It has been over a hundred days since the Mar. 13 email went out all over the country to students urging them to not return to campuses after spring break. During these hundred days, I, like many others, have turned to video games to fill my time.

The numbers reflect this: data collected by Verizon found that video game play time peaked at a new all-time high and that there was a 75% increase in video game usage since the quarantine began. The beginning of the quarantine video game space was dominated by Nintendo who coincidentally had scheduled the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons for March 20, 2020. This resulted in raking in the largest game launch of the year and a mass sellout of Nintendo Switches worldwide. 

While other game publishers rushed to put out updates and changes to their games, Naughty Dog delayed their long-awaited sequel to its graphically appealing game, The Last of Us, a post-apocalyptic zombie outbreak game released in 2013.

The sequel was released on June 19, 2020, and now sits atop the charts as the fastest-selling Playstation4 game in history narrowly beating out Uncharted 4 by 1 percent.

The online gaming experiences created by Epic Games, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Activision, Naughty Dog and more immerse players in a designed world unlike ours. The games allow players to disassociate from quarantine and encourage communication with friends. 

Playing is fun for a while until you stumble on the streaming platforms. Twitch, a streaming platform owned by Amazon, accounted for 72% of total hours streamed during the first quarter of 2020 with a record 3,114.1 million hours watched.

However, Twitch is not the only streaming giant that got the benefit of boosted watch time. YouTube Gaming saw a 13% increase in hours viewed and Facebook Gaming increased by over 20% in total hours watched. However, the ballooning of the streaming space burst when it came to Microsoft owned platform Mixer. 

Mixer’s first quarter numbers showed a decrease in viewership by 7% this quarter, a trend that has continued since before lockdown’s started.

An interview with Microsoft’s Phil Spencer, head of gaming, indicated that the company knew that Mixer had always been trailing behind the other streaming giants and would never corner the market in subscriber numbers that Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming services all had. In a move made by Microsoft on June 22, 2020 it was announced that Mixer as a platform was being terminated and that all existing viewers and streamers alike were being directed to its new partner, Facebook Gaming services.

This partnership appears to have been forged through Microsoft’s upcoming xCloud game streaming service. However, it is not clear at this time how Facebook Gaming will play a role, if at all. Microsoft exclusive streamers are being given their contract payouts and are back on the market for all other platforms. 

As the gaming world continues to evolve and explode, there can only be speculation as to whether their grip on the audience will remain once the world attempts a return to normalcy. 

It is no secret that the world of sports is a multi-billion dollar industry fueled by fans who show unwavering support from all over the world. So why is it that when I go to see a National Women’s Soccer League game there is only on average 4,000 people in attendance? 

These same players play for the United States Women’s National Team that has won 4 World Cups and 4 Olympic gold medals. These are the same women who according to Fox Sports had the highest viewership across genders for a soccer game aired on English Language television at a whopping 20 million viewers during the 2015 Women’s World Cup Finals. Locationally, at least for the National Women’s Soccer League, most of the teams are placed in large markets that have a pre-existing male team that has shown success with ticket sales.

As soccer viewership in the United States is growing, expanding teams across the country is the natural next step. Atlanta United is so popular around this city, there are talks about adding a women’s team in the near future. This seems to be in the works for 2021 or 2022. It is our duty to not only help build the fanbase and welcome them home but to back them with as many fans who are equally as “Rowdy and proud” as the male team’s supporters are. As our name states, we are Atlanta United not Atlanta divided by gender.

This gender bias in sports happens at every level, not just on the professional or national stage. As the Photo Editor for the Technique, I find a line at the door for baseball, football and men’s basketball press passes but hear crickets when trying to find people to cover any women’s sport on campus even if the event occurs at the same exact time of day directly across the street from the other event. This is disappointing as often our women’s teams perform just as well, if not better, than their male counterparts. As of this writing, Tech Women’s basketball has a 9-8 record while the men are sporting 7-9. Supporting the teams on campus is a great way to dip your toes into the world of high skill female sports. Low cost, low commitment, guaranteed fun and often times free t-shirts.

Take the opportunity to explore the sports that campus has to offer. We have rugby, hockey, tennis, track, swimming and a multitude of other club and division one sports. Most importantly, show the ladies in white and gold you care. It has been long overdue. Go Jackets!

I Got In. And I cannot wait to get out.

“#IGotIn.” The first of the traditions you come to know and love from Georgia Tech. Scouring through the hashtag you find students just like you that are soon going to make up the new freshmen class of Tech. 

It starts immediately after committing: you find digital friends, future roommates and begin looking into student organizations to join. (Hi, popping in to say you should join the Technique if you are one of these students and are reading this).

The honeymoon phase of the “I Got In” sentiment ends quickly after traditions night. The stress and workload begin to pile up, and without realizing it, you think for the first time “I can’t wait to say, ‘I got out.’” Going home for break is both a blessing and a curse, the relaxation and recharging that are way overdue is the most blissful feeling. However, meeting with friends who went to other schools turns out to be a challenge. 

I went home for Thanksgiving break and met up with my group from high school. They shared stories about the lifestyle changes, the parties, the late nights and all the fun they were having. While a friend and I who go to more rigorous schools grimaced in the corner bonding over the impossible workload, tests designed to fail you, imposter syndrome and how many times we wanted to drop out already. It hit me at that moment that Tech is not the normal collegiate experience. Most people here just want to graduate and never look back. 

The desire to “get out” is prevalent in many standard aspects of a Tech education. Students jump at the opportunity to take courses at community colleges. They are constantly searching for internships and co-ops in order to get a break from Tech. Many people are just pursuing a built in escape program known as studying abroad. Then the final goal is graduating and pursuing careers in other cities and states.

This is not to say that there are not people that enjoy their time at Tech, because a lot do. But, when it comes down to it, many at Tech are only interested in the destination: a good job and a hefty paycheck as severance from the stress of the programs here. 

I can appreciate Tech and all that it has to offer. I have some amazing friends who make struggling together a little less painful. Some great organizations are a good distraction from the day to day hustle of courses. But at the end of the day, there are some changes that could be made in search of a healthier and happier environment. It begins with the faculty. Weed out courses are a necessary evil, but overworking students to a point of no return is not the way to do it. 

Many times, it feels as if students are forced to make decisions between mental and physical well-being and academic success. Tech offers academic resources for students struggling with their courses but often times these resources such as office hours can make students feel inadequate and guilty for asking questions which result in students not returning when they need it most. 

However, I would be remiss to not mention the student culture. Students breed the stress culture at Tech, it is the quickest way to fit in with the masses. It is a toxic cycle of feeling stressed out, putting that stress into the world via Reddit or the GT Memes Facebook page, stressing others out. This is not healthy; it does not breed a growth mindset or a culture of success.

I like Tech; what it has to offer students academically is unmatched and the job potential is incredible. For Tech to really “Create the Next” there needs to be a continual development of the support system for academics beyond what is currently offered (more 1-on-1 tutoring, less formal office hours, etc.) and pushing for deeper involvement in the non-technical extracurriculars is vital to produce a well-rounded student body who wants to return and make donations to their alma mater. 

I like Tech, but I do not love it. And I hope that one day maybe I will. In the meantime, I will be dreaming of the day I get to say with pride “I got out!” 

At the beginning of every semester, hopeful students await the most stressful and overwhelming time of the year: career fair season. The same process occurs annually — new “business-casual” clothing is purchased, resumes are tweaked meticulously and elevator pitches are heard ‘round the world. It is at this point in the semester where the imposter syndrome begins to kick in.

First published in the 1978 journal Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, the imposter syndrome is serves to “designate an internal experience of intellectual phoniness … those who experience the impostor phenomenon persist in believing that they are really not bright and have fooled anyone who thinks otherwise.”

This phenomenon is one that rings true for many at Tech. No matter what you do, it never seems to be enough; everyone seems to just be better than you. This sensation heightens around the time of every career fair. Some people seem to land endless interviews and get offered co-op’s or internships at top ten Fortune companies for ridiculous pay, while others cannot seem to get their feet off the ground.

The timing of the career fair also typically coincides with the first unofficial “hell week” of the semester. Grades start to appear from midterms and you find yourself comparing your grades with the average, sometimes impressing yourself and more often than not ending up disappointed with the results and wondering why you are even at Tech in the first place.

I know this to be true for myself. I constantly have the expectation that I am supposed to be keeping up with the Jones’, that I am supposed to be showing great achievements academically and professionally; is that not why I am at Tech in the first place?

My high school research teacher spent the time trying to get me to understand that learning from failure is an innate and important part of life. I never believed her, until I got to Tech.

I tend to forget that students at Tech are the best and the brightest and that I am not going to be the best at everything. At this point in the year, I forget that I am not anyone else.

My life is not supposed to look like or follow the same timeline as the person standing in front of me or behind me in line at the career fair. For me, my life is going to consist of a study abroad program before I pursue any professional opportunities because I would rather have more academic experience to bring to the table.

I believe that my time at Tech need not be handed over thoughtlessly for an internship at a company I am not truly passionate about, just for the sake of bragging rights.

In the fallout of the career fair, take the time to acknowledge that you have your own path and own life to live. Think about where you want to be; Google, Microsoft, Delta and the rest of the ‘Big Ten’ may not be where you want your path to go. Breathe.

Remind yourself that Tech picked you. Realize that you are at one of the best institutions in the nation, taking part in some of the world’s leading research, learning incredible things, building yourself as a student and as an individual.

Take the time to fine-tune that resume, maybe stand in line practicing your elevator pitch to some companies, but only take the jump once you are ready. Life is not about impressing others; it is about being happy with your current circumstances or finding a way to reach that final goal. Not landing an internship this time around does not equate to failure. This is something I am learning to be okay with, something most of us have never faced.

And right now, I’m happy with what I have accomplished, even if it means I have to wait in line at the career fair next year to hand over that tweaked resume again.

Tech, the nickname for Georgia Institute of Technology. A nickname most are proud of. A school rooted in providing top tier education in any STEM field you could imagine. But therein lies the problem: we pride ourselves so deeply in the technical roots of our institute that we let the creatives flounder in the background. 

Similar to almost every Tech student I’ve ever talked to, I was on the robotics team in high school. We built a 120-pound robot in a six-week time frame. But what was different about myself was that I was able to become the president of the team without having any technical background. I was kept away from the robot because the team lived in fear of me breaking the expensive machine or breaking myself. I instead spent my time focused on perfecting the business side of the team. I found comfort in the creative. I played piano, I made Spotify monthly playlists, I took photos of robots. And then I graduated.

Coming to Tech as an engineering major, I found myself searching online forums for any sign of creative life at Tech. I was reading a review of Tech that focused on a washing machine metaphor. Students here are constantly trapped in a washing cycle of STEM, everyone you talk to, everything you see, everything you experience is in some way connected to STEM. I loved being creative; would I find my place? 

Fast forward to today. After looking high and low I have managed to find my way into a role at Tech’s radio station while also writing for the student paper — quickly becoming the assistant head of photography and soon to be stepping into the head photography role.  

I have a sports photography internship and got to shoot Superbowl press conferences. I spend my Thursday nights either studying or listening to talented Tech students perform at Under the Couch in the Student Center. I spend Fridays sitting by the glass at Tech hockey games. I find myself writing this very article. An engineering major, writing an opinion article on creativity. 

Finding more outlets for creativity at Tech is pivotal to students that find themselves hoping to be more than just engineers. For one, keeping Under the Couch in the new Student Center is a good place to start. Under the Couch allows for students to explore their musical passions without the pressure of needing to succeed. It provides a safe space for students to build friendships and forget about the Calculus test they have the next week. Taking this space away results in students being forced to suppress their musical passions. Starting clubs or organizations in photography, vocal, musical or any other artistic discipline gives students the means to explore fields they may not have even thought about trying. It allows students to find personal passions. Personal passions lead to a more well-rounded person and open up different forms of communication. It gives people a place to feel true to themselves. 

Being creative makes you a higher performing student and it allows you to have something to wake up to that you love to do. Tech should lean into the creative adventures and encourage students to do more things major-unrelated — it is the best decision I’ve ever made. 

The synth driven alternative-pop group LANY, led by singer Paul Klein, played a sold out show at the Tabernacle as a part of their “Malibu Nights” tour. That album, released on Oct. 5, focuses on the pain of a first real heartbreak. His airy voice intermixes with the synths and the soft background tracks set the listener into a calm mindset, allowing them to focus on the story Klein is trying to convey. Taking a softer yet similar approach to the U.K. powerhouse quartet The 1975, “Malibu Nights” integrates the modern rock, 80s pop-synth and EDM to create LANY’s own unique dreamy sound space.  Even though the lyrical content is straightforward, the writing style is unique in its storytelling ability. The listeners will find themselves slipping into the life of Paul Klein and feeling the emotions being sung through the track.

As a body of work, “Malibu Nights” is well produced and written and lends itself well to live performances. The vocal ability of Klein and his affinity for singing stems from his simplistic vocals and his lullaby-style voice. Individually, each track is ideal for small scale indoor venues, sounding better in closed air at a reasonable volume. The small size of the Tabernacle reduced the distortion of the tracks and made the feeling even more personal.  The album as a whole is a living, breathing representation of what one might imagine L.A. would sound like as a song. The emotions ran high throughout the Tabernacle as concertgoers found themselves dancing and singing along with the band. Even the most seasoned concert veteran would have trouble recalling a time when the audience connected more with the lyrics and the artist in such an ethereal way. The sound of the audience was not a scream. Rather, it was more of a painful recall of personal memories. Klein stopped multiple times during the show to comment on this feelings, even returning to the stage after the encore ended to again thank the crowd for the emotions and for the environment of the night. The awe on his face when the crowd spontaneously clapped for his performance and started chanting his name in the middle of his set was unbeatable. Of course, many artists do similar things to make audiences feel special, but this was a display of genuine love and appreciation.

With 6.5 million monthly Spotify listeners, LANY is doing something right. From being a supporting act for Ellie Goulding and Troye Sivan to holding their own sold out shows and tour, LANY still manages to transform the tracks in a way audiences never thought possible live. Maybe it was the intimacy of the venue, the cold weather or a city full of heartbroken people but this show was special, a feeling its attendees will never forget.

When it comes to events, there is not a category of entertainment that has a more dedicated fan base than sports. Atlanta offers a particularly robust variety of teams. With Atlanta United FC dominating in soccer, the Falcons just beginning their season, and the Braves at the top of their division, it is hard to think of Atlanta as less than a powerhouse sporting city. Yet flying relatively under the radar is a team that played in its league’s conference semifinals at McCamish Pavilion: the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream.

Founded in 2008, the Dream, owned by two female business partners, has managed to become a strong presence in the league without an NBA pairing. The ability for the stand-alone expansion team to self-sustain proves the strength of the team as a whole.  However, the first season was far from perfect. The Dream set a record for most consecutive losses in the league at 18 and finished the year at the bottom of their conference, with a miserable 4-30 mark. Dreading this repeat, coach Marynell Meadors acquired veterans in free agency to bolster her young squad with experience. Perhaps most importantly, the team drafted guard-forward Angel McCoughtry from Louisville with the first overall pick in the draft. Until her season-ending knee injury suffered this August, McCoughtry was consistently the Dream’s centerpiece.

Coming with a vengeance, Atlanta Dream was looking to make it back into the WNBA finals as they played Game Five against the Washington Mystics. The Seattle Storm yet again found their way into the other semifinal matchup; if both Atlanta and Seattle advanced, it would be a rematch of the 2010 finals in which the Mystics edged the Dream.

The Dream came into the series a drastically different team than the one that struggled to string a pair of wins together the year before. They averaged 81.8 points per game, which is above the league median by almost two points. The dominance continued on defense, where the team averaged an impressive 7.6 steals per contest. Winning 23 of their 34 games, the Dream found themselves at the top of the Eastern Conference and played for a championship berth for the second time in three years.

Star player of the Mystics, the towering Elene Delle Donne, faced a knee injury in game two of the semifinals. Although returning to the court for a few minutes of playing time, adorned by a large knee brace, she was not able to find the back of the net. But with the series tied, Delle Donne put up 14 points in a gutty winner-take-all Game Five performance, giving her team an advantage at the end and leaving the Dream and their fans wondering what might have been.

This shortcoming should not at all diminish the Dream’s accomplishment; the team was six points in Game Five away from advancing to the Finals for what would have been the fourth time in nine years, and if not for the injury to McCoughtry, they could have gone even further. And win or lose, the team played its best basketball right on Tech’s campus.

Players will come and go, sponsorships will change and coaches will retire, but the Dream will remain a fixture in Atlanta.