When in Reality

By Austin Zinnel

            Anxiety, depression, getting turned down by that cute girl in your geometry class, everyone has moments in their lives where they want to escape from reality.  For a couple of popular people that is their everyday life.  Either by living their everyday life or by sharing it on a talent show, these people have lost all privacy in an attempt to become recognized by many.  Why is it that these people who were nothing are now being seen as national idols?  Well, it all started with a normal family.  According to Tim Gray, a writer at Variety.com, reality television has been around since 1971 with documentary An American Family.  The American Family was a documentary about the Loud family, a middle-class family growing up together.  But, instead of recording and posting the good times the family went through the show focused on the drama of the family and thus reality television was born. 

Esports: Are they Relevant to the Real World?

By Stevie Wallace

UNI Panther esports Logo

When we think about sports, our minds automatically think of a game like Football or Basketball. But taking the world by storm is the world of Esports. Short for “Electronic Sports” (As stated in the article by BBC), esports is where players play video games in a competitive state, usually in teams. Games like Overwatch, League of Legends, Dota 2, and even Rocket League or Super Smash Bros. are some examples of large esports that are played competitively.

Outlawing Emotional Abuse

By Anna Flanders

In Georgia, it’s illegal to eat fried chicken with utensils. In Arizona, people are forbidden from spitting, according to Reader’s Digest. Yet, emotional abuse (also known as psychological or mental abuse) remains a problem that few United States laws address. Thirty-three states mention emotional abuse in their laws in some capacity, according to The Chronicle of Social Change. But these definitions vary widely, and most of these states require for there to be threats of physical violence in order for the act to be considered a crime.

           

Paper or Plastic: The Last Straw

By Natalia Estrada

Routine is ingrained in all people’s lives, one way or another. With routine comes the basics, the main one being eating and drinking. It is always a question, whether at home or at a restaurant: Would you like a straw? A simple question, with varied outcomes for the earth’s environment. In these last couple of years, the controversy of plastic straws has grown immensely.

A movement has started where lots of people are against using straws, do not use them anymore, and advocate to ban them. People are opting for more eco-friendly options, such as glass or metal straws that can be reused. But there are folks who need straws, since they cannot drink straight out of a cup or bottle. This can be due to many reasons. Looking at this whole process, plastic straws have been largely focused on in the media as a controversial subject.

    Pollution in oceans gets a large contribution from plastic straws. According to the organizations 1 Million Women and GetGreenNow, there is a particular form of plastic called type 5 plastic (polypropylene) that can only be used once and is thrown into landfills. This single-use plastic is not biodegradable. It takes two hundred years to break down, but will never be fully off of the earth. Most straws happen to be made from polypropylene/type 5 plastic. When plastic is broken down, it releases toxic chemicals into the air that reaches wildlife and the environment. At least five hundred million straws are thrown away each day in the United States.

    The environmental impact contributed from plastic straws does not only affect humans, but plants and animals too. A large amount of straws get thrown into the ocean due to littering. After plastic is in the ocean, it breaks down into various small pieces referred to as “microplastics”. Marine life such as fish, turtles, dolphins, and even birds are at a high risk of consuming plastic. They eat it because they think it is food. According to the activist organization For A Strawless Ocean, it has been estimated that by 2050, 99% of all seabird species will have ingested plastic. Over one million birds die annually from choking on plastic. Straws are in the list of top ten items found when beaches are being cleaned up.

    An example of the toll straws take on animals can be seen in a viral YouTube video of a sea turtle on the coast of Costa Rica. Biologists found a straw lodged in the nose of an Olive ridley sea turtle. They had come to the conclusion that the sea turtle had swallowed the straw, and the straw got stuck in the turtle’s nose when it was trying cough the straw out.The turtle was bleeding and it was a painful process to remove the plastic. Brenda Vega, a junior Business major at UNI, has strong opinions on this subject. “Plastic is not good for the environment in general. I have heard a lot about sea animals having died because of plastic. It hurts my heart that these animals are suffering because of a problem that doesn’t have to exist.” The question now is, how can this be solved?

    There are a lot of plastic straw bans happening in restaurants, stores, etc. around the country. On July 9th, 2018, as noted on their website, Starbucks“announced it will eliminate single-use plastic straws from its more than 28,000 company operated and licensed stores by making a strawless lid or alternative-material straw options available, around the world”. This claim is supposed to reduce usage of one billion straws per year. Starbucks will change to the strawless lid for all of their beverages. This goal is set to be in place by 2020.

    There are also states that are proposing plastic straw bans. In September 2018, California’s governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill No. 1884, which is as follows: at restaurants that are sit-down and order, the restaurant staff cannot provide straws unless they are asked for one by the customer. This law is serious - a full service restaurant will get two warnings. After that, they will be fined twenty five dollars per day.

    The City of Seattle, Washington officially set forth a plastic straw ban on July 1st, 2018. “The City of Seattle requires all food service businesses to find recyclable or compostable packaging and serviceware alternatives to all disposable food service items such as containers, cups, straws, and utensils” (Seattle Public Utilities). If someone needs a straw, they will receive a compostable paper straw. The food service businesses include cafeterias, coffee shops, food trucks/stands, grocery stores, and restaurants. This is not the first time the city of Seattle has passed sustainable legislation. According to the Seattle Times Newspaper, In 2008, an ordinance was passed requiring all one-time-use food service items, such as take-out containers/trays, be recyclable or compostable. Styrofoam packaging was banned in 2009. Just like California, there are fees if businesses do not comply. Seattle Public Utilities charges a fee of $250.

    22 year old Heriberto Juarez Duran, an exchange student from Mexico, lays the matter out in simple terms: “I don’t get why plastic straws are even used and up for debate. If we can all drink from a cup, then there is no need for anything else.” While Duran’s opinion is commonthought, it does not account for people with health conditions or disabilities who need to use straws. Sometimes, specifically plastic straws.

    Biodegradable options like paper straws can easily tear apart, which is problematic for people who have limited jaw control. Alice Wong, who uses a wheelchair and a ventilator to breathe, must accommodate the way she eats food and drinks. In an article she posted on the Eater website titled ‘The Last Straw’, Wong describes how movement in her arms and hands is limited. Straws help her navigate her drinks better, where she is less likely to tip it over. “Plastic is seen as cheap, “anti-luxury”, wasteful, and harmful to the environment. All true. Plastic is also an essential part of my health and wellness. With my neuromuscular disability, plastic straws are necessary tools for my hydration and nutrition”, says Wong. She has faced discrimination when asking for plastic straws at restaurants. Wong has been told to bring reusable straws with her, but she bounced back. “Why would a disabled customer have to bring something in order to drink while non-disabled people have the convenience and ability to use what is provided for free?” Duran’s thoughts have been answered by Wong’s story, and so many others like her.

    CNN covered a story on 25 year old Daniel Gilbert, who was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This is a genetic disorder that causes progressive deterioration of the body’s muscles. His muscles have weakened to the point of struggling to pick up cups. Paper straws can dissolve or be bitten through. Metal straws can get too hot or too cold. Glass straws can be broken for people with facial tics. Reusable straws can be difficult to sterilize and maintain. Compostable straws can dissolve in hot liquids, therefore are a choking hazard.Problems may arise with allergy concerns of plant plastics in more eco-friendly options.

As S.E. Smith stated on a Vox article in July 2018, “We can save the environment and still be inclusive toward the disabled community. Straws make up a tiny fraction of what’s in the ocean. Images of wildlife impaled on straws and filling their stomachs with plastic are disturbing, but the real problem is microplastics, which results from the breakdown of plastics in industrial waste and accumulates across the marine food chain”. She also talks about how plastic water bottles are a huge component of the plastic problem, but is not getting as much attention as it should.

Overall, the debate on plastic straws is not a new issue. Straws are just a dent in the harmfulness of plastic. While all of these initiatives to help animals and the earth is important, it is also necessary to examine how this process affects ALL people. We should listen to everyone’s voice and continue finding ways to improve.   

Picture Sources:
NBC New York

thelastplasticstraw.org

ecowatch.com

Shout it From Your Instagram Account

By: Meg Swanson

The digital age has invaded the way people meet, communicate with those closest to them and the way they lead their day to day lives. One of the biggest areas social media has had an impact on in the last ten years is the world of dating and people’s love life!  There is much debate on the use of networking platforms and if they have managed to aid or hinder the ability to create and maintain healthy, loving relationships. Social media in its essence is all about creating and maintaining relationships; which can be hard to do with an uncertain, unforeseeable future.  

Communicating in today’s society is more often than not taking place screen-to-screen rather than face-to-face.  With apps like Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr it makes it easy for single parties to explore their options and meet new, interesting people in their area without the added stress of an awkward, in-person first interaction. This can make it much easier for these people to find romantic connections.  

Benefits of Music Therapy

By Mariah Staebell

Music therapy is an option being used all over the world in settings from the NICU to nursing homes. According to the Certification Board for Music Therapists, "Music therapy is the specialized use of music by a credentialed professional who develops individualized treatment and supportive interventions for people of all ages and ability levels to address their social, communication, emotional, physical, cognitive, sensory, and spiritual needs." Not only is this therapy proven to be effective, it is also recognized as such by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence. This is a program that can be utilized for newborns, those with mental and physical disabilities, as well as depression, dementia, and children in the hospital.

When it comes to children, music therapy assists in calming them in a hospital setting, reducing pain, and providing stimulation (Children's Health). Music therapy can even have health benefits for children so young they cannot even understand language or even understand what music is. Jayne M. Standley, PhD, differentiated intentional sound and ambient noise in her meta-analysis of music therapy benefits on premature infants. She cites a study by Caine in 1991 where some infants were exposed to controlled noise, music, and ambient noise, while another group of infants were only exposed to ambient noise. The control group, the one listening to music, recorded all positives in comparison to the control group: weight gain, increased formula intake, and reduced hospital stays.

Greek Life: The Good Life?

By Dani Anderson

Approximately two million college students each year enter an organization that is familiar to most people, Greek Life. If millions of people are interested in joining this life and claiming their Greek letters, why has it become something that many colleges want to shut down?

There are several reasons that people across the country are in an uproar over Greek life as a whole. Looking at the news you’ll see illegal activity, hazing, it’s financially draining, the list goes on. Yet somehow, it still draws millions of individuals to join each year, and there are millions of alumni still proudly representing their Greek letters.

Depending on the sorority or fraternity an individual joins and that chapter, fees can range from a couple hundred dollars to more than $3,000. With such a costly expense, there must be something about these organizations that students see worth investing in. U.S. News covers the various costs that may occur within various chapters across the United States such as meals, living, fees, etc. Some of the sororities and fraternities include meals in their finances, some do not. It all depends on that chapters by-laws that depicts what members have to invest their money in.

Although the finances can be a burden, there are budget plans so that opens the door for individuals from all financial backgrounds. This can help set those members up for success, and start off on the right foot when going into the real world.

With a quick glance at Fortune’s 500 executives, 80 percent of them are involved in Greek life. Along with this, 76 percent of U.S. senators and congressman, 85 percent of Supreme Court justices, and since 1825, all but two presidents were a part of a fraternity.

 Many successful individuals have found colleagues and jobs through their Greek letters they are so proud to wear, but why has Greek life become so frowned upon in recent years?

According to Stop Hazing, 73 percent of Greek life students (sorority or fraternity) have experienced hazing at least once during their time as an active member. The majority of hazing takes place around one of the most popular abused substance in the United States today: alcohol. Although this seems to be a rising issue, many students acknowledge the fact that it is a problem, and work around it.

“We have many procedures and policies set in place requiring chapters to be up to date in training over hazing policies,” said 21-year old and current University of Northern Iowa Panhellenic Vice President of Administration Allie Noggle, “UNI has a zero tolerance hazing rule and we follow that very strictly by monitoring chapters and implementing sanctions when rules are broken.”

The Panhellenic Council is something most Greek life across the United States has. They are in charge of both sororities and fraternities, and ensure that all chapters are following Panhellenic rules. They are aware of possible issues, and ensure that there are procedures in place for any incident that may occur.

Like many things, when something negative occurs in life there has to be a source where it stemmed from. Many times when members of Greek life participate in illegal behavior, or something that is shown in a negative light, it gets tied back to their fraternity or sorority chapter, even if they were not attending an associated event to their chapter.

 “Unfortunately, Greek life gets shown in a negative light on social media due to situations where hazing has occurred,” said 20-year old Megan Steim, “[but] those situations don’t speak for all chapters. As Greek life continues to grow in the future we hope to get rid of these stereotypes and not be seen as people who haze, but people who make an impact on the lives of our members and community.”

The ultimate goal of Greek life right now is to show a positive image to the public and the news media. That includes what they strive to be, that positive, uplifting place where many people can call home. Sometimes that’s hard to do when many people focus on the bad.

“We try and highlight more about what Greek life is all about! People have that preconceived idea of what Greek life is,” said Allie Noggle, “from conversation, photos and videos, you can tell Greek life isn’t about drinking and hazing, especially on UNI’s [University of Northern Iowa] campus!”

According to USA Today, Greek life prepares you for life in several ways beyond the drinking games you play with friends. You gain brothers and sisters, colleagues, opportunities, leadership skills, and the list goes on.

“Within Greek life there’s always options to have fun connecting with fellow sisters or others in Greek life,” said Gamma Phi Beta social media chair Kaylene Konigsmark, “there’s mixers where we can paint, watch movies, go bowling, etc.! We also have sisterhood events where we go to the pumpkin patch, paint ornaments, volunteer within the community, and more!”

As mentioned Greek life gives plenty of opportunities to succeed in life whether that’s as a member in a sorority or fraternity. The chapters on University of Northern Iowa’s campus try to find alternatives so that members don’t feel forced to drink.

“Greek life provides many opportunities for development of men in the chapter. From volunteering in the community for over 40 hours a semester each, to going bowling and playing laser tag,” said  UNI PIKE chapter President Brynjar Johnston, “We also go to leadership conferences together and participate in many sporting events. This allows members many different opportunities to grow and become closer to your brothers.”

If Greek members are convinced that they’re changing the system for the better, then why do they get such a bad reputation across the United States? History shows that since the beginning, fraternities and sororities have been considered un-American, and like the plague. According to Time Magazine, they [fraternities and sororities] were originally created so that rich people could isolate themselves from the middle class. Today, Greek life is commonly known as a way to pay for friendship.

“Many people try and say that Greek life is a way to buy friends,” said 22-year old Bailey Aden, “but you can’t buy true friendship.”

The question of whether Greek life should remain on campus is one that has been going on for years. There are both positives and negatives to these organizations that could be argued to the end of time. After several deaths that have taken place, many chapters have been put on reform. It is a period in which the fraternity or sorority must re-evaluate their purpose and what they ultimately want to become.

There is growing list of universities that have given Greek life chapters suspensions recently on USA Today. Some of these universities include Penn State University, Louisiana State University, Florida State University, Texas State University, Ohio State, Indiana University-Bloomington, and the University of Idaho. All these universities have various chapters that are suspended, but a common reason is because if a death or injury by alcohol.

With a series of deaths across the nation in different chapters, U.S. News says colleges as a whole need to evaluate whether Greek life is worth saving. With a deep financial and emotional investment for Greek life members, it is surely going to start an uproar for current chapter members. The question universities need to ask themselves is if it’s truly worth taking away Greek life.

For many current members it goes beyond the Greek letters, it goes into the roots of the relationships that they build. Many Greek life members lean on their brothers and sisters for more than just someone who wears the same Greek letters.

“Without my chapter, I wouldn’t have met so many influential, strong women that guide me to be a better version of me, each and every day,” said Kaylene Konigsmark.

Along with building those relationships, it has built professionalism in many people as well. Teaching young individuals how to be responsible, and dependable for more than just themselves.

 “As a Construction Management major, I know fellow Greeks that have parents who run construction companies, and also older students who have had internships that could give me a recommendation at those respective companies,” said 21-year old Drake Harrington, “Greek life has also taught me how to talk with older professionals that are alumni in the fraternity, and network.”

In the end, there are many things to be taken into consideration about Greek life for both Greek members, and universities as a whole. Depending on the university, greatly depends on the influences and actions that Greek life chooses.

Positives about Greek life are the opportunities to grow in leadership skills with executive positions within that member’s chapters. There’s also building a network, and being held accountable to receive good grades. Many chapters have minimum GPA requirements, which are expected to be met, and if not met could potentially lead to an academic probation for that member who falls below.

The negatives in Greek life are obvious. In news reports, people see the alcohol and drug related issues, the financial demand, the extra time demand, and hazing. All of these occasionally happen, no matter the college or chapter.

Colleges will look at these pros and cons and decide whether Greek life is best represented at their school, and the benefits to the current members. As for now it is a place for individuals to meet their brothers and sisters, socialize, and to many it is a way to easily get out of their comfort zone whether that’s having to pay for that organization or not.

Greek life has been around for many years, and for now it will stay. With some suspensions, and many problems, there will still be people walking around campus proudly wearing their Greek letters.