It’s Monday, September 18, 2023.

Good morning! 🪖 Remember the Terminator movies - the rise of machines turning against humans? Skynet became self-aware, the future became doomed, and Arnold had to go to the past to save Skynet from becoming self-aware. You would think the 7-movie franchise would be a learning lesson for the world not to mess with war robots. Well… US military unveiled their plan to unleash thousands of autonomous war robots soon. But they are not alone. China, Turkey, and Australia – all building their versions.

- from Kati Gotzmann (BU), Adilya Makharova (BU), Erin Fitman (BU), and Keertik Fulzele

After A 2-Year Mental Health Break, Simone Biles Is Back Stronger Than Ever

Simone Biles won 4 gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Then, in 2021, she pulled out of the Olympics, stating that she was not in the right ‘head space’ and was struggling with things mentally. Some criticized her for abandoning her patriotic duty. However, she was right in making her mental health her priority. For the benefit of all athletes, she exemplified putting self-care first. 🫡 Fast forward 2 years, after sorting out her personal matters, she got married in May (photos below)! During this, she trained away from the public’s eye. And, just a few months after the wedding, last week, she became the first American gymnast to win 8 national titles and, at 26, the oldest. The last 7-national-title tie-up was with Alfred Jochim from 1933. Now that’s a comeback!

Student-Athletes – Prioritize Your Mental Health!!

Vedika Anand is a former collegiate tennis player from Wagner and chair of the Northeast Conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Vedika Anand shared in May 2023 her tips for current college athletes on mental health and well-being. Whether you are a freshman entering the heightened world of college sports, or a veteran returning athlete, Anand shares five tips for on and off the court (or whatever your competition ground may be). Remember, a healthy mind does improve your performance as an athlete, as well as bettering you as a person.  

1. 💭 Visualization – rehearse a skill, performance, or routine in your mind to calm nerves and boost confidence.

2. 📈 Positive self-talk – speak to yourself positive good thoughts. It can shift your mind to a better place.

3. 🧘🏽‍♀️Relaxation or Meditation – calm your mind before, during, or after a game.

4. ⏱️ Schedule effectively – student-athletes have crazy schedules. Have a schedule and time-box everything.

5. ⚖️ Balance – spend 80% of time on athletic and academic goals and 20% winding down doing something that you really love.

Athletes.org (AO) Launches as a Platform for Student-Athletes

For over a century, the NCAA has been the decision-making authority for the athletic programs of 1,100 colleges. NCAA has a laundry list of controversies and scandals, the latest one being basketball recruiting. Now, Jim Cavale and former NFL player Brandon Copeland joined to launch Athletes.org (AO) app. It’s kind of a closed social media for college athletes who will receive on-demand support through a series of knowledge, access, and protection. The app will also allow the members to ask any questions, interact with a pro bono expert, and view a registry of AO-verified agents and collectives. Membership is free for college athletes! Beware though, college sports always have deep financial interests. So, not surprisingly, while AO is marketed as a non-profit, it seems to have ties with the for-profit arms of the founder.

Chatter Heard on Quad

• 🥳 Bucket list before you graduate. A Columbia student has one to get you to start building your own.

• 🙄 Sportswashing – a growing trend. St. Andrews, UK, student has a surprisingly detailed opinion on that.

• 😭 Best places to cry on campus? Life at UC Berkeley can be stressful. No denying that. Apparently, crying on campus is a common occurrence, and there are suggestions about the best places to cry on campus.

• 🤔 The fate of diversity, equity, and inclusion. UT Austin students ponder after the Texas Senate approves a bill banning diversity programs in public universities.

• 🆘 More Narcan training to prevent overdose. Syracuse University students demand mandatory Narcan training.

• 🥹 A love letter to those grieving: You are not alone. UNC Chapel Hill grieves and comes together after the tragedy.

Share the Quad

A college quad is a central place for many students to come together to discuss wide-ranging topics.

Bring more friends to the QuadExtra and receive QE merch!!

✨ Glad to have you at the Quad! ✨☮️