The Crimson White Print Edition - August 24, 2023

THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023
VOLUME CXXX | ISSUE I
NEWS
Increasing rental prices spark concerns
Ion, one of the many apartment complexes in Tuscaloosa raising rent prices. CW / Natalie Teat
Makayla Maxwell
Contributing Writer
Last fall, The University
of Alabama welcomed
8,037 freshmen to campus,
the largest freshman class
in the school's history.
This beats the fall 2021
freshman class of 7,593,
which had previously been
the largest class.
With increasing
numbers of freshmen on
campus, some students
are concerned about future
housing affordability and
availability as rental prices
are consistently increasing
across the city.
According to the
Culverhouse College of
Business’s Alabama Center
for Real Estate, Tuscaloosa
rent rose 7.45% from July
2022 to July 2023, and the
average rent in July 2023
was $1,472.
This trend is evident
across popular student
housing complexes.
For example, Ion raised
rent for a four-bedroom,
four-bathroom apartment
from $765 in May 2022 to
$999 per bedroom in May
2023. In May 2021, East Edge
offered a four bedroom,
four bathroom apartment
with patio for $519 per
bedroom. Currently, an
apartment of the same
style would cost $910 per
bedroom.
Tuscaloosa's average
rent was lower than the
national average of $2,062
in July 2023. However,
Tuscaloosa’s July 2023 yearover-year
rent price growth
rate is over twice the
national average of 3.57%
Student concerns
UA students voiced
their thoughts on
these trends.
“I did not qualify
for on-campus housing
past my freshman year:
therefore, I now live in
Redpoint Apartments,”
said MaKenzie Ballard,
a sophomore majoring
in public health. “Rent
continues to rise each
year while more and more
students need to move
off campus. Fortunately, I
was able to secure housing
early enough and at a
reasonable price.”
Other students
raised concerns about
transportation.
“If you want to live
close to campus, if
you don’t have a car or
something, you’re out of
luck,” said Sydney Davis,
a senior majoring in
business administration.
For students who
choose to drive to campus,
a fall commuter parking
permit currently costs
$345 and is valid Aug. 1,
2023, to Aug. 5, 2024.
“I have to pay so much
just to be able to get to
school. The buses aren’t
always reliable either. The
school keeps bringing new
students but doesn’t have
the space for the ones that
were here longer,”
Davis said.
Carrigan Collins, a
junior majoring in criminal
justice, noted the burden
that rising prices may place
on students. She said she
feels like the amount of
effort required just to pay
rent is "a lot for students
who have to work" on top
of a full class schedule.
In the face of increasing
rent, some students have
turned to alternative ways
of paying their bills.
“I have friends who
are RAs who thought that
would be a better option,
just because living off
campus is hard,”
Collins said.
RAs are paid and
provided with free housing
on campus.
City action
In recent years,
regulations on student
housing have limited
the development of
new student apartment
complexes as rental prices
have increased.
In 2019, the Tuscaloosa
City Council passed a
moratorium on certain
student housing
developments, which
has since been extended
multiple times, most
recently through May 2022.
According to the
city of Tuscaloosa, the
moratorium covered “any
multifamily or attached
housing development
consisting of 200 or more
bedrooms with four or
more bedrooms per unit
in any capacity, and/or
student-oriented housing
developments of 200
bedrooms or more."
SEE PAGE 4A
NEWS
Tuscaloosa debates bar closing times
Rachel Seale
Staff Writer
In response to recent
police shortages, the
Tuscaloosa City Council
has discussed closing
bars earlier and placed a
moratorium on new bars
to help relieve officers
working bar security.
However, this
suggestion has turned into
a heated debate among
Tuscaloosa residents and
UA students.
At its Aug. 1 meeting,
the Tuscaloosa City
Council approved a
$10,000 retention bonus
for TPD officers.
The council also
established a task force
composed of the chairs
of the Public Safety,
Administrative and Finance
committees to work with
Mayor Walt Maddox to
create a strategic plan
for the Tuscaloosa Police
Department by next August.
This decision follows
several measures passed
earlier this yearto improve
recruitment and retention
at TPD that have failed to fix
the officer shortage, causing
the council to consider
regulating bars.
The understaffed TPD
has expressed concerns to
the council when it comes
to patrolling bars. The
department is tasked with
heavily patrolling the Strip
and surrounding areas due
to overcrowding and safety
concerns that arise when
bars close.
On June 27, the city
passed a bar moratorium
that prevents the
construction of new bars
through 2023, but since
then the city has considered
closing bars earlier, perhaps
even at midnight.
Julian Wyatt, a senior
majoring in international
The Tuscaloosa City Council will potentially be voting to have bars and other businesses close at midnight, which
would affect the Strip. CW / Natalie Teat
studies, said he thinks
Tuscaloosa’s new
moratorium strips business
owners of “basic rights and
the pursuit of happiness.”
Raji Singh, owner of
Grandstand restaurant,
unsuccessfully applied for
his eatery to be considered
a gastropub, or a pub
that acts as a restaurant
during the day and a
bar at night. He said he
found the moratorium’s
application unfair.
“I was denied opening
on June 13 when they still
approved another bar on
the same day,” Singh said.
“I think from the aspect of
public safety I can maybe
understand, but picking
and choosing whom to
SEE PAGE 3A
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news
continued from 1A - bar closing
Since Singh has not
gotten approval to be a
gastropub, his restaurant
can only serve alcohol
while the kitchen is
operating and, therefore,
closes at 10 p.m.
Tuscaloosans continued
to share their thoughts
regarding earlier
bar closures.
Chris Coleman, owner
and general manager of
Unique on the Strip, said
there should not be a set
closing time for bars. He
argued it would jeopardize
safety and increase
overcrowding when bars
close.
“When you’re open all
night, people naturally
leave on their own,”
Coleman said.
Hampton Callaghan, a
Tuscaloosa resident and
2020 UA graduate, said he
thinks altercations will
occur no matter what time
bars close.
“It’s going to turn into
everyone going to house
parties and frat parties.
At least if you’re in a bar,
Alex Gravlee
Staff Writer
T he University of
Alabama is introducing
several new bachelor’s
degree programs for
the fall 2023 semester,
including business
cybersecurity, applied
liberal arts, neuroscience
and sport management.
The Alabama
Commission on Higher
Education, which reviews
new academic programs
for public Alabama
universities, approved the
majors during meetings in
September 2022 and
June 2023.
Business cybersecurity
The business
cybersecurity major,
which is offered in the
Culverhouse College of
Business, aims to inform
students about various
aspects of cybersecurity to
improve communication
within organizations.
Students in this major
will learn about consumer
privacy, data management,
secure application
development and even a
basic understanding of
programming languages
like Python. It also
provides education
on nontechnical parts
of cybersecurity, like
management of security
risks and psychology.
Allen Johnston, a
professor of information
at the college, said the
program’s main goal is not
you have security to try to
keep the peace,”
Callaghan said.
Although fraternity
parties tend to have some
type of security, house
parties often don’t, which
can lead to more problems
for law enforcement.
Conversely, Trevor
Chandler, a sophomore
majoring in political
science, supports midnight
closing times and the
moratorium. Having
worked in Tuscaloosa
bars before, Chandler
said he has seen the
reckless behavior that can
occur and thinks more
restrictions need to be
placed in the area.
As for the likelihood of
earlier bar closing times
being enforced, Kip Tyner,
who represents District
5 in the City Council,
said he is positive that
the council will not close
bars at midnight but has
considered closing bars
at 2 a.m. instead of 3 a.m.
on Fridays or staggering
closing times.
to promote cybersecurity
expertise, but to encourage
communication between
the technical and
nontechnical branches
of business.
Johnston said technical
staff, like cybersecurity
experts, and business-
oriented staff do not
always communicate well,
so this major seeks to
create a “professional that
sits in the middle” and
“communicates on
both sides.”
“They’ve got the
technical [knowledge] to
be able to communicate
and understand what’s
going on in the highly
IT-focused systems,”
Johnston said. “Then they
also have the business
acumen to understand the
needs of the business.”
Johnston said that a
board, which included
chief information officers,
chief sales officers and
chief information security
officers from organizations
like Lockheed Martin and
Dollar Tree, was created to
help develop the major.
He added that the board
provided information on
how to keep the topics
taught in class relevant to
the industry and how to
help graduating students
attract employers.
Applied liberal arts
Part of the College of
Arts and Sciences’ New
College department, the
applied liberal arts degree
allows students with over
80 credit hours to combine
Previously, Maddox
said staggering last calls
would require enabling
legislation from the
state legislature.
Nolan Stewart, a junior
majoring in political
science and a bouncer
at a Tuscaloosa bar, said
there’s already a lot of
governmental standards
— such as ABC regulations
and fire codes — bars
must implement in
order to operate. Despite
his general dislike of
“government interference”
in the bar’s business
affairs, Stewart is in favor
of staggered closing times.
At the Tuscaloosa
City Council committee
meeting on July 18,
Councilperson John Faile
suggested that all bars
close at midnight Monday-
Thursday and 1 a.m.
Fridays and Saturdays.
Faile, who represents
District 6, said his
constituents have
expressed concerns with
police response times,
including one person who
two minors for degree
completion. At least one of
the minors must be in the
College of Arts and Sciences.
According to a
document submitted to the
ACHE, the new program
exists “strictly for degree
completion,” meaning it is
recommended for students
who have not made
significant progress toward
their degrees or are not set
to graduate in six years.
Robin McGill, the deputy
director for academic
affairs at the ACHE, said
this degree is not for
students seeking an area
of individualized study,
but one an adviser would
recommend to struggling
students.
McGill added that the
major was added to boost
degree completion rates.
Neuroscience
The neuroscience degree
program is under the
Department of Psychology
in the College of Arts
and Sciences. The degree
relies on multidisciplinary
faculty, combining subjects
including biological sciences,
philosophy, anthropology
and education.
It also trains students to
participate in neuroscience
research alongside prepping
pre-med students for
the MCAT.
Rajesh Kana, a
professor in the
Department of Psychology
who helped develop
the program, said since
the university does not
have the resources like
told him it had taken
police 55 minutes to
respond to a call.
Michael Terry, lead
guitarist for the Druid
City Rockers, said he
has always felt safe
performing in Tuscaloosa,
but has mixed feelings
about the heavy police
presence around bars.
“I think the police
presence can present a
sense of control so you
have to be on your p’s
and q’s,” Terry said. “It’s
a little more uptight. On
the other hand, it’s nice to
know that the police are
nearby in case there is an
incident.”
Alex House,
assistant director of
communications for the
University, said UAPD
and TPD are stationed
around the clock at a joint
substation on the Strip.
More UA officers will be
assigned to the Strip as
UAPD grows.
Terry said he wonders
if earlier closures could
impact bars’ abilities to
UA introduces four new bachelor’s degree programs
other universities with
neuroscience programs,
the program uses faculty
and courses from
other departments.
However, he said not
having enough bandwidth
allows students to
have room for their
own field of interest in
the courses they like
because the program is
interdisciplinary.
Kana said this new
program comes during a
general movement toward
neuroscience on campus,
mentioning a new MRI
center built in late 2022
and the development of
a neuroscience minor.
He added that 60% of
neuroscience minors
said in a survey that they
would pursue a major
in neuroscience.
“I think the center of
mass of neuroscience
at the UA campus is
significantly changing,”
Kana said. “Hopefully, in
the next few years we’ll
see a much different-
looking major with lots of
options built in as we have
more faculty as well as
more new courses.”
Sport management
The University's
new sport management
program trains students
for careers in the athletics
industry, including
education on security,
event planning, public
outreach and more.
Among the new
classes created for the
major is a required
3A
hire bands, as bars started
canceling their bookings
with his own band this
summer. However, one of
Terry’s potential solutions
to thinning out crowds
could be to open more bars
in areas besides the Strip,
like downtown Northport.
Sydney Regan, a junior
majoring in criminology,
said she thinks police
aren’t always the answer.
Regan suggested that
a group of designated
students patrol the Strip
to help students get home
safely and keep the peace.
Tyner said the solution
to keeping nightlife in
Tuscaloosa, as well as
enforcing public safety,
may be to create smaller,
more intimate bars in
the future.
“I think the appetite
now is for smaller bars,”
Tyner said. “The mega bars
are probably history, at
least under this council.”
Tyner warned that bar
owners who admit patrons
over capacity this fall will
be shut down for 24 hours.
internship course, RHM
367. According to the
ACHE’s meeting document
(pages 55-58), potential
sites for internships
for the course include
the UA Department of
Intercollegiate Athletics,
the NFL, MLB and Atlanta’s
Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Carla Blakey, an
undergraduate program
coordinator for the
major, said the program
is launching with an
enrollment of over 300
students. She attributed
these numbers to student
internship success.
“Experiential learning is
definitely our foundation
of what we do and what
has made us successful
and what will continue
to make us successful,”
Blakey said.
She also mentioned a
new study abroad program
in Spain launching in the
coming summer called UA
in Europe: Globalization
of Sport. Blakey said
the program is still in
development but will be
advertised at the study
abroad fair.
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4A
news
continued from 1A — rent prices
However, during
the moratorium, some
apartment complexes
were approved for
construction by the City
Council; for example, one
is under construction
in north Tuscaloosa and
another, Union on Frank,
was built near Bryant-
Denny Stadium. These
buildings would have
violated the rules of the
moratorium. However,
the construction permits
were granted prior to the
passing of the ban.
City Council President
Kip Tyner said that the
moratorium will be helpful
in the long run.
“It has worked
extremely well,” Tyner said
in an email statement.
“It was primarily aimed
at developments farther
away from campus. Many
of these complexes, such
as down Old Greensboro
Avenue near Shelton State,
had seen increases
in crime.”
While students
may worry about the
availability of housing as
the out-of-state student
population has grown,
the city has recognized
the expansion of student
housing by developers as
a problem for low-earning
Tuscaloosa residents.
“This trend has caused
developers to build multifamily
products that are
more student-oriented
rather than traditional
multi-family housing due
to being able to receive a
higher value of return,” the
city stated in its 2020-2024
consolidated action plan
for housing.
The plan examined
the housing market in
Tuscaloosa, among other
things, and included a
plan to increase affordable
housing availability, which
the city said was lacking.
All these apartments know
that we don’t have any
options, so they’re taking
advantage of that. Me and
my friends all think the
same thing.
Sydney Davis
UA Senior
According to the
consolidated action plan,
as developers have focused
more on high-earning
large student housing
complexes, rental prices
have been skewed upward.
Consequently, the city has
been left without adequate
affordable housing for its
lowest-earning residents.
As far as the future
of on-campus housing
options, the University has
more than enough space
to accommodate
incoming freshmen.
Alex House, assistant
director of communications
for the University, said there
are around 8,700 beds in
campus residence halls.
Leased beds at East Edge
apartments bring the total to
Tuscaloosa's average
rent was lower than the
national average of $2,062
in July 2023. However,
Tuscaloosa’s July 2023
year-over-year rent price
growth rate was over twice
the national average of
3.57%.
East Edge, one apartment complex raising its rent prices. CW / Natalie Teat
around 9,300 available beds.
Currently, there are no
plans to build any more
residence halls.
As the University
continues to grow, some
students are pessimistic
about the future of rental
prices in Tuscaloosa.
“I feel like it’s definitely
going to get worse,” Davis
said. “All these apartments
know that we don’t have
any options, so they’re
taking advantage of that.
Me and my friends all
think the same thing.”
Bella Martina
Assistant Sports Editor
Looking to the future of Yea Alabama
“Long overdue,”
“experiential” and
“innovative” are the words
Yea Alabama Executive
Director Jay McPhillips
used to describe college
athletes’ ability to make
money off their name,
image and likeness.
The policy has made its
debut in college athletics
in 2021 and has forced
universities to grow along
with it, including the
Crimson Tide.
The creation of the
school’s NIL entity, Yea
Alabama, has allowed for
the future of NIL to remain
steady on campus. With
the program continuing
to grow, Yea Alabama has
much in store for its fans,
athletes, and donors this
year and forward.
Yea Alabama, Alabama’s NIL program, has much planned for students fans and athletes this fall and forward. Courtesy of Yea Ala-
We are just as proud to
represent the Script A,
and with NIL legislation
it gives the perfect
platform to pursue bigger
opportunities, create a
brand for ourselves and
ultimately inspire the
next generation of NCAA
women’s athletes.
Luisa Blanco
Alabama Gymnast
So far on Yea Alabama’s
website, fans have the
chance to pay for monthly
subscriptions ranging
from $18 to $250 a month.
However, starting this
fall, Yea Alabama is
introducing a student
membership that will
be $5 a month or $50
annually. The subscription
will be available for
students enrolled at
Alabama, to promote more
on-campus support.
“Supporting Yea
Alabama is the most
direct and effective way in
giving our sports teams a
competitive advantage on
the field and on the court,”
McPhillips said.
Membership holders
will get access to special
events, as well as a
discount card that can
be used at several local
businesses on and around
campus. The objective is
to work throughout the
year to create engagement
opportunities for students
to interact with their fellow
student-athletes to get to
know the teams better.
Another addition
Alabama is introducing
this semester is The
Advantage Center that
will be located inside of
Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Created by the sports
marketing company
Learfield, The Advantage
Center will serve as a
space for student-athletes
to conduct NIL business.
Crimson Tide athletes
can use the space for
everything from brand
meetings and autographs,
to podcasts or radio
appearances. This space
is set to open fall 2023,
while details on the exact
release date are yet to
be announced.
With all these big
plans in the works, Yea
Alabama Director of
Content Aaron Suttles says
educating more people
about the policy is one of
the organization’s biggest
objectives for the year.
“NIL’s impact on
collegiate sports can’t
be ignored,” Suttles said.
“If athletic departments
aren’t helping maximize
student-athletes’
opportunities, then they’re
missing out. While there’s
no uniformity to it, it is
the present and future.”
Athletes across
campus have already
felt the impact of NIL
as well. Senior gymnast
Luisa Blanco, currently
working her way toward
the Olympics, believes its
implementation will help
maximize support for
women’s sports.
“We are just as proud
to represent the Script A,
and with NIL legislation
it gives the perfect
platform to pursue bigger
opportunities, create a
brand for ourselves and
ultimately inspire the
next generation of NCAA
women's athletes,”
Blanco said.
However, studentathletes
can gain more
from NIL than just
brand deals. The time
and work that go into
their collaborations
can be turned into
business experience for
post-graduation.
During their time with
Yea Alabama, athletes
have the chance to learn
how to read and negotiate
contracts, as well as have
a helping hand in building
their brand for future
endeavors. All domestic
student-athletes on
campus have access to Yea
Alabama and the ability to
participate in NIL.
“They learn what it’s
like to have expectations
for a job, because they
agree to do a certain
number of tasks, whether
that’s an appearance, or a
meet and greet,” McPhillips
said. “They’re signing up
for something and having
expectations to deliver,
the same way a typical
employee would after their
collegiate career.”
Yea Alabama employees
believe it is just as
important to serve their
student-athletes as their
fans and donors. The
University of Alabama has
some of the best studentathletes
in the country,
and continuing to expand
the connection between
them and Crimson Tide
fans through this program
is essential for all -around
success.
Much is planned for
the end of 2023, and even
more for the long-term
goals of implementing NIL
on campus and
Yea Alabama.
“We are ultimately
here to serve our studentathletes,”
McPhillips said,
“Our goal for Yea Alabama
in the next five years is to
be the best in the country,
period.”

Abby McCreary
Sports Editor
With classes starting up
again this fall, Alabama
sports are also beginning
their 2023-24 seasons. With
championship-caliber teams
around every corner, it can be
difficult to keep track of every
player, every sport, every
must-see matchup.
To ensure you don’t
miss any crucial UA sports
moments this fall, here are
the home games, matches
and meets that you need
to see.
Volleyball at the Crimson
Tide Invitational,
Aug. 25-26
Volleyball opens its season
with three matches in Foster
Auditorium the weekend
after classes start. The
invitational is the perfect
introduction to Alabama
sports, especially when
students pack the small but
rowdy Foster Auditorium.
Julia Ray, a junior
majoring in communicative
disorders, said that the
auditorium houses a great
energy when it gets packed.
“It was really cool to see
the student section really
full, and it was fun when the
band, cheerleaders and Big
Al were there,” Ray said. “It’s
loud, it’s energetic, it’s really
cool to cheer on the team
in the cool atmosphere and
have a lot of people to cheer
on the volleyball team.”
After a disappointing 10-
20 season last year, Alabama
volleyball has a lot of room
to improve under secondyear
head coach Rashinda
Reed. Ray said she’s excited
to see what the program has
in store.
sports
UA sports events to watch in fall 2023
Students and fans cheering on the Alabama Women’s Soccer team in a match against Florida on Oct. 23, 2022, at the Alabama
Soccer Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. CW / Natalie Teat
“I’ve been to a lot of their
home games, so it’s really
cool to follow them these
past two years, see how
they play, see how they’ve
grown each game and each
year,” Ray said. “I’m just
excited to see how they’ve
progressed and see how
they play this year against a
lot of our old opponents.”
Soccer vs.
North Carolina,
Sept. 10 at 6 p.m. CT
Following a historic 2022
campaign involving the
program’s first-ever College
Cup appearance, the soccer
program is jumping right back
into action. Ranked No. 7 in
preseason polls, the team
returns 18 players, including
last year's star freshman
Gianna Paul and recordbreaking
veteran Felicia
Knox. Although the season
officially started in August,
the program’s first test will
be North Carolina, last year’s
runner-up.
After last year’s excitement,
UA junior Bre Ciemny, a
biology major, said she can’t
wait to see the team’s growth.
“I was disappointed that
they didn’t end the season
how they wanted in the
Final Four, by winning it all,”
Ciemny said. “But I know that
was a huge accomplishment
and I can’t wait to see what
they do this season.”
Although Ciemny tried
to go to as many games
as she could last year, she
spent her favorite game
of last year’s season in
the car, listening to the
double overtime victory
against Duke that led
Alabama to the Final Four.
However, with all the
national attention last year
and a preseason national
ranking, Alabama games
will be broadcast on a lot
more television stations
as well, including ESPNU,
which will air the game
against North Carolina.
Ciemny said she’ll be
attending a lot more games
in Alabama Soccer Stadium,
though, especially because of
the “unmatched” energy.
“The fans bring the energy
— there’s people with drum
shakers, signs, everything,”
Ciemny said. “There’s family
players hyping up their
daughters and sisters, it’s
just an unmatchable energy.
Everyone is oohing and
aahing together as one. You
just get swept up along in it.”
Football vs. Tennessee,
Oct. 21
After last year’s
heartbreaking loss in Neyland
Stadium, hosting the Third
Saturday in October in
Bryant-Denny Stadium this
year will be unlike any other
Alabama-Tennessee rivalry
matchup of this century.
5A
Forget the quarterback
battle, the new offensive and
defensive coordinators, and
even a return to the national
championship — nothing
will get Alabama fans out of
their funk more than seeing
the cigar smoke settle over
Tuscaloosa on Oct. 21.
Instead of cigar smoke last
year, UA senior and Million
Dollar Band member Alyssa
Poe remembers something
quite different in the air.
“There was a concrete
tension in the air throughout
the whole game,” Poe said.
“There was excitement,
but also this nervousness
because we knew that
Tennessee was going to be
hard to beat this year, but we
weren’t expecting what we
found at the game.”
Poe remembers the sea of
orange at Neyland Stadium,
the Tennessee fans cursing
at the band, and planning
how to leave once it became
clear that the goalposts were
coming down.
She said that this year it
will be a relief to play the
rematch on home turf, and
it’s the most anticipated
game of the season.
“Everyone feels like we
have so much to prove, so
that game is our way of
taking back some of the pride
that we have in our team, not
that we lost the pride this
past season, but knowing we
can beat Tennessee again
and feel the security again
will give people hope in our
team than they have in the
last couple years,” Poe said.
“It will be the game to be at
this season.”
Jack Pate
Contributing Writer
The University of Alabama
is widely known for its
national championship
athletics program, Saturday
nights under the lights at
Bryant-Denny Stadium and
Sunday afternoons at the
Sewell-Thomas baseball field.
But something that is also
widely loved in the hearts
of students at the Capstone
is all the intramural sports
that University Recreation
provides for clubs, teams
and anyone who is
interested in staying active
through athletics.
Whether it’s softball,
flag football, ultimate or
basketball, many students
participate in these sports
year-round.
Senior accounting major
Josh Oakman, who has
played over six intramural
sports during his time
at the Capstone, said he
originally got involved
through his friends.
“My friends played them,
and I played high school
sports with a team and
wanted to keep this trend
going because I missed it,”
Oakman said. “They are
extremely fun, and I get to do
them with my friends.”
Oakman, who has played
everything from volleyball to
Spikeball, will be playing in
the newly formed pickleball
league this fall. While the
sports offered change from
semester to semester, this
fall marks the first time that
the intramurals program is
adding the quickly growing
sport to its schedule.
Although intramurals are
very student dominated, the
sports are also available to
Getting involved with intramural sports at UA
CW / Shelby West
faculty and full-time staff, as
well as spouses of these UA
personnel, with the purchase
of a membership.
There are many different
sports to be played at
Alabama, including flag
football, ultimate, soccer,
basketball, softball, indoor
soccer and volleyball. Some
of these sports take place
in the fall semester, while
the others are during the
spring. The University offers
different teams that consist
of co-recreational and
gender-specific options for
different sports.
While the most
traditional method of
signing up for intramurals is
by forming a team through a
club or independently, there
is also a free agent option.
Individuals can sign up for
intramurals through UREC’s
online registration system,
and team captains will
invite them to their team
if they have roster spots
available. Unfortunately,
roster spots are not
guaranteed for free agents.
Intramurals are diverse
and offer many different
opportunities to make
friends but also present
the chance to compete at
a competitive level with
other athletes.
Sophomore business
major Emily Onofry has a
different approach
to intramurals.
“I do it because I miss
playing softball,” Onofry said.
“It’s just something fun to
get involved in during the
spring since there isn’t much
going on during the spring
semester because it’s not
football season.”
Many students who miss
the fun and competition
of high school sports fall
in love very quickly with
intramurals. Some play on
different teams that might
not be as competitive but are
still very fun.
The sports options
vary depending on the
different types of leagues
they are in. There will be
men’s, women’s, co-rec and
fraternity leagues. Ultimate
will offer men’s and co-rec
leagues. Volleyball teams
can be men’s, women’s and
co-rec. All other leagues
will be “open,” meaning
any participant regardless
of gender can participate
among each other.
For those who want to be
involved with intramurals
but don’t want to play,
University Recreation hires
and trains students to be
the officials who regulate
the semester’s sports. No
experience is necessary, but
those who are interested
must attend the training
session for the sport they are
interested in officiating.
Junior engineering major
Colton Hollingsworth plays
a few different sports for
reasons similar to Oakman
and Onofry.
“It’s a great way to
continue to be active as
well as have fun with a
sense of competition,”
Hollingsworth said.
Tournaments
Spikeball: Registration Aug.
30-Sept. 13. Tournament Sept.
15 at the Student Recreation
Center Fields.
Floor hockey: Registration
Sept. 20-Oct. 2. Tournament
Oct. 5-6 at the Witt Center
Multi-Activity Court.
3v3 basketball: Registration
Oct. 25-Nov. 7. Tournament
Nov. 9-10 at the Witt Center
Basketball Courts.
Major league sports
Flag football: Registration
Aug. 23-Sept. 6. Season starts
Sept. 10 at the SRC Fields.
Pickleball: Registration
Sept. 6-20. Season starts
Sept. 24 at the Parker-Haun
Tennis Facility.
11v11 Soccer: Registration
Aug. 30-Sept. 13. Season starts
Sept. 17 at the SRC Fields.
Ultimate: Registration Aug.
23-Sept. 6. Season starts Sept.
10 at the SRC Fields.
Volleyball: Registration Sept.
20-Oct. 11. Season starts
Oct. 15 at the SRC South
Gym Courts.
To get involved, all you need
to do is find a sport you are
interested in playing and
join or create a team. Once
you do, you can visit the
intramural website and sign
yourself up.

6A
sports
The ins and outs of UA’s Student Rec Center
Orry Cantrell
Staff Writer
Getting into a healthy and
consistent routine is
important for maintaining
mental health and ensuring
academic success. One of
the most important parts of
a healthy routine is exercise.
Maintaining your physical
health during the semester is
just as important as studying
and making it to class on
time. The best place on
campus to get started is the
Student Recreation Center.
Getting to know the Rec
Also known as simply “the
Rec,” the Student Recreation
Center offers a multitude of
machines, equipment and
spaces to satisfy anyone’s
fitness needs.
Everyone at the Rec is
there for different reasons.
Some are there to get
stronger and build muscle.
Some are there to lose
weight and get in shape.
Others are there just to have
fun with friends and enjoy
themselves. Whatever your
reason may be for visiting,
you’ll find an area of the Rec
that suits your goals.
In the workout area,
you’ll find dozens of
different machines and
racks, covering just about
every muscle group. There is
also a rack of dumbbells that
weigh anywhere from 5 to
110 pounds that can be used
for a variety of exercises.
For those looking to get
some cardio in, the upstairs
area is where you’ll find all
the treadmills, ellipticals
and stair climbers. This is
also where you can access
the indoor track area.
The Rec also has several
basketball courts where
there are almost always
pickup games to join in on.
There are usually some goals
open for those just looking to
The Student Recreation Center is located at 400 Peter Bryce Blvd. in Tuscaloosa, Ala. CW / Natalie Teat
get some shots up, too. This
area of the Rec also includes
several racquetball courts.
In addition to these courts,
there are tennis courts
outside where students and
faculty can use the newly
added pickleball nets.
With all these different
options for getting active at
the Rec, some students may
be intimidated or confused,
but the staff is always ready
to help with anything you
may need.
“If you don’t know what
you’re doing, you can always
ask one of us up at the front
desk,” said Wil Klosterman, a
senior and UREC employee.
“Part of our job is to show
people around and how to
use the equipment.”
The Rec also offers
several different services
and programs to students
and faculty. Beginners
who may need some help
and guidance starting
their fitness journeys can
hire personal trainers on
the University Recreation
website.
Things to know
Going to the Rec can be
an enjoyable experience,
but there are some things to
know that will enable you to
make the most out of
your time.
First of all, the Rec can
be intimidating for some,
especially those new to
fitness, due to the number
of people you will be sharing
the facility with.
While the Rec does get
fairly crowded at certain
times in the day, there are
times when things are less
hectic and more machines
and equipment will be open
for use. Going earlier in the
morning or later at night is
a good idea if you’re looking
to avoid a big crowd. Most
students and faculty seem
to make their way to the Rec
in the afternoon hours, after
they are done with class for
the day. On the weekends,
the busiest hours are still in
the afternoon.
Next, newcomers need
to know that everyone they
see working out at the Rec
is at a different point in
their fitness journeys. You
will see people working out
for the first time, as well as
some people who have been
working out for years.
It’s important to know
that the Rec is a place where
everyone goes to have a
positive experience and
enjoy themselves, not to
judge others. You may feel
insecure because you aren’t
lifting as much weight as
the person next to you, or
maybe you can’t run on
the treadmill for as long as
someone else.
But, as sophomore UREC
worker and nursing major
Adaline Sellers says, most
people in the Rec are focused
on their own workout, not
whatever you’re doing.
“Don’t worry about what
people are going to think
about you,” she said. “Most
likely they aren’t looking at
you anyways.”
Another thing to
remember is that you will
need your ACT Card to gain
access to the facility. If
you’re a new member of the
Rec, the membership may
take some time to process
in the system, so the card
may not work immediately,
according to Carson Hayes,
a sophomore advertising
major who works for UREC.
“If you tap it and
it doesn’t work, the
membership office is open
Monday through Friday,”
he said.
This shouldn’t be a
problem for most students,
however, as access to the
Rec is included in tuition for
students who are registered
for at least five credit hours
during the semester. All a
student needs to do is scan
their ACT Card at the front.
The Student Rec
Center’s Hours
Monday-Thursday
5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday
5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday
9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday
9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Robert E. Witt Student
Activity Center Hours
Monday-Thursday
7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
ACCIDENT & CRIMINAL DEFENSE
205.454.7500
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THE QUALITY OF LEGAL SERVICES TO
BE PERFORMED IS GREATER THAN THE
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sports
2023 Alabama football preview:
A game-by-game breakdown of the 2023 analysis
7A
Luke McClinton
Staff Writer
As the month of August
dawns upon us, so does
the intense anticipation of
Alabama football.
It’s comical that an
11-win season punctuated
with a dominant Sugar
Bowl showing has left a
sour taste in the mouth of
Tuscaloosa residents, but
such is the case when the
standard is the top of the
mountain. Recent history
says it’s safe to assume
the Crimson Tide is ready
for the 2023 season. One
question remains, then:
Are you? Are you prepared
for the potential upsets
and the sleeper teams
we need to watch out for
along the way?
Lock in, and let’s get
officially prepared for
the season.
Week 1: Vs.
Middle Tennessee
Verdict: Alabama wins
in blowout fashion
In just over a month,
the 2022 Middle Tennessee
Blue Raiders fell to Group
of Five foes James Madison
and UAB by a combined 64
points while picking up a
road win over the then-No.
25 Miami Hurricanes.
They eventually found
their stride, closing on a
four-game winning streak,
and the personnel from
that momentum run is
mostly back.The defense
was polarizing; it put up
little resistance against
the pass but was one of
the most suffocating in the
country against the run.
It would be imprudent,
however, to judge Middle
Tennessee and Alabama
on the same level. The
Blue Raiders might
piece together a solid
quarter and make it look
somewhat interesting,
but at a certain point the
sheer talent will take
over and swing the game
irrevocably in the Crimson
Tide’s favor.
Week 2: Vs. Texas
Verdict: Upset aler.
With college football
coming back, talk of
“Texas is back!” has
also returned.
This claim is at its
most credible this year.
The offensive line, which
allowed the second-fewest
sacks in the Big 12, holds
five experienced and
potentially all-conference
starters. Xavier Worthy,
Jordan Whittington and
UGA transfer Adonai
Mitchell are the top dogs
in what looks to be an
elite receiving room.
Jonathon Brooks, Keilan
Robinson and incoming
top running back recruit
CJ Baxter should make a
valiant effort to fill Bijan
Robinson’s shoes.
The defense led the
country in quarterback
pressures and was overall
pretty explosive; remember
the Alabama-Texas game
last year, and how lethargic
the Crimson Tide offense
was made to look.
Nonetheless, Alabama
is — and will likely stay —
a touchdown favorite. This
is not a time to toy around,
however, and if whoever
finds himself as Alabama’s
starting quarterback can’t
run an efficient offense
and the defense can’t
stop a talented Longhorn
attack, this matchup might
be just as stressful as
last season.
The Nick Saban statue outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium. CW / Natalie Teat
Week 3: At
South Florida
Verdict: Another
blowout
South Florida was 1-11
last season. It finished
130th out of 131 teams in
opponent points per game.
It gave up over 500 yards
of offense per contest.
The lone bright spot,
thousand-yard rusher
Brian Battie, is off to
Auburn via transfer.
No disrespect is
intended, but there’s little
to say here. If Alabama
plays up to its standard,
the question isn’t of
victory, but of victory by
how much.
Week 4: Vs. Ole Miss
Verdict: Alabama wins
On one hand, Ole Miss
returns one of the best
running backs in the SEC
in Quinshon Judkins. The
Rebels also return Jaxson
Dart, who resides in the
upper echelon of SEC
quarterbacks, and add
former Oklahoma State stud
Spencer Sanders. On the
other, the defense is still in
need of improvement.
This game will almost
certainly come down to the
ability of Alabama’s defense
to get stops, since the Rebels’
path to victory is through
their blistering offense.
Week 5: At
Mississippi State
Verdict: A likely win.
There’s currently a Mike
Leach-shaped hole in the
Mississippi State football
program. With Zach Arnett
taking over, the culture is
changing, and such a shift
makes anticipating the team’s
success a difficult task.
The Bulldogs were an
SEC dark horse last year,
pairing their usual potent
offense with a surprisingly
efficient defense. Even if
they retain their sneakygood
status, however, they
remain a class below the
Crimson Tide.
Week 6: At
Texas A&M
Verdict: A win for
Alabama.
Texas A&M might have
underperformed last
year, but it still returns a
historic recruiting class
with a year of experience.
Alongside a new and
proven-winner offensive
coordinator in Bobby
Petrino and an elite pass
defense, it could mean
trouble for opponents.
Still, hold off on the
hype until the Aggies
prove their worth. Unless
there’s an unforeseen
malfunction somewhere in
the Crimson Tide machine,
or another situation with
a quarterback making
his first career start, this
game shouldn’t be as
anxiety-inducing as the
last two years.
Week 7: Vs. Arkansas
Verdict: Likely win, but
potential trap
The Razorbacks boast
two players who have
arguments as the best SEC
returners at their position.
KJ Jefferson and Raheim
Sanders will form one of
the most dynamic QB-RB
duos in the conference
this upcoming season.
Unfortunately, the rest
of the offense is quite
depleted; under new
offensive coordinator Dan
Enos, it will heavily rely
on a bevy of transfers
with little college football
experience. Furthermore,
the defense had a Jekylland-Hyde
dynamic,
setting a school record for
sacks while allowing an
atrocious 465 total yards
per game.
After two potentially
exhausting road games,
this could be something of
a trap for the Crimson Tide.
It could be especially tricky
if Arkansas takes the leap
necessary to fight for a
high spot in the SEC West.
Week 8: Vs.
Tennessee
Verdict: A nail biter
We all know this
rematch is going to take the
coveted SEC on CBS spot
at 2:30. If everything goes
according to plan for both
teams, it will be glorious.
Despite no small
loss of talent, the bar in
Knoxville is set high. If
Joe Milton reaches his full
potential as a quarterback
with supreme physical
gifts, and the defense
overcomes its personnel
changes, this team can get
a taste of last year’s Josh
Heupel chef special.
Given the enormous
shoes the Crimson Tide’s
quarterback will have to fill,
there’s a chance the key to
victory here is its advantage
on defense. If it can curtail
the ballistic Tennessee
offense, it should escape
with revenge exacted. With
how gobsmacked Alabama
looked trying to stop the
Heupel scheme, however,
that’s easier said than done.
When you’re cooking
the popcorn for this game,
grab some Tums as well.
Week 9: Bye
Week 10: Vs. LSU
Verdict: A tossup, but
Alabama likely on top
After a five-game
gauntlet, the Crimson Tide
faces what could be the
toughest contest of the
season. Alabama’s rematch
versus Tennessee is for
revenge; its rematch with
LSU is for revenge and
possibly a spot in the
SEC championship.
Jayden Daniels has a
strong case as the best
quarterback in the SEC.
The defense is a wrecking
crew led by bruising
defensive tackle Maason
Smith and NFL prospect
linebacker Harold Perkins.
Not much separates
Alabama from the
defending kings of the SEC
West. Whether a backand-forth
shootout or a
defensive war of attrition,
it’ll be a dogfight.
Week 11: At Kentucky
Verdict: Another
Alabama win
After a six-week
grinder, the load is
lightened. But not by much.
Kentucky is looking
to return to doubledigit-victory
level after
something of a down year.
The 2022 team boasted a
staunch defense, ranking
13th in the country;
conversely, the offense
ranked 112th.
Though he isn’t the
pro prospect Will Levis
was, incoming Devin
Leary should fit as well,
if not better, into the
Wildcat attack. The top five
receivers all return, two of
whom were Freshman All-
Americans. All this on top
of a defense that will still
be solid even with some
turnover.
Like in some of the
previous games, however,
it’s important not to get
carried away. Kentucky’s
still a step or two behind
the Crimson Tide.
Week 12: Vs.
Chattanooga
Verdict: A decisive
victory
The Chattanooga Mocs
were respectable in 2022,
finishing No. 24 in the last
year’s Football Championship
Subdivision rankings.
In other news,
they’re an FCS school.
Don’t forget Alabama is
paying them $600,000 to
spend an afternoon in
Bryant-Denny.
Week 13: At Auburn
Verdict: A needlessly
close win
Auburn has had it a
little rough the past few
seasons, but the offseason
brings a little bit of hope
in the form of the transfer
portal, especially Michigan
State transfer Payton
Thorne at quarterback.
Getting back over .500
should be the expectation.
That being said, the
Tigers could be starting
a middle schooler at
quarterback and a squad
of Pop Warner MVPs on
defense, and this game
would still be closer than it
should — this is an Iron Bowl
in Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Alabama will be
fighting for its right
to return to the SEC
championship and
compete for a College
Football Playoff spot.
Auburn will be fighting to
not be sixth place in the
SEC West.
These teams are
not on the same level,
but history tells us that
by some mixture of
underperformance on one
side and overperformance
on the other, they’ll play
an even-footed game.
Nick Saban survey’s the field prior to Alabama’s loss to
Tennessee on Oct. 15, 2022. CW Files

8A
crossword
The Crimson Crossword
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16
17 18 19
20 21 22 23
24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31 32
33 34 35
36 37 38
39 40 41
42 43 44
45 46
47 48 49 50 51 52 53
54 55 56 57
58 59 60
61 62 63
Down
1. Word before “hygiene” or
“history”
2. “Livin’ la ____ Loca”
(Ricky Martin hit)
3. Coup d’____
4. Memento
5. Be plentiful
6. June celebration
7. Wan
8. Fib
9. Put in harm’s way
Across
1. Finished
5. Doctor repellent
10. 5-Across relative
14. ____ of passage
15. Organ that named itself
16. Highest point
17. Eve’s partner
18. Coated with nonstick
spray, perhaps
19. “That’s a ____!”
To view the remaining
clues scan the QR code.
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opinion
1B
It’s actually good to change majors and drop classes
Chance Phillips
Contributing Columnist
If you’re thinking about
changing your major, do
it. If you start feeling like
you should drop one of your
classes, do it.
College is a period of
personal transformation for
every student. Many incoming
students leave their high
school friends and their
hometown to spend years in
a new city, maybe in a new
state. They will likely change
as much as their environment
did.
There’s no reason to
believe you picked the best
major for you when first
registering for classes. I
came to The University of
Alabama planning to major in
computer science. I dropped
it to a minor after I realized
I was spending my time in
computer science classes
reading political science
papers on my laptop.
Now, I’m pursuing a
master’s in political science
through the Accelerated
Master’s Program and am
considering adding a second
major in economics. For me,
continuing to study computer
science would have been a
major waste of time.
Your major in college
should help you get a job,
expand your horizons and
ultimately help you learn
about something you’re
interested in. If spending
a few hours every week
learning about something
feels like a chore, how will a
40-hour work week in that
field feel?
Also, thanks to general
education and elective
requirements, you’ll be
exposed to subjects you
probably never considered
learning about before
you started your college
education.
Back when I was still a
student taking online courses
through the University’s Early
College program, I took JCM
200: Journalism and Social
Media to fulfill a humanities
requirement. That course
struck a bit of a chord with
me. I didn’t end up switching
my major because of it, but
it’s quite possible I might have
never sent my first piece to
The Crimson White if not for
that experience.
A lot of the education you
receive from college is
actually about learning
your limits, not memorizing
textbooks chapter and
verse. After college, you will
need to be able to both set
and maintain a work-life
balance that works for you
and helps you flourish.
Per the U.S. Department
of Education, around onethird
of students pursuing
a bachelor’s degree change
their majors. If you decide
to change your major, you
won’t be the first or the last.
The same is true for dropping
classes. In a 2019 poll of 1,200
college students by ad agency
Zion & Zion, 41% said they
had dropped a class in the
first couple years of college.
Dropping classes, like
myBama is the university’s platform where students can access a multitude of pages
and websites. CW / Natalie Teat
switching majors, is often two without delaying your
seen as an admission of graduation.
failure. On the contrary, it’s It should also be perfectly
actually incredibly weird to acceptable to drop a class
expect you won’t need to drop because of personality
any classes during your time conflicts, with the professor
in college.
or with your classmates.
We all register for classes Maybe the professor relies
months before a semester too heavily on pre-recorded
starts — months before we lectures — if it prevents you
could possibly know how from properly absorbing the
stressful our personal lives material, why shouldn’t you
will be. Why would we expect drop the course and try again
to know how busy our jobs with a new professor next
might be, or even just how semester?
hard those classes will be that In my opinion, a lot of
semester, so far in advance? the education you receive
Maybe you’re thinking from college is actually
optimistically when
about learning your limits,
registering for classes and not memorizing textbooks
sign up for an 8 a.m. class. chapter and verse. After
Should you have to waste college, you will need to be
your time and your money able to both set and maintain
after you realize you can’t a work-life balance that
make it to a morning class on works for you and helps you
time to save your life?
flourish.
If you’re unable to derive Determining whether
the full benefit from a course or not a course is worth
you are taking, why should staying in is one important
you pay $545 in-state, or way to help develop those
$1,425 out-of-state per credit skills. Maybe that course
hour, only to sort of learn the on the politics of organized
material? It’s not a personal labor looks fascinating, but
failure to just wait and try you know you would be
again next semester. Luckily, far too swamped between
it’s likely that most of your extracurriculars and your
required courses can be other required courses.
pushed off a semester or
If you can make those calls
before you register for classes,
that’s great, of course! But if
you can’t, and you bit off a bit
more than you could chew,
consider dropping a class and
make the experience a lesson
for next semester.
Besides the mental stress
of having too much on your
plate for a semester, we all
have to worry about our GPA.
Staying in a major you can’t
focus on, or in a class that is
just not working for you, will
leave a nasty blemish on your
resume and could make it
harder for you to get into grad
school, if that is a path you
are considering.
Luckily, you can drop a
course for months after
classes start and receive a W,
which doesn’t affect your GPA.
If you drop a course within
the first week of the semester,
you won’t even receive a W
on your transcript, as if you
never took the class in the
first place.
This semester, please
question the decisions
that you made in the past.
Consider if your current major
and your current course load
is really working for you. If
you need to switch majors
or drop classes, I for one will
welcome you to the club.
Young people should vote in the 2024 primary elections
Garrett Marchand
Contributing Columnist
The 2024 primary elections
are now fully underway.
With the first Republican
primary debate on Aug. 23
now over, it is time to begin
paying attention to the
candidates, engaging in the
process, and preparing to
vote in your state's primary
election next year.
As university students,
most of us fall into the
age group with the lowest
election turnout, 18- to
29-year-olds. Many of us in
this age range do not vote
in general elections, let
alone primaries. In fact, the
last presidential election in
2020 was abnormal simply
because about half of the
eligible voters ages 18-29 cast
a ballot.
Despite turning out at
a higher rate than usual,
young adults still fell short
of the 66% average voter
participation in the 2020
election.
When it comes to
primary elections, this
voter apathy is even worse.
According to the Bipartisan
Policy Center, only about
28.5% of eligible voters
participated in the 2016
presidential primaries, the
last election in which no
eligible incumbent
sought re-nomination.
Because presidential
primaries have fewer
than half the number of
voters as general elections
and two major winners,
one Republican and one
Democrat, each individual
voter has a greater impact
on the outcome of these
elections. On the one
hand, this is encouraging
for individual voters who
participate in primaries,
because their vote counts for
more. On the other hand, by
not voting, young people’s
voices are drowned out by
a small minority of highly
engaged, older voters.
Young people often
claim to feel neglected
by campaigns or
disenfranchised by the
democratic process itself.
This is caused, in part,
by campaigns simply not
reaching out to young voters
in the same way they reach
out to older ones, because
young people do not vote as
frequently. There is simply
no incentive to cater to a
group of people who
vote at a low rate.
Even basic
events like
primary
debates are
typically
held on
cable
TV — a
medium
young
people
tend
not to
CW / Shelby West
engage with — including the
debate on Aug. 23 held by Fox
News. There is a bottleneck
of information and outreach
that could engage young
voters in the democratic
process.
This is echoed by a
CIRCLE poll that found only
40% of young people feel
“well-qualified” to engage
in politics. In primaries like
those for the 2024 presidential
election, which polling shows
will likely be a rematch of the
2020 election, many young
voters may continue the
historical trend and decide
they should not vote, partly
because the outcome already
seems inevitable.
However, even if a
particular outcome is likely,
a person not satisfied
with their party’s current
leadership or policy platform
should still consider casting
a ballot this primary season
for another candidate to
signal to the frontrunner
that changes must be
made within the
current leadership moving
forward. Voting in this way,
often called protest voting,
has a similar effect as voting
for a third party in general
elections, like in 2016, when
third-party voting hit levels
that may have cost Hillary
Clinton the election.
In primary elections,
casting a vote for long-shot
candidates who support
issues you care about strongly
shows the establishment that
it is leaving votes on the table
and needs to do more to win
your vote. You should not
vote simply because it is the
right thing to do; you should
vote to make your voice heard
and influence the policies put
forward by each party.
It is easy to say that
parties should do a better
job reaching out to young
people. That said, young
people need to make
themselves valuable to these
parties and force the parties
to reach out to them and
cater to their needs in the
future.
Malcolm X
famously argued
that Black
Americans should
withhold their
votes from parties
that do not protect
the interest
of Black
Americans.
A similar
thing
must
now be
done
with
young
Americans who need to
use their vote in ways
that show their support or
dissatisfaction with the state
of American politics.
With the overturning
of Biden’s student debt
relief program, dramatic
changes in abortion access
nationwide, and the
continued threat of climate
change, young voters are
worried. For many young
Americans, things seem to be
going in the wrong direction.
Older voters will continue
to have an outsized impact
on the future of America as
long as young voters remain
disengaged. As young adults,
college students must vote
in the upcoming primary
elections to ensure those in
power hear their voices.
If young people continue
not to vote, political parties
will continue to have no
interest in catering to the
needs of younger voters. Only
when younger voters begin to
represent a more significant
percentage of those who vote
and impact the outcome of
elections as they did in 2022
will political parties begin to
have the incentive to try and
win over younger Americans.
Your vote matters, but
simply voting in general
elections is not enough. It is
common practice for many
young people to say they like
none of the candidates but do
nothing to pick better ones
when given the opportunity.
Decisions being made in
the United States now will
impact your lives as you get
older, and choosing to remain
disengaged is a dangerous
shirking of responsibility that
lets others make decisions
on your behalf, decisions you
may not agree with.
Choices in how America
is governed start before
the general elections. They
start in the primaries, so go
out and vote in your state's
primaries next year and have
your voice heard.
Primary elections
begin in early March 2024.
Get involved, research
candidates, and, most
importantly, vote.

2B
Alex Jobin
Staff Columnist
Back in the 1700s, there
was a strange man who
used to plan his day out to
the minute. His name was
Benjamin Franklin.
Franklin would follow his
schedule to a tee, blocking
out time for work, meals,
sleep and even leisure. His
emphasis on keeping a
stringent routine has even
been immortalized in one
of his most famous quotes:
“Early to bed and early to
rise, makes a man healthy,
wealthy, and wise.”
Settling into a routine
may be the best way to
manage the transition back
to academic life without
setting yourself up for a
fall of late nights, lastminute
assignments, and
all-around anxiety. All the
better if you can begin
to ease into that routine.
before returning to the
Capstone.
Now, Franklin’s daily
schedule may have
blurred the line between
organization and psychosis,
but there is actual science
which suggests that keeping
some form of routine can
reward you with significant
benefits in your everyday life.
As we transition back into
the school year, we must
keep routine in mind if we
want to keep up our grades.
Not to mention everything
else the average UA student
has going on.
opinion
Keeping a schedule makes college life easier
Even with jobs,
internships and various
other commitments taking
place, there may be no easier
time for us students to fall
out of behavioral patterns
than over the course of
summer break. Summer
can mean everything from
irregular sleep schedules
to sporadic travel to
meandering hours of honestto-goodness
boredom — and
it’s the best.
However, it lies in stark
relief against the regimen and
responsibility of fall semester.
Settling into a routine
may be the best way to
manage the transition back
to academic life without
setting yourself up for a
fall of late nights,
last-minute
assignments, and
all-around anxiety.
All the better if you
can begin to ease into
that routine before
returning to
the Capstone.
So here’s the science.
When you create and
follow a daily regimen, you
in turn create a domino
effect of health benefits for
yourself. It becomes much
easier to eat better and stay
fit when you have set aside
dedicated times for grocery
shopping and exercise.
It can be easy to find
yourself lost in a sea of other
responsibilities that distract
from these basic healthy
behaviors over the course
of a semester, but keeping a
routine can provide you with
guide rails to ensure you
continue to prioritize your
physical health.
Routine becomes even
more powerful when
considering one’s mental
well-being. According to
Northwestern Medicine,
having a consistent
schedule has been shown
to reduce stress and anxiety
while simultaneously
providing you with more
opportunities for relaxation.
Maintaining a consistent
routine allows you
to tackle your
responsibilities
head-on and can
provide more enjoyable
downtime that won’t
make you feel like you are
procrastinating.
Perhaps the most integral
part of routine — and one
which evades many college
students, including myself
— is forming a regular sleep
schedule. Having consistent
bedtime habits has been
found to improve “mental
sharpness, emotional well-
CW / Shelby West
being and energy” — all of
which are indispensable
when facing the rigors of
academia. Establishing a
routine for your waking
hours will translate into more
regular sleeping patterns,
creating a positive feedback
loop of health benefits.
No matter what our
ultimate ambitions are, we
all share a common thread
as students at The
University of Alabama: we
are all working to garner the
skills and tools necessary for
succeeding and achieving our
future goals. The importance
of having a strong, healthy
foundation cannot be
overstated when it comes to
this endeavor, and routine
is the perfect place to start
building that foundation.
There are few examples
of someone who was able
to realize their ambition as
impressively as Benjamin
Franklin. Of course, like
any of America’s Founding
Fathers, he was not a perfect
man. However, flaws aside,
Franklin was successful in
achieving nearly everything
he set his mind to — and he
set his mind to a lot.
He crafted a lofty legacy
for himself in journalism,
politics, philosophy and
science, even establishing
long-lasting institutions
like fire departments
and libraries. Franklin’s
life was one marked by
accomplishment. It does
not appear coincidental
that Franklin’s life was also
marked by strict routine.
But to be truthful, I care
far more about the future
Benjamin Franklins than
Franklin himself. Our
generation is on the cusp of
inheriting the reins of the
great American experiment,
and we should strive to be
great ourselves. We should all
wish to succeed and to fulfill
our academic, personal and
professional potential. We
can start with routine.
Gradually transition into
a more consistent sleep
schedule. Set goals for
yourself that will prioritize
both your mental and
physical health. Add these
practices to your calendar so
that you have a template you
can follow on a daily basis.
Creating and adhering to
a routine can feel like a hefty
task, but the science does
not lie. If you are able to find
a routine that works for you,
then you will be empowered
to live a happier, healthier
and more successful life. I
will certainly be trying to find
a routine this semester, and
I encourage you to do the
same.
Your grades, and your
future, will thank you later.
For all the college stuff you need, or maybe
a few things you forgot, we’re Tuscaloosa’s
go-to place for shopping!
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As summer begins to wind
down and a new school
year begins, students at
The University of Alabama
have one important date on
their minds — Saturday, Sept.
2.
The Crimson Tide will
take on Middle Tennessee at
6:30 p.m. in Bryant-Denny
Stadium, but until then, fans
are reflecting on their favorite
memories and looking ahead
to making more this season.
culture
Alabama football fans reflect on favorite game day traditions
Rachel Seale
Staff Writer
3B
I’m with the band
One of the most talkedabout
aspects of game day is
Alabama’s marching band,
called the Million Dollar Band.
The MDB consists of around
400 students who serve as
instrumentalists, color guard
members and Crimsonettes.
As the season approaches,
color guard performer Ella
Williams is looking forward
to performing in front of
Gorgas Library during the
Elephant Stomp.
“I like being able to see
all the people that come
to support the band. The
energy is electric during
Elephant Stomp, especially
on the very big rivalry
games,” Williams said.
The Elephant Stomp
tradition consists of a short
band performance with
cheers led by the cheerleaders
and Big Al before game time
on Saturdays.
Williams, a junior majoring
in nursing, said her favorite
band tradition is when the
Million Dollar Band sings the
UA alma mater.
But before the Million
Dollar Band takes center
The Crimsonettes in the 2022 Homecoming Parade on October 22, 2022 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. CW / Natalie Teat
stage at Gorgas Library, the
members take a moment at
the beginning of each season
to create a bond between
the veteran band members
and the new members. The
veterans of the band sing
Alabama’s alma mater to
the new performers as a
welcoming gift.
The moment comes full
circle at the end of the season
when the band sings it to the
seniors as a farewell.
“That’s definitely
something I’ll miss once I
graduate, is singing the alma
mater in that situation and
then also at the end of every
game, no matter if it was a
win or a loss for the team,”
Williams said.
Livi Thomas, a senior
majoring in political science,
also reflected on her favorite
game day traditions as
Crimsonette co-captain,
which includes performing
the pregame performance
before each home game in
Bryant-Denny Stadium.
“There’s just something
about having the traditional
songs that we play like, ‘Yea,
Alabama,’ ‘Bammy Bound’
and ‘Tusk,’” she said. “Those
always get me excited for
game day.”
One of her favorite
Crimsonette traditions
is the prayer circle the
twirlers make together
leading up to taking the
field before pregame.
“We have someone
who always prays over our
performance for the day, and I
love that part,” Thomas said.
As her final season
in the MDB approaches,
Thomas said her favorite
band memories consist of
performing in the Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade and
opening for the Rockettes in
New York City in 2021.
“Just being a part of a
tradition that my family
has shared since I can
remember, of watching the
parade, and actually going
from that to being in it
was absolutely incredible.
I was so grateful for that
opportunity,” Thomas said.
Chris Wilson, a senior
majoring in music education,
is a member of the MDB’s
drumline. He plays snare
drum for the marching band
and said his favorite game
day tradition occurs when the
drumline performs in front of
Denny Chimes on the Quad
before kickoff.
“It’s not the game, but we
still get to play for a large
crowd,” Wilson said.
Wilson also enjoys being a
part of the drumroll leading
up to kickoff after pregame.
“The drumline stays back
on the sidelines and we do
a drumroll whenever they
do kickoff, and it’s just really
awesome because we’re
literally right there by the
football team,” Wilson said.
Game day eats
While some fans grill out
on the Quad, others prefer to
go out to eat on game day.
Because time is tight for
him on game day, Wilson said
he usually swings by Cook
Out after morning practices,
or he’ll go out after the game
to have a sit-down meal if
traffic isn’t too bad.
Both Williams and Wilson
said they enjoy eating at
Newk’s since it is near
campus and takes Dining
Dollars and Bama Cash.
Even though she doesn’t
usually get to eat out on game
days, Thomas said two of her
favorite game day restaurants
include Full Moon Bar-B-Que
SEE PAGE 4B
®

4B
continued from 3B — game day
culture
“I love Rama Jama’s,
and their burgers are
phenomenal. I love Full
Moon’s Bar-B-Que, but
they also have really great
hotdogs, and their chili is
really good,” Thomas said.
Brant Cook, a graduate
student working on
his master’s degree in
hospitality management
with a concentration in
sports, said his No. 1 game
day restaurant is also Full
Moon Bar-B-Que, where he
orders the two-meat combo.
A close second for Cook
is also Rama Jama’s, where
he recommends trying the
National Championship
Burger.
“Whenever we don’t
make it over to Full Moon,
that’s our next place to go,
because we really do enjoy
going there,” Cook said.
Chaney Scott
McCorquodale, a junior
majoring in news media
and communication
studies, said she prefers to
cook on game days or go
to tailgates to eat.
“I like to think I’m
a pretty good cook, so
I normally make food
myself, but I have gone to
Phi Slam’s tailgate a lot,”
McCorquodale said.
Alabama is the standard,
not only on the field but
off the field. It’s tradition
rich. It’s pageantry. It’s what
college football is all about.
The student section
The student section of
Bryant-Denny Stadium
is the place to be on
game days in Tuscaloosa.
Underclassmen sit in
the upper bowl, while
upperclassmen sit in the
lower bowl.
No matter where
students sit in the
stadium, they are bound
to feel the excitement of
Crimson Tide football.
McCorquodale said she
loves the unifying spirit
game day brings about
between fans.
“I feel like there’s such
a sense of camaraderie on
game day. Every Saturday
in the fall, I just end up
being more and more
grateful to get to go to a
school where it seems like
every day is a holiday,”
McCorquodale said.
She said she even jokes
with her family that her
favorite holiday is the Iron
Bowl, which is Alabama’s
biggest rivalry game,
against Auburn University.
McCorquodale recalled
one of her favorite game
day memories where
she said she met three
people on the Quad, who
had graduated from the
University of St. Thomas,
in Minnesota.
She said they had heard
about Alabama football
and had to come to
Tuscaloosa to experience it
for themselves.
“They didn’t go to any
other SEC school, they came
to The University of Alabama
because that passion we
have for our school and
for football is unrivaled,”
McCorquodale said.
As McCorquodale
remembered her first time
experiencing the student
section for herself, she
said she could see the
cheerleaders, Big Al and
the dance team getting
everyone hyped up before
the game.
“I looked at my friend
and said ‘You know, I
love this school. I love
football. I love America,’”
McCorquodale said. “There’s
really nothing like it. Even
if you go to an NFL game,
there’s truly nothing greater
than being in Bryant-Denny
on game day.”
Cook said his favorite
thing about being in
Braynt-Denny’s student
section is hanging out
with his friends and
getting Denny Dogs
from the concessions or
breaking down plays from
the stands.
As for any game day
superstitions to help his
team win, Cook said he
usually stands for the
entire game.
“Every time I believe
I’ve sat down, it’s just not
been a good experience,”
Cook said.
As he nears graduation,
Cook said he’ll miss the
start of fourth quarters in
Bryant-Denny the most.
They didn’t go to any other
SEC school, they came to
The University of Alabama
because that passion we
have for our school and for
football is unrivaled.
Chaney Scott
McCorquodale
Junior
“That’s the loudest
Bryant-Denny Stadium
ever gets. Just the
atmosphere and just
enjoying, for the most
part, wins in that great
stadium,” Cook said.
McCorquodale and
Cook both said one of
their favorite game day
traditions occurs during
the fourth quarter when
“Dixieland Delight” is
played throughout
the stadium.
“So many schools have
a song that they sing in the
stadium, but you really can’t
beat ‘Dixieland Delight,’”
McCorquodale said.
They both take head
coach Nick Saban’s words
to heart as McCorquodale
repeated his famous
phrase, “Play for four, stay
for four.”
The process
As Nick Saban preaches
to his players and fans,
Alabama football is all
about “the process.”
Cook said his favorite
part of Alabama football
is how process-oriented
everything truly is.
“There’s a process in
order to achieve that level
of excellence that the
football team and fan base
expects,” Cook said.
Cook said the culture and
process around Alabama
football is like no other.
“Alabama is the standard,
not only on the field but off
the field. It’s tradition rich.
It’s pageantry,” Cook said.
“It’s what college football is
all about.”
Brant Cook
Graduate Student
Phi Slam, a campus
organization that hosts
events without alcoholic
beverages, hosts tailgates
many of McCorquodale’s
friends attend. If she
is not at the Phi Slam
tailgate, McCorquodale
will have her game day
meal at her sorority house.
The Million Dollar Band
performing in the 2022 Homecoming
Parade on
October 22, 2022, in
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
CW / Natalie Teat
Crossword Key

For incoming freshmen
and returning students,
the start of a new school year
brings new opportunities
academically and socially.
Along with new courses,
homework and exams,
students will be looking for
ways to get involved and
places to fit in on campus.
Getting involved can
include finding an outlet to
connect with other students
and form new relationships.
The SOURCE, a provider
of resources, support, and
recognition for student
organizations, lists more than
600 clubs and organizations
on campus that students can
get involved in, along with
several honor societies. Some
possibilities include joining
an intramural sports team,
an organization related to a
hobby or personal interest,
or a club that focuses on a
specific major or career field.
One of the best
opportunities to find
something you can get
involved in on campus is
Get on Board Day, which is
a major tradition in campus
involvement. Get on Board
Day is a great event for
students looking to get more
involved, because it connects
them with organizations,
community vendors and
departments on campus. The
fall semester Get on Board
Day will be Aug. 31 from 5 to 9
p.m. on the Quad.
Another excellent
opportunity for new students
is the chance to form a new
organization or club. Any
student who wishes to see a
different club or organization
on campus can work with
the Division of Student Life to
create it.
Among all the
opportunities to get involved
on campus, there are
specific organizations open
to incoming freshmen. The
Freshman Forum and First
Year Council through the SGA
are two specific opportunities
for new students.
Freshman Forum serves
as an opportunity to start
a leadership journey.
Participants in Freshman
Forum learn through
interactive discussions,
leadership training and civic
engagement. Applications for
Freshman Forum are open
now and are due Sept. 4.
Sessions are on Wednesdays
from 4 to 5:30 p.m. from
September to March 2024.
The First Year Council acts
as the official representative
body of the freshmen class
and is an application-based
extracurricular made up of
65 freshmen who meet once
a week on Tuesday evenings.
Members learn how student
government works and how
to turn ideas into solutions
by passing and implementing
legislation. They also receive
an introduction to campus
through guided leadership
development opportunities.
The application is open now
and closes on Sept. 7.
Honor societies serve
as another great way for
students to showcase
academic, service and
leadership qualities. John
Gilmer, assistant director of
organization development,
emphasized the benefit to
students getting involved.
“Honor societies create
special opportunities for both
recognition and connection
on campus. They have a
culture
How to get involved: Making campus more than just class
Jennifer Baggett
Contributing Writer
valuable affiliation that can be
highlighted on a resume and
members of recognized honor
societies can also receive
exclusive opportunities
through the organization to
attend conferences, guest
lectures and social events
specific to that group’s
membership,” Gilmer said.
Honor societies can be
differentiated between
disciplines and encompass
several areas including
service, leadership, character
and academics. Some
examples include Alpha
Epsilon Delta, the prehealth
honor society; Psi
Chi, the psychology honor
society; and Theta Tau, an
engineering honor society.
There are additional honor
societies on campus that
encompass specific majors or
academic disciplines.
Brian Kent, the current
president of Alpha Epsilon
Delta, finds opportunities like
AED a way of connecting UA
pre-health students and those
interested in attending health
professional schools.
“We meet weekly in
Lloyd Hall Room 38 at 7 p.m.
on Tuesdays,” Kent said.
“We talk about different
opportunities for pre-health
students on and off campus
as well as how to best
prepare to enter professional
school for medicine,
dentistry, optometry, and
other fields in health care.”
Kent emphasized that
there are benefits to being
involved in honor societies.
“We often host physicians,
admissions committee
members and numerous
other knowledgeable guests
to speak at our meetings,”
Kent said. “Students in
AED participate in a wide
variety of activities, and our
members greatly benefit
from the connections
and expertise of fellow
members to help them
get more involved in and
navigate scientific research,
volunteering and many other
important activities in the
path to becoming a health
professional.”
Outside of the major- and
discipline-specific honor
societies, many nationally
recognized honor societies
have members working on
any major and include an
emphasis on service and
leadership. Many of these
organizations are grouped
on campus within the
Division of Student Life and
participate in the annual
Honors Day in April.
The Coordinating Council
for Honor Societies comprises
member organizations that
serve to increase campus
awareness of honor societies
and ensure an unbiased
selection process among
member organizations.
A portal system allows
for students to initiate an
application process each
spring semester. The portal
opens early in the spring
semester and includes
information including GPA,
credit hours and classification
then generates a list of honor
societies that are eligible for
students to apply.
Colby Lewis, vice
president of service for the
Coordinating Council for
Honor Societies, works with
the honor societies that are
member organizations on
campus. Each honor society
has a representative on the
council’s executive board.
The council also has four
managing positions: the
5B
president, vice president for
selections, vice president for
outreach and vice president
for service. Individual honor
societies work on service
projects and can collaborate
with other member
organizations on projects
through the council.
“The applications are
blinded and given a number,
sent to the organizations,
which then send back the
numbers that they want, and
the council emails out the
students,” Lewis said. “We do
this to make sure the process
is as fair as possible and
based on merit.”
Many organizations are
service based, and Lewis
highlights the benefits of
joining honor societies
on campus.
“Some groups may have
dues or fees associated with
membership, but I would
really emphasize not letting
that stop students that are
interested,” Lewis said. “There
are often waivers available
through the council to keep
that from being a barrier for
those that are interested.”
Similar to how clubs and
organizations on campus
can emphasize a meaningful
connection to campus
and other students, honor
societies can help find and
nurture individual interests.
“In a new place it may
be hard to find ways to
become involved in service
opportunities,” Lewis said.
“These honor societies
are a good way to help put
aside that time and serve
your community.”
To read the full story, please visit
thecrimsonwhite.com.
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6B
culture
Exploring Tuscaloosa’s vibrant and growing art scene
Jeffrey Kelly
Diversity, Equity
and Inclusion
Chairperson
For experienced and
new gallerygoers,
the Tuscaloosa art
galleries have an
exciting lineup of
exhibitions for everyone
to enjoy this semester.
On campus, art
enthusiasts can check
out the Sella-Granata
Art Gallery and Sarah
Moody Gallery of Art
to see an assortment
of exhibitions from
students, faculty, local
and international
artists, and The
University of Alabama’s
permanent collection.
Starting Thursday,
Aug. 31, until Oct. 3,
SMGA presents “Tom
Stanley: Painting
and Drawing and
Discovering a Practice,”
an exhibition that
chronicles 38 years
of Stanley’s studio
practices while
examining the evolution
and constants in his
use of color, shapes,
imagery, materials
and technique.
“I think it’s going to be
provocative for people
because to see a period
of an artist’s work and
how it changes, but how
it remains the same
is quite interesting,”
said Vicki Rial, SMGA’s
exhibition coordinator.
This exhibition is
You shouldn’t think about
First Friday as being just
for artists or people who
are educated in art or have
careers in some type of fine
art; it’s for everybody. We
want the community to feel
like everyone can come out
and enjoy the arts on a
First Friday.
Kevin Ledgewood
Arts Council of
Tuscaloosa’s
publicity director
one of three SMGA will
display this semester.
Rial said the exhibition
following Stanley’s,
titled “Women of
Mokuhanga,” is still in
development but will
be a group showcase
of Japanese woodblock
prints from women
around the country —
contrasting with the art
form’s male-dominated
past — and will even
feature some pieces
from the University’s
permanent collection.
The gallery will close
the semester with the
2023 Biennial Faculty
Exhibition of the
Department of Art and
Art History, which will
be displayed from Dec. 1
until Jan. 26.
Along with oncampus
attractions,
gallerygoers also have
numerous opportunities
to engage with art off
campus, whether at the
Kentuck Art Center and
Festival’s Art Nights or
in Tuscaloosa’s arts and
entertainment district
downtown.
Next Friday, Sept. 2,
patrons can participate
Photos from “Broken Bridges,” captured by Alabama native Stephen Humphreys during his time in Ukraine.
CW / Natalie Teat
in the first art walk of
the semester.
First Friday, which
began in 2013 as
a collaborative
promotional effort of
the visual art spaces
downtown, is a monthly
art walk that spans
the local galleries —
the UA Gallery at the
Dinah Washington
Cultural Arts Center,
Paul R. Jones Collection
of American Art and
Museum, Harrison
Galleries, Lorrie Lane
Studio and a few
seasonal spaces —
giving people a chance
to explore downtown
while enjoying the
new exhibits.
Kevin Ledgewood,
the Arts Council of
Tuscaloosa’s publicity
director, said he’s seen
a lot of community
engagement with First
Friday, which is great
because First Friday is
for everyone.
“You shouldn’t think
about First Friday as
being just for artists
or people who are
educated in art or
have careers in some
type of fine art; it’s for
everybody,” Ledgewood
said. “We want the
community to feel like
everyone can come out
and enjoy the arts on a
First Friday.”
Daniel White, the
director of the Dinah
Washington Cultural
Arts Center and the Paul
R. Jones Museum, said
his favorite part of First
Fridays is presenting
something impactful
to the community and
seeing their responses
to it.
“To me, it’s like art
museums aren’t just
places to see art, but to
also have conversations
and talk about things
and see things and
spark dialogue and
thought,” White said.
During this upcoming
First Friday at 5
p.m., Paul R. Jones
Museum and the
Dinah Washington
Cultural Arts Center
will continue to spark
dialogue and thought
with two receptions for
exhibitions that opened
earlier in August.
Paul R. Jones will host
the reception for “May
1970: The Gibbs-Green
Tragedy at Jackson State
College,” a documentary
exhibition of photos
taken by the late activist
and academic Doris
Derby following the
death of Phillip Gibbs
and James Earl Green by
police on Jackson State’s
campus on May 14,
1970, that highlights the
aftermath and effects of
the event.
Emily Bibb, the
gallery’s curator and
collection manager,
had previously met
Derby during another
exhibition in 2015. She
said the gallery had one
photo of Derby’s in its
collection when White
suggested they should
host the exhibition,
which is organized
and sponsored by
the Margaret Walker
Center at Jackson State
University.
When White told her
about it, she thought it
would fit the museum’s
goal of encouraging
“the research and study
of African American
art within the broader
American art tradition”
as well.
White said he’s
excited for this show
because it’s a lesserknown
part of history
people need to see.
“If you ask someone
about civil rights, they
may know about Selma,
they may know about
Birmingham, ‘I Have
a Dream’ speech, but
these lesser, but just as
significant, events need to
be — these stories need to
be told as well,” he said.
Robert Luckett,
the Margaret Walker
Center’s director, said
he’s excited that the
exhibition will have an
audience in Tuscaloosa,
and he hopes that
viewers can learn
about what happened
and recognize that
the power of history is
understanding how the
past repeats itself and
continues to impact
the present.
Across the street, at
the Dinah Washington
Cultural Arts Center,
patrons can catch the
reception for “Broken
Bridges — Stephen
Humphreys in Ukraine,” a
collection of colored digital
photographs capturing
Humphreys’ several
months while living in
Ukraine after the battle of
Irpin in 2022.
“It’s a wonderful
exhibition that shows
To me, it’s like art museums
aren’t just places to see
art, but to also have
conversations and talk
about things and see things
and spark dialogue and
thought.
Daniel White
Dinah Washington
Cultural Arts Center
Director and
Paul R. Jones
Museum Director
both the physical and
emotional toll that this
has taken,” White said.
“And what’s crazy is
he has thousands of
photographs, but it was
hard to cull it down into
just a succinct show like
we have. This shows
both the physical and
emotional weight that this
is having, but it also shows
human resilience.”
Humphreys, a
Birmingham native and
attorney, said selecting
the images for the show
evoked a lot of emotion.
“I remember one
night I was going
through photographs
of Ukrainians who
had been killed in the
conflict, and all the
emotion that I kind of
ignored while I was
doing the work came
over me, and I just, I
had to shut down my
computer and stop, it
was so, you know, just
felt like weeping over all
the lost souls,” he said.
He said he hopes the
show brings people back
to the concrete reality
of what’s happening in
Ukraine.
No matter which
museum people go to,
Rial said art galleries
offer a chance to reflect
and learn about society,
aesthetics, subjects
you might not learn in
classes and different
perspectives and how to
translate them.
Whitley Dasinger,
a Dinah Washington
gallery worker and
a senior majoring
in marketing and
international studies,
said working at the
gallery has been very
educational.
“I’ve learned a lot
about art,” Dasinger
said. “Even just like
with the Ukraine
photographs, it’s very
eye-opening, and it
really just surrounds
you. There’s more than
just Alabama.”
She said she’d also
found “May 1970”
in Paul R. Jones
informative because she
hadn’t known about the
incident.
“I just found that very
educational, and I think
that’s so important
for so many people to
know,” she said.
For more information
about on- and offcampus
galleries,
patrons can check out
the monthly art roundup
on the Department of
Art and Art History’s
website and the First
Friday website.
A sculpture from the previous exhibit by Aaron Sanders Head, “Ain’t Gonna War No
More,” at Kentuck Art Center. CW / Jennifer Stroud

Luke McClinton
Staff Writer
For incoming freshmen,
college life is going to
be a culture shock like no
other and there’s no getting
around it. It isn’t simply doing
homework and studying for
tests. It’s managing time,
maintaining optimal mental
and physical health, engaging
in new relationships, and
discovering one’s identity.
New students will be
entering into this new chapter
of life at The University of
Alabama, a campus equal
parts beautiful, vast and
bewildering. Freshmen
will have to navigate the
University’s unique culture
while performing the delicate
balancing act of being a
college student.
There’s an infinite amount
of advice to be found, whether
from family, friends or even
the internet, and it can be
disorienting. Fortunately,
students and professors with
experience at Alabama have
chimed in with what they
view as the most useful tips.
Here they have been compiled
into a list of the top keys to
adjusting to college life.
Get involved and leave
your comfort zone
At its simplest, getting
involved means finding
an outlet to connect with
other students and form
new relationships. It
doesn’t matter what this
outlet is, but searching
within areas of interest is
an easy way to start.
Examples of this include
joining or forming an
intramural sports team,
signing up for clubs in a
specific major, or even
becoming a part of an
organization one finds
interesting.
The best opportunity to
do this is at Get on Board
Day, where students can
explore the University’s
enormous selection of clubs
and societies and sign up to
become members. This fall,
Get on Board Day will be held
on Thursday, Aug. 31.
The benefits of joining a
student organization can be
both social and academic.
Being a part of an intramural
basketball team won’t boost
one’s GPA, but it will allow
for interpersonal bonding
and make the experience of
college more fun.
International studies
major Ivan Pelly describes
the intramural experience as
an “enjoyable return to team
sports” after high school and
as “good relationship building
through shared experience.”
Furthermore, if one is part
of an organization tied to
one’s major or planned career,
such as Robotics Club or any
major-specific honor society,
it can produce connections
that will be of significant help
in the future.
Joining a club forces you
to meet people and get out
of your comfort zone. It can
be frightening, but it’s a
worthy endeavor.
Take advantage of
opportunities
At a flagship school that is
consistently growing, there
are limitless opportunities
between sports and
academics. Do not miss
out on golden chances for
academic advancement and
investment in future careers.
For freshmen, the key here
culture
Top keys to adjusting to college life
is creating relationships with
professors. They might seem
intimidating, but they are
here to help.
“Networking with
professors is incredibly
important and almost no one
realizes it,” Aidan Meyers, a
sophomore studying biology,
said. “Doing so will give
you a surplus of invaluable
experiences, which almost
no one else knows to take
advantage of.”
Adjunct history instructor
Glenn Brasher reiterated the
importance of networking
with professors.
“Even if they [students]
are not struggling in class,
they should still go to office
hours to ask questions and
get to know their professors,”
Brasher said. “Besides good
conversation, sometimes
they’ll get great life and
educational advice that they
were not even expecting, and
the connection they make
will most definitely help
when they start asking for
recommendation letters for
jobs or graduate school.”
If ever the chance arises
to attend a professor’s
office hours, pounce on it.
The results might not be
apparent immediately, but
they will be months and
years down the line.
Another resource at
students’ disposal is
tutoring. The university
offers extensive help in a
wide range of academic
arenas, including online
tutoring and coursespecific
skills sessions.
When homework or course
content inevitably becomes
overwhelming or difficult
to understand, students
should never hesitate to
seek assistance.
Remain organized
All have likely heard or
seen the horror stories of
pigsty dorm rooms and
sloppy living environments.
But organization extends
much further.
First, it involves time
management. New students
are losing the strict structure
of high school, and as
such it is their duty to hold
themselves accountable.
Students and professors
attested to the importance
of this, some recommending
spreadsheets for test
and exam schedules and
others suggesting lists of
nonnegotiable parts of life like
reading or extracurriculars.
However, the method isn’t
as important as the fact that
it exists. The best practice is
to find what works and stick
to it.
Second, but equally
crucial, is studying. In high
school, some students
might have cruised along
without putting any sort of
intensity into their studying.
However, this strategy is not
tenable in college.
7B
Due to both higher volume
and deeper complexity of
content, studying should
not be a night-before cram
session. According to Brasher,
it should be ritual and
consistent: “Budget your time
so that you are spending
several hours per week
studying and reading for each
of your courses so that you do
not have to ineffectually cram
at the last minute.”
As with everything else on
this list, trying to continue a
high school habit in a higher
academic setting will result in
a jarring wakeup call.
There is an inestimable
amount of advice to be found
on adjusting to college life,
and much of it exists outside
the scope of a simple top
list. Nonetheless, sticking
to these principles could
provide students the chance
to excel in spite of the
difficulty of this transition.
To read the complete version,
please visit thecrimsonwhite.com
The University of Alabama’s Student Center offers different resources
for all students. CW / Natalie Teat

8B