Remember, this is the same album that has the chorus “Tell me if you know someone that needs Jesus”. 

Donda may present itself as a dark and complex work, and the previously mentioned tracks all call on a certain darkness and combination of thematic elements, but that does not keep the album from being extremely corny. A lot of these lyrics stick out and can even trip up some of the songs, but for the most part they act as reminders of the genuine nature of Donda and the overall positive image the songs possess. More importantly, lyrics like “best collab since Taco Bell and KFC”, “hi with a bunch of I’s”, “You had a Benz at sixteen, I could barely afford an Audi”, and “Some say Adam could never be black ‘cause a black man’ll never share his rib” remind the listener that Kanye is still Kanye; he may be showing a somewhat different, more confusing perspective of himself, but he is still the creator of The College Dropout, still the man that made "Bound 2". 

On Donda, Kanye is not alone in his mixture of religiousness, political commentary, corny jokes, and humble brags. Donda is chock-full of features by some of the most decorated and famous artists on the planet, with verses by Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Kid Cudi, Fivio Foreign, Playboi Carti, Don Toliver, The Weeknd, and Jay Electronica, to name a few. Kanye continues to bring the best out of his features, enhancing all of the tracks and showing enhanced versions of these talented artists, making it clear why so many musicians choose to work with West. "Off The Grid" is essentially a spotlight on Fivio Foreign that will undoubtedly lead to whatever he drops next being greatly anticipated. All of the guest artists create a momentum to the album, never slowing down and instead acting as catalysts for ye’s music, with the artists’ energy bouncing off each other to invigorate the listener. There is a dark side to the features, that being the controversy surrounding the inclusion of DaBaby, Marilyn Manson, and Chris Brown, artists experiencing backlash in media and culture for obvious reasons (DaBaby’s homophobic rant, Marilyn Manson’s rape and abuse allegations, Chris Brown’s history of domestic abuse), and these artists’ inclusion, even when minor in the case of Manson or major with Chris Brown, furthers how representative Donda is of Kanye West. 

Ye is a habitual line stepper, a MAGA hat-wearing devil’s advocate who will say George Bush doesn’t care about black people as well as that slavery was a choice. And college kids understand that, not because they agree with Kanye’s words or think what he is saying is inherently truthful, more just that he is constantly willing to be himself to a fault, and that is something so powerful on college campuses where there are feelings of insecurity and students scared to confess their own opinions. That environment makes Donda intoxicating; it touches the soul of young adults because they feel like they are just beginning to experience an inundating level of indoctrination, groupthink, and loss of identity. It is the only album that addresses spiritualism while embracing narcissism, openly praising God, talking about the prison industrial complex, cancel culture, and Junya Watanabe. It is confusing, it is powerful, it is contradictory, and it is how it feels to go to college, at least to me. ●

The UNC Charlotte community learned on Monday night that Provost Joan Lorden has decided to step down at the end of the current academic year after 18 years of working for the university.

Lorden arrived at Charlotte in 2003 and since then has served as a vital leader across multiple departments, aiding in the development of the College of Arts and Architecture, the Office of Undergraduate Education and the School of Data Science among other achievements. Under Lorden’s supervision, thirteen doctoral programs were established and research funding more than doubled for the university.

As a neuroscientist and an active member of the Charlotte community, Lorden has also advocated for programs to support women faculty in STEM. She is involved in several  organizations including the Echo Foundation, the Women’s Impact Fund and the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. Her dedication to these issues led her to being named the 2016 Charlotte Woman of the Year. 

Lorden is the longest-serving provost in the UNC system, committing nearly two decades of her work to the Niner Nation. Before coming to UNC Charlotte, Lorden served as director for the program of neuroscience and was Dean-in-Residence and Associate Provost for Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s graduate school. She holds a B.A. from the City College of New York and a Ph.D. from Yale University. 

In a statement, Lorden said, “Even with all the ups and downs and challenges we have faced over these past several years, I still cannot imagine a job I would have enjoyed more.” ●

Everyone has returned to college and that means that college football season is upon the world. As the gridiron games begin to take place, the North Carolina Division I football teams need their respect, and it is vital that everyone knows out of the fourteen football teams in the state of North Carolina, which schools are the best, and which are the worst. This list will be updated weekly once games begin for the schools, and will continue until the end of the season. To start, the teams will be divided into four categories: Most Likely to Succeed, Dead on Arrival, Anything is Possible, and No Idea.

Most Likely to Succeed

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Even though the Tar Heels came up short at the Orange Bowl last season, and lost a few key offensive players to the NFL, this Carolina team makes the top of the list because it contains one of the favorites to win the Heisman trophy, Sam Howell, along with a more experienced offensive line and defense than last year, which could lead to some great success for the Heels if all goes well.

Appalachian State University

Last year saw a slight skid for App State, finishing with a 9-3 record and ending their streak as Sun Belt champions, as well as only briefly appearing in the AP top 25 poll, something the program did for seven weeks in 2019. A big question for the mountaineers will be the production of quarterback Chase Brice, but a strong receiver core will bolster him nicely. The defense will be the sticking point for Appalachian State, and it is likely the team will still excel like they have for multiple seasons, and that consistency will keep the mountaineers as contenders for the top spot in the Sun Belt conference.

North Carolina State University 

The Wolfpack was another team to barely participate in the AP poll, with the team’s season high being 23rd, but last season was a sign of upward trajectory for NC State football and coach Dave Doeren, who recovered from a 4-8 record in 2019 to improve to 8-4, as well as becoming much more competitive in the ACC conference, jumping from a .125 percent winning percentage in the conference to .700. The squad kept a lot of their valuable players, and improved their recruiting from last year, and while NC State might not blow anyone away, they will have a positive record and bowl game to add to the books.

North Carolina A&T State University

Now, North Carolina A&T might be a little hard to judge for two reasons. One, they played no games last season because their conference cancelled football due to covid, and two, they are no longer in that conference, and now reside in the more competitive Big South conference. That information might mean that the Aggies are not deserving of being classified as “Most Likely To Succeed”, but the team’s seven Black College Football National Championships, two of which came from 2018 and 2019, boosts confidence that the team will continue to excel in their division, even if it is no longer the MEAC, but that year off could either work for or against the school.

Dead on Arrival

Duke University

Duke University posted its worst SRS (Simple Rating System) in over a decade last season with a 2-9 record against a -1.60 strength of schedule. This season is not looking much more positive; Duke has no five or four star recruits and is not making any significant personnel changes, so a similar record is the expectation, especially in a conference improving this year.

Campbell University 

The Campbell Camels only played four games in 2020, but they did an exceptional job at losing those games, with the worst loss being against the middling Wake Forest 14-66, only to follow it up with a 21-52 loss to App State. Even if the program were to have a sudden turnaround, that turnaround would not be great enough to overcome such poor football from last year.

Elon University

Six games is a better sample size than Campbell’s four, and Elon was fortunate enough to win a game against Davidson, but did not ride that win any further, dropping the next four games to the likes of Gardner-Webb, James Madison, Richmond, and William and Mary, none of which were very successful themselves. The Phoenixes also played in the spring instead of the fall; that change in schedule could have effects on the season, but the record is so sour that Elon lands firmly in the Dead on Arrival category. 

Western Carolina University

The Catamounts do not have a strong football program, and they have not done much to show that they have improved. 

Gardner-Webb University

Gardner-Webb had the best 2020 record out of all the Dead on Arrival teams with 2-2 in their shortened Covid season, but the last three seasons for the team, the Runnin’ Bulldogs have failed to crack four wins, and last finished above .500 in win percentage in 2013.

Anything is Possible

Wake Forest University

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons do not have a consistent history in the coaching seasons of Dave Clawson, but overall their defense has been impressive and they might have had a mediocre 2020, but this Clawson era has seen success that Wake Forest has not experienced since last decade. If not for 2020, the Deacs football team would be in the “Most Likely to Succeed” section, but that past year puts into question the idea that Wake will continue its streak.

No Idea

These last four teams could potentially fall into any of the three other categories, or none at all. They are volatile, play in rapidly fluctuating conferences, and lack a lot of significant information that the other schools have. These are those four schools:

• North Carolina Central 
• East Carolina University
• Davidson College
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  

If one is to believe that college campuses are analogous to organisms, bodies made up of  cells and organs that work together to create a living creature, then Yum-Yums would not be the heart of UNCG, but it would be the mitochondria, or as every internet age kid calls is, the powerhouse of the cell. Yum-Yums is this “powerhouse” because it provides sustenance that motivates and drives the people of Greensboro, but unlike ATP in the human body, Yum-Yums shares its wealth with all those who come, and the restaurant’s impact extends far beyond the boundaries of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Yum Yum Better Ice Cream began in 1906 through a street cart operated by Wisdom Aydelette before morphing into a brick-and-mortar store on Spring Garden street, except when the shop first opened, the name on the sign read “West End Ice Cream”, which would change to Yum Yum Better Ice Cream, or “Yum-Yums”, after the ice cream flavor by the same name took off. Decades and one location change later, Yum-Yums still provides ice cream for the masses. 

Ice cream might be the spark that started the fire that is Yum-Yums, but if someone was to ask a Greensboro resident what the restaurant sold, the response would be near-unanimous: “Hot Dogs”. If that Greensboro resident liked adjectives, they would tell you: “Red Hot Dogs”, and red these dogs are. The bright red hot dogs, sometimes covered with chili, onions, coleslaw, and mustard, or served with a selection of those toppings or none at all, which might not be as tasty, but is far and away the most aesthetically engaging a hot dog can get, and if that is not enough, they taste great for a dollar eighty, tax included. The bun is familiar and unassuming, the chili, onions, and coleslaw offer a nice flavor and texture balance, giving a crunch and spice to the food, and the hotdog itself is a perfect mixture of chemicals and processed meat, a mixture that is the perfect size, not overwhelming the eater or leaving them with an empty stomach. Of course, the whole experience is assisted by a chill, old school glass bottle Cheerwine that elevates the flavor of the dog and provides a sense of comfort to a North Carolinian.

Once done with the main course, it is time to indulge in the store made ice cream, with eighteen flavors that can fit with the desires of any given day. Feeling the need for some richness and deep flavor? Chocolate almond fills that role perfectly. Need something light and reflective of the summertime? Peach will more than suffice. Not only is the ice cream delicious and creamy, the servings are huge, with the scoops of ice cream doubling the size of the cone itself. In addition to ice cream, Yum-Yums offers Little Debbie snack cakes which really are not comparable to the ice cream, but there is a sense of security and homeliness in seeing a Little Debbie chocolate cupcake next to a small bag of bugles at a cash only restaurant off of Spring Garden Street.

To call Yum-Yums a college food joint would be a disservice to what the establishment has accomplished in bringing different people together. Above all, Yum-Yums is a place for family; it is difficult to even go without seeing an extended family occupy one of the long, wooden picnic tables where multiple generations can enjoy a red hot dog with an odd gray interior. Most college places cannot accomplish the level of diversity that Yum-Yums has, and that is because college spots are for college kids to congregate and enjoy food at inhumane hours in varied states of being. Yum-Yums occupies a college space but the environment that the store is in brings about a level of respect and tradition that people of all ages can appreciate. Just remember, cash only. ●

Before the NBA draft, I discussed former Duke basketball player Jalen Johnson, evaluating his ability and potential. Johnson had varied projections, but the Atlanta Hawks ended up selecting the forward with the 20th pick. None of this is surprising considering Johnson’s issues as a half court player, but what was surprising about the draft for North Carolina basketball fans was that before the end of the first round, the Phoenix Suns selected UNC Chapel Hill’s  Day’ron Sharpe with the 29th pick in the NBA draft, a pick that they traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Unlike Johnson, who many analysts expected to be a first round draft pick, the expectation for Sharpe was that teams would wait until the second round to select the nineteen year-old big man from Greenville, North Carolina.

Sharpe’s jump into the first round has been associated with two developments: his weight loss and pre-draft workouts. Sharpe apparently lost twenty pounds and during a workout in LA was attempting and making threes consistently with a jump shot that fans seldom saw during his time in Chapel Hill. Of course basketball players making threes during practices, workouts, or shootarounds does not always translate onto the court during a game, but it is better than seeing a player refuse to attempt difficult shots in a risk-free environment, and for a player like Day’ron, it represents his hustle and commitment, which his weight change also showed teams and scouts. Even for a six-foot eleven, 260-pound man, twenty pounds is still significant and is representative of someone’s desire to succeed in the league. Less weight for a player like Sharpe could mean increased mobility and speed, a better vertical, and the ability to participate in offensive plays that require a lot of movement.

Since I covered a “player like Sharpe”, Day’ron Sharpe’s play style should be mentioned. He is viewed as a “rim runner”, or a player whose primary goal is to dunk the ball in transition or off of screens and pick and rolls, opening up the offensive potential for a team. A rim runner forces defenses to attempt to guard the paint, and that weakened perimeter defense can create open looks for shooters. On the defensive end, Sharpe is bringing great rebounding and hustle. During his time at UNC, Sharpe averaged 7.6 rebounds in only nineteen minutes of play, and a staggering 43 percent of those were offensive rebounds, which are integral for creating second-chance opportunities for a team. To be completely fair, Sharpe was playing for a Chapel Hill team that shot the ball very poorly, and that can inflate those stats, as well as him occasionally grabbing his own miss. All in all, Day’ron Sharpe’s size and build, along with his strength and hustle, helps create rebounds, and that leads to extra points.

Every team wants a player that can fit this role for a rookie contract, and it makes sense that the Brooklyn Nets traded for him, and Sharpe is lucky to be on the Nets of all teams. The Brooklyn Nets led the league with the greatest offensive rating in the history of the sport, and a lot of that could be attributed to the white-hot three point shooting. With deadeye shooters Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Joe Harris, the Nets shot 39 percent from three on over 36 attempts per game. At first glance it might seem like Sharpe and the Nets are contradictory since Sharpe is a paint player, but this style of offense opens up great opportunities for a player with his skillset, as opposing teams have to put so much effort into guarding shooters that it leaves the paint open for dunks and rebounds. Just look at Nic Claxton, a player with a similar set of skills and abilities as Sharpe, who was able to score with ease and play good help-side defense to help create some winning basketball.

Sharpe sounds like a great prospect and a league-ready player based on this analysis, but it would be foolish to say he is a finished product that should be starting games right now. He still needs to improve his athleticism for the fast-paced offense the Nets run, and he has got to work on finishing at the rim, only scoring a little more than half the time on his shot attempts. Sharpe’s biggest weakness has not even been brought up yet: that being his abysmal free throw shooting, making barely half of his free throws. That type of shooting makes NBA players a liability and can limit their minutes. All in all, Sharpe could be a very productive player considering the opportunity he has to be a part of a championship contending team that is favored to win it all this upcoming season. As a player from a North Carolina town and a North Carolina school, I am positive he can make it happen. ●

In an email sent out by UNC Charlotte on July 29, students were informed of updated COVID-19 plans for the fall 2021 semester.

These new guidelines include face-covering requirements in all indoor facilities, which will apply to all students and faculty regardless of vaccination status beginning on August 2. In their messaging, the university cited recommendations from the CDC based on rising COVID-19 cases in Mecklenburg County.

The face covering requirement includes:

• Atkins Library
• Dining halls
• Recreational facilities
• Common ares
• Residence halls

The only exemption from this requirement are when students are in their personal residence hall rooms and when employees are in their offices.

The guidelines  backtrack from the university’s earlier summer COVID-19 protocols, which did not require masks indoors for fully-vaccinated students.

UNC Charlotte’s University Recreation Center also released an announcement on Thursday informing students that they are now required to wear masks within the facility. However, these mandatory face covering requirements will not alter the school’s plans to deliver majority face-to-face instruction. Additionally, the university plans to return to full capacity and operations in the fall, including:

• Full-capacity residence halls
  
• Reopening of all on-campus dining facilities
• Full-capacity classrooms
• Full capacity in Jerry Richardson stadium, as well as welcoming outside visitors
• Full-capacity group fitness classes

These updates came shortly after a COVID-19 cluster was identified on July 19 through the Niner Health Check, including five students residing both on and off campus.

In order to be exempt from university testing, students must complete the school's COVID-19 reporting form. Vaccinated students who fill out the form have the chance to win prizes such as a free parking permit for the academic year or $500 added to their 49er ID card.  Vaccinated students will also be exempt from completing the university’s daily Niner Health Checks and random mitigation testing.

Along with UNC Charlotte, all UNC System schools have issued similar mask requirements following Governor Roy Cooper's recent announcement that requires masks to be worn in all school facilities regardless of vaccination status. North Carolina will remain under the state of emergency that has been in place since March 2020.

Updated news about what to expect for fall 2021 in terms of safety protocol will be announced by UNC Charlotte leadership on Wednesday, August 4. ●

The NBA draft is less than one week away and unlike recent years, there are significantly less big names from North Carolina colleges that NBA teams will draft, and commissioner Adam Silver will be announcing those names far later than the top picks.

Since 2010, there has been at least one North Carolina college player selected in the lottery of nine drafts, and of those nine drafts, seven were years with a North Carolina college basketball player selected in the top five. 2021 is not one of those years. While the 2021 NBA draft is still yet to come, it is unlikely that any player from an NC school will be taken so high, and that stems from a lack of talent and success not shown in decades appearing this past season. Only two teams from the state of North Carolina qualified for the NCAA tournament last spring, those being UNC Chapel Hill (8) and UNC Greensboro (13), and neither team made it out of the first round. By comparison: in 2015, Duke won the National Championship and four NC teams made the tournament; the next year four teams made the tournament and UNC made it to the championship game; in 2017 only three teams reached the tournament but UNC won it all; 2018 a huge five teams made it to March Madness; and in 2019, only Duke and UNC got in to the NCAA tournament, but both schools did so as one seeds. It is also no coincidence that the drafts following these tournament appearances each had a North Carolina player drafted in the top five. Unfortunately, that pedigree and reputation is not going to be present much during this year’s draft, but that does not mean that there are no players from North Carolina schools who may make an impact on the draft, and potentially an impact on the NBA. Jalen Johnson, a nineteen year old prospect from Duke, is one of those players.

Jalen Johnson contains the most overt potential out of North Carolina college players in the NBA draft. He is a wing standing at six-foot-nine in basketball shoes and at the forefront of his game is his excellent athleticism. He is fast, has great lower body strength for his position, can leap high, granting him the ability to occasionally play above the rim, and he can work by defenders with his speed and momentum to finish at the basket. His athletic talents, along with the rest of his skills, are most noticeable in the full court. Johnson excels in transition, partially because of his movement vertically and horizontally, but also because of his most valuable talent which should not go unnoticed: His playmaking chops. Even though he only averaged 2.2 assists on 2.5 turnovers, he can accurately pass the ball in transition, beat double teams through finding the open man, and get looks to cutters and perimeter shooters.

Though he is a skilled passer, he was not always careful with the ball as seen in his turnover stats. At Duke he would sometimes attempt passes that he was not at the level to accurately make. This would often result in easy steals and 50/50 balls for the other team. When it comes to creating for himself, Johnson lacks a good jumpshot, and did not show off the dribble shot creation in his limited time in college. His shooting stats are impressive, especially 44.4 percent from deep, until it becomes noticeable that he accomplished that percentage on a measly eighteen three point attempts in thirteen games; not exactly high volume, and when watching these attempts, they almost all come from catch and shoot opportunities. This is not necessarily alarming, but his free throw percentage and shooting mechanics reveal that it will likely take time for him to develop a better shot, if that even happens.

Free throw percentage has become an increasingly better indicator of shooting potential for scouts and analysts over the years because it showcases a player’s rhythm and mechanics in a controlled environment, whereas analyzing just three point percentage regardless of other factors can be muddling in what it reveals. In the case of Johnson, 63 percent from the free throw line concerning, and that number lines up better with his mechanical jumpshot and his attempts outside of the paint more than true shooting and three point percentage.

Johnson’s offensive game shares some similarities and comparison to Sixers point guard Ben Simmons or even high-flying multi-position Bucks legend Marques Johnson, with the main comps being the finishing at the rim, athleticism, vertical capability, and playmaking. Like Simmons, Johnson’s physique and I.Q. grants him the potential to become a good professional defender, and he was serviceable in his time at Duke, but at times would have lapses in judgement or fall prey to ball-watching, losing track of his position and man, or not putting in great effort on one-on-one possessions. His defensive ceiling is high regardless of some of his lesser moments at Duke , and he could break out on that end of the court similar to Simmons or Lonzo Ball, but right now his offensive game is more present.

Now, as annoying as it may be to discuss, Jalen Johnson’s “character issues” must be talked about. Analysts and scouts have noted then criticized Johnson for leaving elite programs twice, once in high school, when he left IMG academy his senior year, then once in college, when he stopped playing for Duke University after thirteen games. The important part of all of this is that Johnson is a teenager, and made those decisions as a teenager. Should he be judged so harshly for what he did when his mind is still developing, and he is still gaining life experience? A question like that might be too big for a draft discussion.
Jalen Johnson might be the most high-profile pick coming from a North Carolina college, but he is not alone in the draft. Next week, I will be covering Tar Heel big man Day’ron Sharpe, focusing on how he can fit into the present league, and after the draft, I will discuss the fit for these two players on their new teams, if there were any surprises with where they were drafted, and how they might improve during next season.

Everybody needs a cheerleader, someone in their corner that will defend them and remind everyone why they are the best. The same can be said for North Carolina colleges and universities, most of which have actual cheerleaders, but nonetheless deserve some help in hyping themselves up. For that reason, I have created below a list of arguments for each North Carolina college on why they are the best in the state. Enjoy.

Appalachian State University: That’s right, besides having the most baja jackets in the country per capita, they also get to wake up on a mountain.

East Carolina University: They are located in the best Greenville in the Carolinas, and in addition to that, Mr. Beast lives here, so odds are you will get some free stuff.

Elizabeth City State University: Home to the only four-year aviation science degree program in North Carolina. Enough said.

Fayetteville State University: Blueface went there, that’s about as good as you can get in terms of famous alumni.

North Carolina A&T University: The university of the Greensboro Four, this school got to be a part of a historical moment in the civil rights movement. Also they were too good to stay in the MEAC.

North Carolina Central University: It’s in the name. They are the center of the state, and therefore the best. If you like community service, NCCU was thefirst UNC-system school to require community service to graduate.

North Carolina State University: The biggest college in the state surely has to be the best college in the state, and if the enrollment numbers aren’t big enough, their mascot is not just one wolf, but a pack of them.

University of North Carolina at Asheville: The only university in the coolest city in the state, and they get to wake up to the mountains too.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Only the G.O.A.T. basketball player Michael Jordan could go to the G.O.A.T North Carolina university, and that takes precedence over a former president going there.

University of North Carolina at Charlotte: There are only five words needed: Regional Banking Capital of America. Also the fastest growing university in North Carolina.

University of North Carolina at Greensboro: DaBaby spending two years at UNCG would be enough to put them at the top, but also having a tradition where the word rock is misspelled puts them even higher.

University of North Carolina at Pembroke: Hail to UNCP is an absolute banger.

University of North Carolina Wilmington: Oh yeah, they are only located 6 minutes away from the beach, and oh yeah, their main school color is teal.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts: Without a doubt this school contains the most famous alumni list, seriously, it is a crazy list.

Western Carolina University: As they say in California, West is Best, and that remains true for the only North Carolina college with Western in the name.

Winston-Salem State University: The first historically black college to win the NCAA Basketball championship. 

Barton College: Student faculty rate of 12:1 means that a student here will be getting to know their teachers.

Belmont Abbey College: Their newspaper name is the Crusader, and I call upon anyone to find a college newspaper name cooler than that.

Bennett College: People may hype up the Greensboro Four, but do not forget the Bennett Belles, which is a far better name considering the alliteration.

Brevard College: Since Brevard is located in Transylvania county, I would argue they are the best college out of fear that a vampire will kill me if I say otherwise.

Catawba College: Their nickname the “Catawba Indians” is approved by the Catawba Indian Nation, and because of that the college stands as a visionary, doing something the Washington Football team could never accomplish.

Davidson College: https://youtu.be/TGQID66agH4 

Gardner-Webb University: They invented Pancake Bingo, can any other NC college say that?

Greensboro College: The mascot for Greensboro College is “The Pride”, which doubles as a group of lions and one of the seven deadly sins. Pretty metal, I know.

Guilford College: Alma Mater to the coolest name in the history of professional sports, World B. Free, a name that is even cooler considering the Quaker roots of the school.

High Point University: The most luxurious school on this list, and it is not even close. I mean, how many colleges can say they have a steakhouse with live music on campus?

Lees-Mcrae College: One of the only colleges to be named after two women, and the college used to accept livestock to pay for tuition.

Lenoir-Rhyne University: They have both a male and female mascot, so the school is truly progressive. The school also has what is believed to be the largest Martin Luther statue in the world.

Mars Hill University: A university you can attend and then tell people you went to Mars.

Meredith College: The first female university to adopt a campus-wide laptop program.

Montreat College: To quote Emilie Miller Vaughn: "I wish I could tell you of the scenery around here and at the retreat. People who have traveled say it is only equaled by Switzerland". I have no idea if that is true, but I am choosing to believe it.

North Carolina Wesleyan College: The yearbook name for North Carolina Wesleyan College is The Dissenter, and for some reason that just makes the school a cut above the rest in my book.

Salem College: The oldest women’s college in the United States, and everyone should respect their elders.

University of Mount Olive: Have you ever eaten an olive? One of the more underrated snack foods, and I choose to believe there is correlation between that and this university. Since it is the only university located in Mount Olive, it seems no other school listed can make such claims.

Warren Wilson College: Work builds character, and at Warren Wilson College, every student has to work on campus to graduate, meaning that the school is filled to the brim with character. 

William Peace University: A school with peace in the name deserves great recognition, even if it was just the name of the founder of the university, and he luckily made sure that the school would be located in downtown Raleigh, one of the most lively areas in the state.

Campbell University: When you attend this school, it is hump day everyday, and you do not have to worry about being surrounded by people not from North Carolina, because Campbell enrolls more North Carolinians than any other private institution in the country.

Carolina University: Carolina University did not feel the need to subcategorize itself by having its name contain the location of the school. No, Carolina University is so confident in their abilities as an academic institution, that they define themselves as THE Carolina University.

Chowan University: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed only attended the school for one semester, so it's safe to say that his values and the university’s values did not align.

Duke University: The only school in the state that people across the country believe is an Ivy League member.

Elon University: The school’s colors are maroon, and gold? That is just too exquisite and fancy to not make this a premier university. Not to mention their mascot is a phoenix, and real or not, those things are powerful.

Johnson C. Smith University: Not one, but two Harlem Globetrotters attended Johnson C. Smith, and their nicknames were great to boot, that being Twiggy and Curly.

Johnson and Wales University: This university is the only college in North Carolina to have its main campus be in Rhode Island.

Livingstone College: There has never been a “living stone”, but Livingstone College gives me hope that one day there may be one, and if there is one, odds are it will be at this campus. In terms of real arguments, the school has produced three firsts: First African-American neurosurgeon, first African-American President of the National Education Association, and the first African-American mayor of Salisbury.

Methodist University: A man by the name Chip Dicks attended Methodist University; that is simply breathtaking.

Mid-Atlantic Christian University: North Carolina is not even in the Mid-Atlantic, but the effort is greatly appreciated and noted.

Pfeiffer University: The nickname of the school is the Falcons, which might not be an alliteration, but ingeniously utilizes the “f” sounding Pfeiffer to make you think it is alliterated. And if that isn’t enough, the mascot is named Freddie, which boosts points in the alliteration department.

Queens University of Charlotte: Since no Kings University exists in North Carolina, by default the Queen is the highest authority.

St. Andrews University: The university could have easily made a mistake and called it St. Andrew’s University, but they smartly avoided that pitfall, showcasing some great insight and critical-thinking. 

St. Augustine’s University: This university could have easily made a mistake and called it St. Augustine University, but they smartly avoided that pitfall, showcasing some great insight and critical-thinking.

Shaw University: One of Shaw University’s school colors is garnet, and that distinction they chose instead of settling with maroon or dark red is impressive.

Wake Forest University: A test-optional school, which makes up for their participation in the National athletic scandal in 2019.

Wingate University: Mascots are important, and respecting them is even more important. That is why Wingate University is the best college in North Carolina, because they gave their mascot a full, christian name: Victor E. Bulldog. What the E stands for, we may never know.

Every school listed clearly has a well-defined and thought out argument for why they are the best college in North Carolina. Every argument is equal in terms of weight and importance, and at no point are the claims made sarcastic, intentionally witty, or humorous. In all seriousness, North Carolina houses an incredibly diverse college education system with some of the best schools in the world, and you cannot go wrong with these appreciable options. ●

As summer break for students officially passes its halfway mark, many are in good spirits. New reported COVID-19 cases across both the nation and the state of North Carolina are at some of their lowest numbers since March 2020. Mask mandates, gathering limits, social distancing guidelines, and other precautionary measures that had been in place for nearly a year-and-a-half are, for all intents and purposes, completely gone. Students have a lot to look forward to with their eyes on an in-person fall semester complete with face-to-face instruction, full-capacity sporting events and an overall bustling campus of new and returning students. 

Our nation’s return to a “normal” way of living is unquestionably the result of mass vaccination throughout the past six months. As of this article’s publishing, The New York Times reports that 55% of Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 48% fully vaccinated. And while the rate at which unvaccinated people get their shot is dwindling, there are nonetheless 160 million fully vaccinated Americans that have slowed the spread of COVID-19 dramatically. 

For many, myself included, this summer has felt like the most “normal” time in what seems like an eternity. I have had the privilege of spending close time with friends, family and co-workers wherever and however I please because I got my shot. The science is abundantly clear: if you are fully vaccinated, you can go almost anywhere and do almost anything without risk of severe sickness or hospitalization.

For unvaccinated Americans, however, enjoying their summer without fear of sickness is ignorant at best – and deadly at worst. According to the CDC, more than 99% of COVID-related deaths in June were among unvaccinated people. Personal feelings and political beliefs aside, the facts speak for themselves: if you choose to go unvaccinated, you are putting yourself at immense risk of severe illness, particularly as the highly transmissible delta variant of COVID-19 now represents the majority of new cases across the country.

The delta variant brings with it new challenges that vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans alike will face. As a result of its highly transmissible nature, combined with the fact that millions of Americans still haven’t received their shot, both The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal report a 94% COVID-19 case increase nationally over the past 2 weeks. As sad as it may be, we are not done dealing with COVID-19 anytime soon. As long as Americans are still getting sick by the thousands and dying by the hundreds each day, with the potential for these numbers to grow, COVID-19 will continue to be at the forefront of our personal and social lives. 

So, what does this mean for college communities? It means that until schools and their surrounding counties can keep new COVID-19 case numbers low and vaccination numbers high, this fall will likely look a lot like the last one, with strict limits on in-person classes, gatherings and events. Colleges and universities simply cannot take the risk of fully “re-opening” their campuses if students are going to be sick; it hurts their bottom line immensely as they pay for routine testing for unvaccinated people, provide personal and medical services to those infected or in quarantine, and miss out on ticket sales and revenue from sports games that are now forced to reduce their capacity for fans. The condition for colleges and universities to manage the fall semester in a “normal” way is a simple one: members of the school community, particularly students, must be protected from COVID-19 through vaccination. 

I have spoken with many friends and family members who tell me that they’re “waiting for the right time” to get the vaccine. Maybe in their minds, that time is the end of the summer, or perhaps the end of this year. If you're one of those people, I deeply hope you understand that there is no better time than right now to get vaccinated.

I am aware that many are anxious of potential adverse health effects that may come from receiving a vaccine. It’s true: COVID-19 vaccines, like many other forms of preventative medicine, come with risks. However, this risk is microscopic compared to the threat of infection or hospitalization from COVID-19 should you choose to go unvaccinated. Bloomberg reported that for every million people vaccinated in the United States, just 2 to 5 of them will have a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine. And even if you aren’t concerned about your personal health, colleges and universities are waiting to make critical decisions on how their schools will be operating based on student vaccination numbers. It doesn’t make sense to remove social distancing and mask-wearing policies if administrators have no idea whether their student body can safely navigate such an environment. But with enough students fully vaccinated, schools can remove these precautions without worry.

The summer is almost over, and in a matter of weeks thousands of college students across North Carolina will be back in the classroom. Right now, we have the power to choose what we want that classroom to look like. If we enter the fall semester with a majority of students fully vaccinated, I am confident that we will be happily sitting in classrooms and lecture halls across campus, engaged in personal and meaningful learning that we have missed out on for nearly two years. However, if we fail to step up to the challenge and vaccination numbers remain low, I expect another grueling semester behind the webcams of our laptops. Let’s make the right decision: get vaccinated as soon as you can and encourage your friends and classmates to do the same. ●

CHAPEL HILL – Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling to Chapel Hill and ordering takeout from Cosmic Cantina, a staple of Franklin Street college eats well-known for its inexpensive yet plentiful portions of Mexican classics. Nestled in a cozy space inside the Franklin Centre section of shops, the restaurant offers a wide variety of burritos, tacos, quesadillas, chimichangas, and more late into the night, closing at 2 a.m. on weekends.

I should preface this review by stating that I am not a first-time customer of Cosmic. When living in Durham I was a frequent patron of their hole-in-the-wall location on Perry Street, enjoying many burritos after high school soccer games and on the weekends. My expectations for the Franklin Street location were quite high, but needless to say the experience did not disappoint my taste buds – nor my wallet.
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One reason that I have been such a longtime fan of Cosmic Cantina is due to their excellent variety of vegetarian and vegan options. I’ve been vegan for several years now and understand that finding Hispanic fare that is both authentic and accessible to my eating preferences is often an impossible task; such tacos and burritos are seldom made without meat, cheese, or beans and rice that isn’t cooked in animal fat. However, Cosmic does an incredible job of stepping up to the plate and knocking this challenge out of the park, boasting a wide variety of options for those with strict dietary needs.

Cosmic offers several vegetarian burritos and tacos served with a selection of beans, veggies, rice, salsa, cheese, sour cream and guac that can be ordered as-is for vegetarians or without dairy for vegans. I ordered two vegetarian tacos without cheese and loved the taste of the made-in-house flour tortillas and savory salsa. They came cheap, too, at a price of less than $2.50 a taco.

If you’re looking for something a little more filling, the tofu burrito is an excellent option. Served with rice, beans, salsa, and soft tofu wrapped in a crispy flour tortilla, the burrito alone might be enough to constitute a meal but nonetheless is served with a modestly generous side of yellow corn tortilla chips and salsa.

For those still not satisfied, Cosmic also boasts “deluxe” burritos with sour cream and guacamole inside. Surpassing those are the “giant” burritos which are closer in size to a newborn baby than a meal for one. Each of these options are very affordable, with the tofu burrito sitting at just over $4, deluxe burritos at $8-10 depending on your protein, and giant burritos at about $11. The best deals, in my opinion, are the deluxe and giant vegetarian burritos, sitting at about $6 and $8 respectively.

I also took the opportunity to try a menu item I wasn’t as familiar with. Cosmic’s vegan platter is served with black and pinto beans, rice, and generous portions of guacamole and salsa for around $4.50. The platter definitely doesn’t have as much of an excitement factor compared to an item like the “giant burrito”, but the generous portion for such a low price is quite a convincing deal for a college student on a budget.

I tried the platter with my girlfriend, who was not the biggest fan of Cosmic’s guac, so it might be a good idea to try a side of it for about two bucks before adding it to your burritos or other items.

The final item in my Cosmic spread was the simple yet powerful addition of tortilla chips and salsa. If you’re worried that a burrito or pair of tacos might not be enough to hold you over until tomorrow’s breakfast, it might be a good idea to throw this in for two bucks. I will say that the salsa is best served in another item like a burrito or taco as opposed to eaten plainly with chips, but regardless I found it very tasty.

I almost forgot one last item that was included in my order: my girlfriend, who is not vegan, ordered a glass of horchata, a traditional, creamy drink made of milk, rice, vanilla and cinnamon. She described it as one of her favorite horchatas, second only to that made by her own family. If you are looking to try something new or simply in need of some authentic horchata, Cosmic provides an excellent option.

All in all, my experience at Cosmic Cantina on Franklin Street was an overwhelmingly positive one. For around $20 I was able to make three meals out of my tacos, burrito, platter and chips, and I would certainly order each of them again. If you find yourself on Franklin Street – or on Perry Street in Durham, for that matter – and looking for a delicious budget meal, Cosmic Cantina is a student favorite for a reason. ●