The Crimson White: Horizons, Summer 2021

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2021 

VOLUME CXXVIII | ISSUE I 

UA reinstates mask mandate beginning Aug. 6 

This story was updated on Aug. 9 in 

the digital version of Horizons to reflect 

current UA COVID-19 guidelines. 

BY ISABEL HOPE 

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR 

The University of Alabama will mandate 

face coverings indoors on campus where 

social distancing is not possible beginning 

Aug. 6. This requirement applies to 

everyone, regardless of vaccination status. 

This requirement will be reviewed after 

the first two weeks of classes, which begin 

on Aug. 18. 

The policy was changed in response to 

an increase in COVID-19 cases and the 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

(CDC) guidelines that recommend face 

coverings indoors regardless of vaccination 

status. 

The University will require face masks 

to be worn in classrooms, meeting 

spaces, common gathering spaces and 

on-campus transportation. 

Masks will not be required in non- 

classroom indoor areas where social 

distancing can be maintained, when 

alone in offices and private workspaces, 

in residence hall rooms, while eating or 

drinking and while exercising. 

Faculty are not required to wear a mask 

if they are distanced from students and 

behind plexiglass. 

Dr. Richard Friend, dean of the College of 

Community Health Sciences, encouraged 

vaccinations in a statement announcing the 

mask policy. 

“Vaccinations are the key to a successful 

fall semester and the key to moving beyond 

these types of requirements,” the statement 

said. “Everyone is strongly encouraged to 

be vaccinated. Data continue to show the 

vaccines provide very strong protection 

against serious illness and hospitalization.” 

Students can schedule an appointment 

at the Student Health Center to get a 

COVID-19 vaccine. The SHC is hosting 

additional vaccine clinics on Aug. 14 and 

21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for all students, 

faculty and staff. Students who selfreport 

vaccinations will receive $20 in 

Bama Cash. 

“Our vaccine numbers among faculty 

and staff are strong – the percentage 

vaccinated more than doubles the statewide 

number. We are still learning about students 

who were vaccinated over the summer, and 

will be offering expanded opportunities 

for vaccination as classes approach. Again, 

vaccination is key,” Friend said. 

‘AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION’ 

Students and faculty react to campus return plan 

BY ISABEL HOPE 

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR 

The University of Alabama announced 

a return to pre-pandemic operations 

for the fall semester on July 20, but 

some students and faculty members are 

hesitant to call the new health and safety 

guidelines a “plan.” 

Social distancing, classroom capacities, 

reentry testing, sentinel testing and masks 

— except in clinical settings — are no 

longer required. Faculty members will 

not offer remote learning options, and the 

University will not mandate vaccines. 

Keyara Baker, a sophomore majoring 

in psychology, said the new guidelines are 

not a real plan when “students are being 

allowed to do absolutely anything.” 

“I actually like the thought of going 

to college in a normal setting because 

I never got to experience it,” Baker said. 

“However, I don’t trust my peers enough 

to feel comfortable doing so.” 

Sean Atchison, a sophomore studying 

international relations, said the University 

has failed to address the Delta variant, a 

highly contagious strain of the virus. 

About 34% of people in Alabama have 

been fully vaccinated making it the least 

vaccinated state in the country. 

Unvaccinated people currently account 

for 99% of COVID-19 deaths. 

“I’m excited about coming back to 

school, and having no restrictions is truly 

a good goal,” Atchison said. “However, 

with the rise of the Delta variant and a lack 

of a vaccination mandate, it simply is not 

logical to come back with no restrictions.” 

Harden said he takes comfort in 

evidence that vaccines protect against the 

Delta variant but fears another spike for 

DCH Regional Medical Center, which 

was overwhelmed with COVID-19 

patients last year. 

Since the University can’t mandate 

vaccines, Dianne Bragg, associate 

professor in the department of journalism 

COVID- 19 Vaccination Record Card 

Please keep this record card, which includes medical information 

about the vaccines you have received. 

Por favor, guarde esta tarjeta de registro, que incluye informacion 

medica sobre las vacunas que ha recibido. 

and creative media, advocates for a 

mask mandate on campus and said she 

wants instructors to have control over 

masks in their classrooms. She said 

the inability to distinguish between 

vaccinated and unvaccinated students 

creates “an impossible situation for us in 

the classroom.” 

Sawyer Knight, a rising sophomore 

majoring in computer engineering, said 

he is excited to return to a campus with 

no restrictions. 

“I’m very ready to meet people at 

school events and have the normal college 

experience that I couldn’t have last year,” 

Knight said. I’m fully vaccinated, and 

now that everyone has the option to be 

vaccinated, I do not understand the need 

for regulations.” 

Fellow sophomore Atchison said 

his concern lies with the consequences 

that the lack of restrictions will have on 

the surrounding community. He said 

the University owes it to Tuscaloosa 

to take precautions that protect 

CW / Brylane Hay 

albert big s 

Last Name First Name MI 

january 1st 1980 

Date of birth 

Vaccine 

1st Dose 

COVID- 19 

2nd Dose 

COVID- 19 

Other 

Other 

Product Name/Manufacturer 

Lot Number 

PFIZER 

pfizer 

Date 

2/9/2021 

3/2/2021 

Healthcare Professional 

or Clinic Site 

DCH 

DCH 

CW / Pearl Langley 

their well-being. 

“A robust, on-campus educational 

experience is important,” UA System 

Chancellor Finis St. John said. 

“Prioritizing the health and safety of our 

campus communities is also essential. The 

best way to protect your community and 

sustain continued on-campus operations 

is to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.” 

Knight said the University should 

place more emphasis on vaccinations 

and provide more online options, but 

he said precautions aren’t necessary. 

Although he’s concerned about a spike in 

cases among unvaccinated individuals, 

he said students wouldn’t follow 

regulations anyway. 

Bragg said students aren’t to blame. 

“When you’re young, there’s just that 

kind of attitude of ‘It’s not going to happen 

to me. I’m going to be okay. If I got it, that’d 

be fine,’” she said. “I wish the students 

would take it more seriously, but when 

they look at adults and leadership not 

taking it seriously, what do we expect?”

2A 

HORIZONS 

August 4, 2021

HORIZONS 

August 4, 2021 

Tap in with CW! 

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SUBSCRIBE HERE: 

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EDITORIAL STAFF 

editor-in-chief Keely Brewer 

editor@cw.ua.edu 

managing editor Bhavana Ravala 

managingeditor@cw.ua.edu 

engagement editor Garrett Kennedy 

engagement@cw.ua.edu 

chief copy editor Jack Maurer 

opinions editor Ava Fisher 

letters@cw.ua.edu 

news editor Zach Johnson 

newsdesk@cw.ua.edu 

assistant news editor Isabel Hope 

culture editor Jeffrey Kelly 

culture@cw.ua.edu 

assistant culture editor Annabelle Blomeley 

assistant sports editor Robert Cortez 

sports@cw.ua.edu 

chief page editor Pearl Langley 

chief graphics editor Victoria Buckley 

photo editor Lexi Hall 

multimedia editor Alex Miller 

ADVERTISING STAFF 

creative services 

Alyssa Sons 

The Crimson Wh is the community newspaper of The 

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CONTENTS 

4A 

1B 

10 

7 

Coffee & 

Canvas 

Ferguson Student 

Center Ballroom 

5PM 

OPINIONS 

The Freshman Experience: Students 

reflect on first year at UA 

3A 

NEWS 

Get On Board Day7A 

CULTURE 

Building Basics: An introduction to 

campus buildings 

SPORTS 

Guide to Game Day6C 

AUGUST EVENTS 

Sushi Night 


Center Great Hall 

6PM 

14 

BINGO 

Night 



8PM 

11 

Movie Night 


Center Lawn 

8PM 

8 Sunset Yoga 9 

The Quad 

6PM 

12 

Tide Dye 

Fest 

UA Outdoor Pool 

Complex 

6PM 

Spa Night 


Center - 3rd Floor 

6PM 

19 28 

Laser Tag 



8PM 

13 

BWFF 

Filmmaker 

Workshop 

Reese Phifer 

8:45AM 

Life Size 

Game Night 


Center Lawn 

8PM 

LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS 

Big and scary beginnings can be beautiful. 

CW / Leah Goggins 

In the span of one week in March 

2020, our lives turned upside down 

when the increasingly evident danger 

of the COVID-19 pandemic sent 

us into a world of nose swabs and 

social distancing. 

Sixteen months later, The University 

of Alabama is prepared to put that 

world in the past. Vaccines have been 

available for months, Bryant-Denny 

Stadium is expected to be at full 

capacity, and many students are ready 

for things to go back to normal. 

After a year of interacting with the 

world through a computer screen, 

normal is a distant memory. For some, 

normal feels like an impossibility. 

Over 600,000 Americans dead from 

COVID-19 is not something we can 

just put behind us. 

The spread of contagious variants 

and the rise in hospitalizations are 

BY KEELY BREWER 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

BY BHAVANA RAVALA 

MANAGING EDITOR 

After weeks — maybe months, 

if you’re like me — of packing and 

anticipating, move-in day is here. 

Maybe it’s over by the time you 

discover the newstands planted 

outside your residence hall and 

you’ve already settled into your 

new home. 

Hopefully the stress of movein 

has dissipated by the time 

you’re reading this and 

you’ve started to explore the 

sprawling campus around 

you. And if you haven’t, what’s 

stopping you? 

I’ll tell you what stopped me. 

Campus is big, and also kind of 

scary. At least, that’s how it felt during 

beginning to feel like a repeat of 

last March, especially as Alabama’s 

vaccination rate lingers below 40%. 

This isn’t what any of us want to 

hear. This isn’t what any of us want to 

deal with right now. We want the time 

before the pandemic back, the freedom 

to meet our professors face-to-face and 

visit our friends’ dorms and walk down 

the Strip with a group of friends on a 

Friday night. 

While we may get those freedoms 

back this year, the truth is none of 

it will feel the same. There are deep 

wounds in our communities thanks to 

the pandemic. This year of isolation 

has been damaging for our mental and 

emotional health, not just our bodies. 

There is no magical switch, not even 

the vaccine, that will put everything 

back to normal. We may spend the rest 

of our lives wondering what our college 

my first months on campus. I didn’t 

think I fit the mold of a UA student. I 

never planned to join a sorority and I 

couldn’t name anyone on the football 

roster other than Tua. From my 

uninformed freshman perspective, 

that was The University of Alabama: 

Greek life, football and parties. 

And it is, to some extent. All those 

stereotypical features of this campus 

are there, and they influence our 

school in important ways. If you came 

to Tuscaloosa for those things, then 

embrace them. 

But if you were motivated to enroll 

here by something else — generous 

scholarships, proximity to home, 

family tradition — and you’re still 

skeptical about your compatibility 

with this campus, I encourage you to 

keep trying. 

I spent months trying to find my 

slice of campus and failing miserably, 

We’ll never go back to normal, but we 

can go forward. 

years would’ve, could’ve, should’ve 

been like without the pandemic, but 

that would be nothing more than 

wishful thinking. What we can do now 

is go forward. 

Over the past year, we’ve developed 

an entirely new way of 

participating in society that is 

more accessible for everyone. 

We have seen the importance 

of extending empathy to each 

other in school, work and 

everyday life. We have learned 

to be more gracious to our most 

vulnerable groups and to advocate 

for ourselves during times of crisis. 

Like it or not, we all have a vested 

interest in caring for each other to 

get through tough times. That is not a 

lesson we can simply forget. 

So when you step foot on campus for 

the first time, make sure you remember 

this. Things may not be the same as 

before, but we have the ability to make 

them better. You can make them better. 

When you become part of the 

community, you’ll inevitably notice 

so I stopped. For me, giving up 

looked like retreating to my dorm to 

avoid FOMO on weekends. It looked 

like making weekend trips away 

from Tuscaloosa to reconnect with 

old friends instead of trying to find 

new ones. 

If I have one piece of advice for 

you, it’s this: do not be discouraged. 

You’ll likely face rejection and fear 

and uncertainty this year, and when 

you do, you must keep going. 

This campus and this city are full of 

surprises, but you won’t find them if 

you don’t look. That’s the perk of a big, 

“scary” campus: if you look around, 

you’re bound to find someone or 

something you didn’t know was there. 

Better yet, you’ll open yourself to 

experiences you intentionally ignored 

and realize you were looking in the 

wrong place. 


something 

you don’t like, 

whether it’s the COVID 

protocols or the financial decisions 

or something else. How do you think 

professors should accommodate 

quarantining students this semester? 

How much should students be paying 

for “on-campus” housing when they 

ended up being moved to the Lofts? 

What are your thoughts on the 

University switching to Outlook? Find 

the people who are upset about the 

same things you are. Try to make things 

better, together.

4A 

BY AVA FISHER 

OPINIONS EDITOR 

Adults asked you what you planned 

to study when you had just finished 

the first grade. Your parents may have 

started saving for college the day you 

were born. You have sacrificed sleepless 

nights of studying, immersed yourself in 

extracurriculars and gone on tours across 

the country just for this one moment. 

The college experience is some 

unimaginable goal that we work toward 

for the first 13 years of our education. In 

senior year, very few conversations could 

go without mention of what college you 

might be attending. 

There is no shortage of opinions on 

what the experience should mean to you, 

or any other student. For many decades it 

has been seen as not just the cornerstone 

of your future career but also one of the 

most memorable times of your life. 

Why, exactly, does the experience of 

college have such a standing in our cultural 

dialogue? It is an endeavor of academic 

achievement and of commitment to 

working hard. 

But it is also four years of loneliness, of 

broken relationships and nights where the 

future seems like some distant concept. It 

is four years of self-doubt and the belief 

that everyone around you is more capable 

than you are. You begin to look around at 

the accomplishments of your peers and 

question what innate factor they have in 

them that you are missing. 

This kind of atmosphere lends itself to 

growth and self-understanding that occur 

way beyond any academic setting. When 

we enter college, we undergo many changes 

at once. We move out of the homes that we 

have likely lived in for years. We may move 

across states or countries, knowing no one, 

in the pursuit of education. 

While college is something that we look 

forward to for more than a decade of our 

lives, it is also something that we may have 

spent little time preparing for. We prepared 

for applications and we were successful in 

doing so, but we may not be prepared for 

how we feel in our dorm on the third week 

of class when life itself still seems so new 

and unattainable. 

HORIZONS 


LETTER FROM OPINIONS EDITOR 

Growth in College 

These lonely experiences and the 

struggles that we go through in college 

are just as important as any academic 

achievement or any moment of happiness 

that campus life might bring you. For it is 

in these moments that we begin to learn 

who we are. We begin to see our own 

resilience. We find ourselves years later in 

the exact place where we had longed to be 

for all of our lives. We look around, 

and somehow everything 

is okay. 

It would be unwise 

to say that any high 

schooler has not 

gone through 

their fair share of 

struggles. The 

atmosphere of 

high school 

itself can be 

draining for 

many students. 

However, 

college, and the 

experience of 

adulthood that 

comes with it, 

prompts new struggles that we may 

feel unequipped to deal with. 

During the second semester of my 

freshman year, I decided to be ambitious. 

Every time I saw an opportunity that even 

remotely interested me, I applied to it. I told 

myself that whatever result my application 

got, I would be okay. I had confidence in 

myself that regardless of what happened I 

would still move forward. 

In the weeks to come, I received 

rejection letter after rejection letter. After 

the first, I just assumed that opportunity 

was not meant for me. After the second, 

I kept that same mindset and continued 

to pursue other things. After the sixth 

rejection letter, my confidence began to 

waver. In the span of six weeks, I received 

six rejections and knew of nothing else 

to pursue. 

After receiving this sixth rejection 

letter, I excused myself from hanging out 

with friends and walked to my car. I held it 

together as I drove back to Ridgecrest and 

the second that I parked, I began to cry. 

I cried as I thought about how I missed 

my friends from high school. I cried as 


I realized that some of them I had not 

spoken to for months. I cried for my mom, 

who had been busy at work recently and 

whom I hadn’t had a conversation with in 

a while. I cried for my future self, thinking 

that I had already set her up for failure, 

since it was clear to me that I wasn’t good 

at anything. 

Just two weeks later, every freshman 

was sent from campus to spend the 

rest of the semester at home. It 

appeared to me that the world 

falling apart mirrored my 

old world falling apart. 

Everything felt 

stacked against me, 

and it was hard to 

feel like I had worth 

and value. 

With the 

hindsight of 

more than 

a year and 

a half, I am more 

grateful for this 

time in my life than 

any other time of college. This 

time was a breaking point. 

And I began to realize that it 

was up to me to decide what to 

do with the broken pieces. 

I have received many more 

rejections since this point, although now 

I welcome them. Without this time of 

struggle, I would have never known the 

innate resilience that I have within me. 

I have successfully navigated my first 

fights with close friends in college, and 

come out on the other side with a better 

understanding of each other and a closer 

friendship because of it. I have received a 

parking ticket in the same week that my 

wallet was stolen. I have immersed myself 

into new opportunities and new spheres 

of involvement that are actually much 

better suited to me than those I originally 

applied for. 

I began to realize that whenever I am 

rejected from something it means that 

I am not the right person for it. Perhaps 

other people were more prepared than 

I was; perhaps their interests were more 

aligned with the organization’s mission. 

Regardless of the reason, I now know that 

a rejection is not a signal of my lack of 

worth. It’s an opportunity for me to learn 

a little bit more about myself. 

It is the struggles, more than the 

successes, that shape who we are in college 

and into adulthood. They enable us to be 

more empathetic and to extend kindness 

to other people. While the atmosphere of 

academia can sometimes be perceived as 

having an air of pretentiousness, or elitism, 

it is in kindness to each other that we find 

our strength beyond an academic course. 

When we insert kindness and unity into 

academia, we are better enabled to tackle 

learning in a more interesting way. 

When we gain an understanding of 

ourselves and the way we operate in this 

world, we are not just students. We are 

people that take the education we receive 

and use it to better the lives of those 

around us. We become leaders, and fully 

realized individuals with unique sets of 

knowledge, experience and character that 

we may use in conjunction with others to 

change the world. 

Kurt Vonnegut once said that it is our 

prerogative to make societies in which 

the epidemic of loneliness is solved. There 

is certainly an epidemic of loneliness on 

college campuses. No one is unique in 

this feeling. While it may feel like we are 

the only ones who don’t have it together, 

it’s actually one of the only unifying factors 

throughout the human experience to feel 

loneliness and to fail. 

There is beauty in such a universal 

experience. There is the opportunity to 

become our best selves so that we may 

better others as well. 

Another one of my favorite philosophers 

is Taylor Swift. Like she one said, I haven’t 

met the new me yet. I know that I have 

not met the new me yet, and I hope that I 

never do. I hope the spirit of resilience and 

community and kindness and intellectual 

humility that I have learned in college will 

extend way beyond my four years here. 

I intend to take these lessons with me 

throughout the rest of my lifetime and use 

them so that my self growth never ends. 

So go out into the world of these four 

years. Be lonely. Fail. Scream. Love. In 

doing so, you may one day meet the “new 

you,” and thanks to the growth atmosphere 

of college, they will be someone worth 

waiting for. 

The Freshman Experience: 

STUDENTS REFLECT ON FIRST YEAR AT UA 

BY AVA FISHER 

OPINIONS EDITOR 

Courtesy of Virginia Saft 

Q: What advice would you want to hear 

if it were the first day of your freshman 

year? 

A: “The things I’m doing in college 

now are not the same things that I thought 

I would be involved in at the beginning of 

freshman year. The opportunities you end 

up in may not be the ones you thought you 

would be in, and that’s okay! It’s actually 

great that college allows you to experience 

new things and learn about what you like. 

Be open to new experiences, and you will 

be better off for it.” 

Courtesy of Ian Brown 

SENIOR Virginia Truman Saft 

Major: English 

Minors: Blount Scholars Program and 

Creative Writing 

Q: What is your favorite freshman 

memory? 

A: “Living in the Blount dorms! It 

gave us a small-school experience in a 

large school. There was a lot of trust there. 

People could just show up at each other’s 

dorms in PJs, and no one cared. That kind 

of community made it so that we could do 

whatever we wanted.” 

Q: Juniors ended up having to go home 

their freshman year and missed out on the 

last part of their experience. What lesson 

has this taught you? 

A: “Having to go home for the 

pandemic really taught me proactivity and 

resilience. Things just weren’t easy. If you 

wanted to do research or an internship, 

it wasn’t going to be handed to you. I had 

to put in extra effort into finding the right 

opportunities for me when at times I was 

states away or just on my computer. I am 

grateful for the experience because it has 

made me more dedicated.” 

SOPHOMORE Ian Brown 

Majors: Chemical Engineeing and 

Chemistry 

Minors: Randall Research Scholars 

Program 


memory? 

A: “My favorite freshman memory has 

to be the Natty win. Seeing the whole school 

rally behind the football team was an unreal 

experience. It definitely made me feel like I 

was a part of something bigger than myself 

and made me feel proud to be at Bama. 

While getting tickets to any football games 

Q: Seniors had a pretty normal 

freshman experience. Given your 

perspective of the pandemic now, what 

newfound value do you have of your 

freshman experience? What lesson has 

this taught you? 

A: “In my freshman year. I found a lot 

of spots that were ‘mine.’ I would go to 

Gorgas at the beginning of the day and just 

stay there until the late afternoon. A lot of 

people this last year didn’t have that, and it 

made those memories so special. You have 

to find places that are yours!” 

JUNIOR Mary Stahlman 

Majors: Microbiology and Economics 

Minors: Randall Research Scholars 

Program 


memory? 

A: “Football for sure. I remember 

standing on the ramps that lead to the 

stadium seating and just yelling and 

screaming with everyone. It was like 

we were comrades linked to the same 

cause. Nick Saban has such a great way of 

commanding his team, but also hyping us 

up in the crowd. " 

was through a somewhat infuriating lottery, 

even just being in my dorm on campus for 

the championship game and being a part of 

the celebration was a memory I won’t soon 

forget.” 

Q: Sophomores spent their whole 

freshman year in a state of lockdown. What 

has this freshman experience taught you? 

A: “I learned the importance of being 

flexible during the pandemic. With a whole 

wave of new information and regulations/ 

restrictions every week, I quickly realized 

that there was no way I was ever gonna be 

able to stick to a status quo. Accepting that 

things were going to change and change 

frequently made my life a whole lot easier. 

After last year, I feel ready for anything.” 

Q: What advice would you want 

to hear if it were the first day of your 

freshman year? 

A: “It sounds cliche, but talk to your 

professors. Form connections with 

them! Answer their questions in class, 

and engage with other students’ answers. 

Learning is so much more enjoyable when 

you actually engage. If you show them 

you care, they will help you. They really 

do want you to succeed and you have to 

show up for them to see that you want to 

succeed too.” 

Courtesy of Mary Stahlman 

Q: What advice would you want to hear 

if it were the first day of freshman year? 

A: “I would have loved to have known 

how important keeping a schedule/planner 

would be. With classes having only a few 

exams a semester, knowing when they all 

line up is critical. If I could just look and see 

I have four exams in one week, I could try 

my best to get a jump on studying, or at the 

very least, see my downfall coming before 

it hits me. Keeping up with club meetings 

and other long-term assignments is also 

made so much easier with some type of 

calendar, online or physical. It may sound a 

little extra, but it will definitely come to save 

you later.”

HORIZONS 


5A

6A 

Although college is often regarded 

as “the time of your life,” it can be 

overwhelming to narrow down all 

the things you want to do during the 

school year, especially while balancing 

homework and extracurriculars. 

Whether you’re a local or from 

states away, here are our top picks of 

fun things to do 

on campus and 

around town. 

TUSCALOOSA 

METRO ANIMAL SHELTER 

If you have a passion for furry 

friends, but can’t have a dog in your 

dorm, Metro Animal Shelter has the 

perfect program to help you get your 

puppy fix. Metro offers a “Happy 

Hour” program on Monday, Tuesday, 

Friday and Saturday that allows you to 

pick a dog from the shelter to spend 

the day with. All dogs must be turned 

into the shelter at 5 p.m. sharp. 

The shelter has many dogs to 

choose from for the Happy Hour 

program and also has a cat room you 

can visit. This allows students who 

are missing their animals back home 

to spend some time with some furry 

friends around Tuscaloosa. The Quad 

also serves as the perfect place to walk 

the dogs. 

THE PAUL W. BRYANT 

MUSEUM 

If you are looking to brush up on 

your Crimson Tide knowledge, 

spending the day learning 

about The University of 

Alabama’s best coach in 

football history is a great 

place to start. 

The Paul W. Bryant 

Museum is open Tuesday 

through Sunday and 

is free of charge for 

students. The museum is 

conveniently located on 

campus and comes with fun 

displays and information about how 

the University’s football team has 

changed the game. Go and explore 

the world of Alabama’s finest football 

memorabilia. 

The museums digital displays are 

state of the art tools for inspiring 

future Wall of Famer's. 

HORIZONS 


SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND SCENES 

Make room on your freshman bucket list 

BY THE CULTURE DESK 

HAUNTING WITH THE 

MUSEUMS 

Haunting With the Museums is a 

Halloween collaboration between the 

Alabama Museum of Natural History 

and the Gorgas House Museum held 

every year at the end of October. 

The Natural History Museum has 

arts and crafts dedicated to all things 

spooky, a tour guide walks through 

campus giving ghost tours, and the 

Gorgas Museum has a haunted house 

complete with scary characters, 

moaning ghosts and all the Halloween 

decorations your heart could desire. 

KENTUCK FESTIVAL OF 

THE ARTS 

If you love supporting local 

artists and businesses, impressive 

works of art, poetry readings, 

and concerts in the forest, then 

Kentuck Festival of the Arts is a 

must-visit. 

Hosted by Northport 

and Tuscaloosa’s largest 

art community, Kentuck 

Art Center, this two-day 

annual festival features 

more than 270 artists 

from around the country, many of 

whom are rooted in folk art and the 

Southern experience. 

Nestled among the trees of Kentuck 

Park only a few minutes from campus 

in Northport, this year’s festival is 

from Oct. 16 to Oct. 17, opening at 8 

a.m. each day. 

Complete with live music, food 

vendors and incredible works of art, 

Kentuck has something for everyone. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 

last year’s 50th anniversary festival 

was postponed to this year, and the 

Kentuck Art Center is working to 

make this festival the best yet. 

INDULGE IN SOME 

FROYO 

If you need something to 

satisfy your sweet tooth, 

look no further than TCBY 

Tuscaloosa or Yogurt 

Mountain, both of which 

are located on McFarland 

Boulevard East. These frozen 

yogurt shops are perfect 

for people who want a lot of 

variety. 

Lots of students love going 

to Yogurt Mountain so that they can 

pile their frozen dessert high with all 

kinds of fruits, baked goods, syrups 

and more. 

The plethora of toppings that 

Yogurt Mountain has is endless 

and inspiring. 

THE PAUL R. JONES 

MUSEUM 

If you want to support artists who 

are often underrepresented, then 

consider checking out exhibitions at 

the Paul R. Jones Museum. Located in 

Downtown Tuscaloosa, the museum 

often showcases work from Black 

artists and has several shows per year. 

Not only does the Paul R. Jones 

Museum showcase beautiful art, it 

also has a great staff that is ready to 

help. The Director Daniel White is 

friendly, welcoming and always happy 

to see visitors. Stop by and ask White 

any questions about the museum, its 

exhibitions, the local art scene and 

the UA art department. Entry is free. 

LAKE NICOL 

Not nearly enough 

students take 

advantage of the 

beautiful forest 

preserves and rock 

formations 

littered around 

Tuscaloosa, 

some as close as 

ten minutes away from 

campus! Adventure-seeking, 

outdoor-loving students should 

drop everything and head to Lake 

Nicol, the perfect getaway spot for 

every outdoor activity imaginable. 

The boat launch and fire pits 

and grills scattered around the lake 

offer plenty of daytime activities 

ideal for dog-lovers, families or 

college students. Those daring 

enough to hike up to the cliffs will 

be pleasantly surprised to find 

several flat, spacious outcroppings, 

perfect for catching a tan or simply 

enjoying the view of the woodlands 

beyond the water. Don’t even think 

of cliff diving, though. The fine for 

jumping is steep. 

SKYLAND ANTIQUE MALL 

While often overlooked for other 

shopping outlets, the Skyland Antique 

Mall has a unique and vast collection 

of items from many independent 

vendors. The building may seem 

small on the outside, but the inside 

has extensive ground and basement 

floors. Furniture, posters and 

knickknacks galore can be found for 

reasonable prices, and some booths 

frequently have sales. This location’s 

multitude of different sellers hosts 

both vintage and modern items, so 

there’s something to wow everyone. 

Skyland Antique Mall is open Monday 

through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 

5 p.m. 

Campus buildings get a new look 

Graphics CW / Victoria Buckley 

SNOW HINTON PARK 

If you suffer from acrophobia, 

Snow Hinton Park is not for you. With 

a terrifyingly tall slide only accessible 

by a rope course, one wrong step could 

mean a fall to the ground. However, 

for those daredevils out there, Snow 

Hinton Park is perfect. 

Many students go to the Snow 

Hinton Park slide during their 

freshman year and beyond. While you 

may be terrified to climb very high, 

you don’t want to leave Tuscaloosa 

without trying it once. 

BUFFALO PHIL’S 

PUB AND CAFE 

Buffalo Phil’s Pub and Cafe is a 

convenient restaurant that is a fan 

favorite in the city of Tuscaloosa. 

Its close proximity to campus and 

Bryant-Denny Stadium on the Strip 

makes it one of the best restaurants in 

the city. 

Buffalo Phil’s is known for its 

specialty wings and appetizers that 

are perfect for game day. Do wings not 

excite you? Don’t worry; their menu 

also includes sandwiches, salads and 

burgers for other versatile options. 

Don’t just take our word for it: ESPN 

named the restaurant one of the best 

places to visit in the city. 

STUDY AND 

SIP AT 

NEARBY 

COFFEE 

PLACES 

Nothing screams 

college more than 

spending time at a 

coffee shop. Whether 

you need your caffeine 

fix or need to cram for 

an upcoming exam, 

Tuscaloosa has an 

array of coffee shops 

to choose from. There’s UPerk, 

Monarch Espresso Bar, the Starbucks 

in the Ferg, Heritage House and Java 

City in Gorgas Library. 

TUSCALOOSA RIVER 

MARKET 

If you love to give back to your 

community by shopping local, there’s 

no better place to do so than at the 

Tuscaloosa River Market, hosted at the 

Tuscaloosa Riverwalk every Saturday 

from 7 a.m. to noon. Fresh vegetables, 

homemade baked goods, soap and 

even houseplants can be found lining 

the tables inside the River Market 

where you can go to escape from the 

stifling heat of Alabama summer, 

even at 7 a.m.! 

BY MONICA NAKASHIMA 

STAFF REPORTER 

Construction is underway for several 

campus buildings Here are some of the 

most important new locations students 

should look out for. 

Hewson Hall 

The Culverhouse College of Business 

is looking forward to its newest addition: 

Hewson Hall. Located next to the parking 

deck on Stadium Drive, the new business 

school complex will be within walking 

distance of Alston Hall and Bruno Library. 

According to Building Bama, Hewson 

Hall will provide classroom and office 

space to accommodate growth in both 

students and faculty. 

Plans for the building include 22 

classrooms, 31 team collaboration rooms, 

several conference rooms and other 

gathering spaces. The majority of the 

building will be dedicated to education 

and training activities. The remaining 

areas will be used for office and tech 

support space. 

Hewson is scheduled to be completed 

before the beginning of the fall semester 

on Aug. 18. 

Parker Haun Tennis Facility 

The University’s Adapted Athletics 

program is wrapping up construction 

on a new tennis court to house the UA 

wheelchair tennis team, which has won 

five national championships since 2012. 

The team currently uses a shared space 

in Stran-Hardin Arena for practices and 

equipment storage. 

The Parker Haun Tennis Facility is a 

5,400-square-foot space that will help the 

Student Recreation Center host tennis 

clinics for children interested in the 

sport and allow the University to host 

the Alabama Open, a wheelchair tennis 

tournament, and draw in larger crowds. 

The construction was made possible 

in part due to a donation made through 

Parker Towing Company and Charlie and 

Alice Haun, as well as 21 other financial 

donors. Construction is scheduled to 

conclude at the beginning of the fall 

semester. 

Second Avenue Overpass 

The University is adding an additional 

entryway to campus. The Second Avenue 

overpass will run parallel to Hackberry 

Lane and Dr. Edward Hillard Drive, 

connecting 15th Street to Paul W. Bryant 

Drive. 

The bridge is a two-lane street with 

sidewalks for pedestrians and bicycle 

lanes. The overpass will help drivers access 

DCH Regional Medical Center, make it 

easier for emergency responders to reach 

campus and will ease the influx of traffic 

during UA events. 

The overpass will also include a 

protected 10-foot path for pedestrians 

and bicyclists featuring a concrete barrier, 

barrier rails and crash cushions to protect 

anyone on the path from vehicular traffic. 

The University plans to use space 

underneath the overpass for parking to 

replace spots lost near Coleman Coliseum, 

Sewell-Thomas Stadium and the School of 

Law. 

Tim Leopard, junior associate VP for 

campus development, said the bridge is 

scheduled to open at 5 a.m. on Aug. 4. 

“I really think it will provide them [with] 

great and convenient access to campus 

and the areas on 15th Street,” Leopard 

said. “It will be a much more attractive 

approach to the University. I think people 

will be surprised by how great of a view [it 

provides] to campus.” 

New Tutwiler Residence 

Hall 

A newly constructed twist on an old 

residence hall will provide a unique 

living experience for first-year students at 

the Capstone. Located on the northeast 

CW / Davida Franklin 

corner of 10th Avenue and 12th Street, the 

new Tutwiler Hall will house over 1,200 

students by fall 2022. 

The new building will be a far cry 

from the old Tutwiler Hall, which housed 

fewer than 1,000 students and featured 

communal bathrooms. Constructed in 

1968, the residents frequently experienced 

poor heating and cooling systems, slow 

elevators and outdated technology. 

The residence hall will feature twoperson 

rooms with private bathrooms 

in each room, lounges and community/ 

traditional-style residence hall spaces. 

It will feature an on-site fitness center, 

a courtyard area and Julia’s Market, a 

convenience store located inside the dorm, 

will have more space. 

The first floor will include a 

16,600-square-foot storm shelter capable 

of accommodating roughly 1,400 people.

HORIZONS 


7A

8A 

HORIZONS 


GET ON BOARD DAY 

BY ZACH JOHNSON 

NEWS EDITOR 

Get On Board Day will return to its 

in-person format for the fall semester 

on Aug. 26. 

GOBD is a major UA tradition held 

twice annually at the University. In 

years past, hundreds of students have 

flocked to the Ferg for the event. 

GOBD allows student organizations 

— of which there are more than 600 

— to set up booths to show off their 

clubs to students. The event hasn’t 

been held in person since 2019. Last 

year, the COVID-19 pandemic made 

a large, crowded outdoor event like 

Get On Board Day impossible. 

“It’s an opportunity for students to 

sample all of their options at one time,” 

said Alethia Russell, a coordinator 

for the Division of Student Life. 

Isolation from last year’s COVID-19 

measures have changed how some 

organizations are approaching Get 

On Board Day. 

“For this year’s GOBD we will 

be focusing on the community 

aspect of Blackburn,” said Mary 

Eliza Beaumont, chairperson for the 

Blackburn Institute. “With so many 

students feeling lost and alone after 

the 2020 school year, we want them 

to know that Blackburn is an inclusive 

and engaging network that starts at 

UA but continues for life.” 

Active student organizations can 

register for a maximum of two tables 

at $20 each. Faculty organizations can 

reserve up to four tables for $25 each. 

Russell also noted the University’s 

Weeks of Welcome, a series of events 

held at the beginning of each semester 

to help new students reach out and 

get involved in the UA community. 

WHERE 

Ferguson Student Center 

Plaza and Promenade 

WHEN 

Thursday, August 26th 

5 P.M. - 9 P.M. 

It’s an opportunity for 

students to sample all 

of their options at 

one time. 

ALETHIA 

RUSSELL 

CW File

HORIZONS 


1B 

BUILDING BASICS 

An introduction to campus buildings 

BY JEFFREY KELLY 

CULTURE EDITOR 

FERGUSON STUDENT CENTER 

The Ferg is a hub for student interaction in part because of the 

numerous dining options it offers to hungry students after or 

in between classes. This semester, two of those locations have 

undergone renovations. While Panda Express, Wendy’s and 

Subway remain the same, the Ferg’s Chick-fil-A and Starbucks have 

dawned a new look to better accommodate those who have been 

thinking about their favorite mid-class meals all summer. With its 

copious amounts of spaces to study, plethora of food options and 

spacious floor plan, the Ferg is the perfect place to hang out with 

friends, study or work on group projects. 

AMELIA GAYLE GORGAS LIBRARY 

When you want to study or just take a break from staring at the 

same four walls, Gorgas Library is the perfect place to relax, 

study with friends or work alone. With different levels on each 

floor, students can find comfy places to cuddle up with a good 

book or find community with other students cramming for tests 

or projects. Gorgas also offers trainings for different audio/visual 

technology for those interested in learning something new in 

their free time. Check out Java City on the first floor. Gorgas 

Library can easily feel like a second home. 

B.B. COMER HALL 

B.B. Comer Hall is one of the many “mellow” yellow buildings 

on campus. With its drab interior, windowless classroom doors 

that lead to awkward class interruptions and a hard-to-navigate 

floor plan, it isn’t an ideal building for classes. Although its 

proximity to the Ferguson Student Center, Gorgas Library and 

Woods Quad makes it a great building to have on your class 

schedule. Students can find out about the many opportunities 

to study abroad inside. And here’s one more tip: it’s best to 

save yourself the trouble and always enter through the big glass 

doors labeled “Capstone International” on the first floor. 

HONORS HALL 

Renamed last year after the college it holds inside, Honors Hall 

sits on the side of the Quad accompanied by Gallalee and Lloyd 

Hall. Whether zooming past on your bike or rushing by on foot 

to class, Honors Hall is a sight to see. With several outdoor 

benches shaded by trees, it is one of the best places to relax, 

people-watch or sit and enjoy a lunch of Chick-Fil-A, Pizza Hut 

located conveniently next door in Lloyd Hall. Honors Hall is the 

perfect place to take a shaded outdoor break for those who 

don’t have a blanket for the Quad. 

ENGLISH BUILDING 

As its name suggests, mostly English classes populate this building. 

Yet, with a second floor that’s mostly dominated by English faculty 

members’ offices, students usually see the same classrooms 

regularly. What the building lacks in space it makes up in character. 

Many who’ve taken classes in the building agree that with an 

auditorium housed on its first floor, unnaturally steep stairs that sit 

on both sides and bulletin boards brimming with new information, 

the English Building is unique. One of the great perks of the English 

Building is its proximity to most buildings — except North Lawn Hall 

— which makes it prime schedule real estate. 

PRESIDENTS HALL 

Located on Woods Quad, Presidents Halls’ Gothic Revival style 

makes it hard to miss. With its vast regal windows and daunting 

stacks of stairwells, it’s a building many find themselves taking 

the time to admire for its resemblance to the campus buildings 

we’ve all seen in films. For those with classes in the building, or 

who have just a little spare time on their hands, Presidents Hall is 

a great place to sit and admire the sculptures that populate the 

Woods Quad. And for those lucky enough to have a class on 

the east side of the building, you can watch dance students twirl 

past the windows in Clark Hall’s dance studio. 

Graphics CW / Leah Goggins

2B 

HORIZONS 


HORIZONS 


BY KAYLA SOLINO 


The first day of classes is around the 

corner. Let’s explore some of the oncampus 

resources at The University 

of Alabama. 

Counseling Center 

Following an initial screening 

appointment, which is free, UA 

students pay $15 per session for up to 

15 individual counseling sessions per 

semester. The Counseling Center offers 

counseling and psychological 

services, outreach, consultative 

services and the training of 

mental health professionals. 

Women and Gender 

Resource Center 

The Women and Gender 

Resource Center provides 

services to those affected 

by interpersonal violence. 

This includes victims and 

survivors of interpersonal 

violence, as well as family and 

friends impacted by the abuse 

regardless of gender. 

Student Health 

Center and Pharmacy 

The Student Health Center 

and Pharmacy offers efficient 

access to quality health care 

On-campus resources are here to help 

services. The SHC promotes student 

health and wellness through both 

walk-in and scheduled appointments. 

The on-site pharmacy allows for easy 

obtainment of scripts and some select 

over-the-counter medications. 

UAPD 

The University of Alabama Police 

Department provides police patrol, 

investigations, community services 

and police communications. They work 

in conjunction with the Tuscaloosa 

Police Department to keep campus 

safe. Around campus, there are blue 

emergency phone boxes with a buttonoperated 

light that students can use to 

alert police if they feel unsafe or face a 

potential threat. You can reach UAPD 

at (205) 348-5454. 

Safe Zone 

The UA Safe Zone program provides 

a visible network of allies for lesbian, 

gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex 

and asexual individuals. Safe Zone 

aims to create an environment where 

LGBTQIA+ individuals can be 

successful professionally, personally 

and academically. Rainbow Connection 

DEANS TO THE RESCUE 

BY JOLENCIA JONES & JEFFREY KELLY 

CONTRIBUTING WRITER & CULTURE EDITOR 

CW / Victoria Buckley 

3B 

is a weekly support and dialogue group 

that meets on Fridays at 2 p.m. 

Capstone Center for 

Student Success 

The Capstone Center for Student 

Success provides UA students with 

the support, resources and coaching 

necessary to manage their experiences 

at the University and to attain 

their academic goals. It’s the main 

connection point for all academic, 

social and support services across the 

UA campus. Unsure of where to turn 

for help? The Capstone Center for 

Student Success will direct you 

toward the resources you need. 

Collegiate Recovery 

and Intervention 

Services 

Collegiate Recovery 

and Intervention Services 

provides care for students with 

substance use concerns. They 

offer prevention, awareness and 

exploration of consequences 

for high-risk behaviors 

and offer a supportive, safe 

and engaging environment 

that supports students 

seeking recovery. 

A complete list of campus 

resources can be found in the 

A-Book, offered through the 

Division of Student Life. 

From the moment incoming students 

submit their applications to the second 

they finish moving into their dorm 

rooms, questions race through their 

minds. Though students might feel they 

have unanswerable questions, there are 

people on campus who can provide 

solutions, including the deans. 

Tara Williams, dean of the UA Honors College, said students don’t have 

to go it alone. 

“The University is full of people who have great information to 

share. A professor might be able to suggest undergraduate research 

opportunities, a classmate may have tips on a rewarding community 

engagement activity, and an academic advisor can point you to 

helpful resources of all kinds,” Williams said. “You don’t need to 

figure out everything yourself — you can benefit from the expertise 

and knowledge of the campus community. We are here to help 

you make the most of your UA experience.” 

TARA WILLIAMS 

JOSEPH MESSINA 

Joseph Messina, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, gave this advice for students pondering their 

road to success at the Capstone: 

“Success in college is largely driven by showing up. Once you are here on campus and taking classes, your 

success is not predetermined by your high school GPA or your ACT scores, [but] rather by being 

present and engaged in all the University has to offer,” Messina said. “This is how you will 

succeed. Show up to class, prepared and on time.” 

Messina said that if you are undecided or unsure about your major, don’t worry, because you 

have time to figure that out. 

“Explore the general education core by diversifying your personal skill set. You can prepare 

yourself for virtually any major by being intentional. Work with the advisors,” he said. “You have 

the extraordinary opportunity to get a world-class education by simply 

being a partner in the process. This is a great place to be.” 

Courtesy of Faculty Directory 

Kay Palan, dean of the Culverhouse College of Business, recommends that students get to know their 

instructors and advisors. 

“It’s always a good idea to meet each of your instructors. Go to their offices during office hours or just 

drop by. Introduce yourself and say you’d like to get to know him/her. This helps make it easier later on if 

you need help with the class, need a reference or just need someone to talk to,” Palan said. 

She also advised students to seek out their academic advisors for help “at the first hint of any 

problem — illness, class difficulty, stress, roommate trouble [or] loneliness” — because they 

are always able to help or can direct students to someone who can. 

KAY PALAN 

RICHARD FRIEND 

And while students strive to start their academic journey off on the right foot, Dr. Richard Friend, dean 

of the College of Community Health Sciences, reminded students of the importance of using their 

newfound freedom to develop healthy daily habits to meet their goals. 

“Without structure or a parent looking over your shoulder, it is easy to fall into patterns of too 

little or too much sleep, exercise, food, fun with friends, screen time, etc. I encourage you to be 

proactive about developing a healthy balance of these activities, as well as adequate time to study 

and prepare for class,” Friend said. “There are many resources available to help you care for your 

health. The Student Health Center offers a full range of services for primary care, women’s health, 

psychiatry and mental health. On-site pharmacy, lab, X-ray, and COVID-19 vaccinations and testing 

are also available. Scheduled and walk-in appointments are both possible.” 

Friend also recommended that students be vocal about their academic, physical and 

emotional health. 

“Connection and support are very important aspects of health. This is especially true during 

major life transitions like starting college and living on your own for the first time,” Friend said. 

“The better you feel, physically and emotionally, the more you will be able to benefit from the 

excellent learning opportunities that UA offers.”

4B 

After a year of trading proms and 

birthday parties for Zoom classes and 

double-masked grocery store visits, the 

University’s incoming freshman class has 

a lot on its plate. Not only does the class of 

2025 have to transition from high school 

to college, but they must also figure out 

how to go from online learning to an oncampus 

experience. 

Finding a strategy for socializing is 

critical for a new student’s success, and 

there are plenty of resources to help 

students adapt. Fortunately, there are entire 

departments eager to help new students as 

soon as they set foot on campus. 

UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS 

A central part of the Division of Student 

Life, University Programs nurtures the 

interests of students while squashing the 

doubt that can accompany going away to 

school for the first time. This semester, 

Tied with the Tide, Weeks of Welcome 

and UP Engage are making a comeback. 

TIED WITH THE TIDE 

There are dozens of student-oriented 

events and celebrations for new students 

to look forward to this fall, starting with 

Tied with the Tide, which spans from Aug. 

HORIZONS 


Eager to get involved? ‘All you have to do is show up’ 

BY MADDY REDA & HEATHER GANN 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

7 through Aug. 15. Events range from 

movie nights and yoga on the Quad to 

game nights. 

Paige Acker, the director of University 

Programs, said the goal of the program 

is to give students who moved in early a 

chance to participate in fun, low-pressure 

activities before classes begin. 

WEEKS OF WELCOME 

Following Tied with the Tide is Weeks 

of Welcome, another set of activities 

to help first-year and transfer students 

acclimate themselves to campus life. 

Weeks of Welcome will stretch from Aug. 

15 to Aug. 28. 

The calendar for Weeks of Welcome 

can be found on the University Programs 

website. It starts as soon as Tied with the 

Tide ends, meaning there will be activities 

regardless of when a student moves in. 

UP ENGAGE 

The UP Engage series will take center 

stage when Weeks of Welcome comes 

to a close and hopes to encourage new 

students to put themselves out there. 

Events are scheduled for every Thursday, 

Friday and Saturday, with an additional 

event on either Monday, Tuesday or 


Wednesday depending on the week. The 

four events per week are free and open to 

all UA students. 

Acker said feeling overwhelmed while 

looking at all the activity calendars is 

normal, though it shouldn’t discourage 

anyone from trying something new. 

“I would encourage them to just pick 

one or two things a week that they may 

be really interested in,” Acker said. “We 

provide, we take care of everything. All 

they have to do is show up.” 

GET OUT OF YOUR 

COMFORT ZONE 

She said the goal isn’t to force any social 

situations, but to provide comfortable 

environments in which new students can 

explore their interests and talents. While 

there are plenty of staff members and 

organizers at University Programs who 

are happy to assist new students, Acker 

encourages all returning students to put 

their best foot forward in contributing to a 

positive and welcoming environment. 

“I would say [to] any students that are 

coming back, as they’re welcoming new 

students to campus to remember that 

they were once the new students,” Acker 

said. “We all were first-year students at 

one point.” 

Acker said pushing yourself out of 

your comfort zone and taking advantage 

of everything that The University of 

Alabama has to offer this fall are the keys 

to a successful first semester on campus. 

“What’s so great about a university 

like UA is that there’s a huge variety of 

things to get involved in, so taking that 

time to really figure out about what 

you’re interested in — not what maybe 

your family was interested in, or what 

your friends are interested in — but what 

you're really passionate about,” Acker said. 

“Taking the time to figure those things out 

is okay.” 

MENTAL HEALTH 

Immersing themselves into a loud 

and proud campus culture can feel 

overwhelming for some students. 

According to Karly Downs, assistant 

professor in the department of human 

development and family studies, current 

UA students return to campus ready for 

another year of tailgates and football 

games while new students are facing a 

new and potentially frightening period 

of change. 

Downs, said the pandemic placed a 

strain on social interaction for freshmen. 

“I think normally when you’re first 

starting a college experience, there’s 

a certain level of excitement and 

nervousness and anxiety that just comes 

along with the unknown and what it’s 

going to be like,” Downs said. 

This year, Downs said incoming 

freshmen have just completed a potentially 

isolated senior year of high school with 

limited face-to-face interaction. Downs 

said adjusting to both college and the 

“new normal” amplifies the usual anxieties 

of being judged, not making friends and 

even the fear of being in social situations 

during a pandemic. 

“The extra level of potentially being 

very isolated for the past year and then 

coming into those experiences, I think 

people just have to be aware that it may 

cause them to have a little bit more anxiety 

or social anxiety,” Downs said. 

The main thing Downs hopes to tell 

students, both new and returning, is to 

remember that everyone is in the same 

boat and to be grateful for the ride. 

“Expect that it might feel a little bit 

more anxiety-provoking. Expect that it 

might be awkward,” Downs said. 

JUMP RIGHT IN 

Mollie Tinney, the assistant director 

of organization engagement for student 

involvement, offered advice for students 

who may have anxiety about putting 

themselves out there again. 

“It may take some students a little 

longer than others to get back out and 

that’s okay,” Tinney said. 

Tinney suggested students use 

mySOURCE, the University’s student 

involvement website, to find organizations 

that match their interests. Where there’s a 

will, she said, there’s a way to get involved. 

“My advice is to try a wide range of new 

things,” Tinney said. “This is the best time 

to learn something new or start a new 

hobby. Try to get outside of your comfort 

zone. Student organizations are about 

finding your place on campus, so don’t be 

discouraged if it takes a little time. There is 

so much to choose from. All you have to 

do is jump right in.”

HORIZONS 


How to live in harmony with your roommate 

BY JEFFREY KELLY & LIZZIE BOWEN 

CULTURE EDITOR & STAFF REPORTER 

Whether in a suite or a traditional 

dorm, incoming college students will 

face trials and tribulations while trying 

to create harmonious relationships with 

their roommates. For all those awkward 

moments and conflicts, Alicia Browne, 

director of housing administration, 

and Angel Shadd, a resident advisor 

and first-year graduate student in 

business administration, said the 

conflict can always be traced to a lack 

of communication. 

Browne said disagreements are 

inevitable when people live together, 

but significant issues arise when there’s 

no clear, effective communication 

about important topics, like shared 

items, cleanliness or sleep schedules. 

When moving in with someone, she 

said it’s essential to set boundaries 

and communicate expectations for 

each other. 

Regardless of how 

roommates decide 

to handle their 

issues, effective 

communication 

should always be done 

in person and not 

through text, sticky 

notes or social media. 

ALICIA 

BROWNE 

When setting those boundaries and 

expectations, Shadd said, roommates 

should be honest and communicate 

their feelings. To aid in solidifying 

honest expectations and boundaries, 

the housing department provides a 

roommate agreement to keep each 

other accountable. Though the form is 

not a requirement for students, it has 

proven helpful. 

“I absolutely encourage people to fill 

one out, because that forces you to talk 

about issues before you’re arguing ... and 

it gives you a written record to go back 

to,” Browne said. 

Sometimes conflicts are unavoidable, 

but those problems can be solved through 

active and effective communication. 

Greg Vander Wal, the executive director 

of the UA Counseling Center, said when 

it comes to conflict management, both 

parties should be open and honest in 

their description of the problem while 

also giving the other space to share 

their perspective. 

“If you go into trying to manage 

a conflict decided that you’re right, 

and you just need the other person to 

understand you, that’s [going to] likely 

lead to a worse outcome than if you go 

in willing to respect the other person’s 

perspective and asking for that same 

respect for your own perspective,” 

Vander Wal said. 

He said it’s also important to take 

the time to clearly define the problem, 

because often “conflicts are happening 

because of two different perspectives 

that aren’t on the same page.” 

Once the problem has been identified, 

roommates should work toward solving 

it in a mutually beneficial way. Still, in 

particularly heated situations, Vander 

Wal suggested stepping back for 

a moment. 

Regardless of how roommates decide 

to handle their issues, Browne said 

effective communication should always 

be done in person and not through text, 

sticky notes or social media. 

“When I talk to students about 

communicating, I really mean the kind 

that can be a little uncomfortable, but 

it’s usually the most effective way to get 

information out,” Browne said. “And 

that's to actually sit down with someone 

and talk through your issues.” 

Addressing problems face-to-face is 

an important step in resolving issues, 

but Vander Wal said he understands 

it isn’t an easy feat. He said people are 

sometimes hesitant to communicate 

because they believe they have to 

communicate in the “perfect way” to 

achieve a response that’s both placating 

and helpful, but in the end, no one can 

control someone's reaction. 

“If we’re trying to control the other 

person’s response, we’re never going to 

get there. We have to recognize that all 

we have is our own choices and our own 

contributions to this conversation, and 

the other person’s response is not in our 

control,” Vander Wal said. 

For those who are inexperienced, 

uncomfortable or weary of potential 

negative responses from their roommate, 

Vander Wal suggests building confidence 

by practicing, because the only way to 

get past that initial discomfort is leaning 

into it. 

“And even if it doesn’t go perfectly, 

[you] can do it,” he said. 

If practicing doesn't work, Browne 

suggested going to RAs for help from a 

neutral third party. 

“I think before it gets really unpleasant 

or you say things to your roommates 

that are going to be hard to take back, get 

in a third party, and in a residence hall, 

your RA is absolutely trained for just 

that kind of conversation,” Browne said. 

“[They] can really help you talk logically 

and clearly without being angry.” 

Destini Jones, a junior majoring in 

kinesiology, said despite the conflicts 

5B 

that arise, she advises students to stay 

hopeful and remember to cut their 

roommates some slack, “because 

everyone is coming into their own.” 

And as students try to come into their 

own, Vander Wal said it’s important to 

remember that college as a whole is a 

transition that won’t be perfect. 

Sometimes conflicts 

are unavoidable, but 

those problems can 

be solved through 

active and effective 

communication. 

GREG 

VANDER WAL 

“I think we need to be really flexible 

with our expectations, you know. If we 

expect it to be always awesome all the 

time, and then it’s not, that can be a hard 

thing to manage if we’re not willing to 

say, ‘You know what, some days might 

be difficult. Some classes might be hard. 

Some things may not go my way, and 

that's normal. That's okay,’” he said. 

CW / Brylane Hay

6B 

HORIZONS 


Everything you need to know about 

Bama Cash and Dining Dollars 

BY JACK MAURER 

CHIEF COPY EDITOR 

Have you gotten your ACT card 

yet? It’s a digital card stored on your 

phone that lets you enter campus 

buildings, swipe into dining halls 

and spend money from two separate 

debit accounts — Bama Cash and 

Dining Dollars. 

Although you’ll use your ACT card 

to spend money from both accounts, 

there are some important differences 

between them. 

Bama Cash is more flexible. It’s 

accepted at more than 100 businesses 

on and off campus, while Dining 

Dollars can only be used at a handful 

of restaurants, food trucks and 

vending machines. 

Bama Cash is also reloadable, 

whereas Dining Dollars accounts 

accrue only a single mandatory deposit 

at the beginning of each semester the 

student is enrolled full-time. 

BAMA CASH 

Bama Cash accounts start with 

a balance of zero dollars and can 

be refilled at any time on the 

eAccounts website. 

Most businesses on campus take 

Bama Cash. It’s accepted at a number 

of locations in Tuscaloosa, including 

restaurants, grocery stores, bookstores, 

salons and gas stations. If you live in a 

residence hall, you’ll need Bama Cash 

to use the laundry facilities. 

By default, funds left in your Bama 

Cash account stay there from year 

to year. Although you can’t make 

withdrawals, you can request a refund 

of the account’s balance between April 

15 and July 1. 

DINING DOLLARS 

Each semester, undergraduate 

students enrolled in at least nine credit 

hours receive an automatic charge — 

$350 in the fall and spring, $100 in 

the summer — for a deposit to their 

Dining Dollars account. 

For most full-time undergraduates, 

that amounts to $700 per year — quite 

a lot of iced lattes. 

Students can use Dining Dollars 

at all Bama Dining locations and 

on-campus vending machines, as 

well as several food trucks and 11 

off-campus restaurants. 

If you don’t spend it all by the end 

of the spring semester, you can request 

a refund of your remaining Dining 

Dollars balance online. Otherwise, 

the money will be transferred to your 

Bama Cash account. 

The purpose of the 

Dining Dollars program 

is to “supplement 

students’ dining needs, 

offer convenience, 

and foster 

community-building. 

MONICA WATTS 

In 2019, the University refunded 

$600,000 from Dining Dollars accounts 

and transferred $1.51 million from 

Dining Dollars to Bama Cash. The 

following year, when the University 

abruptly suspended campus operations 

in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, 

it refunded $350,638 and transferred 

$3.27 million to Bama Cash. As of 

July 9, the University had not finished 

processing refunds for 2021. 

In any case, the money doesn’t go 

away at the end of the academic year, 

so there’s no reason to, say, go on a fast 

food spending spree during the last 

week of classes. 

Still, for many students, Dining 

Dollars don’t feel like real money. 

That may be why the program exists: 

Students spend Dining Dollars more 

freely than they would ordinary cash, 

either because they mistakenly believe 

their funds will disappear in May, 

or because the limited options for 

immediate use make Dining Dollars 

seem less valuable than cash. 

In an email, UA spokesperson 

Monica Watts said the purpose 

of the Dining Dollars program is 

“to supplement students’ dining 

needs, offer convenience, and foster 

community-building.” 

Since all businesses that accept 

Dining Dollars also take Bama Cash, 

it’s unclear what added convenience 

Dining Dollars provide for students. 

Instead, the immediate beneficiaries of 

the program appear to be restaurants, 

the University and Aramark, the 

contractor that runs Bama Dining. 

Restaurants that accept Dining 

Dollars attract more business from 

students. In return, the University and 

Aramark each collect a commission 

on purchases made with Dining 

Dollars. Businesses pay the University 

a commission of 9% on net Dining 

Dollars sales, and between 1.5% and 

CW / Garrett Kennedy 

3.5% on Bama Cash sales. 

Aramark spokesperson Heather 

Dotchel declined to share the 

percentage commission the company 

collects on Dining Dollars sales but 

said in an email that “Dining Dollars 

and Bama Cash offer a cost-efficient 

way to supplement the traditional meal 

plan with convenience and variety.” 

The details of Aramark’s agreements 

with merchants are rarely made public. 

In 2011, The Crimson White reported 

that both Buffalo Phil’s and Crimson 

Café paid total commissions of 21% on 

purchases made with Dining Dollars. 

(Crimson Café closed its doors in June 

2011. Owner Rhett Madden cited the 

commission on Dining Dollars sales as 

the cause of the restaurant’s demise.) 

Dining Dollars may provide at 

least one tangible benefit to students: 

the projects and services the 

program funds. 

“As a self-funded auxiliary 

department, all revenue generated 

from Dining Dollars is invested 

into UA’s dining program to fund 

construction and renovation projects 

(such as the Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, 

and Shake Smart projects happening 

this summer), utilities, maintenance, 

and student support programs (such as 

Got Meals?, Out 2 Lunch, the Student 

Event Catering Donation Program, 

and Swipe Away Hunger),” Watts said. 

• Ajian Sushi 

• Buffalo Phil’s 

Wings 

• Chipotle 

• Domino’s 

• Dreamland 

Bar-B-Que 

• Five Guys 

• Insomnia 

Cookies 

• Milos 

• Mugshots 

Grill & Bar 

• Newk’s Express 

Cafe 

• Texas 

Roadhouse 

• Waffle House 

• Wingstop 

• Zaxby’s 

• Swen 

• VooDoo 

Wing Co. 

• Twelve 25 

• Uperk 

• Papa John’s 

• Glory Bound Gyro Co. 

• Pyro’s Fire Fresh Pizza 

BAMA CASH 

DINING DOLLARS 

Spent using ACT cards 

No withdrawals; refunds can be requested between April 15 and July 1 

Accepted at more than 100 locations on 

and off campus 

Deposit money at any time; no mandatory 

deposits 

Balance carries over from year to year 

Accepted at Bama Dining locations, 

on-campus vending machines, several 

food trucks and 11 off-campus restaurants 

Single mandatory $350 (fall and spring) or 

$100 (summer) deposit for each semester 

of full-time enrollment 

Remaining balance transfers automatically 

to Bama Cash at the end of the spring 

semester

HORIZONS 


7B

8B 

HORIZONS 


HORIZONS 


1C 

UA TRANSFER STUDENTS: 

HERES WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

BY MONICA NAKASHIMA 


The stress that transfer students 

encounter is unique. While freshmen 

have their own orientations and 

communities on campus, it can be 

difficult for transfer students who 

are expected to already understand 

college life. 

More than 1,200 students 

transferred to The University of 

Alabama in 2020. Transfer students 

made up about 3% of the student 

population last year. For transfers 

who might feel isolated in the first 

few weeks of the semester, here are 

some tips to find a home in the 

UA community. 

Join one of the 600+ 

student groups on 

campus 

tables, representatives from each club 

inform interested students about their 

organization's plans for the semester. 

Mollie Tinney, the assistant director 

of organization engagement at The 

SOURCE, said she recommends 

attending GOBD if students want to 

get connected. 

There are so many 

ways that transfers 

can get involved 

through our office. We 

are happy to be the 

starting point for their 

UA experience. 

KIARA 

SUMMERVILLE 

The University of Alabama has 

more than 600 student organizations 

to meet a student’s interest. While 

the abundance of options may 

seem daunting, one UA department 

provides a way for students to find a 

community that fits. 

Located on the third floor of 

the Ferguson Student Center, The 

SOURCE, an imprint of Student 

Involvement, is a department that 

helps students find interests and 

groups on campus by providing 

resources, support and recognition 

to the hundreds of organizations at 

the University. 

We know it can be 

difficult for transfer 

students to find 

their place on a new 

campus. Attending 

GOBD is the perfect 

way to jump right 

in, meet lots of new 

people and learn 

about a wide variety 

of involvement 

opportunities. 

MOLLIE TINNEY 

The SOURCE keeps a record 

about UA clubs, including its mission 

and leadership. This makes it easy 

for students to visit their offices 

or websites and find out which 

organization is the best fit for them. 

Even if the University doesn’t have a 

club that interests you, The SOURCE 

has made it easy for students to start 

their own. 

To scope out many of these 

organizations in the span of a few 

hours, students can attend Get On 

Board Day, an event that highlights 

organizations on campus. This year, 

GOBD will be hosted on Thursday, 

Aug. 26, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

During GOBD, student 

organizations set up tables with 

poster boards, free goodies, food 

and more around the Ferg. At the 

“We know it can be difficult for 

transfer students to find their place 

on a new campus,” Tinney said. 

“Attending GOBD is the perfect way 

to jump right in, meet lots of new 

people and learn about a wide variety 

of involvement opportunities.” 

Ella Portwood, a UA senior 

majoring in communications who 

transferred from Shelton State 

Community College in 2020, said 

GOBD is a great resource for transfer 

students to acclimate themselves. 

“Go to Get On Board Day. It's 

not just for freshmen,” Portwood 

said. “You have nothing to lose and 

everything to gain.” 

Organization Take Over happens 

the week after GOBD and lasts for 

two days inside the Ferg. During 

this time, student organizations take 

over the Ferg from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

to host their first meetings, meet and 

greets, demonstrations, workshops 

and performances. 

Stay connected with 

Bama Transfers 

Bama Transfers is a program 

within First Year Experience, another 

program within the Division of 

Student Life, that provides firstyear 

students with resources to 

transition academically and socially 

to campus. Both offices are located in 

Russell Hall. 

Bama Transfers offers opportunities 

for transfer students to meet one 

another, engage in leadership 

opportunities and connect to the 

campus community. Often, this 

includes hosting free events to connect 

students like luncheons, movie nights 

or panel discussions. 

Kiara Summerville, the assistant 

director of First Year Experience, said 

Bama Transfers supplies resources 

to students who don’t fit the mold of 

first-year freshmen. 

“We recognize and celebrate that 

although transfer students are not new 

to the college experience, they are new 

to UA,” Summerville said. 

For those interested in mentorship, 

Bama Transfers has a program 

called Transfer Engagement and 

Academic Mentors. Through TEAM, 

prior first-year transfer students 

mentor new transfers through their 

new experience. Transfer students 

QUICK FACTS ABOUT UA TRANSFERS 

• More than 1,200 students transferred to The 

University of Alabama in 2020. 

• Transfer students made up about 3% of the 

student population last year. 

• TRIO, a federally funded program, admits between 

40 and 50 new students each fall. 

can request a chat with a TEAM 

member by visiting the Bama 

Transfers webpage. 

Bama Transfers also supervises 

Transfer Affinity Groups, which 

are small-group communities 

of transfer students with shared 

identities or shared academic interests 

community, including students of 

color, first-generation students and 

out-of-state students. 

In addition to membership in these 

groups, all first-year transfer students 

will get a monthly or biweekly Transfer 

Connection E-Newsletter delivered 

to their Crimson email addresses 

from FYE. Every edition of Transfer 

Connection contains a calendar of 

events and involvement opportunities. 

It also highlights academic programs 

and outstanding transfer students. 

To stay connected with 

Bama Transfers, check out their 

Instagram, @transfersatUA. 

“There are so many ways that 

transfers can get involved through our 

office,” Summerville said. “We are 

happy to be the starting point for their 

UA experience.” 

Under the Division of Student Life, 

University Programs will also host 

Weeks of Welcome. From Aug. 15 

to 28, events for academic success, 

health and wellness, and diversity, 

equity and inclusion will be available 

for freshmen and transfers. 

More information and a schedule 

will be published on the UP website, 

Twitter, Facebook and Instagram 

@UAWhatsUP. 

Utilize the resources 

available to you 

The University also provides 

a program that assists students 

who need resources beyond 

making friends. 

TRIO, the federally-funded grant 

and outreach program sponsored by 

the U.S. Department of Education, 

provides opportunities for students 

who are first-generation, have limited 

income or have a disability by hosting 

exclusive gatherings, activities, 

academic tutoring and mentoring. 

Since the program is federally 

funded, every university has at least 

one of TRIO’s eight programs, and 

The University of Alabama is no 

exception. The Capstone Center for 

Student Success has TRIO’s Student 

Support Services Program located in 

Russell Hall. 

Wendy Cogburn, the manager 

of the University’s Student Support 

Services, said the program provides 

success coaching, academic 

advising, personal and professional 

development workshops, one-on-one 

and group tutoring, peer leadership 

opportunities, cultural enrichment 

activities and more. 

Cogburn said transfer students can 

benefit from the TRIO program. 

“We serve several UA students 

who have transferred from other 

schools or community colleges, and 

many were also part of the [Student 

Support Services] TRIO program at 

their previous school,” Cogburn said. 

“These transfer students have a high 

retention and graduation rate after 

participating in the [Student Support 

Services] TRIO program at UA.” 

Go to Get on Board 

Day. It’s not just for 

freshmen. You have 

nothing to lose and 

everything to gain. 

ELLA 

PORTWOOD 


To stay connected with Bama Transfers, check out 

their Instagram, @transfersUA. 

However, a student must submit 

an application to be accepted into 

the program. Acceptance into the 

program depends on the number of 

participants who have graduated, but 

the program admits between 40 and 

50 new students each fall. 

Russell Hall offers other services 

that students can benefit from, 

whether they’re a transfer or not. 

It houses the Capstone Center for 

Student Success, which provides a 

network of support services, including 

academic coaching, individual and 

small-group tutoring, computer labs 

and student study spaces. 

“When students take advantage 

of all the resources available to them 

and then commit to doing their 

personal best, success is inevitable,” 

Cogburn said. 

No matter if a student is a firstgeneration 

freshman or a fifth-year 

student, everyone gets the backto-school 

jitters. With knowledge 

of resources from The SOURCE, 

Bama Transfers, TRIO and more, a 

transfer student can enter the fall 

semester confident in their decision 

and ready to make great memories at 

the Capstone.

2C 

HORIZONS 


Your ultimate 

college hack 

Start your 6-month trial 

amazon.com/UofAlabama

HORIZONS 


3C 

THE ART OF BALANCE: 

Maintaining physical, social and mental 

health in college 

BY ANNABELLE BLOMELEY 

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR 

In high school, many students 

dream of the independence and 

freedom that college provides, but 

many students struggle to navigate the 

complex world of higher education 

with their newfound liberty. 

Between juggling academic work, 

internships, clubs and the social life 

that comes with college, students 

often feel overwhelmed and put 

their health priorities aside. To excel 

in school and in other parts of life, 

several UA experts said it’s important 

for students to balance their mental, 

physical and social health. 

Mental Health 

College is often considered the 

time of your life, but many students 

struggle with mental health issues, 

particularly those stemming 

from academic, financial or 

career-related problems. 

Take advantage of all 

the opportunities that 

the college campus 

has, even if that’s going 

to require you to step 

out of your comfort 

zone. Nobody grows in 

their comfort zone. 

KARLY DOWNS 

In an online study conducted by 

the Jed Foundation in 2020, 82% 

of students experienced anxiety, 

63% said they felt depressed at 

some point in the school year and 

60% experienced difficulty coping 

with stress. 

Greg Vander Wal, the executive 

director of the UA Counseling Center 

said it’s common for college students 

to struggle with mental health issues 

at some point. 

“College is a time full of change, 

and changes can be stressful,” 

Vander Wal said. “It’s a time 

where you’re consistently having 

to learn new things. It’s stressful 

trying to find a way to balance 

everything that works for you. 

So when you’re dealing with a lot 

of stress and a lot of change, 

that can create a 

ripe environment 

for distress.” 

Vander Wal said 

the most common 

mental healthrelated 

issues that 

the Counseling 

Center sees are 

stress management 

problems, anxiety, 

depression and 

mood-related 

issues. In 

college, time 

management is 

difficult, from 

schoolwork to 

money and 

friendship 

troubles. 

“So often 

in college, 

the first 

thing that we let go of is 

ourselves,” Vander Wal said. 

“We’re so busy, and there 

[are] so many demands for 

our time, we feel like we don't 

have time for [self-care].” 

Vander Wal said the best 

ways to practice self-care for 

mental health aren’t what 

some might think. While it’s 

crucial to sleep well and eat 

healthily, unwinding after 

a long day, relying heavily 

on your social supports, 

and trying to find a balance 

in your everyday life are just 

as important. 

Many stressors can affect 

a student’s mental health 

in a college environment; 

from midterms to finding a job after 

graduation, the best way to manage 

stress, Vander Wal said, is to be aware. 

“It’s very important to understand 

what your triggers are for stress, what 

your signs are that you are feeling 

stress, and you need to have a good 

plan in place,” he said. “So often we 

get overly stressed because we don't 

really notice that the stress is getting 

to us until it gets to a point where it's 

highly distressing.” 

Another great option for students 

to manage their mental health is to 

go to the Counseling Center, whether 

you want to vent to someone once 

or need regular meetings with a 

counselor. Vander Wal said there is 

no problem too big or too small to 

schedule a meeting. 

“If it’s something that's bothering 

you, if it’s something that’s affecting 

your ability to be a successful student 

and a successful human being in your 

life, then that’s a big thing,” he said. 

Physical Health 

In the absence of PE classes and 

parents reminding students to eat 

fruits and vegetables, it’s no doubt that 

college students struggle to maintain 

their physical health. From balancing 

a healthy diet to managing disordered 

eating habits, it’s important for 

students to learn the facts about their 

health and wellbeing. 

Sheena Gregg, a registered 

dietitian in the department of health 

promotion and wellness, entered 

the nutrition field after struggling 

with disordered eating. Gregg said 

that, because college can be stressful 

and academically challenging, many 

students put their physical health 

aside to maintain their grades and 

social life. 

“We come into college, 

and academics are our first 

priority, or they’re taught to 

be our first priority, so we put 

a lot of self-care behaviors 

on the back burner, whether 

that’s exercise, nutrition or 

getting enough sleep,” Gregg 

said. “That’s probably 

one of the biggest 

CW / Victoria Buckley 

contributors to 

college students 

really struggling 

with this balance, 

and because 

there is such 

pressure to make 

sure that they 

are performing 

at their best 

academically, 

we end up 

sacrificing a 

lot of the selfcare 

things 

that we need 

to be doing.” 

While 

college 

students 

o f t e n 

prioritize 

academics 

over health, Gregg 

said it’s common for 

students’ grades and 

social lives to be affected 

by poor physical health 

practices. Nutritious 

food enables students 

to maintain success in 

other areas. 

On top of the normal 

demands students face 

during their college 

years, Gregg said it’s also a 

transitional time for many 

students. While in high 

school, they may have relied 

on their parents to shop for 

groceries or cook meals, but 

during college many have 

to learn how to make 


independent food decisions for the 

first time. 

With this newfound independence, 

Gregg encourages students to be 

intentional with their eating and 

physical activity. She said students 

should give nutrition the same 

attention as everything else in 

their lives. 

“When we think about meals 

and snacks, be intentional about 

planning,” Gregg said. “Think about 

when you are going to eat breakfast or 

when you will eat lunch. Have backup 

snacks in your backpack if you have a 

class that overlaps into a mealtime, so 

you don’t go so long without eating. I 

know a lot of us like to use calendars, 

journals and planners, so if we can 

plan our meals and snacks the same 

way we would plan going to class or 

any other obligation, that can really 

set us up for success.” 

Gregg said the relationships and 

habits students have with nutrition 

and physical activity in college 

often define their adult lives, so it’s 

important to work on physical health 

in college. 

“In order to maintain a healthy 

relationship with food, we really just 

have to go back to the basics and 

remember that food exists for both 

nourishment and pleasure,” Gregg 

said. “A lot of times, our disordered 

eating thoughts or unhealthy 

relationships with food result from 

thinking that food is either just for 

pleasure or just for nourishment, but 

it really just boils down to moderation 

and balance.” 

If it’s something that’s 

bothering you, if it’s 

something that’s 

affecting your ability to 

be a successful student 

and a successful 

human being in your 

life, then that’s a 

big thing. 

GREG 

VANDER WAL 

The University offers resources 

to educate students and teach them 

to prioritize their physical health. 

The department of health promotion 

and wellness provides services, from 

debunking myths about common “fad 

diets” to going on grocery store runs 

and teaching students how to read 

nutrition labels. 

Social Health 

Social health can negatively or 

positively affect mental and physical 

health. A college environment 

emphasizes social life. From 

parties to dating and meeting new 

friends, it’s easy for students to 

become overwhelmed. 

Karly Downs, an assistant professor 

in the department of human 

development and family studies said 

the key to maintaining a healthy 

social life is balance. 

“A healthy social life is going to 

vary depending on the individual,” 

Downs said. “Some people are more 

introverted. Some people are more 

extroverted. Some people need more 

social [connections] to maintain 

their energy level, and some people 

need less. It’s really about knowing 

yourself, knowing what you need, 

and then trying to balance that 

around you.” 

Where social lives are involved, 

so are heartbreaks and breakups. 

According to a study conducted by 

Facebook Data Science, about 28% 

of college romantic relationships last 

beyond graduation. 

“When it comes to both friendships 

and romantic relationships, you have 

to be willing to see what part you 

play in the relationship,” Downs said. 

“If there’s conflict, you have to look 

and not just focus on what the other 

person is doing wrong or how the 

other person needs to change, but you 

need to focus on you.” 

There’s a term for a theoretical 

model called a collaborative set, 

which means that both partners are 

willing to take ownership of their role 

in the relationship’s dysfunction, and 

they’re willing to make change. 

Downs said students must 

understand their boundaries to 

maintain healthy relationships. 

After recognizing their patterns and 

social goals, students can then set 

boundaries on their relationships that 

will make them feel comfortable and 

in control. 

“Boundaries are really hard,” 

Downs said. “Boundaries are the rules 

that you set for yourself about how 

you’re going to interact with people 

and when you’re going to interact 

with them.” 

Boundaries come in different 

forms. Students might have to cut 

off someone who doesn’t make 

them feel their best, or refuse to 

hang out with someone because 

they need to study. Some friends 

can take boundaries personally, so 

Downs said it’s important to turn to 

healthy communication to get your 

intentions across. 

“If you’re having a problem with 

your roommate, go back to some 

basic communication skills,” Downs 

said. “Don’t come at somebody 

attacking because they’re going to 

want to attack you back, or they’re 

going to be defensive. Come at people 

with a calm tone because roommates 

always have issues. There’s always a 

problem, whether it’s with cleaning 

or your boyfriend is over and they’re 

annoyed. Just come at people in a way 

that is open and honest.” 

Downs said “staying true to 

yourself ” is one of the best ways to 

meet friends and mentors, but it can 

take time to meet them. College has a 

reputation for being the place where 

people meet lifelong friends, but 

Downs said it’s important to let go of 

the pressure of social life. 

It’s normal to feel lonely in college, 

she said, especially after moving away 

from family and friends at home. 

Students can still try to meet friends 

and mentors without putting pressure 

on themselves for it to work out. 

“Take advantage of all the 

opportunities that the college campus 

has, even if that's going to require 

you to step out of your comfort zone,” 

Downs said. “Nobody grows in their 

comfort zone. The only time growth 

happens in people is when you take 

that chance and take that risk and 

step outside of it.” 

RESOURCES 

The UA Counseling Center 

UA Department of Health Promotion 

and Wellness 

The Jed Foundation

4C 

HORIZONS 


GUIDE TO GAME DAY 

BY JAVON WILLIAMS 

CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

Football season is a month away, 

and the buzz around Tuscaloosa has 

already begun. What makes Alabama 

football loved by many is not only the 

winning culture, but the traditions 

that have lasted decades. Being part of 

Alabama game days is exciting, but can 

be overwhelming for newcomers. 

After a year of limited capacity 

inside Bryant-Denny Stadium and 

nonexistent tailgating, Alabama fans 

are counting down the days. Follow 

this list of do’s and don’ts to ensure that 

you have a great first game. 

DO: 

Bring a shaker. Aside 

from screaming at the 

top of your lungs, a 

shaker is the best way 

to show your game 

day spirit. Shakers 

can be found at the 

SupeStore and may be 

distributed at the Quad. 

Arrive early. With 

thousands of fans 

attending Alabama football 

games, it may take a while for you 

to get inside the stadium. Bryant- 

Denny is one of the largest college 

football stadiums in the country with 

more than 100,000 

seats. Get there early, 

and stake out a seat. 

Have your tickets 

ready. Student tickets 

are loaded onto ACT 

Cards, which are 

digital for the first 

time this year. Double 

check that your 

mobile ACT Card is 

connected to Apple 

Wallet or Google 

Pay before you arrive at 

the stadium. 

Hydrate, and brace yourself for the 

heat. In Alabama, it seems like summer 

is here year-round. Stay hydrated. 

If you get too hot or dizzy during 

the game, visit a concession stand or 

hydration station. Don’t worry about 

missing a good play while 

you cool down. The 

game is shown 

on the TVs at 

concession stands. 

Bring a pair of 

sunglasses, a hat 

and sunscreen to 

fend off the sun in 

the open stadium. 

Tailgate. Game day would be 

incomplete at Alabama without 

tailgating. After last season’s 

COVID-19 restrictions, fans will be 

back in full force. Visit the Quad before 

the game to soak in the atmosphere 

of campus during football season. 

Grab some food, play a game of 

cornhole, meet new people or catch up 

with friends. 

Learn the songs. From kickoff to the 

last quarter of the game, Bryant-Denny 

is filled with songs — songs you’ll want 

to know beforehand. Before kickoff, the 

stadium reverberates with the sound 

of “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd 

Skynyrd. After every touchdown, the 

Million Dollar Band plays the Fight 

Song. After the Crimson Tide claims a 

victory, the Million Dollar Band closes 

out with “Rammer Jammer.” 

DON’T: 

Don't leave 

during the fourth 

quarter. If Alabama 

is winning by 4 

touchdowns or 

losing by a field 

goal, do not leave the stadium. Show 

that you are committed to the team 

and cheer them on. Fans leaving 

games early is Head 

Coach Nick Saban’s 

biggest pet peeve. 

Don’t get turned 

around at the gate. You 

can find the stadium’s 

bag policy ahead of time on 

rolltide.com, along with a list 

of other prohibited items. 

Don't forget to have fun. Bryant- 

Denny Stadium is filled with the 

positive atmosphere of tradition and 

camaraderie. Once in the stadium, 

nothing matters to fans more than 

cheering on their team and having a 

great time. 

STUDENT TICKETS 

Before the season starts, UA 

students opt in for tickets to home 

games. Students can access their 

tickets through myBama or the UA 

mobile app. Students can transfer 

or donate their tickets to other UA 

students through MyTickets. 

If a student was unable to opt in for 

a ticket, they can be put on a waitlist. 

The earlier the student signs up for the 

waitlist the better. Tickets are awarded 

on a first come, first served basis. 

Students can receive a ticket as late 

as one hour before kickoff 

and are notified with an 

email or a phone call. 

Some students 

prefer to turn to the 

Alabama Student 

Ticket Exchange, 

a Facebook group 

with more than 76,000 

members. Posts in the Ticket Exchange 

aren’t limited to ticket sales, but 

students can expect a flood of posts as 

a home game weekend approaches. 

FOOTBALL SCHEDULE 

VS. MIAMI 

SEPTEMBER 4 (SAT) 

CW / Hannah Saad 

Graphics CW / Victoria Buckley 

VS. MERCER 


AT FLORIDA 


VS. SOUTHERN MISS 


VS. OLE MISS 

OCTOBER 2 (SAT) 

AT TEXAS A&M 


AT MISSISSIPPI STATE 


VS. TENNESSEE 


VS. LSU 

NOVEMBER 6 (SAT) 

VS. NEW MEXICO STATE 


VS. ARKANSAS 


AT AUBURN 

NOVEMBER 27 (SAT)

HORIZONS 


5C 

For all the things you wish you had and all the things you 

forgot, we’re Tuscaloosa’s go-to place for shopping. 

Shop Belk Women, Belk Men, Kids and Home, 

JCPenney, Café Court and the best selection of 

specialty stores, all under one roof! 

1701 McFarland Blvd East 

Shop Mon-Thurs 10am-7pm, Fri-Sat 10am-8pm, Sunday 1pm-5:30pm 

COLLEGE LIFE 

REQUIRES A 

WHOLE LOT 

OF STUFF. 

WE HAVE A LOT 

OF STUFF. 

WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA 

FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF SHOPPING

6C 

Alabama Men’s Basketball and Head 

Coach Nate Oats hope to build on 

a decorated 2020-21 season as they 

prepare for the 2021-22 campaign. 

Spirits were high in Tuscaloosa 

this past season as the Crimson Tide 

won both the SEC regular-season and 

tournament titles for the first time 

since 1987. Alabama then concluded 

its breakout season under Oats with a 

NCAA Sweet 16 appearance — its first 

since 2002. 

These triumphs were not expected out 

of the Crimson Tide last season. Many 

journalists expected Alabama to be one 

of the better teams in the SEC, but not 

the top dog. 

Due to the great success of Oats’ squad 

last season, it’s safe to say expectations 

are even greater for the 2021-22 

campaign. Alabama looks to not only be 

a powerhouse in the conference, but also 

in the nation due to the combination of a 

top 10 recruiting class, returning starters 

and new transfers. 

The 2021-22 regular season schedule 

will have an NCAA tournament feel. 

Not only is the SEC continuing to grow 

HORIZONS 


Men’s basketball ended in Sweet 16 loss. 

Now, they’re looking ahead 

BY NICK ROBBINS 

CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

in basketball, sending six teams to 

last year’s “Big Dance,” but it will also 

feature out-of-conference games against 

three of the Final Four teams from the 

2020-21 season — Gonzaga, Baylor and 

Houston. 

The Crimson Tide is set to host 2021 

national champion Baylor at Coleman 

Coliseum as part of the Big 12/SEC 

Challenge, take a road trip to Seattle in 

December to compete against national 

runner-up Gonzaga, and square off in a 

home game against Houston. 

Highlighting the returning players 

are Keon Ellis and Jahvon Quinerly. Ellis 

was a constant figure, averaging 17.5 

minutes per game last season. 

Quinerly had a breakout season last 

year, averaging 25.0 minutes per game. 

The former Villanova player still has 

three years of eligibility left. 

Aside from Quinerly and Ellis, there 

will be new faces in Coleman Coliseum 

this season through a combination of 

transfers, new recruits and graduations. 

The Crimson Tide will lose both senior 

Herbert Jones and senior John Petty Jr. 

to the NBA draft. 

Sophomore Josh Primo looks to forgo 

the rest of his collegiate career as he has 

entered the draft and is anticipated to 

be a late first-round draft pick or high 

second-round selection. 

Rising junior Jaden Shackelford 

entered the transfer portal on July 5, but 

announced on July 23 that he will return 

to the Crimson Tide. 

Despite these players leaving 

Tuscaloosa, an influx of talent will 

make its way to Coleman Coliseum. 

This offseason, Oats was busy in the 

transfer portal picking up two players 

for the Crimson Tide. Alabama will 

welcome Nimari Burnett from 

Texas Tech and Furman’s 

Noah Gurley. 

Burnett was once a 

former four-star recruit, 

and Gurley was a twotime 

All-Southern 

Conference player 

during his time at 

Furman. 

Alabama’s top 

10 class is led by 

five-star prospect 

JD Davison. 

Davison was named 

Alabama Mr. Basketball 

and Gatorade Player of 

the Year in 2020 during 

a year when his school 

won the Class 2A 

state title. He was 

also named to the McDonald’s All- 

American team in 2021. He has drawn 

comparisons to Memphis Grizzlies point 

guard Ja Morant. 

Due to the quick 

turnaround the program 

has had with Oats, 

expectations will remain 

high not just for the 

2021-22 season, but 

for many years to 

come. 


CW / Lexi Hall 


OPINION | WE SHOULD ALL BE MORE LIKE GUMPS 

Gumps — the most dedicated of 

Alabama fans — are committed to 

UA Athletics the way one might be 

dedicated to God. If Nate Oats is 

their lord and savior, then Coleman 

Coliseum is their house of worship. 

While this may sound extreme, 

Gumps are a family, and their 

dedication to Alabama is something 

to be admired. Even when games are 

far from Tuscaloosa, Alabama’s most 

dedicated fans hop into planes, trains 

and automobiles to watch our athletes 

paint the town crimson. 

Gumps’ passion for the Tide 

BY SIMONE SHADD 

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST 

doesn’t wane with distance. Their 

commitment was on full display at 

the Women’s College World Series in 

Oklahoma City this year. Fans showed 

up in droves for our softball team, 

filling the stadium to capacity. And 

for those who couldn’t make it, many 

tuned in from home. 

With the help of social media, 

Gumps have found even more ways to 

show up for their community. During 

the Women’s College World Series, 

it was impossible to open Twitter 

without seeing a flood of tweets 

praising Bailey Hemphill or Montana 

Fouts. Fans channeled their creativity 

into memes about the players, and 

some even expressed their support 

for Fouts with GIFs of the Montana 

state flag. 

This level of adoration truly has 

a likeness to any form of worship. 

These players are deified by their fans, 

and this praise has only heightened 

as Gump Twitter and other internet 

communities bridge the gap between 

athletes, students and the larger UA 

community. There is nothing like 

a perfect game to inspire creativity 

among Gumps, but UA athletes don’t 

have to seek perfection to win the 

devotion of their fans. Win or loss, 

Gumps’ commitment to the Tide does 

not waver. 

In March, Gumps experienced 

Photos CW / File 


collective heartbreak 

when men’s basketball lost 

to the UCLA Bruins. That 

loss was heartbreaking, 

as it was the first time 

in 17 years that the team 

made it to the Sweet 16. 

Alex Reese’s epic buzzer 

beater was followed 

by a disappointing 

performance in overtime 

that cost Alabama its 

ticket to the Elite Eight. 

Despite the sting of 

the loss, Gumps praised 

Reese, Herb Jones and 

John Petty Jr. for their 

grit. Gumps are there to 

celebrate victories and 

mourn losses alongside 

UA athletes. But more 

than their dedication 

to sports, Gumps are 

committed to each other. 

Alabama fans lost one 

of their own in April. 

They banded together 

to host a memorial for 

Cameron Luke Ratliff, a 

staple of the community. 

As a leader of Crimson 

Chaos — the official 

student group of UA Athletics — 

Ratliff inspired students to invest 

in sports. 

While students don’t 

all have to love sports, 

they should follow in 

Gumps’ footsteps and 

take care of 

one another. 

Nate Oats, men’s basketball coach, 

said that Ratliff embodied college 

athletics. Members of the community 

raised more than $58,000 through a 

GoFundMe organized by Coach Bryan 

Hodgson to support Ratliff ’s funeral 

expenses. Sports matter because of 

the lessons they teach in teamwork, 

but because of their capacity for 

community building. 

In a year where many experienced 

loss, sports provided community. 

Those who view athletics as a trivial 

pastime are blind to its potential. 

Sports’ true value lies in its ability 

to bring members of the community 

together. This closeness isn’t limited 

to the games alone. It is a unity that 

extends to all aspects of life. 

In the fall, Bryant-Denny will 

welcome fans at full capacity. Other 

sporting venues will likely follow 

suit. What does this mean for the UA 

community at large? While students 

don’t all have to love sports, they 

should follow in Gumps’ footsteps and 

take care of one another. 

After a year spent in varying levels of 

isolation, sports create an opportunity 

to rebuild the community we have 

missed. UA students should take 

advantage of every tailgate and home 

game this year so that the community 

can rebuild what it has lost.

HORIZONS 


7C

8C 

HORIZONS

The Crimson White: Horizons, Summer 2021

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