ShipYak: Helping or Hurting Campus?
(11/01/22 4:00pm)
We have all seen the scene from the movie “Mean Girls” where Regina George fills the hallways with nasty rumors and a schoolwide brawl breaks out between the students.
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We have all seen the scene from the movie “Mean Girls” where Regina George fills the hallways with nasty rumors and a schoolwide brawl breaks out between the students.
Hair is to Black women what beer is to college students: Super important.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, everything changed, including the entertainment industry. Productions were shut down, films and series were delayed, and some content was canceled altogether. As the entertainment world tried to work with the circumstances they were given, audiences and fans were much more forgiving if the quality of the work was not on par with material that came before it. Fans were simply happy to get anything at all; however, the pandemic is mostly in the rearview mirror at this point, but it feels the entertainment we are receiving is still trapped in a weird limbo. Think of the quality of recent films, shows, music, or video games you have either watched or played. It may feel that even if they are mediocre, we have let them slide more and more.
I have talked before about the danger that the right wing poses to American democracy. But there is another danger lurking which has recently gained more traction on the right The growing persecution of the LGBTQ community.
Many people celebrate Halloween in their own unique ways, if they even celebrate it at all. Some use the holiday as a time to dress up and indulge in some free candy, while others love this time of year strictly for the aesthetic. However, as Halloween is deeply rooted in the element of being spooky, many consider it the time of year to be scared. After all, think of all the new horror movies coming to theaters and the plethora of haunted attractions that pop up all over the country. At this point, being scared is practically a business. No matter how you choose to celebrate this time of year, many begin to wonder if there is too much of a good thing? Is there a limit to how much a person can like Halloween?
I must begin this piece with a glimmer of hope that this Halloween will be different from the past two years I have spent on this campus. While I understand that my first and second year at Shippensburg University were under the shadow of Covid-19, I still wish that the Halloween spirit was at least somewhat present. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The campus was sorely lacking costumes, and in general, it simply didn’t feel like Halloween came on October 31. Obviously, as a 20-year-old, trick-or-treating is far behind me, but dressing up for Halloween, I feel, is still an essential aspect of the holiday, and it’s the element of the day that makes it so much fun. Now that the pandemic is mostly behind us and the university is more populated than two years ago, now is the time for the hallways of our university to be filled with some unique costumes.
Traditions are a staple of any school, early or higher education. Whether it's something simple like Homecoming, or more complicated like school rivalries, traditions are an unspoken but fundamental part of institutions. In many ways, the traditions remain to be the most consistent elements of many universities and institutions. Most of the buildings here at Shippensburg have been greatly altered from their original state and in some instances are new additions entirely. However, weekends like Homecoming bring alumni back from decades before, and it’s traditions like Homecoming that give that connective tissue between the old and new generations of Shippensburg. School traditions provide a link between each generation that passes through the institution. Parents and relatives who graduated from the same high school or college are able to sing along with the alma mater since it is the same alma mater that united them all those years ago. Traditions need to be protected greatly to not only keep older generations connected to their schools, but to also remind younger students that they are continuing a legacy.
My father is socially liberal. Recently I asked him to rank the presidents during his lifetime and was surprised by his thoughts, mostly by how he described Ronald Reagan. Dad is aware of the ins and outs of the economy, which is what many cite as one of Reagan’s greatest strengths, and while he didn’t care for Reagan as a person, he doesn’t have this strong distaste for him that I and many younger liberals do.
There’s an often-repeated historical anecdote about Benjamin Franklin: As the Constitutional Convention of 1787 was wrapping up, crowds gathered on the steps of Independence Hall. A woman asked Franklin what sort of government the founders had crafted. His response has lasted centuries, to be repeated by politicians from Nancy Pelosi to Niel Gorscuh: “a republic, if you can keep it.”
The first time I stepped onto the turf field at Shippensburg University, I was a senior in high school at the district championships for track and field. I hurdled, so I usually would race towards the beginning of most meets. I looked over the schedule and noticed that the events ended earlier in the day compared to most invitationals and noteworthy meets. I asked my coach, an intense man who I needed to ask at a very specific time, why they ended everything so early. He looked at me and smiled, knowing I was going to school here in just a few months, and said, “Look up. They don’t have any lights.” I can’t think of a word severe enough to describe the thoughts in my head. Dumbfounded? Astounded? Flabbergasted? I had many questions and many more to come.
When you look back at the past few Oscar seasons, what trends do you see? The actors and actresses that normally lead the award season stretches are those playing real-life figures. Biopics are films centered around historic and public figures and they’re all the rage nowadays. Every major studio wants to get their hands on one. Really think about how many have been released just in the past few years. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Rocketman,” “RESPECT,” “Straight Outta Compton” and “Elvis’ are some of the biggest biopics— and that only covers musicians. Politicians, royalty, athletes, serial killers; if you had some kind of presence in history, chances are a studio will want your film rights. However, one of the newest biopics, “Blonde”, starring Ana De Armas as Marilyn Monroe, has left me pondering the question: Where do we draw the line?
When is it okay to use the N-Word? Well, never. But there are varying degrees of badness, and everyone has a different scale of what is evil and what is okay. But there are two sides to the N-Word’s usage, and the other side is hearing the N-Word. Even then, the way it is received depends on the person hearing it. In other words, it’s not a one-size-fits-all misery.
How often have you heard a friend complain that it’s difficult to find a meaningful relationship? All anyone is looking for nowadays is a hookup? Hookup culture has become deeply rooted in the dating landscape and can usually be a point of contention for many people looking to meet someone else. For a real-world example, think of Tinder; how many profiles have you seen with the caption “no hookups?” When it comes to dating, there’s now a sense of dread for some people that whoever is on the other end of conversation is simply looking for a one-night stand. Not to say that there is anything wrong with not wanting something more meaningful as it is 2022, and the times, as well as romances, have changed. However, like many forms of pleasure, there are healthy sides to this culture and other sides that could be harmful.
On August 21st, President Biden announced his administration would be forgiving $10,000 in federal student loan debt. Recipients of the Pell Grant — a program designed to help lower income families pay for college — are eligible for an additional $10,000, for a total of $20,000 for low-income students. While I am certainly not the biggest fan of the Biden administration, these measures are a welcome change in policy and a necessary first step in addressing the student debt crisis.
You may have seen me riding my bike; it’s a beautiful yellow cruiser with a basket on the back. I love my bike, and I love riding my bike. I love it so much I want to convince you to ride, too.
Most would agree that part of the reason you attend college today is due to the idea being pushed upon us at such an early age. When meeting with teacher and guidance counselors, they’ll hammer home how important it is to get a college education. While research has shown that a college education isn’t always necessary, we are told time and time again about the importance of college. Yet, early education doesn’t really prepare us for the four years of stress and debt.
The August 23, 2022, edition of The Slate featured a story highlighting the high ticket prices and overall inaccessibility of Broadway. As a huge theatre fan and frequent Broadway-goer, I found a lot of merit in the argument being laid out in this piece. However, I see more to the story.