Latest Fourth Estate Articles

Viviana Smith/Fourth Estate

BY NATHAN FERRARO, STAFF WRITER

You don’t have to visit another country to experience culture shock. For me, it was moving from a small town in Western Pennsylvania to just outside Washington, D.C. In particular, public transportation has required me to adjust to a new way of living and working. 

One of the perks of attending Mason is the accessibility of public transportation: two free bus routes, six shuttle routes, six metro lines, and three train systems are readily available, affordable and easy to use. 

I come from an area where the only mode of public transportation is the school bus system—much less any type of passenger rail system.

When you’re used to traveling everywhere by car — determining when you leave, arrive and how fast you get there — it’s hard to adjust to the somewhat unpredictable ebb and flow of public transportation.

The many benefits of public transit are hard to ignore. However, there are some drawbacks, many of which center around timeliness. 

The hardest aspect of getting used to public transportation has been the wait time. Tracking a bus live on TransLoc doesn’t always ensure it will arrive when it says it will. When the bus is in high demand, it means more stops and longer wait times. Despite this, it’s hard to be mad at a free ride.

One of the greatest benefits of public transportation is the environmental impact. 

“Transportation is a key element of smart growth and can be leveraged to increase access to opportunity, reduce pollution, improve community health outcomes and help the nation reach its climate goals,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

When more people use public transportation, traffic levels decrease and there is less negative impact on the environment. 

Imagine how much more traffic there would be if every single person who takes the Metro into D.C. drove by themselves to the city. It’s bad enough as it is. 

If there’s one thing the collective United States is known for lacking, it’s a robust public transportation system. Especially compared to Europe, the U.S. is seen as a hyper-individualistic, gas-guzzling overlord. 

However, many metropolitan areas are increasingly providing support for public transportation. 

D.C. is ranked fifth in the nation as one of the best cities for public transportation; along with Arlington, Virginia, ranking tenth. 

The reason for America’s car-dependent infrastructure and culture goes back several decades ago, to the early 1900s. That car-centered culture has carried on to the 2000s and beyond. 

While countries in Asia and Europe are implementing ultra-modern hyper trains, the U.S. still lags behind, opting instead for paving sidewalks that end in the middle of nowhere and planning neighborhoods that make owning a car the way of life. 

The future of public transportation in the U.S. is uncertain. However, more city centers are eliminating car-dependent traffic structures and implementing bus lanes and green spaces. 

The results of the 2024 presidential election are also sure to set the stage for the coming years of public transportation development. 

 The incoming conservative administration will most likely not prioritize public transit, opting instead to promote the natural gas, fossil fuel and automobile industries. 

Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate

Mason women’s basketball gets their second win of the season against Towson

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

On Nov. 9, Mason women’s basketball won their second game of the season against Towson 76-55. Mason sophomore guard Kennedy Harris led the way with 17 points, a career-high seven assists, six rebounds and three steals. A 26-6 dominant third quarter led the Patriots to victory.

“They were hitting the open shots, I was just looking for them,”  Harris said about her career-high in assists. “That’s all credit to them… every single time they shot, they made it. ”

Graduate student guard Ta’Viyanna Habib got Mason’s first points by hitting a 3-pointer. Mason moved the ball well in the first quarter and drew early contact on Towson to get to the free-throw line. They got good defensive stops on Towson, and ended the first quarter up 22-13.

Mason continued to get stops and hit their shots in the second quarter but Towson stuck around. Towson outscored Mason 21-16 in the second quarter.

At halftime, Mason was up 38-34, as Harris led the way with 12 points and three assists and Habib with seven points and two rebounds. Mason held Towson to 13-30 on field goals, 4-11 from the three-point line, and had five steals while Towson had none. Mason shot 15-34 from field goal, 4-12 from three and had six turnovers.

Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate

Mason went on a 26-6 run in the third quarter, where the highest lead they got was 24. Mason then went on to win the game 76-55.

“I think as a coaching staff, we’re still in the early stages of figuring out who plays well together and does this well together,” Mason head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis said. “I think tonight by halftime they put it all together and we had a really good third quarter.”

Including Harris, three Patriots scored in double figures. Junior forward Zahirah Walton finished the game with 14 points, five rebounds and two steals. Senior guard Paula Suárez finished the game with 10 points, three rebounds and one steal. 

Mason outscored Towson on points off turnovers 28-10. Mason’s bench produced more points than Towson and Mason stole the ball 11 times while Towson only stole the ball once.

Mason shot 29-59 from the field goal, 6-19 from the three-point line and 12-14 from the free throw line. Towson shot 22-54 from the field goal, 6-21 from the three-point line and 5-8 from the free throw line.

The Patriots play Monmouth University at EagleBank Arena on Nov. 12. The game will tip-off at 7:00 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+. Student tickets are available through Mason360.

Photo courtesy of Mercy Wolverton

One of the newest and fastest-growing sports at Mason

BY SAM DOUGLAS, STAFF WRITER

Mason has a variety of sports available on campus. Some are more well known than others, such as men’s and women’s basketball, which fills the many seats at the EagleBank Arena. However, there are a number of unhonored teams at the school filled with talented and passionate athletes.

Mason’s Women’s Club Ice Hockey team was founded in 2019 but was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic and didn’t resume operations until 2023. Senior Serena Robinson took over as president with the goal of revitalizing the club. “I restarted the club from two people to getting it to more or less the point it is at now,” Robinson said.

Currently, the club consists of 16 people and practices are held at SkateQuest in Reston. They compete in the Delaware Valley Collegiate Hockey Conference (DVCHC) Division III section. This season is their first time competing since the pandemic. “We’re very excited for the season, and we’re looking to get GMU back into a hockey school,” Robinson said.

The team doesn’t get a lot of funding from the school since they are not a Mason-sponsored sport. The funds they got from Mason were only enough to cover the cost of using the arena for practice.

Photo courtesy of Mercy Wolverton

“Everything else we had to [raise] from fundraising dues or other means of allocation, all on our own,” sophomore Mercy Wolverton, the team’s current president, said.

Even with limited funding, the club is still able to make trips to play teams in Maryland and Pennsylvania as part of the DVCHC.  The club continues to grow, as they have three experienced coaches on board. “We’re definitely doing even more than we were able to do last year and hopefully that will continue to be increasing,” Wolverton said.

No experience is required to join the team. More information about Mason Women’s Club Ice Hockey can be found on their website.

Viviana Smith/ Fourth Estate

BY PHILLIP KIM, STAFF WRITER

Editor’s note: This article contains spoilers, discussions of mental health and mentions of sexual and physical violence.

The release of “Joker” in 2019 was a landmark moment in film history.

The psychological thriller won the prestigious Golden Lion prize at the Venice International Film Festival– a first for a comic book adaptation– and went on to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie prior to the release of Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine.” After such overwhelming critical and commercial success, many considered a sequel inevitable.

When the long-awaited “Joker: Folie à Deux” arrived in theaters, it was met with harsh criticism.  Fans and critics alike have labeled it an insult to the first film and previous iterations of the titular villain. “It’s almost as if they made an active effort to ruin everything that made the first one great,” one IMDB.com user wrote.

Is it really?

“Joker Folie à Deux” opens with a disturbing sequence in which prison guards brutally mistreat a visibly weak and dispirited Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix). Subsequently, the jester-turned-murderer encounters two women: his attorney Maryanne Stewart (Catherine Keener), who advises him to repress the murderer inside him, and a self-claimed fan, named Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga) who encourages Fleck to do the opposite.

Fleck’s fragile state may surprise those who expected him to have evolved into a criminal mastermind after the events of the previous motion picture. However, “Joker” never explicitly suggested such a future awaited its protagonist. 

At first, the depressed criminal’s fear of capital punishment forces him to follow his counsel’s recommendations to claim insanity. Then, assured by Quinzel that the public will love and admire Joker, Fleck fires Stewart and fully embodies the new persona. Citizens erupt in thunderous applause, welcoming back their mascot.

Director Todd Phillips continues to show deep empathy for society’s outcasts. He portrays Fleck’s yearning to be understood and embraced, causing his vulnerability to Quinzel’s manipulations. Through promises of affection and sexual pleasure, Quinzel pulls Fleck further into the depths of madness.

The performance quickly comes to an end when Joker is confronted with the reality that he was not a hero nor an antihero. Former co-worker Gary Puddles (Leigh Gill) testifies in court he always considered Fleck a friend but was traumatized after witnessing his crime. The failed comedian is shaken, then returns to prison to be physically and sexually assaulted by his jailers.

Fleck could no longer claim he had no choice but to turn to evil. He could no longer argue that his actions were merely retaliations against the bullies. He was just a common criminal driven by self-pity and self-loathing. Any remaining delusion of superiority is shattered when the great Joker finds himself helpless against simple violence by ignorant warders.

As the film comes to a close, Fleck once again stands in the courtroom and takes responsibility for all his murders. “Joker was a made-up character,” he says. “I am just me.” All the fans, including Quinzel, quickly dissipate. They cared about the revolutionary, not the actual man behind the illusion.

In this moment, the sorrowful comic is making one last call for redemption. He is not the leader of a movement rallying for support, but a broken man crying for help. Society denies him this final wish.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” is painfully honest. If one were to ask what the most realistic course of events to follow the ending of “Joker” is, the answer wouldn’t deviate much from what unfolds in this film. Phillips could have easily abandoned the realism for a more conventional action adventure storyline but chose instead to honor the spirit of the first movie. He continued to scrutinize how cruel society can be to people like Fleck to the very end.

The filmmaker also honors previous iterations of the character by eliminating any possible ties between them and Fleck. He clearly understands that Joker, such as one from “The Dark Knight,” must not have a defined backstory nor a known origin. Fleck is a completely separate character, merely inspired by the comic book villain.

Most importantly, “Joker: Folie à Deux” serves as a warning. It shows why violence cannot be the way out for those struggling with pain and misery. It asks viewers to look around and take care of each other, as that may be all it takes to prevent someone from becoming the next Fleck.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” is a divisive film that makes little effort to entertain. What it does offer is a thorough psychological portrayal of loneliness and self-destruction. It is a scathing critique of society’s lack of genuine concern for its members and a plea for change. This is not a film for everyone, but for many, it will strike a deeply resonant chord.

Sam Douglas/ Fourth Estate

BY SAM DOUGLAS, STAFF WRITER

On Nov. 1, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Foundation (PETA), sent a record request letter to Mason leadership. PETA demanded Mason deliver documents that PETA requested in February regarding animal experimentation and research on campus.

“If PETA does not receive the responsive records by November 15, 2024, it will be compelled to pursue its legal remedies under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act,” said the letter, written by PETA’s Chief Legal Officer and Mason alum Jeffrey Kerr.

 On Feb. 21, the organization sent a public record request for information including veterinary records, incident reports and photographs. The request was related to a November 2022 incident where expired antibiotics were “suggested” to have been used in surgeries on animals. Kerr explained that they learned of this incident through publicly available documents from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Despite this, a representative from the NIH Office of Extramural Research said that “NIH generally does not publicly post self-reported cases of noncompliance… and NIH discusses such cases only with the people and institutions involved.” 

After being told that the FOIA request would cost $700, PETA sent a check on March 12; however, they didn’t hear back from the university until Sept. 23– more than six months later.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act states that if a FOIA request is not responded to within five days, that public body “shall have an additional seven work days,” to complete the request. If the public body does not complete the request within 12 days, a reason must be given to the requester. The public body can further “petition the appropriate court for additional time” but this is only applicable to “an extraordinary volume of records”, a large search time, or if the search prevents the public body from “meeting its operational responsibilities.”  This is reflected on Mason’s FOIA Requests page under “Mason’s Responsibilities in Responding to Your Request.” 

“We had a breakdown on communication internally,” GMU Vice President and Chief Brand Officer Paul Allvin said. “We screwed this one up.”

According to Allvin, there was a disconnect between PETA’s check coming in and the university’s FOIA officer at the time, Susan Harris. Harris hadn’t been alerted to the check coming in, leading to the request going into the university’s “paused” queue. 

“That’s ridiculous… just reprehensible,” Kerr said. “The university delay undermines the very purpose of the Virginia FOIA Act.”

Allvin attributed the further delay to redacting private document information in accordance with Virginia’s privacy laws and said that the incident caused the office to change the way that they are notified when payment comes in. “We wish this hadn’t happened,” Allvin said.

PETA received a batch of 58 PDF documents from the university on the morning of Nov. 5. Despite this, Kerr was still not pleased.

“It’s the legally required outcome. It’s not a good outcome to suggest that the university failed in its legal obligations for eight months. A good outcome for PETA would be for GMU to stop doing useless experiments on animals,” Kerr said.

Gabriel King/ Fourth Estate

BY VIVIANA SMITH, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Have you seen some furry friends roaming the Fairfax campus lately? 

Besides the geese, ducks and turtles at Mason pond, there have been several reported sightings of wildlife such as foxes and deer on campus. 

In a reddit post on the subreddit r/gmu, user “Funky_Fruit_Saled” shared a video of a fox outside of Innovation Hall. “To whoever posted the video with the fox, I saw one jogging near Innovation Hall the other day,” they wrote. 

Several users responded, sharing their own sightings. “I saw that same fox when I was walking down the strip yesterday! I see it everywhere too,” one user commented. 

More recently, a fox was reported outside Innovation Hall again, this time even closer to people walking around campus. In a reddit post, the fox was shown running behind the bike rack and sniffing the ground as onlookers casually walked by. 

Some users noted how calm the fox appeared in the video. “Literally the first fox I’ve ever seen be this comfortable around people,” one user commented. “I hope they’re treated kindly.”

According to The Humane Society of the United States, “when people repeatedly approach wildlife, the animals may lose their natural fear of humans through a process called habituation.” The perceived comfortability of some of our wildlife could imply that they are simply used to the Mason lifestyle– they know you have a lab in 20 minutes!

In addition to fox sightings, deer have been popping up around campus, enjoying the gentle fall air before it gets too cold. 

Viviana Smith/ Fourth Estate

On Oct. 22, a small deer was spotted near Mason Pond, grazing on tufts of grass in the mulch. Onlookers took pictures from a respectful distance before moving on. 

The Fairfax campus is home to plenty of critters– so many that they are a part of the Mason experience. It’s not uncommon to encounter a curious squirrel between classes or to see birds flying around the Johnson Center atrium during the lunch rush. For commuters, it’s important to stay vigilant while driving– you may spot a deer running across the road!

Despite the coexistence of humans and wildlife on campus, it’s important to remember to keep a respectful distance from all animals. 

Fall is the ideal time for wildlife to begin preparing for the winter, so it’s typical to see a slight rise in animal activity and sightings as we say “goodbye” to autumn. As winter slowly approaches, let’s try to enjoy the last few weeks of comfortable weather alongside our furry friends at Mason. 

Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate

Mason men’s basketball won their season opener against NC Central in its annual Gold Rush game

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

On Nov. 4, Mason’s Men Basketball won their season opener against North Carolina Central 75-58. Mason guard Darius Maddox led the way with 17 points and five rebounds, while guard Jared Billups had eight points and 10 rebounds. North Carolina Central hung around early with strong defense before the Patriots used a 17-0 run to pull away.

“I knew the way that they junk it up defensively, it was going to speed us up,” Head Coach Tony Skinn said. “I got to credit [North Carolina Central Head Coach] LeVelle [Moton], just because that’s kind of his DNA.” 

Forward Jalen Haynes scored the first two points for Mason. North Carolina Central started to get into foul trouble early on, which helped Mason find their groove and tempo in the game with good ball movement.

Mason got out to a 17-0 run in the first half. Mason’s defense held North Carolina Central to a 16% shooting while Mason shot 41%. The Patriots held a 32-22 halftime lead over the Eagles.

Mason’s biggest lead came in the second half by 21 points. Even though Mason turned the ball over 17 times, their defensive stops kept them in control. Mason held North Carolina Central to 16-57 from the field, and 5-21 from the 3-point line.

North Carolina Central held Mason to 21-51 from the field and 2-17 from the 3-point line. However, North Carolina Central’s foul trouble sent the Patriots to the free-throw line 41 times. Mason took advantage of these opportunities, shooting 31-41 on free throws to overcome their poor shooting from the field.

Jordan Giles/Fourth Estate

“I got to credit their defense for taking us out of offense,” Skinn said. “ I got to go back and watch because I was prepared for their 1-3-1 [zone], not so much their 3-2 [zone].”

Haynes was dominant in the paint, crashing the boards and getting rebounds for Mason. Haynes got into foul trouble but forward Giovanni Emejuru came off the bench to fill the role that Haynes had been in.

Haynes and Emejuru each had 11 points and six rebounds to help Mason dominate inside. The Patriots outscored the Eagles 32-20 in the paint.

Skinn wants to play Haynes and Emejuru at the same time, with Haynes at power forward and Emejuru at center.  “If  I had to create a crystal ball of minutes, Geo [Emejuru] would be playing 20 and Jalen would play [between] 25 and 28,” Skinn said. “Certain games are going to allow us to be able to do that.” 

“We’ve got to be able to rep a few things a little bit more in practice, but defensively, I was happy in moments,” Skinn said. “We’ve got to be able to keep our foot on the gas. And if we’ve got a 21-point lead, you know, kind of stretch that to 25-28.”

The Patriots play No. 18 Marquette on Nov. 8 in their first big test of the season. Mason will travel to Milwaukee to play the Golden Eagles as part of the Marquette Challenge. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. and the game will be streamed on Peacock.

Christian Segovia/Fourth Estate

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Netflix released a 10-episode NBA documentary called “Starting 5” focusing on five players during the NBA 2023-2024 season: Lebron James, Anthony Edwards, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum and Domantas Sabonis.

How the documentary focused on each of the players’ stories throughout the season made the series enjoyable.These stories ranged from the specific goals of each player to focusing on injuries, families and backgrounds that will make non-basketball fans become captivated. For non-basketball fans, the series even gave information about each player and the NBA. 

What I loved about LeBron James’ season is how he still wants to give it his all on the floor despite playing for 21 seasons. He finds time to spend with his family and, in the documentary, we get to see the goofy side of James. An amazing part about James is his basketball IQ, especially when explaining to his teammates what the other team is going to do and what he needs his team to do defensively.

Following Jayson Tatum’s season, which included an NBA championship, I appreciated Tatum’s mindset. He is willing to prove someone wrong if they think he couldn’t do something. During the NBA Finals, Tatum was willing to sacrifice his part of the game when it required his teammates to be more involved to avoid dropping 30 points in a game. His sacrifice got the Celtics their 18th banner for Boston.

While watching the series, it felt like we only saw Tatum a few times throughout the documentary and there was some rushing in his storyline with him winning an NBA championship. Although, in the playoffs, it was cool to see the players go against other players that weren’t from the “Starting 5” but I wish we got more of that.

The aftermath of Jimmy Butler’s season with the Miami Heat was emotional. Butler’s injuries kept him rested so he didn’t damage his body but if it was an important game, he would fight through the injury. He dealt with the loss of his dad during the season, explained the struggles of losing someone you love and used basketball as an escape.

Seeing his season throughout the documentary taught people that athletes are human, too. They have stuff going on behind the scenes that people don’t see often. Seeing this reminded me that sometimes people can forget they are more than just basketball players. 

Going into Anthony Edwards’ season, I was expecting more of Edwards’ ego as a player; however, I finished the documentary knowing Edwards is young figuring out life while having a baby with his girlfriend. He still doesn’t care who he faces every night on the basketball court but I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes the face of the league in a few years.

For Domantas Sabonis’ season, it was amazing to see his leadership skills develop with the Sacramento Kings. The microphone picks up Sabonis talking to his teammates about when to move, where to be on the court and when to be ready for him to pass to them. Through all of his battles in the season, he showed his toughness.

The documentary shoots good angles of the players when they are on the court. Letting viewers see how tired these athletes are after a game ends and how they prep for the next game while highlighting what they do in their free time afterward.

I feel the documentary did miss its chance to dig into how players do film reviews against other teams and see how seriously they take their practices. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the documentary and would rate it an overall four out of five and look forward to season two.

Madalyn Godfrey/Fourth Estate

Fourth Estate’s minute-by-minute coverage of the 2024 presidential election

 BY GABRIEL KING, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As the polls close and America turns its eyes to the results, join Fourth Estate for live, minute-by-minute coverage of the 2024 presidential election. From breaking news and state races to real-time updates, we’ll keep you informed as the nation decides between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.

8:41 a.m.: In an unprecedented political comeback, Trump secures the presidency

Former President Donald Trump has been declared the winner of the 2024 presidential election. Trump will become the first president since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms.

Wisconsin pushed Trump over 270 electoral votes. Trump won the Badger State and its 10 electoral votes, which puts him at 277 total.

2:35 a.m: Trump delivers speech at the Trump HQ to celebrate campaign

After securing Pennsylvania to bring his electoral vote total to 267, Donald Trump celebrated his anticipated victory at Trump HQ in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump called his campaign the “greatest political movement of all time.”

While Trump has not secured the necessary 270 electoral votes, he holds a significant lead in each of the states that have yet to be called. Alaska, Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Wisconsin are all leaning in Trump’s direction and a victory in any of those states would clinch his presidency.

2:18 a.m: Trump prepares to address supporters, expected to declare victory

With Donald Trump closing in on a victory in Pennsylvania, the former president plans to address supporters in West Palm Beach, Fla. In the speech, Trump is expected to declare his victory.

12:58 a.m.: Trump wins Georgia in his second battleground victory of the night

Former President Trump won Georgia and its 16 electoral votes as he inches closer to a return to the White House. Trump now sits at 247 electoral votes, as he also gained an additional vote in Nebraska’s 1st Congressional District.

12:54 a.m.: Harris no longer speaking at Howard University tonight

Kamala Harris will not speak tonight at her campaign watch party at Howard University as previously planned, Harris-Walz campaign Co-Chair Cedric Richmond announced. “You won’t hear from the Vice President tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow,” Richmond said. Harris currently trails Donald Trump 230-210 in the electoral vote.

12:39 a.m.: Trump outperforming his metrics from 2020

As former President Trump cements a strong lead, he continues to outperform his totals from the 2020 election. Trump has taken the lead in Georgia and Pennsylvania, two states he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. If Trump wins both states, his second term would be secured.

12:02 a.m.: Polls in Hawaii close, state is immediately called for Harris

In one of the last poll closures of the night, Hawaii was awarded to Vice President Harris. Harris’ total now sits at 209 electoral votes after gaining The Aloha State’s four votes.

Alaska is the only state yet to close its polls, which will close at 1:00 a.m.

11:43 p.m.: Virginia goes to Harris after tight race

After a back-and-forth race, Kamala Harris won the Commonwealth of Virginia and its 13 electoral votes. Donald Trump made a significant push but Virginia stayed blue for the fifth consecutive presidential election.

Following this result, Trump leads Harris 230-205 in the race to 270.

11:35 p.m.: Harris wins Oregon and New Mexico

Kamala Harris won New Mexico and Oregon to bring her total to 192 electoral votes. Despite these victories, the election will still come down to the six remaining battleground states, particularly Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

11:20 p.m.: Trump wins North Carolina in first battleground result of election night

Donald Trump won the state of North Carolina and its 16 electoral votes. One of the seven swing states of the election, North Carolina gives Trump a significant advantage as the race tightens. Trump now has 230 electoral votes, needing only 40 more to secure the presidency.

11:03 p.m.: Late poll closures give Harris big boost

As projected, Vice President Harris earned 54 electoral votes in her home state of California, along with Washington’s 12 electoral votes to bring her total to 179.

Former President Trump earned four electoral votes in Idaho after the 11:00 p.m. closures, putting him at 214 electoral votes.

10:53 p.m: Harris expected to make up ground after 11:00 p.m. closures

With Trump leading the electoral vote 210-113, Harris is expected to close the gap in the 11:00 hour. California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington close their polls at 11:00.

Harris is projected to claim California, Oregon and Washington, while Trump is expected to win Idaho. Barring any surprises, these results would tighten the race, putting even more emphasis on the seven battleground states

10:47 p.m.: Trump avoids upset in Iowa, secures six more electoral votes in Kansas

Despite a late push from Kamala Harris, Donald Trump won the state of Iowa. On Saturday, pollster J. Ann Selzer released a poll that showed Harris with a slim lead in the traditionally red state. However, Trump maintained his hold on the state for the third consecutive election. The former president also won Kansas.

Trump’s victories in Iowa and Kansas give him 12 more electoral votes, as he now sits at 210 electoral votes, 60 away from the presidency.

10:22 p.m.: Harris wins D.C., site of her campaign’s watch party

Vice President Kamala Harris claimed Washington, D.C.’s three electoral votes to bring her total to 112 after her earlier victory in Colorado. Harris is holding her campaign watch party in the nation’s capital at her alma mater, Howard University.

10:03 p.m.: Trump earns expected wins in Montana and Utah

As projected, former President Trump won six electoral votes in Utah and four in Montana. These victories bring Trump’s total to 198 electoral votes.

9:56 p.m.: Trump wins Missouri to extend his lead

Donald Trump claimed Missouri’s 10 electoral votes. Trump also won Missouri in 2016 and 2020.

Entering the 10:00 hour, Trump leads Harris 188-99 with the key battlegrounds still in play.

9:53 p.m.: Three more states close their polls at 10:00 p.m., including one battleground

Montana, Nevada and Utah will close their polls at 10:00 p.m. Montana and Utah are expected to go to Trump, as both states have long leaned Republican in presidential elections.

Nevada is one of the biggest swing states in the election. Despite holding less electoral votes, six, than other swing states, Nevada could play a pivotal role in deciding the presidency. Similar to Arizona, Nevada could take days to reach a final result.

9:34 p.m.: Trump claims three electoral votes in Nebraska

After winning the statewide electoral vote in Nebraska, Donald Trump also won state’s 3rd Congressional District, giving him three total in the Cornhusker State. Two more electoral votes remain in Nebraska’s two other congressional districts. Kamala Harris currently leads in both districts.

9:14 p.m.: Ohio and Texas go to Trump

Donald Trump was victorious in Ohio and Texas, giving him 57 more electoral votes. Both victories were expected, as Trump has won Ohio in each of his three presidential campaigns and Texas has not gone blue since the 1976 presidential election.

9:02 p.m: 9:00 closures bring Trump four more states; Harris claims New York

Former President Donald Trump claimed Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming to gain 17 more electoral votes. However, Harris was the big winner in the early stages of the 9:00 hour, winning New York and its 28 electoral votes.

Trump holds a 120-99 lead in the race to 270.

8:51 p.m.: Next polls close at 9:00 p.m., including swing states Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin

9:00 p.m. will see polls in 15 states close. This includes battlegrounds Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, which will play a pivotal role in the election as three of the seven swing states. Arizona is expected to take the longest of the three to count its votes, as full results could take weeks to tally.

8:40 p.m.: Illinois goes to Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris earned a much-needed victory in the state of Illinois. The victory gives Harris 19 electoral votes, bringing her total to 71.

8:37 p.m.: Harris wins Delaware and New Jersey, Trump wins Arkansas; key battlegrounds still too close to call

Kamala Harris won the state of New Jersey and its 14 electoral votes and Delaware and its three electoral votes, while Donald Trump claimed Arkansas and its six electoral votes. Trump leads 101-52 in the race to 270.

Elsewhere, battlegrounds Georgia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania remain neck-and-neck. Trump holds slim leads in Georgia and North Carolina with many urban votes yet to be counted. Harris holds a sizable lead in Pennsylvania but less than 10% of the Keystone State’s votes have been counted

8:07 p.m.: Massive vote closures give both candidates a significant boost

Polls in 17 states closed at 8:00 p.m. Former President Donald Trump claimed Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Tennessee to bring his total to 95 electoral votes. Trump also won South Carolina, which had its polls close at 7:00 p.m.

Vice President Kamala Harris won Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and Rhode Island to continue to the Democrats’ northeast dominance. These four states brought Harris’ total to 35 electoral votes.

7:43 p.m.: Trump has early lead in Georgia with many Democratic votes yet to come in

With 12% of the state’s vote counted, Donald Trump has an early lead in Georgia. Another key battleground state, Georgia carries 16 electoral votes. Despite Trump’s early lead, the gap is expected to narrow due to votes in urban counties that have yet to be counted. Kamala Harris is favored in Georgia’s urban areas, which could turn the state in her favor.

7:31 p.m.: West Virginia officially goes to Trump

West Virginia and its four electoral votes will go to Donald Trump, bringing his total to 23. Republican Jim Justice also won the state’s Senate election, flipping West Virginia’s seat.

7:30 p.m.: Next wave of polls close, including key battleground North Carolina

Polls in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia closed at 7:30. Ohio and West Virginia are expected to be victories for Donald Trump.

North Carolina is a battleground state that could dictate the results of the election. The winner of the Tarheel State will claim 16 key electoral votes in the race to 270.

7:06 p.m.: Trump wins Indiana

For the third straight presidential election, Donald Trump won the state of Indiana. This gives Trump 11 electoral votes, bringing his total to 19.

7:00 p.m.: Kentucky goes to Trump, Vermont to Harris

After the first wave of poll closures, Kentucky was called for former President Trump and Vermont went to Vice President Harris. All other states that closed at 7:00 p.m. are still too close to call. 

These early calls give Trump the lead with eight electoral votes, while Harris sits at three electoral votes.

6:54 p.m.: Both candidates urge voters to stay in line

With record turnouts expected across the country, both presidential candidates are urging voters to stay in line after polls close. “If you are in line before the polls close, stay in line,” Vice President Harris said in a post on X.

In a TikTok also posted on X, former President Trump said to “make sure you get through and vote.”

6:05 p.m.: First polls close in Indiana, Kentucky

Select polls in Indiana and Kentucky closed at 6:00 p.m. While neither state has been called, both states are expected to go to Donald Trump. The remaining polls in Indiana and Kentucky, along with all polls in Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia, close at 7:00 p.m.

5:27 p.m.: NC extends voting in two precincts

North Carolina extended voting 30 minutes in two precincts due to technology issues, the North Carolina State Board of Elections announced. Polls at a precinct in Burke County and a precinct in Wilson County will be open until 8:00 p.m.

4:54 p.m.: Both campaigns prepare for close race as the first polls close in just over one hour

With the first polls closing at 6:00 p.m., both presidential campaigns are settling in for what is expected to be a long night. Vice President Harris spent the afternoon phone banking at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Former President Trump will watch the results from Mar-a-Lago this evening. After casting his ballot today, Trump told reporters that he is “very confident” heading into the night.

Valentina Fala/ Fourth Estate

BY VALENTINA FALA, STAFF WRITER

Marijana Grbeša-Zenzerović, a Fulbright Scholar from Croatia, has traveled the world pursuing academic excellence in communication. From earning her master’s degree in the United Kingdom to completing a Ph.D. in Slovenia and teaching at Penn State University, Grbeša-Zenzerović’s journey is nothing short of remarkable.

At Mason, Grbeša-Zenzerović engages with students in digital advertising and strategic communication courses while conducting  research on the current U.S. presidential elections and its disinformation. She plans to compare these findings with her previous research in Europe.

Grbeša-Zenzerović’s interest in Mason transpired from her recent studies in celebrity culture and the Lab for Character Assassination and Reputation Politics. Directed by Mason professor Sergei Samoilenko, CARP studies “character assassination and reputation management” and focuses efforts on researching, teaching and assessing character assassinations to understand and help others understand this phenomenon, according to CARP’s official website. Grbeša-Zenzerović will be participating in CARP’s annual conference in March 2025.

“I first came [to Mason] in August. I haven’t been here for long but I have this feeling that I have been here for a very long time which, basically, that’s how I feel at home here,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said.

Back in Croatia, Grbeša-Zenzerović teaches political marketing, political communication, mass media and strategic communication at the University of Zagreb. Her research includes European elections and their media coverage.

Grbeša-Zenzerović was inspired to pursue a career in communications in the 90s after watching war journalists, whom she saw as heroes, during the Croatian War of Independence. Now, she is also part of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on online safety and empowerment of content creators and users (MSI-eSEC) where she serves as one of their experts.

Grbeša-Zenzerović has visited the U.S. many times and notes the difference between European and American studies. In her view, European students focus on theories, a rigorous curriculum, and memorization; whereas, American students are typically more inquisitive, excelling in critical thinking and in seeking answers. 

“They dare to ask, they dare to debate, they date to say their opinion,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said.

Grbeša-Zenzerović serves as an inspiration for those who aspire to travel the world while pursuing their passions. 

“What strikes me about George Mason is this impression on campus that students are kind of the ones leading the game, they are like people in charge of everything,” Grbeša-Zenzerović said. Her journey at Mason has just started, yet students and the faculty have been a main factor in her personal and professional growth.

Grbeša-Zenzerović will deliver a special lecture titled “The fun factor: How pop culture wins elections in the age of social media entertainment” on Wednesday, November 13 at 12:15 pm at the Communication Department’s Main Conference Room in Horizon Hall and via Zoom.

Madalyn Godfrey/ Fourth Estate

BY GABRIEL KING, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

After a breakout 2023-24 season that saw multiple records shattered, Mason women’s basketball will look to continue building under head coach Vanessa Blair-Lewis. The Patriots have improved every season under Blair-Lewis, including reaching the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament last year.

Per the Atlantic 10’s annual preseason poll, Mason is projected to finish third in the conference this year. If the A-10 is as strong as it was last year, a third-place finish could be enough to send the Patriots to their first ever NCAA Tournament. To do that, Mason will need to pick up marquee wins and avoid resume-damaging losses. Here are five games to monitor as the Patriots look to make more history:

1. Vs. No. 18 Maryland (in Annapolis, Md.) – Nov. 30, 3:30 p.m., ESPN+

The Patriots and Terrapins will face off for the third straight season, this time at a neutral site in Annapolis as part of the Navy Challenge. Last year, Mason held a lead in the third quarter before falling to Maryland in College Park. Even if the Patriots lose this game, another strong showing against one of women’s basketball’s power programs could be enough to boost their resume.

2. At Georgetown – Dec. 9, 7:00 p.m., FloSports

After their surprise run to the Big East championship game in March, the Hoyas have suddenly become a formidable opponent. While the Patriots will be likely favored in this game, they cannot overlook Georgetown. Grabbing a win against a power conference opponent on this quick trip to Washington could give the Patriots a marquee win in the non-conference.

3. At Richmond – Jan. 8, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+

While Mason defeated Richmond last season, the Spiders got the last laugh when they won the A-10 Tournament and clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The defending champion Spiders are projected to repeat as champions but the Patriots are one of the top contenders to take the crown. A win in Richmond would be a great start to 2025 and give Mason an edge over one of their top competitors in the A-10.

4. At Saint Joseph’s – Feb. 23, 4:00 p.m., ESPNU

In one of their biggest conference games of the season, the Patriots will travel to Philadelphia to face Saint Joseph’s. The Hawks beat the Patriots at EagleBank Arena in February so Mason will be certainly looking to return the favor. Saint Joseph’s was picked to finish second in the A-10 so this game is bound to have seeding implications heading into March. Plus, the national spotlight will give both teams the media recognition they deserve.

5. Vs. Duquesne – Mar. 1, 3:00 p.m., ESPN+

Despite Duquesne being picked to finish in the middle of the pack in the A-10, this game has plenty of intrigue. The Dukes eliminated the Patriots from last year’s A-10 Tournament after a controversial call that prevented Mason from reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time. With the game being the final game of the regular season, the Patriots will be looking to avenge their March heartbreak and enter the postseason with momentum.

Mason’s season kicked off against Johnson C. Smith on Nov. 4 at 2:00 p.m. at EagleBank Arena where the Patriots won 106-51.

Nawaal Nackerdien/ Fourth Estate

BY MARY DEMARCO, OPINION EDITOR

Over the past few weeks, purple pop-up tables occupied by women with matching purple shirts have appeared throughout campus during the height of the election season. 

These women are a part of a non-profit group called the League of Women Voters (LWV), a non-partisan organization consisting of more than one million American women who aim to educate and aid voters. 

For the 2024 election season, LWV aimed to register as many Mason students to vote as possible. From Wilkins plaza to random booths throughout campus, members of LWV have provided voting information and voter registration paperwork to students.

Founded in response to the 19th amendment, the league was created to inform women on the voting process and their rights as American citizens. While the right to vote is no longer questioned, LWV continues to identify populations that are underrepresented in casting their ballots.  

“One of the populations [of people who struggle to vote] is college students,” Arina van Breda, Fairfax area LWV Director of Voter Registration, said.  “Which is one of the reasons that I’ve been very active on campus at Mason.” 

Van Breda mentioned that undergrad college students struggle to make it to the polls due to the unclear guidelines on where and how to vote. 

“We know that most people going off to college are often going to be first time voters,” van Breda said. “[They] have a lot of decisions to make about voting; simple things like, do you vote using your parents address as your home address or do you vote using your campus address as your home address? If you’re going to use your parents address, how are you going to get to vote there if you’re living on campus?”

Mason students have proven to be proactive when it comes to voting. In the 2020 presidential election, Mason students had a 77.8% voting rate according to the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement.

However, this study does not account for Virginia general elections. Zach Lincoln, a student of Mason Schar School of Policy and Government, has observed that outside of presidential elections, his peers do not get involved in politics.

“Politics isn’t something you think about until right when we’re about to have a [presidential] election,” Lincoln said. 

Van Breda also emphasized that showing up to vote is not just for presidential elections but for local government elections as well. She says that voting for all levels of government is important for citizens to have their interests and needs reflected. 

“It’s the wrong approach to say ‘my vote doesn’t matter’ because… it can completely change the short-term course of Virginia politics,” van Breda said. “I always say to young people, the reason you feel the government doesn’t reflect your interests or doesn’t reflect your age cohort is because you’re not voting in the same percentage that older people are.”

Mason students have the opportunity to register to vote in Virginia using their current residence hall’s physical building address. Additionally, students may use same-day registration and vote at Merten Hall using a provisional ballot. The Merten Hall poll is opened until 7 p.m. and students may use their Mason ID.

For more information on voting as a Mason student, visit Mason Votes. 

Nylah Mitchell/Fourth Estate

BY NYLAH MITCHELL, STAFF WRITER

The 2024 presidential election outcome is right around the corner and voters are ready to decide who will hold the White House for the next four years.  As polls begin to close, voters will be tuning in to all news outlets to find out election results. Watching the results either with their friends, at a casual watch party, a formal gathering or solo at home. Whatever bucket you may fall under, if you haven’t decided on what to wear, here are some helpful tips and ideas. 

Formal

On election night, if you’re going to a dinner or a business-affair party, you may want to wear something a little more formal unless stated otherwise. To keep it simple and chic, try a mini black dress (or a midi-length) paired with black kitten heels, ballet flats or wedges. The outfit can be accessorized with dainty earrings to add in a pop of color. 

Not a fan of dresses? Try a bow-wrapped silk blouse loosely tucked into black trousers paired with pointed-toe heels or loafers. 

If wearing a dress or a blouse is not your style, perhaps an all-black suit is within your wheelhouse. I recommend a black dress shirt with the top buttons undone. 

Casual

What if the scene is a bit more relaxed and you don’t need to wear fancy clothes? A white t-shirt semi-tucked into jeans coupled with canvas sneakers or ballet flats is the way to go. To take it another step, add a denim jacket or a colorful cardigan. 

Or wear a baggy-knitted sweater with a white tee peeking through the neckline of the sweater with jeans and boots, Mary Jane flats or sneakers. You could also swap out the jeans for a mini skirt and colored (or black) tights for a fun twist. 

Color

Feeling patriotic? Go for blue jeans and a button-down shirt with a red, white or blue cardigan thrown over the shoulder. The button-down can be tucked in, with the top few buttons undone and rolled-up sleeves. I recommend cool sneakers like Adidas Sambas, Vejas, Gola’s or Dolce Vita’s.

For a more casual yet formal look, try blue jeans and a knitted American flag sweater with an Oxford shirt collar peeking through to give a more refined look. Don’t have a flag sweater? Any patriotic color sweater works fine and you can pair the outfit with any flat shoes. 

Candidate merch 

It’s election night! You’re feeling excited and hopeful for your candidate and want to show your support. Here’s what I recommend: wear your candidate pick’s slogan baseball cap and pair it with a long-sleeved tee and black trousers or jeans. Then finish off the look with trendy sneakers like Adidas Sambas, New Balance 550s or Nike Air Force Ones. 

Or better yet, you’re feeling more enthusiastic and prideful and want to go all out. I’d go for a graphic tee with your candidate’s slogan, imagery or motivational phrases and style it with black jeans. You can’t go wrong with your favorite sneakers and a few personal touches.

Impersonators

Still have Halloween on your mind? Thinking about dressing up again? Look no further than dressing as your favorite or least favorite presidential candidate. Go all out with a wig, a suit and maybe a good pair of Chuck Taylors, if that’s your vibe. 

Perhaps you dream of running for president and want to dress the part, I say do it. Go for a traditional suit and colored tie paired with either loafers or low heels. Also try a knee-length dress with a blazer on top and ballet flats or low heels. 

To know your Virginia polling site, visit the Department of Elections site. Haven’t registered yet? Virginia offers same-day voter registration. And if you are a Mason student living and voting on campus, visit Mason Votes or Department of Elections: College Student Info.

Photo Courtesy of Justus Johnson

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Editor note: The use of the word “server” is referring to the practicing and playing of the game Counter-Strike.

Grayson ”dr1ver” Wood has been the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) manager for Mason Esports since the fall of 2022. From always enjoying the competition, putting in long hours, becoming well-known in its community and having a love for the game, it was no surprise for Wood to take on the manager role for CSGO when the opportunity opened.

One of the people inspiring Wood to take on the opportunity was Connor “Conman” Southwick, the former manager of the CSGO team that bonded with Wood through hanging out to play CSGO and going out to eat food.

From the friendship between Wood and the former manager, Wood acknowledges it to be one of the biggest success factors for the team.

“You’re not going to play as good as you think in the server if people aren’t friends with each other outside the server,” Wood said. 

In the last two seasons, Wood would get the team together before games to play pool and have fun. This season, Wood contributed to breaking barriers within the team by buying dinner for his players. Wood says this brought the team together over a shared meal to get to know one another.

While team bonding is one of the biggest success factors for the team, it is also one of the challenges Wood faces.

“Everybody is their own different person, expecting five people who know nothing about each other to get along and play in and out of the server [is challenging],” Wood said. “Everyone has their goals and interests and getting all those five people to work together on the same server.”

Throughout Wood’s experience, he has had to remove several unruly players from the team mid-season who were negatively impacting the team or disrespectful to other players. Part of Wood’s job is keeping his players in line.

Photo Courtesy of Justus Johnson

One of Wood’s favorite memories of managing the CSGO team is making it to the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Finals in fall 2023. Despite not winning, the team had a good trip bonding over flying out to Idaho and having an entire weekend of CSGO, hanging out, playing on the Nintendo Switch and eating food.

Outside of managing the CSGO team, Wood works out at the gym and hosts his own server for friends and family, spending up to six hours a day in a computer’s terminal setting up and breaking down servers. 

Wood’s best advice as manager is taking the opportunity and always being willing to try something new.

“Luck is the meeting of preparedness and opportunity… do something you didn’t think you were going to do,” Wood said.

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

BY NAWAAL NACKERDIEN, NEWS EDITOR AND CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

We understand how stressful the middle of the semester can be during this time of year. As we ease into the most difficult months of the year, a snack between breaks is much needed. We, at Fourth Estate, have your back. That’s why we decided to taste test and rate eight different flavors of Oreos so that you don’t have to.

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Spooky Oreo

Our first Oreo is the Spooky Oreo. We grabbed it because of its orange-colored filling and various spooky designs on the cookies. Our excitement ended when we tasted it. It tasted the same as a normal Oreo. We were further dismayed to find out that it was just a rebrand of the original tried and true Oreo; therefore, we used this flavor as a control to refer back to during our testing.

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Lemon Oreo

The expectations for this Oreo were both pretty high and pretty low. Nawaal was pretty excited since she loves lemon cookies. Christian thought it would just taste like a regular Golden Oreo, but sweeter. When opening the bag, it smelled like a standard Golden Oreo. During the tasting, it was sweet. The lemon taste came after the initial sweet taste but it was much more delightful than expected. It didn’t taste sour at all. However, it did have a bit of a weird aftertaste. Perfect for those looking for an Oreo that is on the calmer side but does everything right.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Coca-Cola Oreo

The expectations for the limited edition Coca-Cola Oreo were worrying. Mixing a soda with an Oreo doesn’t sound great. Upon opening the bag, Mady Godfrey, our copy editor, said that it smelled “like battery acid.” We all agreed that the smell of Coca-Cola was very powerful. During the taste test, the flavor of Coca-Cola wasn’t very apparent. It was very sweet, like all Oreos, but the titular soda was missing right before the end. But what made us give this Orea a high rating was the presence of popping candy within the cookie itself. As you ate it, the Oreo would proceed to pop in your mouth like an actual carbonated soda; however, due to an odd aftertaste and a lack of the signature Coca-Cola flavor, the overall rating is mediocre.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Java Chip Oreo 

The expectations for this Oreo were mixed. Neither of us are coffee drinkers. Nawaal, in particular, wasn’t keen on a java-flavored Oreo. When opening the bag, you get the strong smell of coffee like you’re inside a café or experience a morning where the kitchen smells like freshly brewed espresso. During the tasting, there were times when we could taste the chocolate chip and other times we couldn’t. Due to it being coffee, it was bitter. It was this Oreo that caused our two opinions to differentiate. Christian gave it a four out of five. This was his favorite out of all the Oreos. Nawaal absolutely hated it. She gave it a one out of five. “The bitterness is too much,” Nawaal said. We shook hands and met in the middle.

Overall Rating: 3/5

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Tiramisu Oreo Thins

The Tiramisu Oreo Thins were the only flavor we could not find in the original form. Instead, we had to get the thins. The expectations for this Oreo were pretty high. Everyone was unsure of what it would taste like but we were looking forward to it. The smell of caramel was the first thing that we noticed when opening the bag. It was a sweetness that wasn’t as overbearing as the previous Oreos. During the tasting, the caramel of the Oreo stood out the most. It didn’t taste quite like caramel but that’s its closest comparison. Less filling meant less overwhelming sweetness. Overall, it was very enjoyable. 

Overall Rating: 3/5

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Birthday Cake Oreo

Our expectations for this Oreo were that it would be either a hit or a huge miss. Christian was very excited for this Oreo. Nawaal was scared that it would be super sweet. It smelt of a birthday celebration. We also liked the bright and colorful filling. During tasting, we were expecting the feel of a birthday…and all we got was a standard Oreo with a little sweetness to it. It tasted closer to birthday cake ice cream than an actual vanilla birthday cake. 

Overall Rating: 2/5

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Peanut Butter Oreo 

The expectations for this Oreo were…low. It’s peanut butter. We expected it to taste like it. When opening the bag, you get peanut butter. When tasting it, you get peanut butter. Our co-editor-in-chief, Viviana Smith, was excited to give it a try. As a peanut butter lover, she said that it tasted like two plain crackers with peanut butter in the middle, except with Oreos. Nawaal said it was likely due to how overpowering peanut butter is. 

“You can have peanut butter and banana in a smoothie because both of them overpower. If you have banana on its own, or peanut butter on its own in a, say, strawberry smoothie, you will taste the banana. You will taste the peanut butter. You’ll barely taste the strawberries,” Nawaal said. 

Christian said that it felt like a waste of money.

Overall Rating: 1/5

Nawaal Nackerdien/Fourth Estate

Dark Chocolate Oreo 

The expectations for this Oreo were low with the hopes that the chocolate would possibly melt on the tongue like a Kit Kat or Hershey Bar. The dark filling threw us off a bit. When opening the bag, it smelled like straight Oreo. During the tasting of the Oreo, all you could taste was the Oreo and no chocolate. It was bitter like the java chip Oreo with a slight espresso taste. We wanted more chocolate!

Overall Rating: 0/5

With that, our winner is the Lemon Oreos! Being the calmest flavor on the list, these cookies are unexpectedly the best of the bunch. We, at Fourth Estate, hope you enjoy the lemony taste between writing your essays and creating A-worthy PowerPoints. Don’t forget to take breaks in between studying for your tests and cuddle up as the temperature gets colder. That concludes our Oreo Test Testing. Stay tuned for more!

Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

On Oct. 26, Mason men’s soccer defeated St. Bonaventure 4-1 to gain sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10. Mason’s win puts them a game ahead of Duquesne heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Mason is now one of two in the country with 12 wins. The other is Pittsburgh, as the Panthers are ranked third nationally and sit atop the Atlantic Coast Conference. 

In the first half, the Patriots and Bonnies created chances for their teams to score a goal, but both defenses denied those chances, ending the first half 0-0.

St. Bonaventure’s Kenzo Brito opened up the scoreline, 1-0 in the second half. In the 56th minute, Brito got the pass inside the box, kicking the ball to the top left corner of the goal.

Mason wasted no time to come back. In the 57th minute, Mason forward Martim Sereno cut inside the box from the right side field, dribbling past St. Bonaventure defenders. Sereno passed to midfielder Javier Montava, who kicked the ball into the bottom right corner of the net, making it 1-1.

In the 59th minute, Montava started an attack, passing the ball to Mason defender Jordi Navio Sanchez on the right side of the field. Sanchez passed to midfielder Nicholas Prioli, who passed the ball to Mason’s Luis Maestre inside the box. Maestre found Sanchez running inside the box and kicked the ball to the left side of the net, making it 2-1.

In the 63rd minute, Mason continued its flurry of goals, as Sereno found forward Marek Gonda in the middle of the field. Gonda passed it to forward Kelly Janssen, who was running down the left side field. Janssen kicked the ball outside the box into the bottom right corner of the net, making it 3-1.

Bonnies midfielder Gabriel Addo picked up a red card, after two yellows from fouling two Mason players. St. Bonaventure went down to 10 men on the field after the 63rd-minute ejection. 

Mason capitalized on the man-advantage. Javi Sanchez passed to James Eliuda out of a free kick. Eliuda, from Mason’s defending side, crossed the ball to Janssen, running down the left field. In the 65th minute, Janssen kicked the ball past Bonnies’ goalkeeper into the bottom right corner, making it 4-1.

Mason controlled the ball for 54% of the whole game, while the Bonnies controlled the ball for 46%. 

Mason shot the ball 16 times with 11 of those shots on goal, while the Bonnies shot the ball 14 times with four of those shots on goal.

The Patriots will return to action on Nov. 2 in Richmond against VCU. A win against the Rams would clinch the A-10 regular season championship for Mason.

Madalyn Godfrey/Fourth Estate

BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Editor’s Note: Players will be referred to by their gamer tags. Additionally, on Oct. 26, Mason Valorant won the MACS Championship and lost their LCQ match in a 2-0 series against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Oct. 28.

On Oct. 16, Mason’s Valorant team qualified for Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ) after winning against Converse Purple (CVU) in a 2-0 series. Mason won 13-5 on Sunset and 13-7 on Icebox.

The attacking side’s goal was to get the spike down onto any map sites while the defending side’s goal was preventing the spike from being planted on any of the sites. Agents are characters that the players pick to play in the game. The agents’ abilities are used for planting the spike, stopping the spike from being planted or taking down the opponents.

Mason won the first round but CVU put Mason at a disadvantage in the next round creating a 2 v. 5 opportunity. With Mason’s Maxvince and Coco working together, Maxvince would get four kills as Coco got one.

Mason’s Soji got three kills using Neon’s ultimate overdrive with a setup from Mason’s substitute Tekkh using Breach’s Fault line, concussing the enemy team. With the chance to break a 5-5 tie, Mason initiated a retake on Sunset’s A site by bringing the fight to CVU. 

After switching to the attacking side, Maxvince almost received an ace before Tekkh took the final kill. Mason would continue their dominant performance on the attack, taking the series 1-0.

To start Icebox, Soji gained three kills with a sheriff. In round eight, CVU tried to take the fight to Mason but Mason outshot CVU to win the round.

Mason’s Blaze clutched a 1 v. 3 through outsmarting CVU players by faking his Sova’s ultimate hunter fury, pretending to use his ultimate before putting it back.

With the chance to close out the series, CVU used Viper’s Pit on B site, causing health decay whenever the enemy team stepped in the pit. Additionally, CVU used Killjoy Ultimate Lockdown, causing players inside the circle to be unable to use abilities or weapons. Tekkh received an ace but CVU won the round as Mason was left with no time to defuse the spike.

To close out the series, Coco used Gekko Ultimate, Thrash. By using Thrash, it prevented the enemy team from using their abilities or weapons for six seconds. Coco detained two CVU players helping Mason retake B site and winning the series 2-0.

From Mason’s Valorant dominance in retaking sites, working together as a team using their agent abilities and playing to their style, the team earned third place in their division.

Madalyn Godfrey/Fourth Estate

BY GABRIEL KING, CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

With the 2024-25 college basketball season tipping off on Nov. 4, there is hope that Mason men’s basketball can return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. Under second-year head coach Tony Skinn, the Patriots are predicted to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10, per the conference’s annual preseason poll.

To ensure a return to the postseason, the Patriots will need to pick up resume-building wins in the non-conference and avoid falling back to the middle of the A-10 standings. Here are five games to watch that could determine the direction of Mason’s season:

1. At No. 18 Marquette – Nov. 8, 9:00 p.m., Peacock

As part of the Marquette Challenge, the Patriots will look to notch a signature victory in year two under Tony Skinn against the nationally-ranked Golden Eagles. Mason’s first big test of the season will reveal a lot about the team and the direction this season could take.

2. At No. 7 Duke – Dec. 17, 7:00 p.m., ACC Network

Mason will play national title contender Duke for the first time since 2006. While a win isn’t expected, a strong showing on a national stage could propel the Patriots to the top of the pack in the A-10. The Patriots and Blue Devils have only met once before, with Duke winning 69-53 in the 2006-07 season, the year after Mason made it to the Final Four.

3. At VCU – Feb. 22, TBA, CBS Sports Network

Before even thinking about postseason play, the Patriots have to prove they belong with the best of the A-10. A late February road test against preseason conference favorite VCU will present Mason with an opportunity to gain momentum heading into postseason play.

4. At Dayton – Jan. 15, 7:00 p.m., CBS Sports Network

In another tough road game for the Patriots, they will face the Flyers for the first time since their upset win in February. While Mason proved they could be Dayton last year, beating them again, this time on the road, could solidify them as a top team in the conference.

5. Vs. Saint Joseph’s – Feb. 15, 12:30 p.m., USA Network

In their biggest home game of the season, the Patriots will face the third-ranked team in the A-10, Saint Joseph’s. The Hawks boast a roster full of potential NBA talent, including Preseason All-Conference selection Erik Reynolds II. Saint Joseph’s ended Mason’s season in last year’s A-10 Tournament, so the Patriots will be looking for revenge on their home floor.

Mason’s season gets underway at home against North Carolina Central on Nov. 4 with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m.

Madalyn Godfrey/ Fourth Estate

BY MADALYN GODFREY, COPY EDITOR

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and College Pulse released their 2025 College Free Speech Rankings with Mason ranked at 16th place in free speech. Eight spots down from their 2024 ranking.

For a fifth year in a row, FIRE and College Pulse surveyed 58,807 students enrolled in four-year degree programs from 257 colleges and universities across the United States “to help high school students and their parents identify which colleges promote and protect the free exchange of ideas.”

In their key findings, FIRE noted that Mason has “consistently performed well” since 2020 being above average in their overall score. An institution’s overall score is determined by “Comfort Expressing Ideas,” “Self-Censorship,” “Mean Tolerance,” “Disruptive Conduct,” “Administrative Support” and “Openness.” In the 2024 ranking, Mason scored 67.65 out of 100; whereas, this year scored 63.92.

Mason also obtained the “green light” in speech codes for the 2025 ranking. According to FIRE, “A ‘green light’ rating indicates that an institution maintains no policies that seriously threaten speech, although this rating does not indicate whether a college actively supports free expression.”

Out of 132 Mason student responses, collected by the survey between Jan. 25 through June 17, “67% of students say shouting down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus is at least rarely acceptable” with “49% of students say they have self-censored on campus at least once or twice a month.”

When asked to share a moment of inability to express opinions in the anonymous forum, one student from the class of 2024 said, “many of my fellow students have a different political and religious background than I do. I feel to express my spiritual side freely I would be made fun of and called a witch because most students don’t understand.”

Another student from the class of 2024 said, “if you share their liberal biases then you are safe, if not you suffer grades, suspension, cancellation, etc.”

FIRE determined the majority viewpoint of Mason to be liberal with approximately three liberal students for every one conservative student.

Along with ranking 16th in overall ranking for free speech, Mason also ranked 198th place for “Comfort Expressing Ideas,” 46th in “Tolerance for Speakers,” 59th in “Disruptive Conduct,” 25th in “Admin Support,” 190th in “Openness” and 247th in “Self Censorship.”

Based on national data in regards to recent controversial events over the past five years, the top issue identified to be the most difficult topic to have a conversation about on campus is the “Israeli/Palestinian conflict” with 55% students responding as so. Followed by “abortion” at 45%, “transgender rights” at 41% and “racial inequality” and “gun control” both at 36%.

Although Mason ranks as 16th, FIRE determined the University of Virginia to rank first in overall free speech with a score of 73.41, moving from sixth place in the 2024 ranking, and Harvard in last place for the second year in a row.

FIRE is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with a mission that “defends and promotes the value of free speech for all Americans in our courtrooms, on our campuses, and in our culture.”

Sam Douglas/ Fourth Estate

BY SAM DOUGLAS, STAFF WRITER

Virginia first lady Suzanne Youngkin held a talk at Mason on Thursday, Oct. 17 to raise awareness about the risks of fentanyl. Student athletes and athletic staff were present as Youngkin, Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Janet Kelly and Mason Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marvin Lewis addressed the dangers of the fatal drug.

Fentanyl is an opioid used by doctors as an extreme pain reliever; however, the drug is also illegally sold on the street in the form of liquid and powder, according to the CDC.

 Youngkin stressed the importance of staying away from fentanyl as part of her “It Only Takes One” campaign. The campaign launched in January and expanded recently in August with Youngkin traveling to schools, churches and recovery centers to raise awareness about fentanyl.

Sam Douglas/ Fourth Estate

“As a mother of four young adults, I can’t imagine the pain of losing a child to something that could have been prevented,” Youngkin said. “This crisis is personal to me because it affects every community across Virginia, from our cities to our rural areas. I believe we can prevent these tragedies through awareness, education and conversation.” 

According to the first lady’s website, an average of five Virginians die each day due to fentanyl poisoning. 

Also present at the event were Tom and Delaine Mazich, whose son Grey passed away due to an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2020 while at college. They shared their story with the student athletes in attendance, detailing how their son took a pill to help fall asleep unaware that it was laced with fentanyl. They urged the student athletes to use their role to help spread awareness of the dangerous drug.

Sam Douglas/ Fourth Estate

“You have the opportunity to impact so many people because they look up to you,” the Mazichs said to members of Mason’s women’s lacrosse, men’s soccer and rowing teams.

Fentanyl awareness and prevention efforts have been present throughout Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration. Besides the “It Only Takes One” campaign, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares also has a campaign focused on fentanyl called “One Pill Can Kill.” 

In May 2023, Gov. Youngkin issued Executive Order 26 which focused on combating the rise of fentanyl. Gov. Youngkin also announced that Operation Free Virginia had seized 17,000 pounds of illegal drugs and 50 pounds of fentanyl during a 30-day operation in early 2024.

“Our administration is fully committed to addressing the fentanyl crisis through bipartisan collaboration…this is an issue that transcends politics, and together, we’re raising awareness, educating communities and working toward saving lives across Virginia and beyond,” first lady Youngkin said.