Tangents & Tirades

by The Cowl Editor on December 4, 2021

Opinion

A Break is A Break

Emily Ball ’22

Thanksgiving break, a time supposedly set aside for family time, lots of delicious homemade food, and tons of relaxation.

Yet, how are Providence College students supposed to relax when professors still make the decision to assign homework over the five day break?

The two weeks following Thanksgiving break leading up to Christmas break are notably some of the most stressful in the entire semester. Finishing up any semester-long projects, writing the last few pages of a final paper, all while preparing for finals that loom over students’ heads.

PC students deserve Thanksgiving break to enjoy time with their families and to relax and unwind before their minds return to their academics for the remainder of the semester.

Some professors say that they are not assigning homework, YET, they encourage you to practice what you learned in class or review certain concepts and expect a quiz when you return. While this isn’t actual written homework, it still puts pressure on the students to do some academic work while home for the holidays.

Everybody deserves a break, especially around family-oriented holidays when some students may be struggling with their home situations. By resisting assigning homework over break, PC professors would do a great justice for the well-being of their students.

PC Should Have a Full Week off for Thanksgiving

Zach Rossi ’23

Any student or staff member at Providence College is aware of the days off to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Most would agree that normally scheduled classes on Monday and Tuesday before break are more counterproductive than anything else.

Full-time students at PC only have one day off prior to this three-day relief, the Monday of Columbus Day weekend, while other institutions give at least two or three days off for a mini “fall break.” Since PC students are exceptional at staying on top of their work, that means they are spending a lot of time and energy trying to complete their assignments and prepare for exams to the best of their ability, all while balancing extracurriculars, internship and job searches, and work obligations. With the absence of a “fall break” to give some sort of breathing room to accommodate everything being juggled, there should be a full week off for Thanksgiving.

It is not just students that need this sort of breathing room, but professors as well. Not only do they face poorly attended classes on Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week, but the amount of work they have, whether it be prepping for lectures or grading on top of outside research, calls for just as much of a break as the students do. Therefore, for the sake of students and staff, the full week can be spared to regroup and finish the semester strong.

Tangents & Tirades

by The Cowl Editor on September 30, 2021

Opinion

Develop Your Global and Local Citizenship, At PC!

by Olivia Bretzman ’22

Languages can connect people on a level unlike any other. When attempting to speak another’s language, although one may feel silly, the effort means the world to the native speaker. Communication and respect for another’s culture in a world of chaos and disruption can unite two people.

For this exact reason, amongst many others, Providence College students should take a language class in a formal, academic environment while they still can. The language department at PC offers a plethora of opportunities and intro-level classes in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese.

Practically speaking, students benefit tremendously from the ability to understand and speak another language, helping them in their future career, studying abroad, and beyond. Many languages can also help in courses that tie in language components or even require a bit more knowledge on the roots of words and phrases.

However, each of these language-based courses can do so much more than teach diction and grammar. They broaden one’s perspective of the world around them. This includes learning about cultural norms, traditions and values, and current events in countries where the learned language is spoken. This new perspective even allows one to explore their future on a deeper level—perhaps after taking a class, one will want to add a minor or major!

However one views their purpose for taking a language class, and no matter what level one is at, languages are truly keys that open doors to the broader world and community.

Sadie Hawkins was a Genius

by Madeline Morkin ’22

Too often girls wait around hoping to receive a text, call, or conversation instead of taking action into their own hands and reaching out to someone they admire themselves. The reality is that all of this waiting and wishing is a huge time waster when it comes to forming meaningful and healthy relationships.

Unavoidably, there is fear and stress that comes with reaching out first. The potential harm or hurt emotions that can occur from contacting someone first can also be helpful to avoid wasting more time with a person who does not reciprocate those same emotions.

Nobody enjoys being brushed-off, especially if they think so highly and optimistically about a potential future friendship or relationship with that person. But is it really better to submissively give someone else control of an entire relationship before it has even begun? No. It entirely disregards your own thoughts and intentions, while also unfairly places expectations on the other individual—who may be worried about reaching out themselves—to potentially work on this relationship alone.

So what’s the worst that can happen? Maybe they do not respond to your text or perhaps this person explains they are not interested in further developing your relationship. Ouch! Wouldn’t you rather be aware of this information instead of spending more time internally dreaming up that disinterested individual into an impossible fantasy? It is not easy to do, but if it is truly meant to be, reaching out first will not discontinue the future of that relationship and might even expedite its progression.

Reach out, respond in a timely manner, get rejected sometimes, and move on to someone who is actually willing to reciprocate equal interest.

Don’t Break your Bank on Dresses

by Emily Ball ’22

One of the big excitements of senior year at Providence College is all the fun formal events that the school plans. With multiple formal dances, like Black & White Ball, Senior Ring Weekend, and Senior Week, there are many events that require formal or semi-formal attire.

For girls, it seems like the only option is to buy a brand-new dress for each event. But this path is not the best option as it costs a lot in terms of monetary and environmental factors.

Some girls argue that it is important to have a new dress for each event, which justifies spending money on dress after dress. But, this problem can easily be solved without spending the money by sharing dresses with friends, floormates, or roommates.

A good quality dress generally starts around $40-$50, not including the price of shipping. By sharing old dresses with friends, you can mitigate the financial burden that these formal events may put on you. You can still wear a dress that you have not worn yet if you borrow it from a friend.

Further, many formal dresses are designed for short-term ownership, which is bad for the environment because the chemicals in the dye from clothing can cause environmental issues. By sharing dresses instead of purchasing multiple new dresses, we are actually helping the environment as well as our bank accounts.

Although there is a glamorous excitement in purchasing a brand new cocktail or semi-formal dress, there is just as much excitement and benefit in borrowing a cute dress that has been gently used from a friend.

Tangents & Tirades

by The Cowl Editor on September 23, 2021

Opinion

PC’s New Commitment to Health

by Emily Ball ’22

With October being a month focused on mental health awareness, Providence College will be hosting events and initiating many efforts to decrease the stigma around talking about mental health issues and seeking help.

One of these steps is the distinction between the Health Center and the Personal Counseling Center. The Health Center is now located in Davis Hall, while the Personal Counseling Center is located in Bedford Hall.

This separation provides more appointment bookings for students seeking help with both mental and physical health. It is also a step towards providing more privacy for students seeking mental health guidance from a professional counselor.

“I think it is important to work on privacy because some students just don’t feel comfortable with other people knowing about what they are going through,” Maddie Guth ’22 said. “I hope that the extra space will allow students to be seen faster, especially those who may not feel completely comfortable walking into the Personal Counseling Center.”

Separating the two centers also shows students that both mental and physical health are equally important. This is a major step in breaking down the stigma against mental health and encouraging students to seek help when they need it.

PC’s decision to separate the Health Center and the Personal Counseling Center is one that will be beneficial to mental health awareness efforts across campus.

Break the Stigma: Walk Across the Lawns

Zach Rossi ’23

It is apparent to anyone who has stepped on Providence College’s campus how much the College invests in its landscaping. Nearly every day as students walk to class, there is some sort of work being done to maintain this investment.The lawns being mowed on a consistent basis is a prime example. Whether it is the amount of effort put into the lawns or the admiration for the pathways around campus, PC students have created an unwritten stigma around walking across the grass that needs to be broken.

Even though most students understand it would be a lot faster to cut across Slavin Lawn to get Dunkin’, everyone adheres to the pathways, most of which are spread out and take more time to walk. Put aside general convenience—it’s basic logic to cut these corners. Why do students who live in Davis walk all the way along the surrounding pathway to go to Accinno when they can cut across the grass to the parking lot? It would not only benefit students in saving some time, but professors would not have their lectures interrupted within the first few minutes by the path-adhering stragglers at 8:35 am.

The stigma needs to end by normalizing walking across the grass on campus. In today’s PC culture, the student that walks across the lawn is the odd one out. But really, it is the people who refuse to use the lawns to save time that are the weird ones.

Study Spots Fight for Power

Joe Kulesza ’22

While the number of hours may vary, the amount of time students spend studying at school constitutes a considerable amount of the college experience.

Even for students who are more concerned with their ability to play beer-die than with understanding the concept of quantitative easing in finance class, there comes a time for all students when opening a book is necessary.

And for the majority of students, the question of where they study is just as important as how.

Tradition at Providence College has allowed the library to enjoy a long interval as the premier study spot for many classes of students. In years past, one was lucky to even find an empty chair on the upper level, much less an entire table on any given weeknight.

But COVID-19 dethroned the library from its long-enjoyed incumbency, and on the post-coronavirus campus, as the power struggle between study spots has left no clear winner, the issue of where to study has become an important topic of discussion.

Among the top study spot contenders is the business school, which, compared to the library, has much more comfortable chairs.

The docket also features the Slavin Center as a top contender, which boasts many more food options than the library.

Despite these advantages, the library needs to once again reinstate its position as the best study spot on campus.

PC’s library has lived to bear witness to the sweat, tears, and last-minute papers of many generations of students, and this legacy is more important than comfortable chairs or readily available snacks will ever be.

Writer vs. Writer: Is It Better to Have Friends in Class or Not?

by The Cowl Editor on September 16, 2021

Campus

Having friends in class is helpful.

by Emily Ball ’22

Opinion Staff

Yes, you should have friends in class.

When the time comes to register for classes for the upcoming semester, it is a good choice to take classes with your friends or your roommates.

Some might argue that having friends in your classes would be an added distraction that takes away your focus from the class material and lectures, yet, this is inaccurate. Having a friend in the class would allow you to easily ask clarifying questions about the class without having to wait for an email response from the professor.

If one of you is struggling to grasp a concept or an aspect of the lesson from that day, you can talk it out with each other. Instead of having a professor explain the answer to you in a potentially confusing and overly academic manner, your friend can explain it to you in more colloquial and relatable language. It’s also much easier to get a quick answer fast because you don’t have to wait for a response from your professor, you can have the answer much faster and easier.

Having a friend in your class also takes away the awkwardness of finding someone to work with when your professor suddenly instructs you to “turn and talk with a partner.” You also have someone to work with if the class has any group assignments, which is helpful because you can easily find times and places to meet to work on the project if you live together!

Further, you already have somebody to sit with on the first day of classes, which is one of the most dreadful aspects of a new semester for anybody, especially those with social anxiety.

The comfort of having somebody familiar in your class is an added bonus not only academically but also socially. There is somebody in your class that knows you well and makes you feel comfortable. Having this energy in class allows you to open up and participate far easier and act more like yourself. You will always have somebody to join you for those long walks to Harkins or the Science Building!

Having friends in class is harmful.

by Erin Garvey ’22

Opinion Staff

No, you should not have friends in class.

Starting a new year, with new professors, new classrooms, and new materials can be really daunting which is why having a good friend in a class can be anxiety-reducing news. However, through personal experience, I have found that having a good friend in class can increase the level of anxiety and discomfort one may already feel in a class.

Firstly, what I mean by a good friend is someone that you consider more than an acquaintance. This could be a roommate, housemate, friend you hang out within your free time, or even someone you chat with on occasion. When we are working in high-stress environments, having a close friend nearby can have an adverse effect. If we are in a class that makes us nervous, do we want someone in the class who knows when you are confused or can tell that you are uncomfortable? Having someone be able to read your emotions can significantly raise the already high level of anxiety.

Another reason that it is not a good idea to have good friends in classes is that each individual has a different learning style. With a friend in class, you may feel the need to keep up, copy or even push yourself further to impress or outshine your friend. This can take away from the main focus on the class and hurt that individual’s class grade in the long run.

A simple way to overcome this anxiety-inducing situation is to try to see if you have any friends in this same course in other sections. This would allow for opportunities to come together outside of class to review or even bounce ideas/concepts off of each other. By doing this you are allowing yourself room for your own individual learning styles, and providing yourself with the opportunities for new ways of thinking from others in an environment and time that is less anxiety-provoking.

Of course, during the first weeks of school having a good friend class seems like a really good thing. While the professors and students are getting adjusted to the materials, new schedule, and each other it is great to have someone there that you can take comfort in and feel calm with. Just like learning styles, everyone has their own way of thinking and learning. Consider both sides of this argument and decide which is best for you and your learning styles.

Being Undeclared Is Not Uncool

by The Cowl Editor on September 3, 2021

Campus

Being Undeclared Is Not Uncool

There Are Benefits to Exploring Your Options at PC

By Emily Ball ’22

Coming into college, you are presented with a multitude of majors from which to choose. There are the sciences, the humanities, the business programs, and the arts. But within these categories there are even more specific programs, like biology or chemistry, marketing or management.

The decision to declare a major as a freshman is a daunting task, which is why coming into college as an undeclared student is beneficial for freshmen.

Many people consider the idea of being undeclared problematic because there is a misconception that students will not be able to graduate in time if they wait to declare their major in their sophomore year. This viewpoint is inaccurate, as colleges create a deadline to declare a major that ensures you will graduate in your expected year; Providence College has a deadline of the end of sophomore year for students to declare a major .

Coming in as an undeclared student, one might wonder if there are any pressures. Lauryn Anthony ‘22, who came in undeclared, praised PC for the way the undeclared program works here. “I never felt pressured to know exactly what my decision for my major was going to be, which I think is a great thing about Providence College because you have a lot of time,” Anthony said. “It wasn’t so much that my advisors were like ‘you need to pick something now’; they came at it from the standpoint of ‘is this what you are going to love to study?’ I declared biology a week before the deadline sophomore year and what I would say to people is that it doesn’t have to come to you quickly, and that is totally fine.”

Being undeclared is beneficial as it allows you to experiment with classes that interest you until you finally find your passion.

Students come into college as a seventeen or eighteen year old; why should they be expected to know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their lives right when they step foot onto campus?

“I’m really glad I came into my freshman year undeclared because it gave me a chance to explore my options and figure out what I’m passionate about,” Sophie Riddick ’22 said.

Riddick was allowed to explore all of her options. “I was interested in both psychology and marketing, so I took classes in each discipline [during] first semester freshman year. While I enjoyed both classes, psychology stood out to me as it was the one I was genuinely excited to attend every day. Being undeclared and having that chance to experience different majors ultimately gave me the clarity and assurance I needed to feel confident that psychology was for me,” Riddick said.

The classes you use to experiment and find your passion teach you valuable lessons and skills that can be used in both your declared major and life in general.

The classes that you take within other disciplines–for example psychology, philosophy, or biology, can benefit you in the classes for your eventual major.

Elements of core curriculum classes are bound to be seen in themes of novels in English courses, case studies within sociology, or ethical issues within a business ethics course.

For some people, however, they know exactly what they want to do for a post-graduate occupation.

But for those who are even slightly uncertain, being undeclared is beneficial and allows students to experiment until they find their educational or occupational passion.

Being undeclared is highly beneficial and rarely puts students at a disadvantage.

There should be no stigma around coming into college undeclared and no pressure to decide on a major right away.

Take the time you need to explore all of the classes PC offers its students.

Tangents & Tirades

by kwheele4 on May 7, 2021

Opinion

Tangents & Tirades

by kwheele4 on April 15, 2021

Opinion

PC Should Offer Outdoor Workout Classes

As any fitness-minded Providence College student knows, it is increasingly difficult, if not impossible, to sign up for a gym time at the Concannon Fitness Center.

Because of COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions, there are only a limited number of spaces in the gym at any given time, creating an unfortunate situation for students who wish to work out and yet cannot register for a gym slot because of how quickly they fill up.

With that being said, if there’s one thing all Friars can agree on, it is that campus glows during springtime. The weather is warmer, the days get longer, and PC students will do anything to get time outside after the dreary winter months. With the shift to move events outside to remain COVID-friendly, Rec Sports should consider offering workout classes outdoors.

Not only would holding workout classes outdoors allow for more students to join, but it would also make it easier to abide by COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. Additionally, these classes would allow students to get some fresh air and take a well-deserved break from schoolwork and extracurricular commitments.

With the last few weeks of the semester coming to a close, and finals season approaching much sooner than we all would hope, outdoor workout classes could serve as the perfect stress reliever.

—Katie Belbusti ’22

Keeping the Keurig: Making Coffee at Home Is Superior

College students run on coffee like America runs on Dunkin’. With a Dunkin’, a Blessed Beans Cafe in Raymond Dining Hall, and a Starbucks in the Ruane Center for the Humanities all on campus, Providence College students have many different options to purchase coffee in the mornings or in between classes.

Even though these options are at one’s disposal, college students should not solely depend on these coffee chains.

In order to save money and also protect the environment, people should make their coffee at home. Some argue that buying coffee is superior because it tastes better than homemade coffee, but making coffee at home allows you to make sure it is to your liking.

“You can make it to your specific and personal taste because you decide what goes in your coffee. And if you taste it and decide, ‘Oh, this needs more cream or sugar, you can just add it!’” Alexa Katsaros ’22 said.

Making coffee at home also saves money. “My 21st birthday gift of choice was a Nespresso,” said Caroline Franks ’22. ”It’s the gift that keeps on giving. My New Year’s resolution this year was to stop spending money on coffee because it accrues over time.”

Additionally, instead of using environmentally unfriendly plastic cups, people at home can use mugs or glass cups in order to protect the environment.

While buying coffee once in a while from Dunkin’ or Starbucks is a fun treat, making coffee at home is the smart choice to make.

—Emily Ball ’22

Tangents and Tirades

by kwheele4 on March 18, 2021

Tangents

Dr. Seuss Ban: Racism Has No Place in Children’s Literature

A couple weeks ago, Dr. Seuss’s estate decided to pull six of the late writer’s books from stores, citing concerns with their racist imagery. The move ignited a firestorm of backlash, with some saying the decision is an example of “cancel culture.”

While some aspects of cancel culture can be concerning, the removal of children’s books featuring racist caricatures is not.

The audience of Dr. Seuss’s books are young, impressionable children who experience the complexities of society through forms of media. By continuing to read books with outdated stereotypes, children are taught implicit biases that become reinforced as they grow older, thus continuing the cycle of racism.

This is not to say that all books featuring racism should be banned—for example, learning about the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in high school with a dialogue about the history of racism and its current state in our society is crucial to education.

The banning has also been compared to Cardi B’s song “WAP,” which includes sexually explicit lyrics and celebrates sexuality; if kid’s books are banned, why is this song popular on streaming platforms?

This argument compares apples to oranges. “WAP” is a song written by adults for other adults, whereas Dr. Seuss books are written for the consumption and enjoyment of young children—the intended audience of media and its potential ramifications of said media’s content separates these two works.

It is the unique audience of children’s books that makes the Dr. Seuss estate’s decision so critical. Disney has made similar moves in light of this issue, pulling movies like Song of the South from its streaming platform.

While banning racist images from books will not end racism, it is a first step in raising the next generation to have open minds, free from racial biases. If cancel culture enables the erasure of implicit biases from children’s learning, we should welcome it.

—Elizabeth McGinn ’21

De-Cluttering Your Mind and Your Space

With midterms fast approaching, college students have a lot of stress on their minds.

There are many ways to deal with this stress, such as taking a walk, watching a movie, or practicing meditation. However, a lot of these activities seem too time-consuming for busy students who want a quick break before getting back to their work.

College students should use cleaning as a de-stressor because it is a quick and easy way to clear one’s mind and physical space.

One technique to cleaning that has circulated around social media is the “five-minute” rule. Whenever you need a break, you take five minutes to pick up or neaten anything that is cluttering your physical space. College students should use this technique to take a step away from work for just five minutes.

A clean space also helps you to be more productive because when your work and your notes are organized, so is your mind.

“I like to have all of my notes and books laid out neatly on my desk. It helps me to stay focused and be productive,” Maddie Guth ’22 said.

There are a lot of great ways to take a break from schoolwork and studying. But cleaning, or using the five-minute rule, is the most effective way to step away and come back even more productive.

—Emily Ball ’22

I Will Defend Myself: The Importance of Learning Self-Defense as a Woman

by kwheele4 on March 4, 2021

Opinion

Self defense classes have become a critical aspect of
young womens’ preperations for attending colleges and
universities. Photo courtesy of Vector Stock.

I Will Defend Myself: The Importance of Learning Self-Defense as a Woman

By Emily Ball ’22

If you ask any woman if she feels comfortable walking alone at night, the chances are high that she will say no, that she is not comfortable. Most women carry pepper spray, a whistle, or various other self-defense tools with them in case they find themselves in danger. The thought of who could be lurking in the dark, even when there may be nobody there, is a constant concern in the minds of women. This is the reality of our society, and all we can do individually is to work within the confines of that reality by doing things like taking self-defense classes.

Before attending college, I signed up for a self-defense class through my town that taught young women defensive moves and things to say when somebody tries to attack you. I stood there practicing the punches and kicks that the police officers were teaching us, thinking how ridiculous this is that, as a woman, I feel like I have to do this in order to feel more prepared for college. But, this is a necessary precaution that all women, no matter what age, ought to take.

Although it really does feel like eliminating the naivety of young women, young adults should be made aware of techniques and strategies that can protect them from potential harm. It is better to be aware than to be naïve, especially as a woman in the 21st century. Self-defense strategies are important to know, especially as a young woman.

Abigail Pruchnicki ’22 said on the matter, “I was invited to a sleepover with my soccer team. We were about 12 at the time and the girl-who-hosted’s mom had her self-defense instructor come in and give us a lesson. I didn’t understand it fully at the time but since I have found out that the mother was a model and was sexually assaulted in an elevator, I now appreciate her efforts in preparing us young girls to protect ourselves and be aware of danger.”

It’s all about prevention—preventing these situations from happening. By preparing physically, young women are also preparing mentally to be aware of their surroundings.

“It’s obviously disheartening that at 12 years old we had to learn that we might be seen as objects that others could take advantage of. Also, we learned that as girls and, soon, women, we had to always have a sense of alertness and awareness when we entered the social world,” Pruchnicki said.

Women don’t have to sign up for an actual self-defense class to learn these strategies and techniques, as there are plenty of other alternative options available. YouTube offers free videos that demonstrate simple moves through basic classes. Also, some fitness studios that offer kickboxing classes also offer self-defense moves and strategies to their athletes.

“Kickboxing is not only a great workout but also incorporates defensive moves into the combinations. A few of my favorites besides the usual jab and cross is the bob and weave, perry, and shield, which are all great moves to know as a girl. I think it is great that I can work out but also learn ways to defend myself if I ever need to,” Julia Wilson ’22 said.

No matter how you choose to do it, all women should learn self-defense moves in order to learn how to protect themselves.

Tangents & Tirades

by kwheele4 on February 25, 2021

Opinion

Convert to Cold Showers

Other than going to bed, a hot shower is one of the small things that people often look forward to at the end of each day. This welcomed event takes anywhere from five to possibly even 45 minutes, depending on how stressful of a day you had and how long you have before you deplete your hot water tank and end up with angry family members.

It is considered heresy to speak out against hot showers, given their almost sacrosanct status in everyone’s lives. Hot shower’s long forgotten brother—the cold shower—is therefore left only for those who are insane enough to wish themselves pain and misery as the cold water droplets bombard their skin.

It is unfortunate that cold showers have gotten this bad reputation, especially given that most of the people who speak out against cold showers have never actually taken one themselves.

Hot-shower-takers would be surprised to hear that cold showers carry with them many benefits: increased blood circulation, expedient recovery after workouts due to a phenomenon known as vasoconstriction, and better looking hair and skin.

All of these benefits, and many more, can be had by adopting cold showers as part of your nightly routine. So come and be a defector, or even heretic against the tyranny of hot showers. Your skin and hot water boiler will thank you.

—Joseph Kulesza ’22

Just Stop Using the “R-Word,” Please

One of the most disturbing and common practices in today’s society is using slurs to degrade someone, particularly when used by educated, “morally righteous,” Christian students at Providence College. More than ever, the “r-word”—one of the most outdated, outwardly malicious words—has been notably prevalent recently.

The “r-word” is never acceptable to use. Period. Obviously the same goes for any other slur. The use of slurs simply serves to harm people.

Utilizing the idea of a person with a disability who holds the exact same dignity as oneself to make fun of someone or something opposes the very nature of Christian ethics. It degrades an entire group of wonderful and capable people that bring beauty and honesty into the world.

Not only do people offend the entirety of the world’s disabled population when they use the “r-word,” but they also offend those who have people with disabilities in their lives. The use of this word stings them to their core and creates resentment within relationships. It makes one re-evaluate the very nature and character of the offender. This word also nullifies the Catholic concept of inherent human dignity.

It simply makes no sense. Feeling the need to use this word should serve as a call to action to reevaluate oneself and what one is trying to say. Before using this word, perhaps think about how using it only serves to show more about oneself than it does the person the word is directed towards.

—Olivia Bretzman ’22

Normalcy Via Viewing Friars Athletics Virtually

One of the biggest benefits of Providence College is the sense of Friar pride at sports games. Whether it’s a basketball game at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, a hockey game at Schneider Arena, or a field hockey game at Lennon Family Field, students always show up excited to cheer on the Friars.

Amid a pandemic, it is still important to watch sports games, even virtually, in order to maintain the sense of pride and normalcy that students experienced at PC in the pre-pandemic world.

Some believe that watching these games virtually is not worth it because it is not the same as being there in person. However, watching these games online can still foster a sense of pride and community when you watch them with your roommates.

“Even though it feels very different, I still love to watch all of the basketball games with my housemates,” Madeline Guth ’22 said. “We stream them on our TV and make food, so it is still a very fun experience even if it isn’t the same as it was when coronavirus wasn’t a thing. I love cheering on PC sports teams because it makes life feel slightly more normal.”

Students can still feel a sense of Friar pride by tuning into the virtual sports games and watching them with roommates or housemates.

In a world that does not feel very normal, it is important to adapt to this new reality and to do things that make life feel as close to the pre-pandemic reality as possible.

—Emily Ball ’22