The interconnectedness of the internet has made mob mentality so much more powerful. It is easy to jump on the hate train when thousands of other people you’ve never met are already doing it. We’re also living in one of the most polarizing times of recent decades, where people draw definitive lines between those like them and those who have different ideas.
You know what’s the hardest part about being part of a fandom? Having to accept that there’s a strong chance your fandom is toxic. Speaking for myself, I consider myself a pretty big fan of Marvel, DC, Star Wars and other popular franchises. However, it feels with each passing day I have to conceal said love more and more.
It’s 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 31. The luckiest trick-or-treaters are sneaking one more piece of candy before bed and others are enjoying their sugar-induced night of sleep. But for some, they anxiously watch their phone until the second it becomes 12:00 a.m. on Nov. 1. It’s Christmas time! Or is it? There is an annual debate over when it is appropriate to begin recognizing the Christmas season, and 2022 is no exception.
The 2022 midterm elections mark the halfway point of President Joe Biden’s first term in office, meaning the road to the 2024 presidential election is fast approaching. Both parties have crucial decisions to make within the next two years that will decide whether they control the Oval Office on Jan. 20, 2025.
This year, millions of Americans will exercise their constitutional right to vote in the midterm elections, but many will actively ignore this privilege and avoid the polls. Some of these people will still take their opinion to the internet or the ears of those nearby. While you are allowed to have political opinions and speak your mind, you shouldn’t complain about election results you didn’t participate in.
If you’re anything like me, you have been inundated with ads, text messages, emails and campaign materials for the past 18 months from every candidate who has your address and phone number. While it can get exhausting, it is important to remember why all of this is happening: you need to vote!
For those who are fortunate enough not to know, Yik Yak, an app predominantly used by college students, is a social media app where users can post, or “yak,” to an anonymous message board that is visible to anyone within a 5-mile radius. Those who view the Yak then have the choice to upvote or downvote the post, deciding whether to make it more or less popular. Yaks that receive five or more downvotes are removed from the feed.
Hair is to Black women is like beer 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
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. Genocide Watch, an organization focused on the prevention of genocide, created a system to describe how genocide develops. Its founder, Gregory Stanton, describes the process in a series of ten stages.
This past July, I took my sisters to see “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” and I wanted to leave less than halfway through. My urge to evacuate was not because the movie was childish, as I had expected that going in. Rather, I was extremely annoyed by one of the main villains: “Nun-Chuck.”
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.
I must preface by saying that every year there are bound to be those costumes that everyone is thinking of doing. Now, you could argue that great minds think alike, but seeing 20 or more of the same costume isn’t fun for anyone. So here is a guide to what is likely to be the most overdone costumes for this spooky season.
I really enjoyed Matt Reeves' "The Batman." I thought the action was spectacular, Pattinson is the best live-action Batman to date, the direction was terrific and overall made for a flawed but solid first outing for this new iteration of The Dark Knight. However, one of my major gripes with the film was the runtime. At just shy of 3 hours, the film definitely could've used a trim here and there, and one the things I feel could've been cut entirely is one of the final scenes in the movie.
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.
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.
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.
