion of his and has been a presence in his life for a long time.

“I first started making music in high school, but I didn’t start taking it seriously until the summer last year,” Thompson wrote. “I had fun making beats on GarageBand on my laptop, so I bought equipment — a microphone, MIDI keyboard and studio headphones — to jump-start my career. “

As he has gotten more confident and comfortable with his ability to make music, Thompson has started to expand his influence through posting his music online and performing at shows. These shows have given Thompson great publicity and allowed him to share his music with more people.

“All of my shows were equally as amazing and equally as big of an opportunity to expand,” Thompson wrote.

Thompson’s most recent single is titled “Sick&Tired&Sick!” and was released on May 6. The song utilizes Thompson’s smooth rapping voice and talent for music mixing to create a melodic and beautiful song.

“My favorite song that I’ve ever released or performed is ‘Sick&Tired&Sick!,’ which is my newest song out now on SoundCloud,” Thompson wrote.

Thompson’s talent for creating songs is no accident, as he has spent a lot time immersing himself in the music world. He manages to stay fresh compared to other upcoming rappers by researching a wide variety of genres.

“I think I’m different because I’m very well versed in music, since I’ve listened to so many different types of music growing up,” Thompson wrote. “This really helps me to stay versatile, not drawing from the same sound too often.”

Beyond just being a career-building activity, music is also a relaxing and comforting hobby for Thompson.

“Making music is a form of self-care for me,” Thompson wrote. “Whenever I feel myself getting stressed or I want some form of release, I just write a song or make a beat.”

Going forward, Thompson is not sure exactly what he will be doing in the future when he graduates from BU. Between music and systems science and industrial engineering, Thompson has a lot of options to choose from.

“I want to prioritize my happiness over everything,” Thompson wrote.

In terms of the Binghamton music scene, Thompson believes that it is a great place for upcoming student musicians to find their voice. However, there is one thing that he thinks could be improved.

“Binghamton has a rich music scene for rock and student bands,” Thompson wrote. “I definitely want to see more exposure for local singers and rappers.”

Follow Dream! on Instagram @yourdreamsssss and check out his original music on SoundCloud

For most of my time at Binghamton University, I’ve struggled with multiple parts of my identity. I came in planning to be a physics major and ended up learning Arabic and studying political science. I was an A+ student throughout high school, but now I’m graduating with a C- in one class and a withdrawal from another. I’ve even dyed my hair at least five different colors in the last two years. Nothing went how I expected.

I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere. No one could pronounce my name correctly on the first try. It’s “LOCK-shmee,” by the way. I never felt “brown enough” for some to fit in with other Desi students. I’d share my culture with my white friends, but I knew there were parts they’d never truly understand. I am what some would call a coconut — brown on the outside, white on the inside.

With the organizations I did become a part of, I still felt out of place. At times, I was the only person of color in a meeting. I’ve had to point out problematic language to others who were blissfully unaware. I felt alone in my pushes for conversations about diversity in leadership and changing environments on campus. Honestly, I didn’t feel l belonged or like I was wanted.

This is a classic feeling many women and people of color face known as impostor syndrome. According to the Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, impostor syndrome is “the feeling that your achievements are not real or that you do not deserve praise or success.” Even though I’ve worked my way up to some prominent positions in a few campus organizations, and I wanted to be there, I still didn’t feel like I belonged there. I didn’t think I connected with others. I thought to myself, “I got here by mistake. Someone else deserved this spot.”

As it turns out, I just wasn’t white. I rarely stood up for myself because I didn’t think I had a voice worthy of doing so, and when I did, I overanalyzed my every move and stopped myself before I could really do anything. And it’s because I never thought I was the right person to do it.

It wasn’t until last year that I started to embrace my uniqueness. I kept better touch with my friends back home who understood my past and celebrate my future. With my friends in college, I started talking much more candidly about my experiences and they have become my strongest support line. I started going to therapy for the first time in my life and started to unpack a lot of my trauma. It’s only recently that I realized how much of a people pleaser I was. I would never put my needs first, because I always wanted to fit in or make those around me more comfortable. I’m breaking that habit, slowly but surely.

College is a time when you can explore new things and figure out who you are, but that doesn’t mean you have to be done at the end. I’m graduating, but I’m definitely not done with my journey. This is merely a stepping stone. I’m going to keep dyeing my hair and awkwardly trying to speak up until I find my voice. I’ll keep overanalyzing my every move for some time, but hopefully not for long. At the end, I am where I belong. I worked hard to be where I am and will continue to do so. I’m not an impostor all along. I’m just figuring it out.

And with that, let me thank everyone.

To Krishna and Makoto: The best assistants anyone could ask for. Thank you for just being there and listening to me ramble on about life during production. Words can not express how much you both mean to me. After two years on this team, I can’t imagine doing anything else without you. You have such bright futures ahead of you. If you’re still in the city, we have to keep in touch.

To Sam, Jamie, Eli and the rest of next year’s Pipe Dream staff: You’ve got big shoes to fill. Kidding, I have the utmost confidence in you all. Arts & Culture is going to flourish under your lead. Thank you for making production so fun with all your music recommendations, stories and opinions. Keep the meetings entertaining and you’ll be fine.

To my mom and dad: Thank you for every opportunity you’ve presented to me. I know I’ve had my ups and downs with you two, but I can’t imagine everything you had to sacrifice when you moved across the world to raise us here. I’m grateful for the good and the bad.

To my housemates and closest friends, Allison, Chloe, Rachel, Jake, Michael, Mark and Pohlson: I can’t imagine college without you. You’ve all been so supportive and kind to me. You’ve helped me get through some of the hardest points of my life, whether you’ve realized it or not. Thank you for all the conversations, nights out, whiteboard polls, meme tapestries and much, much more.

To Liz: I would not have survived Pipe Dream last year without you. Your support meant the world to me. From joking about taking shots during editorial to pushing diversity initiatives, you’ve been through it all with me and I appreciated every second of it. Being a social justice warrior with you was the greatest honor of all time.

To Kim: You’re my favorite person to vent to. All those late-night car rides, laughing and crying brought so much clarity to me when I needed it. We each have our own struggles, but at the end of the day we’ve been there for each other. Who would have thought that we’d get so close out of nowhere junior year even though we lived on the same floor freshman year? Thank God for our breakups bringing us together. Keep on blading.

To the Q Center: Thank you for making me feel seen. I’m going to be honest, I didn’t enjoy being an intern freshman year, but the people there now made my experience as a student manager so enjoyable and therapeutic. Talking to other queer students and being a resource for others made me feel much less alone.

To Katie, Moen, Diana and everyone who is a part of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP): Thank you for giving me a renewed sense of importance and hope this year. Restarting SJP was such a rewarding experience. I hope we can keep the momentum going and encourage others to advocate for what they believe in without spreading hate.

To the fencing team: Sorry I wasn’t that active this year, but hey, I still won a bout at nationals. Freshman and sophomore year, fencing was very important to me and became my first real friend group. I’m grateful for all of you making me feel included.

To Stephen Ortiz: You’ll always be CP Steve to me. You and the international relations learning community were my first impressions of BU, and thank God it was. You have been so supportive of my work, and I’ll always remember it. You have been an inspiration for many students, and I hope you know how much we all love and appreciate you.

To the Editorial Board: Thank you for making Sundays and Wednesdays bearable. While I’d constantly complain about having to be in the office longer for these meetings, they gave me such a sense of importance. I’ll cherish the hours we spent discussing issues that affected students and just goofing around. The judge will always be with us.

Lakhsmi Chatterjee is a senior majoring in political science and was Arts & Culture Editor from 2020-2022.

“oSTEM Speaker Extravaganza with Erin Sullivan and Sam Laform”

oSTEM, Binghamton University’s organization for LGBTQ+ people in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, will host a speaking event on Zoom with engineers Erin Sullivan and Sam Laform, BU alumni who helped found the organization and have unique experiences in the work force.

“Dancing with the Greeks”

The Binghamton Ballroom Dance Association, in collaboration with various Greek organizations, will be hosting a “Dancing with the Stars”-style dancing competition on Thursday, April 21 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Mandela Room. The event will include professional performances in between breaks.

“Hair History of Black Women Episode 2”

The Dzidefo Africa Choir will host the second installment of their discussions on Black hair and hair care tips for Black women on Thursday, April 21 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dzidefo Africa Choir has discussions on various topics throughout the year, with past topics including music and mental health, beauty standards and the minority experience.

“Nuestra Belleza Y Nuestra Galan LatinX Pageant”

The Latin American Student Union (LASU) will host their ninth-annual beauty pageant to celebrate Latinx beauty. Six pageant contestants representing different Latin American countries will be performing and competing on Friday, April 22 starting at 7 p.m. at the American Legion on 76 Main St.

“ASU Gala” 

The Asian Student Union will be celebrating the achievements of the Asian and Asian American community from the past year and planning for future endeavors. Food will be provided for the celebration which goes from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29. Sign up on B-Engaged to attend and view the location of the event.

“Culture Night”

On April 29 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., the Caribbean Student Association will be hosing their 39th-annual “Culture Night” at 177 Robinson St. The event, made to transport you to the Caribbean, will include food, performance and surprise details. The doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets go for $10 per person, or tables of six for $48.

“Are Reparations Owed to People of African Descent?”

The Multicultural Resource Center and the Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity will be co-hosting a discussion workshop to honor the bicentennial of Harriet Tubman’s birth. The discussion will consider the question of whether or not reparations should be made for slavery, facilitated as a debate under Dr. Anne Bailey, the co-director of the Tubman Center and a professor of history. The event can be attended via Zoom on May 4 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

I went to The Shop for the first time for this assignment, which is a tragedy as a senior who’s leaving Binghamton in a few months. The first thing I noticed as I walked in was the calming ambience of the area with dim lighting, paintings hung on an exposed brick wall and a charming fig tree in the back. My photographer, Kim, and I sat down at an elevated table next to the brick wall and were greeted by friendly and attentive wait staff.

For our first course, I went with a Shirley Temple and Kim went for an Upward Brewing Company Draft IPA. A Shirley Temple is a classic drink and there’s no way to really mess it up, but what I appreciated about The Shop’s Shirley Temple was that it had the right amount of sweetness to it. I’m also a sucker for maraschino cherries, so the addition of those to the top of the drink satisfied me. Kim is an IPA girl, which I don’t have a palate for, but I trust her when she says it was smooth, hoppy but refined. She suggested it as a good starter IPA for people looking to get into them. I took a sip of it and it was too fragrant for me personally.

Prosciutto truffle crepe.

I had to order a crepe for my main course, so I went for the only one on their Restaurant Week menu: the prosciutto truffle crepe. This was my first time ever trying prosciutto, but this was a great way to be introduced to the meat. It was very thin and seemed to add to the spinach and havarti and swiss cheese instead of being the main aspect of the crepe. All the ingredients blended well together. The white truffle oil was a splendid add-on, but I am personally not the biggest fan of truffle. However, it didn’t take anything away from my wonderful experience with the meal.

Kim opted for the feta fig walnut salad, which she described as “exquisite.” She was not short of any praises for this salad, saying it was a good, filling portion and complimenting the dried figs and roasted walnuts, stating that they added a decadence to the salad with a good balance of crunch and softness. The dressing was the kicker to her, saying it was the perfect amount for the salad. It didn’t overpower any of the other ingredients. People can be hesitant of ordering a salad for a main course because they think it won’t be filling, but trust Kim on this. This salad was perfect for a meal.

New York-style cheesecake.

To finish off our experience, Kim and I both ordered the New York-style cheesecake, which was finished off with house-made cocoa and strawberry sauce. Dollops of whipped cream and vanilla ice cream were also added to the sides. The cheesecake was soft and had a good crust to it, but Kim and I agreed that the cocoa and strawberry sauces it was topped with were overpowering. It had an almost overwhelming sweetness to it. Still, it was still a great way to finish off a meal. The Shop is a hidden gem on Washington Street, offering a unique atmosphere to Downtown Binghamton. I highly recommend visiting them for Restaurant Week.

Pipe Dream: Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Greg Hill: “I’m a professional adventurer. I grew up just north of Vermont, in Quebec, Canada, small town named Sutton. My family is an outdoorsy family so I ended up skiing a lot as a kid. And as you will learn in my talk today, I went to university but it wasn’t for me because I just had too much energy and I wanted to just live life. And I think part of the reason I ended up becoming a skier is that, with my mom, we’d skip school and go skiing. So I think every day that I’m skiing, it feels like I’m skipping school. And that’s why I’m a professional skier.”

PD: When did you know you wanted to become professional skier?

GH: “That’s a good one because I never thought it was possible. I’m not somebody that ever had posters up on my wall. It wasn’t a reality for me and funnily enough, when I moved out West and started really skiing a lot, we had an expression in my house with these Aussies, and if you had a good day, you’d come home and they’re like, ‘How’s your day?’ and you’d say, ‘Oh, sponsors are happy.’ And I didn’t have any clue that I was gonna be sponsored at the time. It was insane. And then a couple years later, once I got into the ski mountaineering where you climb and ski the mountains, and I found kind of my happy place, and I started setting records and winning races and stuff, that’s when all of a sudden this whole sponsored athlete became a reality. And honestly, it’s kind of weird to think that I’m sponsored.”

PD: What was it like setting your first record?

GH: “I’ve been trying to figure out why I do these things, because there must be some reasons. But yeah, I started doing these records because I wanted to make sure that I was fighting my potential, that I was living life to the fullest. The 50,000 [feet] was one, but I had to work my way up there. And you know, I did 30,000 feet, when nobody had done 30,000 feet that I’d heard of. I did 40,000 feet, 50,000 feet. So I really worked up to it. And each of those was an accomplishment in itself. It just just feels good to aim toward a goal, I’ve trained enough. Believe in yourself enough to accomplish it. It feels good and validates myself that I actually feel like I’m unique and trying to live life differently.”

PD: You’re more than just a skier — you’re also a filmmaker. So what motivated you to branch out beyond just skiing?

GH: “I ran a blog in 2006 to 2012 and I started creating videos for that, because back then backcountry skiing wasn’t a thing. It wasn’t as mainstream as it is. And I found it so special that I wanted to share it. And I also had all this extra energy because I was always fitter than everybody I was with. So I was like, well why not, you know, use my brain and get creative and film and create stories, and then just kind of help the sport of backcountry skiing evolve. And yeah, it was always really fun. Since then, I work with all these other companies creating videos and yeah, it’s really fun. It’s just about making engaging stories.”

PD: In terms of filmmaking, is there any piece you have that you’re especially proud of?

GH: “They’re too old now, but I did make a movie that went on the Banff [Centre Mountain] Film Festival World Tour. The Banff Film Festival is one of the biggest mountain film festivals in the world. That [film] was called ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Skiing.’ And that was really, for me, that was a moment like, ‘Wow, I just did something that’s interesting to everyone.’ But more recently, we created this movie called ‘Electric Greg,’ which kind of encapsulates where I am now and why I changed and why I’m trying to be more of an environmental person or a sustainable adventurer. Because as somebody that’s outdoors that gets all this stuff back from nature, I want to make sure I’m a steward for it. ‘Electric Greg’ really captures that. I’m proud of it.”

PD: Let’s talk about your commitment to sustainability. When did you know you also wanted to pursue that, also in terms of sustainable fashion?

GH: “My brother is a big environmentalist. He’s very well known for it and I’ve always cared for it, but I was always worried about taking those steps because I knew I wasn’t going to be perfect and everybody likes to attack you if you’re not perfect. What really happened is I broke my leg and I almost died in this avalanche. And at that point, while I was healing from it was this time of reflection and, ‘Oh what is it my life [is] all about?’ And what can I change? And I knew then I was like, ‘Okay, it’s time to make a change.’ And, if I’ve got this little soapbox to stand on then I should influence people in a better way and try to make the world a better place. It’s kind of happened basically the last five years, I’ve really been working on it.”

PD: Going back to that avalanche that broke your leg, what was that like for you?

GH: “Lying there with this broken leg with a physio telling me I probably would never be as fit or be able to do what I used to do, it was definitely a dark time because I really didn’t know if I would get my fitness back and be able to do these things that brought me so much reward. But I did, I worked hard, like anything, I just got diligently focused on it. I made sure that I rehabbed well, and I’m lucky enough to be back. My physical 100 percent isn’t what it was, but I evolved and I’ve found more value in other things. And that’s been really rewarding. And this whole sustainable adventure thing and kind of pushing the whole industry I’m a part of to being better has been really fun. Like, go back six years, all my sponsors, we would have never talked about any sustainable stuff in our line, or anything. And now it’s a huge part of the conversation. And every company I work with is trying to do their best. Right now this Arc’teryx jacket I’m wearing is made of reused polyester and nylon. So it’s actually already been out in use and it’s actually used material, which is cool. And natural fibers like wool, and really try to push these things that are more cyclical and are better for the world.”

PD: Why fashion specifically with sustainability?

GH: “You don’t even want to look at the 70 billion T shirts [that] are made every year. We’re just talking T-shirts. This is a huge impact and it’s one that all of us are part of. So if it’s something we can change, then it’ll need to change on a global scale. And that’s why the fashion industry, it’s crazy. I mean, there’s piles and piles and piles of clothing everywhere that’s not being used in South America. There’s piles that are almost becoming mountains — maybe I’ll have a mountain to climb soon. I just think it’s part of everybody’s lives and if we can make it a point of conversation and a point of change, and then you’re wearing a shirt that’s recycled material, that’ll bring it into the rest of your life. You’ll be like, ‘Oh, I’m recycling. Maybe I’ll be better there and there.’”

PD: How does being a father motivate you to do this kind of work?

GH: “So when I was laying on that couch, I was also looking at my kids, I’m like, ‘OK, I’ve been showing them that you should live your life and be selfish and do whatever you want, and not care about the effects of your life.’ And that’s definitely part of the change was like, well, let’s teach them as well that we can live a great life but have a bit more responsibility to everyone else. And you do. You look at your kids, you’re like, ‘I want them to have the choices in the world that I’ve grown up with.’ And I’d like to see what I can do to make sure that happens.”

PD: What are your plans for the future now?

GH: “I’ve done a bunch of personal changes, and I’m loving influencing the companies I work with. But I also think personal changes are big, because, sure, it is all the corporations that have a huge impact, but if the mindset changes, and it becomes a part of everyone’s conversation, then it’s going to change on a global scale. So I’ve been trying to start these little backcountry trips where people come and I guide them around the mountains, but the whole conversation is surrounded about around them and figuring out their footprints and where we can make changes. And then when they go home, ideally, they’re empowered to make changes in their own lives. So I’m basically just trying to make sure the conversation grows and grows to the point that it’s on everybody’s minds.”

Pipe Dream: Tell me about yourself.

Courtney Hurley: “I’m from Texas. I was born in Houston, grew up in the Hill country and made my way to San Antonio. My parents were fencers, that’s how they met and [how] my sister and I both became fencers. We did a lot of sports when we were younger but eventually realized we had a talent for fencing. We were traveling all through high school and got full scholarships to [The University of] Notre Dame. My sister is a four-time Olympian and I’m a three-time Olympian. We won the bronze medal in the London [2012 Summer] Olympics [and] we both won NCAA Championships, and currently my sister is in [medical] school and I am pursuing fencing again.”

PD: When did you know you wanted to be a professional fencer?

CH: “It kind of just surprised us. We really didn’t think about anything until my sister nearly missed qualifying for the Athens Olympics in 2004. And at that time I was 13. When that happened we were like, ‘Woah, we can actually do something.’ Like, it was an accident. We didn’t even plan for it but she did really well in a couple international tournaments and, yeah, that’s kind of when it took off. We were like, ‘Wow, we can actually do something in this sport.’”

PD: What was it like having your sister alongside you throughout this whole journey? How did that impact you?

CH: “Well, when we were younger it was pretty competitive because I’m the younger sister by two and a half years and, when I got old enough to finally be able to beat her, we were butting heads. But we both went to [The University of] Notre Dame together and we were on the same team. That’s when we put our differences aside and were on the same team. We were a little more mature, so having her, from then on on the same team, we’ve lived together ever since and we really have each other’s backs. Without that, I don’t know if we could have made it as far as we have. In fencing, it’s such a competitive individual sport and to have somebody in your corner 100 percent is really a valuable asset to have.”

PD: Pulling away from fencing, you’ve traveled a lot. How has that impacted you as a person and as a fencer?

CH: “Back in the day, there was a lot more competitions. Now there’s less but there’s still a lot of traveling. Back then we were literally just training in Europe and we’d have a base in Budapest and we’d go to different World Cups in Europe for the weekend and come back to Budapest to train. It really opens up your eyes to different types of people, different cultures [and] seeing different parts of the world. You can’t get that any other way than seeing how other people live, other ways of life. It opens up your eyes and you can really empathize more and understand more of just different ways of life. We traveled so much. It’s not really for vacation. Fencing is more of a business, but we’ve definitely seen all of Budapest. We go to Barcelona every year. Rio de Janeiro we’ve been to many times. It’s just really cool to go to these cities and see different cultures and different people.”

PD: Do you have a favorite bout?

CH: “Yeah, it’s definitely from when I won a bronze medal at the Olympics for sure. It’s also a cool one because it’s on YouTube and you can watch it. Prior to London there weren’t too many recordings of fencing. There wasn’t the technology so there weren’t many ways to watch my international bouts online. Just the way I won too was very inspiring and beating the Russians was really inspiring. The situation is called a ‘priority’ but it’s like a sudden-death situation where one touch wins the bout so it was really high-risk. It was a really entertaining bout.”

PD: What did winning that first bronze medal mean to you? How’d it make you feel?

CH: “We made history. Fencing has three different types — epee, foil and saber. I do epee, and women’s epee has never won a medal at the Olympics. That was the first and last time a woman epee has won a medal. We just felt so cool, so honored to be a part of history.”

PD: What do you hope to get across to students with your talk?

CH: “[My talk is] about the Olympics but kind of from a different perspective. It’s about how the [COVID-19] pandemic played out at the Olympics and how it was such a unique experience for everybody. The pandemic in general but also dealing with the Olympics in the middle of it. The Olympics is kind of seen as this amazing thing but I’ll try to dive in a little more into my critiques and the different perspectives of the Olympics. It’s not just cakes and rainbows. There can be a lot of problems from within the Olympics and how that’s changed from my young age in London where I was just young and happy to me now thinking more critically about the Olympics and how it’s played a part in my life.”

PD: Lastly, what are your plans for the future going forward?

CH: “As far as fencing, I’m still training a little bit. I took a long time off since Tokyo. I just started fencing [again] like a month ago. Part of the talk is about me trying to find happiness in my day-to-day with fencing and not really worry so much about the Olympics and the future. I’m helping with coaching a little and I started a fencing business, so I’m just seeing where that takes off. Yeah, just taking it day by day and trying to be happy and fulfilled in my day-to-day life.”

A B-Line announcement Thursday morning stated Russo had died in her home near Albany, survived by both her parents and a brother. According to an Instagram post made by her sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon, Russo had died as a result of Ewing’s sarcoma cancer.

“Kelli had a rare soul, one that made anyone she came in contact with feel warm, loved and accepted,” the Instagram post reads. “Kelli brought light, laughter and love into every room she stepped into. Her kindness, strength, humor, positivity and loyalty is something we will forever be grateful to have experienced.”

In May 2020, a GoFundMe campaign titled “Support for Kelli Russo and Family” was created, following Russo’s diagnosis of cancer in April of that year. The GoFundMe was updated with a statement from Russo on Nov. 8, 2021.

“I have been silent about what’s going on in my situation for a while but I feel as though it’s time to kind of shed some light on what does go on,” Russo had wrote in the update. “Cancer is not something that just goes away magically when you finish chemo, whether you are in remission or not. It stays with you, and I can speak for all of the cancer community when I say that.”

Eylul Duramaz, ‘21, a friend of Russo’s, said Russo had switched her major from psychology to integrative neuroscience after initially beating cancer, an example of her determination.

“Although she was hurting throughout her last few months, I hope everyone’s memory of Kelli is focused on her true self,” Durumaz wrote. “Her radiance. The intelligent, resilient, determined and absolutely hilarious young woman who would do anything for the people she loved.”

Delta Phi Epsilon had organized fundraisers in support of the Sarcoma Foundation of America, according to the GoFundMe, including through selling shirts and crewnecks. Russo wrote that she had also entered clinical trials in order to help in finding a cure for the disease, a rare form of cancer that occurs in bones and surrounding soft tissue.

Jackson Hengsterman, a junior majoring in English, described his experience meeting Russo years prior to entering BU.

“Kelli was the funniest, most easygoing person I knew,” Hengsterman wrote in an email. “I first met her when I was a nervous sixth grader, and she provided me with a friendship that I will never forget. She will be missed dearly, not just by me, but by all those who came in contact with her.”

Binghamton University’s Panhellenic Council had also expressed condolences on behalf of Greek Life in an Instagram post, directing campus community members to Russo’s fundraising page.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and sisters whose lives were touched by this beautiful soul,” the post reads.

Durumaz wrote she would remember Russo for her humor and vibrant presence.

“When I think of her, I think of her loving face with a huge smile, her bright soul peeking through and lighting up my whole entire room,” Durumaz wrote. “She will never be forgotten, even if we tried. You can’t forget a face and soul like hers.”

In the Instagram post, Delta Phi Epsilon remembered Russo and her impact on those around her.

“Thank you for being you, our dear Kelli,” the post reads. “Your spirit will forever live on through the hearts you touched and the impact you have made on every person you met. We are honored to have called you our sister. To know you was to love you. May you rest in forever peace.”

This is a developing story, and will be updated as Pipe Dream receives more information.

Students in need of counseling services or support can contact the University Counseling Center at 607-777-2772 and the Office of the Dean of Students at 607-777-2804. Faculty and staff in need of support can contact the Employee Assistance Program any time of day at 1-800-822-0244.

Ana Maria Candela, an assistant professor in the sociology department, wrote in the syllabus for her Sociology 100: Social Change: Intro to Sociology course that she would be practicing “progressive stacking,” a practice in which priority is given to marginalized groups, in her classroom. The syllabus stated that when calling on students in discussion, priority would be given to nonwhite students, women and to “shy and quiet” students who do not often raise their hands. The syllabus also said that students who were white, male or “privileged by the racial and gender structures of our society” would often be asked to hold off on questions or comments, in order to give priority to others.

“Our experience with this practice is that within little time, those who feel most privileged to speak begin to take the initiative to hold space for others who feel less comfortable speaking first, while those who tend to be more silenced in our society grow more comfortable speaking,” Candela wrote in the syllabus. “As you can imagine, it has tremendous benefits for our society as a whole when we learn to hold space and listen to others whose voices are typically disregarded and silenced.”

Candela has since removed the section from her syllabus, following a Title IX complaint filed by a student claiming gender discrimination. According to Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU, this section of the syllabus was found to violate the University policy.

“The Faculty-Staff Handbook outlines principles of effective teaching, which include valuing and encouraging student feedback, encouraging appropriate faculty-student interaction and respecting the diverse talents and learning styles of students,” Yarosh wrote. “The syllabus statement you have brought to our attention clearly violates those principles.”

Donald Nieman, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, said he does not believe Candela intended to exclude students.

“Her intent, I believe, was to ensure that everyone participates,” Nieman wrote. “The way she stated her policy was ill-advised and led to an impression she did not intend. To her credit, she has adjusted her syllabus to more accurately reflect her actual practice.”

Candela said she was not obligated to remove the statement from her syllabus by the University, and was instead asked to put out a statement explaining the progressive stacking policy, which the University could distribute to concerned students and campus community members. Candela said the University has not yet released her statement of clarification.

According to an article by the New York Post, the syllabus was the subject of a Title IX discrimination complaint to BU filed by Sean Harrigan, a student in Candela’s class and a junior majoring in economics.

“It is concerning that a professor at a top public university would think prioritizing based on race and sex was an acceptable thing, even if it is against white males,” Harrigan wrote in an email.

Harrigan said he felt progressive stacking could be counterproductive.

“People do not realize white males have to deal with the opioid crisis, bad literacy rates, smaller number of scholarships, homicide, violence, suicide, job-related deaths, etc.,” Harrigan wrote. “I also come from an Irish family who was discriminated against and not even considered ‘white’ just a few decades ago. Other groups may have to deal with worse, but my point is that everyone has difficulties, some more than others, yes, but this does not mean we should treat each other differently because of how we were born.”

Candela explained her progressive stacking classroom policy, stating that she has used the practice, which originated from the Occupy movement, for years.

“When [progressive stacking] works really well, as I have seen in my classes during the last couple of years, students with greater privilege and power in the classroom learn to self-reflect on the ways in which they tend to hegemonize the conversation and learn to respectfully wait and give others priority,” Candela wrote. “This requires creating the conditions for self-reflection, and that means naming the structures of power at the beginning of the semester and on the syllabus so that when I ask students to hold off, over and over, they start to get it because they make the connection to the forms of power they might embody, frequently whiteness and/or masculinity.”

Candela’s online faculty page has since been removed in order to remove her contact information. According to Candela, hateful and threatening messages are also being received by the sociology department and the Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACAS) department.

Several professors in BU’s sociology department have expressed support for Candela’s practice. William Martin, a professor of sociology, started a petition titled “Promote Inclusive Classrooms–SUNY-Binghamton”] in which he applauded Candela’s addition of progressive stacking.

“Our lives and education take place within and are reproduced by limited choices and experiences,” Martin wrote in the petition. “Many of our students all too often feel marginalized, and discussions are constrained and limited as a result. We should not pretend otherwise. Good teachers encourage students to engage and challenge these inequalities.”

Kelvin Santiago-Valles, a professor of sociology, also expressed dissatisfaction with how BU handled concerns with the syllabus, criticizing the vagueness of some policies in the Faculty-Staff Handbook.

“The wording in the [Faculty-Staff] Handbook is not as clear-cut as [BU] says it is, thus lending itself to the facile interpretation recently issued by the administration in the case of Prof. Candela,” Santiago-Valles wrote in an email. “More to the point, I think [BU] should take more seriously and more consistently the underlying principles of affirmative action as it might apply, by analogy, to Prof. Candela’s syllabus. All Prof. Candela did was translate policies favoring underprivileged groups in the allocation of resources or employment and apply that principle to the classroom setting.”

Gladys Jiménez-Muñoz, an associate professor and chair of the sociology department, also signed the petition and expressed support for Candela’s classroom policies, stating the policy offered a way to deal with social inequalities while students are reading about the same topics.

Students have expressed mixed sentiments on the issue. Elham Taher, a sophomore double-majoring in political science and chemistry who is in Candela’s class, wrote that students should be more open-minded on policies like progressive stacking that emphasize marginalized communities.

“I think it would do some good to some students are complaining about [progressive stacking] to maybe see if they can get their minds around the fact that we are shaped by our environment and experiences, which might explain why growing up as a white male in America, you might feel a sense of entitlement without thinking about whether you truly have any form of protection offered in this society by virtue of the way you were born,” Taher wrote in an email.

Some students in Candela’s class felt the policy would affect their participation grades. One student, who wished to remain anonymous, said they understood frustrations with the policy but support the message it aims to bring.

“Due to oppressive structures in our society, certain groups of people are more likely to feel confident in sharing their ideas in the classroom and it is important to make an effort to ensure that all students are being heard and given a fair chance to speak,” the student wrote. “I still do not think [Candela] should have included that paragraph in her syllabus especially since 20 percent of the class is graded by participation. Understandably this might have stressed out many students worried about getting a good grade in the class.”

Taher stated that in practice, however, Candela called on all students during lectures and had an online discussion platform that allowed for participation outside of the classroom.

“As for the policy itself, I didn’t even notice it in the syllabus but frankly it doesn’t matter,” Taher wrote. “Students can participate in lectures, which only a couple regularly do and so she actually calls on whoever raises their hand. They can participate in discussions and the best part is that they also get to participate in online discussions if they get socially anxious or need more time to reflect on the material.”

In Candela’s written statement, which has not yet been released by the University, she described multiple avenues of participation for students in addition to online discussion boards — including the presence of 20-person weekly discussion sections. Candela said each student that wants to participate in the class is given “ample opportunity” to do so.

Candela said the policy was motivated by inclusion, not exclusion.

“Progressive stacking as a practice aims to allow for greater incorporation of diverse voices and perspectives into the conversation,” an excerpt from the statement reads. “It is not, in any way, intended or used to deny anyone the right to speak on the basis of race, class or gender. Given concerns regarding the wording of the progressive stacking statement on the [Sociology 100: Social Change: Intro to Sociology] syllabus, I have removed it so as to ensure no one feels discriminated against as that is not at all what takes place in the classroom in practice.”

As discussions on the policy continue to take place, Harrigan wrote that he is content with the University’s response.

“My experience has been as expected for a sociology class in 2022, very political and not objective,” Harrigan wrote. “I am very satisfied with how the University handled it considering they did exactly what I asked them to do.”

Jiménez-Muñoz commented on hate emails and harmful comments made about Candela by email and by phone. She expressed her appreciation for Candela as a professor and for her efforts.

“Prof. Candela is one of the most admired faculty in our department for her support to our students, her commitment to their education and the high standards she set in her classroom and her teaching,” Jiménez-Muñoz wrote. “We, as a department, are lucky to have her as a colleague and friend.”

According to an article on verywellmind.com written by Elizabeth Scott, a toxic relationship can be defined as a relationship that leaves you feeling “unsupported, misunderstood, demeaned or attacked.” It can be seen in any type of relationship, not just romantic, that makes you feel worse rather than better and can progress over time. If you have a gut feeling that a relationship you are in might be toxic, here is a list of signs to look out for. Even if only one of these applies, it might be time to reconsider the relationship. To preface, many of these signs come from personal experiences of a relationship that turned toxic and later on abusive. These signs are not black and white — they may appear differently ini different relationships. If you you relate to anything I’ve said, just your gut.

Resistance to discussing hard topics

The silent treatment can be very hurtful from anyone but is especially hard to deal with in relationships. Having hardships by themselves isn’t always a sign of relationships going bad, but if your partner refuses to discuss these topics or decides to avoid you for days with no explanation after bringing up an issue, that is a sign that solutions won’t be reached. From my own experience, this behavior means your partner is not willing to compromise and will avoid you until you miss them enough to give into their needs instead of yours. If you are in this situation, consider giving your partner an ultimatum to show them how serious you are.

Isolation and hiding

This can go in many ways. Isolation can be your partner avoiding you, as discussed above. When doing this, they are showing you that they see their love and attention as transactional and if you bring up a problem, they will take those actions away. Isolation can also be when your partner avoids showing you off. I don’t mean this in terms of social media posts — they hide you from their friends, refuse to mention you at appropriate times, don’t introduce you to people, etc. You’re not sure why they do this, but it makes you feel like they are ashamed of dating you for some reason. Isolation can also entail your significant other demanding all your time and attention and slowly cutting you off from your friends and family. When you are separated from your support systems, you are more vulnerable and can be easily manipulated with no one else looking out for you or no one to confide in. You are at the whims of your partner.

You are giving more than you receive

This feeling is up to interpretation and can arise in different scenarios for different people. From my experience, this was an early sign of a relationship turning toxic and abusive after a few months. For me, it started with the realization that I always made plans to hang out with my partner and if I didn’t initiate it, I would not see or hear from them for days on end. Putting in more than you receive can appear in many different scenarios, so trust your gut when it comes to this.

Constant disrespect and blows to your self-esteem

Again, this is a behavior that doesn’t have a set look to it. Anything can be done to make these feelings arise. It could be them gaslighting you into thinking a problem that existed isn’t actually there. It can be them putting you down when you’re sharing something you’re excited about. For me, it happened when I just joined Pipe Dream and wanted to take my partner to social events. They would make excuses for not wanting to go and then try to convince me I wasn’t obligated to go to these events just because I wrote for the organization. In reality, I just wanted to go out with them. On top of that, they never read the articles I wrote and never asked simple things such as how my day has been. It felt like they just didn’t care and they put me down for caring.

Lashing out at you

Anger management issues are some of the earliest signs of a relationship turning abusive. It’s most commonly expressed in hostile communication skills such as yelling and name-calling but can easily escalate to hitting, throwing objects and physical force. These situations can easily turn emotionally and/or physically abusive or violent, so if your partner exhibits any of these behaviors, please tell someone you trust. It might be best for you to escape the situation.

This is not a complete list. Toxic traits can come in different forms and in different scenarios. But what should you do when you find yourself in this type of relationship? No one expects a relationship to turn down this path, but once it does, it’s important to communicate in the way that benefits your situation the most.

If a lot of the harm done is emotional or triggering, you first must consider if this relationship is worth continuing. If you are in a safe place to do so, talk to your partner about these issues first. Be open to hearing what they have to say, but don’t take anything as an excuse for actions that hurt you. From there, you can determine how you want to go forward with these relationships. If you are not in this position, go to a trusted friend or colleague and tell them what has been going on.

If violence is involved, report it as soon as you can. As someone who has experienced abuse in relationships, I know how hard it can be to do in the moment. I didn’t tell a lot of my friends until months after it took place. But once I did, I found the support I needed to break up with the person and cut them out of my life.

If you wish to go directly to a professional, there are resources on and off campus that you can go to. The Crime Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) is a center on 377 Robinson St. that offers a safe space for any victims of crimes or anyone escaping abusive relationships or sexual assault. They can be reached by calling (607) 722-4256 for a 24/7 crisis support line or texting (607) 725-8196.

Be aware of all options and do what you feel is best for the situation. For any help or questions, call CVAC or visit VARCC for professional guidance.

U Club Binghamton, a student housing complex in Vestal, New York, recently started charging residents an additional cost to their monthly rent as part of a new utility addendum, which was present in all current leases since the beginning of the year. As per the addendum, residents can be billed for water and sewage services.

While the addendum was present in all leases since the time of signing, utility charges were only added to all residents’ bills for the first time in December 2021. According to the utility addendum, water and sewage services would be billed to the landlord and allocated to residents. The amount is distributed among residents who have signed lease agreements in the building, with the deduction of a 5 percent common area use of both water and sewage utilities. The bill is then issued to residents, who have to pay within 19 days of the issuance.

For the month of November, for which utilities first began being charged, multiple residents interviewed from separate buildings received the same exact utility charge of $19.28. This included a $3.12 charge for water, a $7.66 charge for sewage, a $3.50 processing fee and a one-time $5 charge to create an online account to pay the fees.

Dylan Fay, a current U Club Binghamton resident and a junior majoring in history, wrote in an email that the additional fees to pay for utilities, along with how the utilities were allocated among all residents, was not sensible. Fay and other residents said they were initially told by U Club Binghamton employees earlier in the year that utility charges would only appear if a unit passed a certain water usage limit.

“I understand why we paid it, but when almost half of the bill is simply for fees it doesn’t sit well, especially when we were not charged based on our specific unit’s usage,” Fay wrote. “U Club [Binghamton] is also well known for overcharging; both I and others have heard stories of them charging people for not cleaning the dust out of the corners of the wall when they move out and small issues like that.”

Klaire Martinez, a senior double-majoring in English and theatre, wrote in an email that the distribution of utility fees was confusing, as each household in the complex has different water usage habits.

“To my knowledge, there are residents in the complex potentially using more water and sewer services, but I didn’t understand why all residents must share that burden,” Martinez wrote.

For the month of December, the same residents that were interviewed reported being charged different amounts than each other, a change from the equivalent costs of November. U Club Binghamton did not announce a change in their utility fee allocation processes.

Residents have also reported trouble in contacting U Club Binghamton management with questions on the addendum. Martinez wrote that student employees were not well-informed on the subject and higher management was unavailable.

“A majority of the front desk workers are [Binghamton University] students and I can imagine they don’t know much more since most … are residents too,” Martinez wrote. “As for the upper management staff, they have been coincidentally unavailable in meetings no matter what time I go and I’m apparently not allowed to book an appointment either.”

U Club Binghamton is already one of the more expensive student housing options in the area, with yearly leases ranging from around $800 to $1100 per month depending on the floor plan. Currently, the cheapest floor plan offered by U Club Binghamton is $869 per month. The addition of a service fee to this bill adds to the monthly costs of all residents.

Kassandra Roberts, general manager of U Club Binghamton, wrote in an email that the addendum was added for sustainability purposes.

“Our residents are aware of the utility addendum in the lease, which is common in student housing and overall residents have been accepting of covering the water charge, which is generally around $15 per month,” Roberts wrote. “Sustainability is important to us at U Club Binghamton and we want to engage our residents in the conservation of natural resources. We will be implementing a conservation program for residents with information and tips on how to reduce energy and water usage, which not only helps save costs, but is also good for the planet.”

KT Fitzgerald, a junior double-majoring in psychology and women, gender and sexuality studies, has advocated for housing rights and was part of a recent Student Association (SA) initiative to survey students and expose untrustworthy landlords. Fitzgerald first heard about the addendum in a GroupMe for BU tenants, and has tried to give students options on how to go about the new fees.

“Unfortunately, some U Club [Binghamton] residents cannot afford the unexpected costs and were left scrambling for solutions, whether that be challenging the addendum via organizing or legal means, or needing to break the lease and find a new place to live,” Fitzgerald wrote. “To me, this addendum is deceptive, it is predatory, it is greedy and it is unfair not only to U Club Binghamton residents, but to our wider community that is negatively impacted by price hikes in housing fees and gentrified housing developments.”

An option for off-campus students seeking legal advice on their leases is to reach out to the Off Campus College (OCC) Legal Clinic, which offers free legal advice to all BU students. However, Nicholas Scarantino, who is currently the only attorney listed online as available in the Clinic, is an attorney at Levene Gouldin & Thompson, LLP, which represents U Club Binghamton and cannot aid students with legal issues regarding U Club Binghamton.

Fitzgerald wrote that BU needs to do more for students facing concerns with housing off campus.

“Frankly, the University needs to step in and make students aware of the community’s housing crisis and what that involves,” Fitzgerald wrote. “The SA, [New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)] and Stakeholders [of Broome County] recently did a great job hosting an event dedicated to providing students with this information, but more should be done by the University itself to combat these issues. Additionally, the University’s free OCC Legal Clinic for students should offer representation that does not present such a major conflict of interest.”

BU Japanese Association (BUJA) Japan Night GIM

Japan Night is one of the biggest events on the campus of the year, and BUJA is getting a head start on it. This Monday at 8 p.m., BUJA will be holding a GIM for those interested in helping with Japan Night this year, whether it’s by auditioning as a performer, becoming a part of the kimono show or dancing a traditional Soran Bushi. Check out the event on B-Engaged to learn more.

Black Student Union (BSU) Rebirth: Black Liberation Out of the Ashes

Black History Month starts on Tuesday, and the BSU is hosting a series of events to commemorate it. With the theme “Rebirth: Black Liberation Out of the Ashes,” there will be four phases starting with deconstruction, reconstruction, rebirth and joy and perseverance. There will be a variety of events, including a “Redefining Blackness” panel from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Black Museum event. Follow the BSU Instagram page for updates on these events.

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) International Coffee Hour

On Friday, Feb. 4 at 3:30 pm in the Old Champlain Atrium, ISSS will be hosting a coffee hour that all students are welcome to attend. During the event, people can learn about the organization while getting to know new international and domestic students. Activities during the event will include games, interactive activities and complimentary coffee and snacks. Check out the event on B-Engaged to learn more.

Asian Outlook Red Envelope Fish

Asian Outlook is the art and literary magazine of the Asian Student Union (ASU) at BU. On Friday, Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. in room UU108, they will be hosting a crafting event where students can create red envelope fishes for the upcoming Lunar New Year. Students who want to attend can RSVP through this google form.

Indian International Student Union (IISU) Avengers: Age of Tamasha

On Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m., the IISU is hosting their biggest event of the year at the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts: Tamasha. Tamasha is a form of theatre involving lots of singing and dancing. Groups from BU such as Quimbamba and Black Dance Repertoire will be performing in a grand, Marvel-themed show. Tickets were on sale from Jan. 25 through Jan. 28 in the Tillman Lobby of the University Union. You can find more information about the event on B-Engaged.

Charina Diaz, manager of Aqua Nightclub, wrote in an email that the club offers reasonable prices and space for all students, whether they are looking for an atmosphere for partying or lounging. All three floors of the nightclub are lit by dim blue lights, with a lounge area and minibar in the basement, a full bar on the first floor and a DJ booth and dance floor on the second floor. The dance floor is complete with a disco ball and strobe lights.

“We have three floors that set us apart from other businesses Downtown,” Diaz wrote. “Even though we are a nightclub, we still offer affordable prices for drinks and we have a basement lounge bar that is more relaxed.”

Since opening in late November, Aqua Nightclub has become a new late-night spot for students. The nightclub currently operates from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Thursday nights and from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, following current New York state COVID-19 mandates which require proof of vaccination and ID for entry to an establishment. According to a recent Instagram post, Aqua Nightclub also requires a Binghamton University ID from students. During and outside normal operating hours, Aqua Nightclub is open to reserve for private events.

“We are following the state mandate of requiring proof of vaccination for entry,” Diaz wrote. “Since we have three floors, we can have more than one private event happening at once by closing off floors.”

Aqua Nightclub was home to other nightclubs and bars in the past. According to WNBF, the most recent club to operate in the space was the Liquid Nightclub and past businesses include Bar 607, Benlin’s and the Beaugart Restaurant. According to Diaz, Aqua Nightclub faced challenges with renovations and obtaining permits earlier in the semester, but its opening nights were successes either way.

“We had just gotten our food and liquor permit during the semester and with all the renovations, we had to work quickly to open for the last few weeks of fall semester,” Diaz wrote. “The first few weeks went as expected, on our grand day our place reached maximum capacity.”

Students can also work at Aqua Nightclub, which is currently looking for DJs, bartenders, barbacks and bouncers. Olivia Le, a bartender at Aqua Nightclub and senior majoring in business administration, wrote about her experience in an email.

“They understand we’re all students and that school comes first, so they’re always super flexible when it comes to scheduling,” Le said. “Although Aqua [Nightclub] hasn’t been open for long, everyone who works there has already become pretty good friends.”

Le wrote that managers and owners aim for Aqua Nightclub to be a safe and comfortable space for students.

“The manager also really emphasizes safety, not just for workers but for student customers as well,” Le said. “Someone is always offering to give me a ride home or walk me to my car at the end of the night when we close up. The owner strives to make Aqua [Nightclub] a spot specifically for any and all BU students to be able to have fun with their fellow peers without ever feeling uncomfortable or unsafe.”

As the semester progresses, Aqua Nightclub might become a new favorite for BU students on the weekends. For more information on their operations, deals and upcoming events and giveaways, follow its Instagram page here.

The event, titled “Downtown Shutdown,” was started on Facebook and was shared in “Binghamton Believes Survivors of Sexual Assault,” a group created for members of the community to share their experiences at the restaurants, including instances of alleged sexual assault and drugging and a call for a boycott of the establishments.

Allegations against owners of Dos Rios Cantina, The Colonial and The Stone Fox surfaced online on Wednesday. The restaurants originally announced in a since-deleted Facebook post that they would be closed while an internal investigation was conducted. On Friday, The Colonial made another post explaining their decision to reopen for Friday night, which has also been deleted.

Jackie Timm, a senior majoring in human development and a former employee at The Colonial who attended the protest, said she chose to quit after the allegations surfaced.

“On Friday, [The Colonial] announced they were gonna shut down and then they were like, ‘Never mind, we’re reopening up,’ and they started calling the claims frivolous and baseless,” Timm said. “They were acting like they were all just rumors and a lot of employees got really upset. They said they were going to shut down and still pay us but we ended up just quitting anyway once they announced they were going to open back up. None of us want to work for them after that.”

Katharine Mayer, a junior majoring in business administration and a former employee at The Stone Fox, said she also decided to quit after hearing about the allegations.

“The managers at The Colonial were calling the claims rumors and they were telling their workers that they were untrue,” Mayer said. “Our group chat [at The Stone Fox] wasn’t that communicative. One of the owners did speak out about it. Everyone just started quitting, especially since we’re all connected, we felt very disrespected that they were calling them rumors and they were saying they’re untrue, especially after [multiple people] spoke out and they’re still calling them rumors. And they tried to reopen The Colonial last night, which is absurd. They didn’t actually open. It’s dangerous for their workers, too. How dare they have people go in?”

Protestors gathered at 8:15 p.m. in front of Dos Rios Cantina and marched through Downtown Binghamton. They began their march at Court Street, proceeded in a loop down State Street and Hawley Street and ended at XTASY Restaurant & Lounge on Court Street before heading back to the front of Dos Rios Cantina and The Colonial to gather and listen to members of the crowd share their stories.

An organizer of the protest, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke as people gathered at the beginning of the event, letting survivors know that they had support from the community and the importance of organizing in Binghamton.

“The only reason they shut their shit down is because of community pressure,” she said. “How many times did they say they were gonna reopen? They understand that people have power. When we organize, we have power. When we come together, we have power. We’re here to uplift survivors. We’re here to tell them that they’re not alone. We’re here to let them know we will fight with them. We’re here to let them know that we got their back. We’re here to let them know that they are not alone in this.”

When the group passed by XTASY Restaurant & Lounge, some people entered the establishment and continued chanting inside. Afterward, marchers left and continued their march back to Court Street.

During the march, protestors chanted slogans such as “Whose streets? Our streets,” “Who shut shit down? We shut shit down” and “Who keep us safe? We keep us safe.” People also carried signs, with some saying, “Protect survivors not rapists” and “End rape culture.”

Sarah Tartell, a sophomore majoring in biology who held a sign that said “Fuck the patriarchy” at the protest, said she wanted to emphasize the importance of believing victims.

“I thought it was really important to stand in solidarity with all the victims who were affected by this awful, awful thing,” Tartell said. “It’s horrendous. I think in recent years it’s important to do anything we can to move this movement forward and fight and support victims.”

Chloe Levine, a senior majoring in linguistics, said she felt it was important for students to remember that they are a part of the Binghamton community and engage in local organizing.

“I think that it’s really important to be here because these are big establishments in Downtown Binghamton that a lot of students frequent,” Levine said. “They’re a really big part of the Binghamton community as a whole and the fact that this behavior has been going in here for years unchecked is disgusting. I’m glad that people can come together like this to do something about it.”

“Downtown Shutdown” ended with an hourlong speak-out where people shared their own stories of rape, sexual assault, misconduct and harassment along with former employees of Dos Rios Cantina, The Colonial and The Stone Fox who spoke on the work atmospheres of the restaurants. An organizer of the event spoke at the beginning, encouraging community members to continue boycotting these establishments.

The organizer then spoke on the importance of believing the stories of victims of sexual assault and community organizing.

“We don’t need a fucking video to believe that somebody has been violated,” she said. “We don’t have to be there to believe that somebody’s been violated. When somebody tells you they’ve been violated you should just believe we have to act. We have to stop asking questions. Nobody deserves to be violated in any circumstances.”

If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, harassment or anything related, the Crime Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) or the Violence, Abuse and Rape Crisis Center (VARCC) are available resources. CVAC is located at 377 Robinson St. in Binghamton and can be reached by phone at (607) 722-4256 for a 24/7 crisis support line or by text at (607) 725-8196. CVAC services are also available at the VARCC office, which is located on the third floor of Old Johnson Hall and can be reached by phone at (607) 777-3010.

Pipe Dream was in contact with sexual assault survivors who opted not to share their story with the media out of a concern for their safety. Those interested in sharing their experiences can contact news@bupipedream.com.

With the classic Christmas movie “Elf” playing on the big screen, the stage was set for a festive night. The bar area was equipped with a fully functioning s’mores station, and various tables set up throughout the undergrounds were covered in sweets and treats of all types, such as Oreo cheesecake. In addition, a cookie-decorating table with sugar cookies, frosting, sprinkles and crushed candy canes proved popular.

Students of all walks of life showed up to celebrate the holiday season, and the Undergrounds were filled with roughly 100 students at any given time. The area was large enough that even with the great turnout, social distancing was still able to be accommodated. The feeling of appreciation flooded the room as a community was strung together once again.

Katrina Chan, the SAPB festivals chair and a senior majoring in business administration, said she hoped the event would provide a relaxing space for students.

“We really wanted to put something together where students could just have fun, de-stress, eat good food and watch a good movie,” Chan said. “Get ready for Spring Fling!”

The event was loved by students as it was a nice space to de-stress. The Undergrounds were transformed into a magical winter wonderland with decorations, festive snacks and the Christmas spirit could be felt from down the hall.

Alexandra Barkan, a senior majoring business administration, said the event has served its purpose for her and was a great way to de-stress in finals week.

“This is definitely my favorite event of the year,” Barkan said. “I love that there’s so much food, and of course, ‘Elf’ is my favorite movie. It’s just a good time, this has been such a nice break from studying. It’s definitely a de-stresser for sure.”

Aside from helping de-stress, the event also helped students get into the holiday spirit. With cookie decorating, a showing of “Elf” and a cocoa bar, it’s hard not to feel merry and jolly. It is easy to forget about the holidays during finals season — with exams, moving back home for the holidays and the cooling weather, the holiday spirit isn’t often something on the top of a student’s priority list. Events like this help students get back to the simplicity and joy of the holiday season.

Samantha Carroll, SA vice president for student success and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said Holidaze helped her get in the festive spirit.

“It’s very nice, very festive and definitely gets you in the holiday spirit,” Caroll said. “[Holidaze] kind of brings you back to the elementary school dances.”

The SAPB has routinely hosted similar events, such as Fall Fest, Spring Fling, comedy shows and concerts. According to Chan, Holidaze was organized as an annual event called “Frost Fest” but the festivals committee changed the name to represent the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Spring Fling is coming up for next semester and SAPB urges students to keep an eye out for announcements about other campus activities. If “Holidaze” left an impression, it is one of a wish for all students to have a fantastic holiday season.

“A couple of years ago, we were doing Frost Fest, that kind of changed into doing Fall Fest, Holidaze and Spring Fling,” Chan said. “It’s placed in between the holidays, which is why it’s called Holidaze. Hopefully, everyone can de-stress and just kind of have a good time.”

Events like this are a great way for students to de-stress and socialize in a relaxed atmosphere. Too often students are put in a position of cramming and stress during finals week, with no healthy outlet or breaks. The SAPB organizes events like these to help students find that outlet and have a good time to rest and rejuvenate.

The trio, composed of cast members and writers from the prestigious late-night sketch comedy show, brought laughter to hundreds of students in the middle of midterms with their familiar faces and acts. Day and Moffat are current cast members who are known collectively for their impressions of Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. in sketches and on the “Weekly Update” segments. Drezen is an Emmy Award-nominated writer who has been with “Saturday Night Live” since 2016.

To start off the show, Drezen came on stage and gave the audience a casual look into her life by talking about her boyfriend, friends and feeling old in front of a college audience. In the beginning, Drezen mentioned how her boyfriend was raised as a Mormon while she was raised Catholic and Jewish, to which the audience gave a round of applause.

“Are we cheering for the major religions of the world?” Drezen said. “Woo! Vatican rules, bitch! Let’s all vote for the best religions! Give it up for — no, we’re not doing that.”

Drezen went on to ask the audience several “Generation Z questions” to see how much she could relate to us, starting off with if we still wear bras and telling us her own story with having to custom order them for her size on specialty websites.

“[Generation] Z is not doing bras?” Drezen said. “My bras are, like, orthopedic. They look like they’re from medical supply companies [and come in] one color — Band-Aid.”

Day went next and started his bit off by explaining how he doesn’t do traditional stand-up, as his work on “Saturday Night Live” is mainly in sketches, which translates to his comedy off that stage. And off from that, he started a slideshow of text messages with his “older gentleman” dad. Day told a story of how he downloaded a fake number generator and sent him a series of texts pretending to be an automated messaging system.

Day then spent a lot of his time interacting with the audience. At one point, he asked everyone what they were doing for Halloween weekend, to which someone from the audience yelled “Bingoween.” Day asked the crowd if that was what we called Halloween weekend, to which the audience yelled no.

“Stop trying to make ‘Bingoween’ a thing!” Day said. “’Bingoween!’ Thursday at the activities center! We’re gonna have a Facebook group going.”

He then picked a random person from the audience to have a conversation with — Emily Ryklis, an undeclared freshman.

“I got picked to have a conversation with Mikey Day, which was the highlight of my year!” Ryklis said. “He asked me some questions about me and my major. He even made some jokes about it. I had a blast talking to him and I’m definitely gonna remember this moment for a long time.”

Day asked Ryklis about her plans for the weekend, to which she responded that she would probably stay home and study.

“You’re so chill,” Day said. “I love this.”

Griffin Bell, a junior majoring in business adminstration, had a conversation with Day from his seat at the Day started taking audience questions.

“I had a funny question in my head when [Day] was talking about his friend’s mom in a story,” Bell said. “I asked my friends if I should yell it out and they were begging me to. So when [Day] asked if anyone had questions, I blurted out, ‘Was Justin’s mom hot?’ Then I was ecstatic to have a full-on conversation with Mikey Day. I answered every question he asked me with blunt honesty.”

Last but not least, Moffat came on stage with his signature impersonations and a boast on the “research” he did on the BU community.

“I do love upstate Long Island,” Moffat said. “I’ve been living in Hinman [College] for a week. I met Dunkin’ Dave. Very nice guy. Went drinking at The Rat. Took a bunch of [economics] tests.”

Much of Moffat’s bit took inspiration from the audience, turning it into a much more personal show. He asked the audience if they wanted to hear him play piano and, in honor of all the students from Long Island, chose “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. The crowd went from cheering to singing as Moffat sang off-key and played random notes on the keyboard. He also told us stories of his time in college, including a time when he couldn’t tell if a girl was into him or not even though she invited herself into his room and asked to do a couples costume for Halloween.

“Truth be told, I had this show in my calendar for tomorrow night and then around 3 o’clock this afternoon I got a reminder on my Apple watch that said ‘Show — Binghamton’ and I thought, ‘Holy fuck. I have to get my ass over to the meth capital,’” Moffat said.

At the end, all three acts came on stage to say goodbye to the audience. Bell said he enjoyed how personalized they made the show.

“I loved that Alex Moffat did research on BU before performing,” Bell said. “You can also see just how talented Mikey Day is because most of his act was completely [improvised] and it was hilarious.”

As an actor who also performed in the Hinman Production Company’s Binghamton Night Live (BNL) show, Bell also looks to Day and Moffat as inspiration.

“I was casted in the very successful show BNL this semester and played a bunch of different characters,” Bell said. “I will be pursuing more shows at Binghamton and beyond in the future.”

As for Ryklis, she hopes ‘Bingoween’ will take full steam after this show.

“The voice in the darkness and the creator of ‘Bingoween’ and Mikey Day were the best parts of the show for me,” Ryklis said. “They were hilarious with the constant back-and-forth banter. Definitely a memorable moment from the show. Hopefully ‘Bingoween’ will be a big hit this Halloween!”

As headliners for the first in-person comedy show from the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Moffat and Day are continuing a tradition of bringing “Saturday Night Live cast members to BU. In 2019, Pete Davidson took on the Osterhout Concert Theater as the last pre-pandemic SAPB comedy show. Past shows have featured cast members and writers from “Saturday Night Live” such as Aidy Bryant and John Mulaney.

Moffat and Day are known for their impressions of Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., respectively, in skits and interviews on the segment “Weekend Update,” a segment parodying nightly news that airs in every episode.

Lucas Bianculli, vice president for programming for the SA and a senior double-majoring in economics and environmental studies, said Moffat and Day were popular choices from this semester’s fall survey.

“We chose the comedy acts via our annual fall survey,” Bianculli said. “That’s usually how we pick any artist or act to come perform at [the University]. It’s definitely the best way for students to express who they are interested in having come to [BU].”

Moffat is a stand-up comedian and writer from Chicago, Illinois. He was a featured player on “Saturday Night Live” in 2016 and worked his way up to a main cast member in 2018. He’s known for his impressions such as Mark Zuckerberg, Casey Affleck, Anderson Cooper and Joe Biden, a role he reprised after Jim Carrey. He has also appeared as original recurring characters like “The Guy Who Just Bought a Boat,” a conceited rich person who offers terrible dating advice. He has been featured in films such as “A Conspiracy On Jekyll Island” and “Uncle John” and is currently a spokesperson for Natural Light Beer. Apart from comedy, he was an official member of the acro-dunk team with the Chicago Bulls.⁣⁣

Day is a native of Orange County, California who joined “Saturday Night Live” as a writer in 2013 after being recommended by cast member Nasim Pedrad. In 2016, he became a featured player and was promoted to repertory player in 2018. He’s best known for writing a skit known as “Haunted Elevator,” which introduced Tom Hanks as David S. Pumpkins. Day played a skeleton alongside Hanks.

Special guest Drezen has been a writer for “Saturday Night Live” since 2016. A Long Island native, Drezen and the “Saturday Night Live” writing staff earned nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series from 2017 to 2019. Starting as a staff writer in 2016, Drezen became a supervising writer in 2019 and was promoted to co-head writer in 2020. In 2019, she premiered a one-woman comedy show called “Okay, Get Home Safe,” which was inspired by true crime podcasts.

Bianculli said he expects the show to be a pleasant experience for students.

“We expect this to be a great show!” Bianculli said. “We’re really excited for [Moffat], [Day] and [Drezen] to perform. It’s not often you get to see [‘Saturday Night Live’] cast members do stand-up in person, and for only $9 per ticket, we’re hoping students are as excited as we are.”

The stand-up comedy show will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Osterhout Concert Theater. Tickets are $9 and can be purchased on the SAPB website.

I will admit, I already love Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge. It was the first restaurant I reviewed as a mere sophomore interning with Pipe Dream two years ago. I have fond memories of going there and trying a little bit of everything on the Restaurant Week menu. I did start that article by stating that “If Lost Dog [Cafe & Lounge] was good enough for [Drake Bell], it was good enough for me,” which is a sentiment that aged poorly. But that doesn’t take away from how amazing Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge is, from the food to the atmosphere and the wonderfully warm hospitality of the staff. To make it better, I went to the restaurant on Oct. 1 and was greeted by some waiters dressed in costumes and some Halloween decorations already up for the beginning of spooky season. The atmosphere and coziness of the space made the meal so much more enjoyable.

For this fall’s Restaurant Week, Lost Dog & Lounge offered lunch for a fixed price at $12 and dinner for $20. Both menus offered three-course meals, including an appetizer, a main course and a dessert. This year, I went to Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge with our photographer and my housemate, Michael, and my other housemate, Jake. Between the three of us, we were able to sample almost every item on their lunch menu, which included four options for appetizers, four options for main courses and two options for dessert.

For our first course, I chose the Dog House Salad, which included heritage greens, roasted tomatoes, garbanzo beans and a selection of dressings. I chose the tangy honey mustard dressing, which went really well with the greens. Seeing the word “tangy,” I expected a slightly sour dressing, but it was honestly sweet, which I preferred. It was also the right portion where it satisfied my hunger but left enough room for the next course. I paired this with a glass of the house cabernet, which I highly recommend doing if you are of drinking age. The cabernet was more on the sweet side and paired nicely with the salad.

Michael got the autumn roasted butternut squash soup, made with coconut milk. Michael said it was very creamy and “screams fall.” It was a very pretty orange color with a swirl of cream on top that instantly melted into the squash soup. Jake tried the ginger chicken soup served with jasmine rice at the bottom. The soup had a clear base and, according to Jake, you could really taste the ginger in it. It looked like there was turmeric in it, which added a nice warmth to it. I’d suggest this if you’re recovering from a cold and want a comforting soup. Jake paired this with a pint of Lost Dog IPA, which he said reminded him of the sugary cereals he ate as a kid.

Now, it’s time for the main courses. I decided to try the harvest roasted turkey wrap. This wrap was made with romaine lettuce, scallion and craisin cream cheese and herb-roasted turkey. You could choose a side of mixed greens or fries, or mac and cheese for an extra dollar. I am begging you, please choose the mac and cheese. The extra dollar is so worth it. The creamy cheese melts in your mouth right alongside the pasta. The warmth of it also worked really well with the cold wrap. As for the wrap itself, I found the mix of ingredients to work really well with each other. The scallion and craisin cream cheese made it unlike any wrap I’ve ever had before. While it was tasty, I did think it overpowered the turkey. For something like that, less could be more.

Michael ordered the cheese tortellini with chicken. The tortellini was made with spinach pesto, which gave the dish a nice green and orange palette. Very earthy. Once again, Michael said this dish was perfect for the fall and that the cheese on top of it worked well with the pesto. He did say the sauce was on the oily side, but this makes sense for a pesto. Jake had Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge’s most famous dish — the rigatoni ala vodka. The consistency, as always, was perfect and creamy. Jake compared the pasta to the nostalgia of a Sunday dinner with his family.

Last but not least is the desserts. Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge offered two sweets — pumpkin ice cream and a double chocolate chip cookie. I had the cookie, since I was in the mood for warm chocolate, while Jake and Michael got the pumpkin ice cream. The cookie was perfect, with the chocolate chips melted just the way I like it, and the dough had a satisfying crumble. It was very rich so I couldn’t finish it after that amazing turkey wrap, but it made for an even better surprise later in the night as a leftover. As for the pumpkin ice cream, Michael and Jake said it was refreshing after such creamy pasta dishes. Michael’s only complaint was that the apple cider sauce it was topped with was a little too sweet. Jake agreed, saying it tasted like the sweetest maple syrup he’s ever had. Either way, they devoured every scoop.

Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge is known for its comfort, present in the atmosphere and even more so in the food. Especially in the beginning of fall, Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge has some of the more pleasurable and heartwarming dishes out there. With harvested items and seasonal foods, it’s the right place to go to get into the colder weather. If you’re looking for fall vibes, this is your place.

Rachel Adanit, ‘13 and Ayal Adanit, ‘14

“Ayal and I lived in the same off-campus student housing apartments and met through there and we were in organic chemistry together. Favorite memories would be hiking in the Nature Preserve together.”

Supattra Samanyaphon, ‘08 and Jeremy Grubard, ‘07

“My husband Jeremy and I are both [BU] alumni, I graduated in 2008 and he graduated a year before, in 2007. We met each other in one of the first-ever computer graphic design classes in the spring of 2007. If my memory serves me correctly, Mike Wesko and his colleague Cindy Blackman were pushing for the graphic design program to modernize. Both of us being art majors, I’m sure we had crossed paths in the Fine Arts building, where if you were an art major, that’s where you spent a lot of time … We sat together in the computer lab in the Science IV building and remained just as friends for the semester. Once the semester was over, Jeremy graduated and I had one year left. Over the next few years, we kept in touch and saw more and more of each other and met our respective [BU] circle of friends and in 2015 we got married.”

Jacob Shamsian, ‘15 and former Arts & Culture (Release) Editor and Rebecca Shamsian, ‘14

“We met before classes started, actually. The two of us had a mutual friend who invited us to both hang out in her dorm room the weekend we moved in. We spent the day together as a group, going to University Fest, and hit it off. We’ve been together since!

I proposed to Rebecca at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a few years after we graduated. We had a lovely date there a year earlier, and I thought it would be a meaningful and beautiful place to propose. One of her best friends, who didn’t live in the NYC area, was visiting and I conspired with her and other [BU] alumni friends — including the mutual friend who introduced us — to spend the day there before I surprised her with the ring. Our wedding was a little over a year later, [on] Aug. 5, 2018.

It’s hard to pick a specific [favorite BU] memory. We loved spending Friday nights together at Chabad and hanging around with friends in our apartment building afterward. I loved it when Rebecca snuck off some challah she made for Challah for Hunger and gave it to me while I was working late nights in the Pipe Dream office.”

Michael Dorfman, ‘07 and Kristyn Dorfman, ‘07

“We met through a bunch of mutual friends freshman year. Kristyn was in a relationship with one of those friends until early senior year. I think our first actual meeting place was on a group outing to the Outback Steakhouse on Vestal Parkway. It was freshman year first semester, which would’ve been late 2003. Like I said, Kristyn was in a relationship, so this was not love at first sight, this was social dining. I remember speaking to her a little bit, but nothing more than vague pleasantries really stands out. Except [for] the blooming onion, Outback [Steakhouse] outdid themselves that night, what a job.

Senior year we were both living off campus. I was at a house on the corner of Seminary [Avenue] and Chapin [Street]. Kristyn was living at a house on “the bad side” of Oak [Street]. I think we got closer when I started driving Kristyn back from class on campus. I had my family’s old Grand Voyager minivan, so I was kind of irresistible in that sense. She could only take so many flirtatious commutes down Riverside before giving in. I have fond memories of going Downtown to the bars together, the trivia nights at Cyber Cafe West and of course frequenting all the fine dining establishments the greater Binghamton area has to offer (read: Moe’s Southwest Grill).

As for full circle, today we’re back driving a minivan (a hybrid Toyota Sienna). And while it’s a little less steamy than it used to be in there, given the three kids we now have sitting in the back, I like to think much of my allure still derives from how my commanding handle of its automatic transmission and the seemingly effortless way I steer our family through the perils of suburbia roadways.

[We got married on] Aug. 14, 2011, at Bridgeview Yacht Club in Island Park, New York. It was supposed to be an outdoor ceremony but we had something of a monsoon that day. Miraculously everyone made it to the affair, albeit two different cars were totaled en route succumbing to water damage. A lot of people came up to us throughout the day and told us rain is good luck but I guess that didn’t extend to the invitees who lost their rides.”

Barbara Freiband Klein, ‘92 and Jonathan Klein, ‘91

“We met 33 years ago, living on the same floor in Seneca Hall of College-in-the-Woods. We supported each other pledging at the same time — Sigma Delta Tau and Sigma Alpha Mu — and have the best memories. We go back every year to visit … We got married in 1995.”

Willow Smith, also known on stage as WILLOW, has been in the music industry for quite a long time. Her first single “Whip My Hair” went platinum and peaked at number 11 on Billboard’s Hot 100. WILLOW has released four albums since then, ranging from R&B textures to punk rock vibes. Along with being popular on the Hot 100, several of her songs have become viral on TikTok, including “Wait a Minute!” and “Meet Me At Our Spot.” Her latest album, “lately I feel EVERYTHING,” was influenced by the sounds of My Chemical Romance and featured guest artists such as Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker.

Olivia Le, concerts chair of SAPB and a senior majoring in business administration, said WILLOW brings a new type of artist to BU’s fall concert roster.

“One of the reasons we went with WILLOW as our fall concert headliner is because we really just want to keep bringing different types of artists for the students to enjoy,” Le said. “Especially with the traction her recent album has gotten, as well as her high ranking on the fall survey, she has been on our radar since the very beginning of the planning process.”

Like her parents Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, as well as her brother Jaden Smith, WILLOW has delved into the worlds of film and music since she was little. In 2007, she played alongside her father in the movie “I Am Legend,” but switched to music in 2010.

Originating from Portland, Oregon, Daniyel Weissmann has been growing as a young artist. In 2020, he released “LOST ONES,” a single about his aunt who had recently died of cancer. Cole Bennett, one of the hottest hip-hop music video directors, found this song and decided to make a video for it. The music video has currently clocked over 3 million views. Daniyel plans on releasing a new album, “82nd,” this year. It will be an ode to his hometown of Portland, Oregon.

Le said this year’s fall concert, while in person, will be different from past shows, with regulations on masks and new seating arrangements.

“We’re hoping it will be a huge hit, being that this is the first in-person concert on campus since the [COVID-19] pandemic began,” Le said. “We will still have safety regulations in place, like all attendees must wear a mask during the whole duration of the concert. Also, instead of the typical pit-style for the floor, we are implementing the pods system that many venues have been successfully using to ease back into events. Friends can sign up for their own ‘pod’ in different size groups to still experience the show up close.”

Lucas Bianculli, vice president for programming for the SA and a senior double-majoring in economics and environmental studies, said it was important to bring back the fall concert as a live, in-person event.

“We thought that it was very important to bring back in-person programming in any way possible following the difficulty of the past year,” Bianculli said. “While adhering to state and university COVID-19 guidelines, we felt that it was important to give back to students our annual fall concert in person.”

The fall concert will be held on Oct. 7 at the Events Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the show will begin at 8 p.m. The date for ticket sales is to be determined and will be announced on the SAPB Instagram (@bingSAPB). General admission and floor tickets will be available.

DIRTYBANDAID

DIRTYBANDAID is an all-female punk band from Binghamton. They have performed at and headlined multiple shows in the area, including at the Bundy Museum of History and Art, HCS Skatepark, WHRW 90.5 FM’s Moefest and multiple house shows and community events. The band can be found on Instagram (@dirtybandaidsux) and on Spotify.

Driftwood

Driftwood is a nationally touring Americana and folk band from Binghamton that was founded by Dan Forsyth and Joe Kollar. Kollar is the concert manager for Binghamton University’s music department and Forsyth is a songwriter and guitarist for the band. Driftwood currently has five albums and has performed at music festivals such as FloydFest, AMERICANAFEST and the Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance. They can be found on Spotify.

The Supreme Soup

The Supreme Soup is a local rap and hip-hop artist who has been making music since the early 2010s and describes himself as a “lyrical, comedic, absurd storyteller” on Spotify. He has released three albums, with his latest song “Magic pt. III” released on June 1. His music can be found on Spotify, YouTube, and Instagram @realsoup.

Yard Party

Since 2018, alternative rock band Yard Party has played shows around Binghamton. According to their website, the band blends “elements of punk, ’80s pop, post-hardcore and alternative rock to tell stories of past regrets, current struggles and the daunting future” through their music. Their latest album “In Search of an Exit” was released in March 2020. They can be found on Instagram @yardpartyofficial and Spotify.

Tom Jolu

On the website Bandcamp, rock band Tom Jolu describes its sound as “bringing together elements of folk sensibilities, thoughtful lyricism and a punk rock attitude.” The Binghamton-based group has released albums since 2015 and has performed multiple shows throughout the area, including an upcoming performance at the Second Saturday concert at the Vestal Museum on June 12. They can be found on Instagram @tomjoluband and Spotify.

On Feb. 7, the Instagram account @weeseeyou_binghamton made its first post, which raised concerns of “potentially inappropriate racial casting” and called for the cancellation of the production. According to the post, the play was originally a one-woman show written in response to the 1992 Los Angeles riots, which were sparked by the death of Latasha Harlins and the acquittal of four Los Angeles police officers after they had been caught on camera brutally beating Rodney King.

Additionally, this post detailed a timeline of events. On Nov. 17, some students had brought these concerns to the undergraduate representatives, two students who act as liaisons between the students and faculty. On Nov. 20, an informational Q&A session was held, and students voiced their concerns regarding casting. According to the post, the entire faculty of the theatre department attended this meeting despite an arrangement made beforehand that “only the faculty responsible for directing the show be present at the meeting.”

A petition, titled “Binghamton University: Demands for Racial Justice in the Binghamton Theatre Department,” was also shared by the account that day. The petition detailed students’ reactions to this Nov. 20 meeting.

“In this meeting, students came forward with concerns about inappropriate racial casting,” the petition stated. “The department dismissed these concerns, and many students left the meeting feeling, among many things, disappointed and insulted. We believe that this department’s choice to continue the production of ‘Twilight Los Angeles, 1992’ in this manner will perpetuate outdated and harmful stereotypes, tropes and caricatures of race to the detriment of audiences and the student body.”

In response to this petition, Barbara Wolfe, chair and director of undergraduate studies for the theatre department, said a statement was shared with students detailing the reasons why the production has since been canceled.

“The online petition and social media content focusing on the production strongly voiced the concern of not being heard,” Wolfe wrote in an email. “We heard you, and we need more conversation to take place. Planning is underway for faculty, staff and students to have a facilitated meeting to ensure all voices and points of view can be represented in a safe, equal space.”

If students are interested in participating in this meeting, they should contact their student representatives. Wolfe added that a Google Form will also be made available for those who wish to participate and remain anonymous.

According to Patrick Saint Ange, a founding member of @weseeyou_binghamton and a sophomore double-majoring in English and sociology, the decision to cancel the production was ultimately left to Danyé Brown, director of the show and a visiting assistant professor of acting and directing.

“The University and the department did not cancel the show, the show came to an end primarily because the cast was unhappy with how racially insensitive the production was and how they felt their concerns were being ignored by their director,” Saint Ange wrote in an email. “Some felt uncomfortable with how [relaxed Brown] was with allowing the use of the N-slur by non-Black students and the prospect of learning potentially offensive Korean accents. After not having their concerns addressed, they took a stand and many choose to leave the production entirely.”

Saint Ange wrote that students who were “on board” for “Twilight: Los Angeles 1992” before rehearsals were vocal about their disinterest in both the “race-swap” casting and Brown’s approach to directing the production.

“[Brown] would have likely continued her plans had it not been for the brave students in the [‘Twilight: Los Angeles 1992’] cast who decided to leave the project despite the department’s strict rules against [leaving] a production,” Saint Ange wrote. “[Theatre department rules] dictate that a student who agrees to participate in a show cannot audition for another show the following semester if they choose to leave.”

Brown said she would encourage students to reach out to herself or other University resources to further discuss the matter.

“If a student has questions and/or needs clarification, they are more than welcome to schedule a one-on-one meeting with myself and the University Ombudsman,” Brown wrote in an email.

A new project is in the works, according to Wolfe, to address such concerns.

“The concerns brought to the department regarding ‘Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,’ motivated [Brown] and the production team to reimagine how a story of varying views surrounding important events can be told,” Wolfe wrote. “They are working with students to create a new project offering such a reimagination. Details on when and how this project will be shared soon.”

Wolfe said students are welcome to reach out to her for further discussion.

“In an already turbulent time, I recognize that our socially distant learning environment has contributed to the high stress, the lack of communication and increased incidence of distrust we are experiencing,” Wolfe wrote. “I think we all want to rebuild the channels of trust and collaboration. That will take time and patience, but [I] hope you’ll continue to reach out to your professors, peers and me to share your hopes, concerns and ideas for improvement.”

As for @weseeyou_binghamton, Saint Ange said he will continue working with students and the theatre department to address such issues.

“We have no major plans for the account, but we, as a student group, will be having continued meetings with the department to address other racial insensitive incidences that occur in the department,” Saint Ange wrote. “We hope to motivate the department to adopt ongoing racial sensitivity training.”

Spring Fling has traditionally been a campus-wide festival, with carnival rides and game booths set up across the Peace Quad and student organizations tabling up and down the Spine, followed by a concert featuring a student band as the opener. While these aspects cannot be brought back to same capacity right now, the SAPB has worked to make the most out of this semester. For the fall concert, the SAPB brought us a virtual concert by DJ Steve Aoki, bringing a new genre to a concert that was performed by rap and hip-hop artists for the past 10 years. Sophia Cavalluzzi, SA vice president for programming and a senior majoring in English, wrote in an email that Aoki was the most requested artist on the fall concert survey and the concert itself was successful.

“We got really good feedback from our fall concert with Steve Aoki and thought an EDM-style show translated well virtually,” Cavalluzzi wrote. “A lot of students broadcasted the concert on their TVs and had mini parties with their housemates.”

Listening to students once again, Cavalluzzi wrote that the acts Aminé and Two Friends were chosen due to their popularity with students and range in genres.

“The DJ duo Two Friends is super popular among BU students, so we thought they would be a perfect choice,” Cavalluzzi wrote. “Since we did an EDM show in the fall, we did want to broaden the genres a little bit, and we thought Aminé would be a great performance as well.”

Adam Aminé Daniel, known professionally as Aminé, is an American rapper who grew up in Portland, Oregon. The son of Eritrean-Ethiopian immigrants, Aminé debuted his first mixtape, “Odyssey to Me” in 2014. He gained critical success in 2017 with his debut single “Caroline,” which peaked at no. 3 in February 2017 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His first studio album, “Good For You” featured hit singles such as “Heebiejeebies” featuring Khelani, “Turf” and “Spice Girls.”

In 2020, Aminé released his second album, “Limbo”, which debuted at No. 16 on the US Billboard 200 in August. Aminé is known for his more playful, carefree sound from “Good For You,” and “Limbo” signaled a transition toward more mature sounds, such as on songs like “Kobe” where he details the emotions he went through when he found out about the death of Kobe Bryant and “Fetus,” where he sings about his potential for being a good father and better son.

Two Friends is a pop DJ duo composed of Eli Sones and Matthew Halper. Sones and Halper met in middle school in Los Angeles and began working on beats together in middle school. They are best known for their “Big Bootie Mixes,” which are hourlong mixes of popular songs that they started making in 2013. There are currently 18 mixes available on Spotify in podcast form.

In an interview with Raver Rafting, the duo described their sound as, “songs that are fun and get you dancing and moving, but also hopefully resonate with you on a more emotional level at the same time.”

The Spring Fling concert will begin at 8 p.m. on May 1 on Looped, where students can chat with each other throughout the show for a more interactive experience. Students can register for the show through Looped [insert link – https://app.loopedlive.com/sapb-presents-spring-fling/talent/887040/events/?eventId=3677] and on the SAPB’s Instagram page.

Sean McManus, BUMP chair and a junior majoring in Japanese studies, wrote in an email that the virtual show will be a change in pace from the last BUMP show, which featured electronic artists Baths and Fire-Toolz.

“This time around I wanted to change up the vibe from our first show which was more experimental/electronic and go for a rock show,” McManus wrote. “I hope that with the weather getting steadily warmer outside the beachy and warm sounds of Beach Bunny will match that energy and get people dancing safely in their rooms!”

What is now known as Beach Bunny started off as a stage name and solo project for lead singer Lili Trifilio in 2015. It wasn’t until 2017, after Trifilio released her third EP, that the lineup turned into a four-piece group. Shortly after, Beach Bunny released their 2018 EP “Prom Queen,” with tracks like the self-titled track and “Painkiller” becoming popular for their honest and straightforward lyrics. Beach Bunny’s songs have covered topics such as eating disorders, heartbreak, gender expectations and mental illness, all set to catchy guitar riffs and drum beats reminiscent of surf-punk and pop-rock sounds.

On Valentine’s Day in 2020, Beach Bunny released their first album, “Honeymoon” to critical acclaim. The album made appearances on “Best Albums of 2020” lists for Rolling Stone, Consequences of Sound and The New York Times, peaking at number 21 on Billboard’s U.S. Top Alternative Albums chart on Feb. 29, 2020. Similar to “Prom Queen,” songs on “Honeymoon” covered topics of self-image and heartbreak in fast-paced beats, as Trifilio explained that she was going through “a lot of life changes, and also a breakup” and was unsure about her worth in an interview with Rolling Stone. A single from the album, “Cloud 9,” recently became a popular song on TikTok as well.

In their latest EP, “Blame Game,” Beach Bunny took a turn in direction. The four-song extended play had more empowering ballads such as “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used)” and “Nice Guys” while keeping the same energetic sound of past releases. Under The Radar described their sound as an “emotionally charged mix of pop-punk, fuzzy indie rock and hooky power pop.”

Elise Okusami, known on stage as Oceanator, is an indie artist from Brooklyn who released her first album “Things I Never Said” in 2020. She started off in the punk-rock scene in Washington, D.C., playing basement shows and small venues for a thrash-punk band.

In a grunge-pop sound reminiscent of the ’90s, the album deals with imagery of apocalyptic worlds and intense emotions such as anxiety and depression. The album is not entirely heavy, however, as more upbeat and retro songs like “Heartbeat” and “Walk With You” shine through as well. Oceanator recorded most of “Things I Never Said” two years prior, but the songs on it seemed to describe the feelings of desolation and solitude brought forth in 2020 perfectly.

Both female artists sing about intense emotions, although in different styles. McManus wrote that he hopes the BUMP show offers more exposure to their music.

“I’ve been a fan of Beach Bunny for a pretty long time now so being given the opportunity to book them I obviously took it immediately,” McManus wrote. “Oceanator is an artist who has only just put out her debut album but I absolutely adore her and hope people come to love her after seeing her opening set as well!”

The BUMP show will take place on Saturday, April 10 at 8 p.m. on YouTube Live. Attendees must RSVP through a link on the Student Association Programming Board’s (SAPB) Instagram page at least an hour before the show to receive a link to the broadcast.

“I miss [BU] so much,” Riskey said. “Everyone’s going to go through it. You know, I’m still going through it. When you leave [BU], everybody has to settle into what is like a new life. We have an opportunity to like, come back and visit but then [COVID-19] hit so I’ve been in like this awkward state of, I don’t know, everybody’s been through a lot.”

While at BU, Riskey majored in integrative neuroscience on a premed track, although she currently has no plans on attending medical school soon. Riskey described her major as “sexy” and said it’s a great way to help you understand yourself.

“[Psychology] is so hot,” Riskey said. “Especially, like, I feel like every female carries intuition kind of naturally with them. I don’t know, it’s just like, you learn more about yourself and then biology is brought in. So you kind of understand the biological underlining behind the [psychological] symptoms.”

Throughout her time here, however, Risky was sure to keep her passion for music alive, recording songs in her room and uploading them through social media. Throughout her childhood, Riskey was introduced to music in a variety of ways, from piano lessons when she was four years old to ballroom dancing in high school and every day exposure to different genres growing up in Brooklyn.

“You’re hearing all these different sounds every single day and you just start paying attention to what songs you like and which songs you do not like,” Riskey said. “And then in middle school, I really started liking rap and I started writing poetry. And then in high school, and middle school, I just wanted to make songs.”

Throughout high school, Riskey taught herself how to play guitar, how to navigate music-producing software like GarageBand and a condenser microphone she got for Christmas, and recorded songs that she first uploaded to Facebook. At BU, she continued to write and upload songs for fun until one song she wrote after a breakup got noticed on Instagram.

“We go through bullshit in our lives and then I started to write about that bullshit,” Riskey said. “Junior year [at BU] was my first time falling in love, and then this girl just like, we broke up, and it was my first heartbreak. So I wrote the song that week. And then two weeks after the song, I got a [direct message] on my Instagram.”

That message was from a representative at Suther Kane Films asking her to record a song in Paris, France.

“When I first saw the message, I was like, ‘If someone’s trying to kidnap me, this is some elaborate scheme,’” Riskey said. “Like, I didn’t tell my friends. I did research myself first. And then I was like, wait, this is real. Seems like it’s like a solid thing.”

After convincing her dad to FaceTime with the company, Riskey and her family flew to Paris over winter break and recorded her song “Blue.” After a breakup, Riskey said this move helped her get out of a hard part of her life.

“It’s crazy because that fully came from a time of me being very sad,” Riskey said. “Like, I couldn’t get out of bed for two weeks. That was the first time I’ve ever been in such a weird slump. And it changed my life.”

Since graduating from BU, Riskey signed with TeamWork Records and is in the process of producing “Brighton Beach Baby.” “Spring Lover,” released on Friday, is the latest song from this endeavor. The song was inspired by relationships Riskey had.

“I was just falling in love again,” Riskey said. “You know how it be, the simp life. What’s the point of falling in love if you’re not going to channel it? Let’s make some art out of it. I was on this fun adventure with this girl who was such a free spirit and felt myself like actively falling in love it was a lot of fun.”

Another song from the upcoming EP, “newton’s 3rd” deals with questions in relationships and going through despite uncertainties, all in a dreamy bedroom pop sound and comparing it to the law in physics that states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

“‘newton’s 3rd’ has two sections,” Riskey said. “The first was about me [being] in a situation where I was tied up in ‘love strings’ and I was just questioning what [was] the right thing to do. The second part was kind of a continuation of me questioning that, but it was about [how] now I like am talking to this girl from [Atlanta, Georgia] and have my strings tied there and questioning when and what the right thing to do is.”

There are big things in the future for Riskey, but through all these inspirations, BU has a special place in her heart as this was where she opened up to herself.

“[BU’s] social life, I think was the ultimate training for all of [the] socializing that comes later in life,” Riskey said. “You have to have weird conversations with really weird people. [BU] was absolutely a peak of peaks that I will forever remember. I’m very very grateful for the school. I think there is a place for every single person there.”

Asia McGough, music director of Change of Tone and a sophomore majoring in biology, is one of the founding members of Change of Tone. She wrote in an email that the group was conceived after conversations about diversity started in a cappella groups following the summer’s Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

“Individual groups began to discuss racism, systemic issues in a cappella and ways to overcome our implicit biases,” McGough wrote. “While some good came out of this — increased awareness and community-wide cultural competency/diversity training — some of us still felt as though disregard for marginalized voices, both within our groups and in the music we sing, persisted.”

Ideas for forming Change of Tone mainly came in Zoom calls over winter break with discussions on operations, activities and meetings with the Student Association (SA), BU A Cappella Council and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Board. According to their mission statement on Instagram, Change of Tone will highlight marginalized groups by performing songs by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ artists and by donating profits to causes that support these communities. McGough wrote that this a cappella group is meant to create a safe space for all participants and continue the efforts for diversity that started over the summer.

“Since we also feared that the momentum gained from the BLM movement wouldn’t last long enough to produce significant changes, the founders of Change of Tone decided to create a group that, by its principle, would act as a constant reminder to the community to keep that momentum going,” McGough said.

Ryan Corsoneti, treasurer of Change of Tone and a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, wrote in an email that they are excited for the group to bring awareness toward issues of diversity and bring people together by exploring a wider range of genres and artists.

“Belonging to a group that has a collective passion for performing and making music is and always has been a positive and uplifting constant in my life,” Corsoneti said. “I also think that the formation of this group serves as a symbol of hope and solace during a time where global injustices are at the forefront of our everyday lives.”

With the creation of Change of Tone, members have a more inclusive and comfortable space within BU a cappella. Zoë Scileppi, assistant music director of Change of Tone and a junior majoring in politics, philosophy and law, wrote that Change of Tone was also a change of pace from previous groups she was a part of.

“I had previously been in a music group that did not have the compassion that I felt a community of people passionate about music should have,” Scileppi wrote. “It felt like there was a lack of understanding between most of the members due to how out of touch the people were with each other. It was lonely and disheartening — I never want another student to feel the way I did, especially when they are putting themselves out there to do something that they love to do.”

Lauren Hoffmann, business manager for Change of Tone and a sophomore majoring in psychology, joined with no prior experience with other a cappella groups because of the atmosphere the group provided.

“I was not involved in any music groups on campus, but I had always felt like a piece of me was missing without it,” Hoffman wrote. “Change of Tone was the best fit for me because of their welcoming attitude and desire to help others.”

While just starting off, Change of Tone will be hosting a variety of shows and fundraisers for different charities as the semester progresses. The “change of tone” they hope to create is a positive one of inclusion and meaningful connections with communities who have historically been overlooked through songs.

“To me, music is a wonderful respite from the chaos of life, something to take solace in, and I wanted to be a part of a group of people who embodied that same feeling for each other,” Scileppi wrote.

On Feb. 23, a woman entered Tillman Lobby and vandalized property within the University Union, including tables, doors and at least one social distancing bot. The social distancing bots were created to provide COVID-19 safety feedback to all pedestrians who pass by, providing impartial real-time feedback to all passersby in the interest of better supporting the communal safety of all students, faculty and staff.

On one table in Tillman Lobby, the woman wrote a statement that appears to say “you are stucked here w/ me” on one of the tables and “suckers go to other doors” on one of the doors to the Mandela Room, where COVID-19 surveillance testing was taking place. The wires leading to at least one social distancing bot were cut as well.

Jake Ignatow, a sophomore majoring in economics, witnessed the event while passing through the University Union.

“I saw a female ripping out the cords of the social distancing monitors as well as doing graffiti on the tables and doors and knocking over signs and kicking them,” Ignatow said. “From what I witnessed, the only threat she posed was that she was getting too close to people and breaking social distancing guidelines although she was wearing a mask and destroying property.”

Binghamton’s New York State University Police (UPD) responded to the scene, handcuffed the woman and escorted her out of the building. Ignatow praised UPD’s efforts to contain the situation.

“UPD acted in a very diligent manner in that they took the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe while also de-escalating the situation to bring the event to a halt,” Ignatow said.

Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU, said the incident is still being investigated.

“UPD responded to a disturbance today on campus and are currently investigating,” Yarosh said. “There is no threat to any individuals or further cause for concern.”

Plans for the social distancing bots began last summer by the Watson Institute for Systems Excellence (WISE), an institute of advanced studies at BU and part of the department of systems science and industrial engineering, at the request of BU President Harvey Stenger. The bots were then worked on throughout the fall 2020 and winter 2021 sessions and were implemented in the Tillman Lobby on Feb. 4 — before the move-in week began for on-campus students.

Yong Wang, co-advisor on this project and assistant professor of systems science and industrial engineering, said the bots are meant to make sure that safety is the number one priority for students on campus. Wang explained that these social distancing bots will respect the privacy of any pedestrian.

“Our intention is to help improve the safety of everyone in the campus community,” Wang wrote in an email. “While safety is the priority, the systems developed also respect people’s privacy and do not save the videos or identify any person.”

A team of graduate students and faculty of BU’s Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science were involved in developing the bots. They developed and tested many different prototypes, having many student volunteers for the purpose of testing these designs.

According to Peter Nardone, general manager of the University Union, the bots were placed throughout the University Union because of the high traffic in the building.

“In terms of their overall effectiveness, the bots situated in the Tillman Lobby, Market Place and Undergrounds within the University Union help remind students of the importance to socially distance while indoors,” Nardone wrote in an email. “We identified these locations as busy traffic locations where students and guests to the Union frequently visit and gather for certain services. In terms of their overall utilization, students can visibly see themselves on the screen. The green boxes show that students are socially distanced while the red boxes indicate they are not. When students, staff and faculty are not socially distanced, a variety of messages are played from the monitors.”

Wang added that Tillman Lobby was chosen specifically since surveillance testing occurs in the Mandela Room daily.

“People who get tested may wait in the lobby for 20 to 30 minutes for their results,” Wang wrote. “Some people tested positive, even though they were asymptomatic. Given the amount of foot traffic and opportunity for exposure, it is very important for people to maintain social distancing in this high-traffic area.”

Benjamin Uline, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, said he doesn’t feel affected by the bots in Tillman Lobby.

“I don’t know if it really helps too much, but it isn’t harmful either,” Uline said. “I think that it’s just that they are there.”

Nicolas Castro, a sophomore majoring in biology, said the bots are a good interactive way to make students more aware of social distancing guidelines.

“I don’t see harm in [the bots], and I think it is pretty cool,” Castro said. “We were just in line and it mentioned ‘Imagine a lion between people as a lion is generally six feet.’ I think that’s pretty cool it’s not just saying ‘You’re too close to somebody,’ they are doing it in a cool way.”

Castro added that while the bots are a good idea, students may not take them seriously.

“I think they’re effective for what they’re trying to do,” Castro said. “The only thing is people are not gonna be looking at the screen. They can totally completely ignore it.”

Despite the incident, Wang wrote that the bots are always open to feedback for the safety of those on campus.

“After the system was implemented, our team continues to get valuable feedback from students in [the University Union] to help improve the system, its performance and acceptance,” Wang wrote. “Also, we very much appreciate the students’ cooperation and continued compliance with social distancing guidelines. Again, the safety and health of our students, staff and faculty continue to be a very high priority for our campus.”

Sean McManus, BUMP chair and a junior majoring in Japanese studies, wrote in an email that the virtual show will represent many firsts for BUMP.

“Obviously [COVID-19] has made in-person live concerts not possible, and for BUMP’s first online show I wanted to bring acts from genres that we haven’t seen much of in BUMP’s history,” McManus wrote. “The intense experimental genre-bending Fire-Toolz is an act unlike anything else that we’ve had and we have not had an electronic act like Baths since Yaeji performed in the [University] Undergrounds some time ago.”

Baths is the stage name for Will Wiesenfeld, an American electronic musician from Los Angeles who has been making music since 2007. Since then, he has released three albums with the independent record label Anticon. Bath’s debut album, “Cerulean,” which he recorded within two months in his bedroom, was included in Pitchfork’s 2010 “Album of the Year: Honorable Mention” list and his second album, “Obsidian,” peaked at no. 16 on Billboard’s top dance/electronic albums chart in June 2013. He has also released music in side projects under the name Geotic and has named his albums after different minerals. Baths’ latest compilation, “Pop Music/False B-Sides II,” was released in May 2020 as a sequel to a 2011 compilation and consists of unreleased tracks from as far back as 2013.

Angel Marcloid, an experimental musician from Chicago who goes by the stage name Fire-Toolz, has released three albums and multiple compilations through Bandcamp since 2015, with her latest being “Rainbow Bridge” in May 2020. Pitchfork praised “Rainbow Bridge” for its stylistic changes from Fire-Toolz’s past work, saying it had “a strange balance, but it’s true to the spirit of the Fire-Toolz project as a whole, which is full of pieces that feel like they’re being torn apart as Marcloid’s impulses go galloping off in different directions.”

According to Max Allison, who co-runs Angel Hair Audio with Marcloid, described the music she releases as Fire-Toolz by saying it “serves as a home for the most dense and combinatory experiments, all of which approach the domain of collage-like electronic production.”

The BUMP show will be a free event, but students must RSVP for the event through a Google form to access it. The concert will start at 8 p.m. on Feb. 19 on YouTube Live. McManus wrote that he hopes the show will help students de-stress this semester.

“I’m a huge fan of both of these acts so I’m very excited to bring both of them to the student population,” McManus wrote in an email. “My hope is that with thoughts and fears of [COVID-19] all around people will be able to stay safe indoors but still have a great time listening to some music!”

Restaurant Week will be held from Nov. 3 to Nov. 12. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will mostly operate through takeout meals, with a few restaurants offering dine-in options. All meals run from $10 to $30, including appetizers, main courses and desserts. Click here [hyperlink – https://eatbing.com/restaurant-week-menus/ ] to look at the menus for all participating restaurants.

205 Dry (205 State St.) — $25 dinner

Alexander’s Cafe (34 Chenango St.) — $12 lunch

Garage Taco Bar (211 Washington St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

Burger Monday’s (23 Henry St.) — $25 dinner (one $30 dinner option available)

Craft (135 Washington St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

Dos Rios Cantina (60 Court St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

House of Reardon (25 Grant St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

Little Venice (111 Chenango St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

Lost Dog Cafe (222 Water St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

Lupo’s S&S CharPit (6 W. State St.) — $10 lunch

Michelangelo’s (465 Court St.) — $20 dinner

Remlik’s Grille & Oyster Bar (21 Lewis St.) — $30 dinner

Sake-Tumi (71 Court St.) — $10 lunch and $20 dinner

Taj Tandoor Restaurant (59 Main St.) — $20 dinner

Thai Time (96 Front St.) — $12 lunch and $25 dinner

The Colonial (56-58 Court St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

Social on State (201 State St.) — $25 dinner

The Stone Fox (15 Hawley St.) — $12 lunch and $20 dinner

South City Publick House (1200 Vestal Ave.) — $25 dinner