Issue 6 | Volume 101

GC’S NEW INTERIM DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CHIEF OF POLICE NIKKI RENFROE

Lily Pruitt

Asst. News Editor

On Feb. 20, GC students were informed via email from Lee Fruitticher, GC Vice President for Finance and Administration, that former Di-

rector of Public Safety and Chief of Police for four years, Brett Stanelle, departed GC. There was no explanation given.

There are rumors that Stanelle ignored an anonymous tip about hazing and was fired, but

this has not been proven.

Nikki Renfroe, native of Milledgeville, has been announced as Interim Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police.

Renfroe was first a dispatcher for the Milledgeville Police Depart-

ment at 19. She wanted to be an officer, but the Chief at the time told her she was too young.

“That is where I first got the confirmation, if you will, or notion to be in law enforcement,” Renfroe said.

She then tried to be an officer for GC Public Safety, but the other candidate got the position. This is when Renfroe applied to be a dispatcher and trooper with the Georgia State Patrol. She was assigned as a

Murdaugh murders: a southern scandal

Kylie Rowe

Contributing

Writer

On Thursday, March 2, a jury found Alex Murdaugh guilty of the murder of his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul, as well as guilty of possession of the two weapons that were used in the killings.

Netflix released a new true-crime documentary, “Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal,” that follows the Murdaugh family murders and this family’s transgressions, cover-ups and downfall.

For almost a century, the Murdaughs’ family law firm has been in legal power in Hampton, South Carolina. Through the years, the

Murdaugh family name had become well known and well connected due to their family fortune.

Before the death of Maggie and Paul, the

ties, but their affluence has protected them

ments of these deaths.

“Having too much

dispatcher for several months until she officially got the confirmation that she could attend trooper school. Renfroe served with the Georgia State Patrol for 30 years until she retired last May.

See GCPD | Page 2

that they can get away with mistreating people,” said Rose Wagner, a senior mass communication major. “It’s good that they are being held accountable, but why did it take so long for that to happen?”

The first murder case involving the Murdaughs took place in 2015 after Stephen Smith, an openly gay teenager in Hampton, was found dead. The oldest Murdaugh brother, Buster, was rumored to have something to do with the boy’s death. Ultimately, he was never prosecuted, and Smith’s death was classified as a hit-and-run.

family had been connected to three fatali-

GC softball takes the series

Emily Henderson

Staff Writer

GC softball hosted Columbus State University in a three-game series on March 4 and 5, playing two games on Saturday and finishing the series with

one game on Sunday.

The first game of the Saturday double-header was a close game between the Bobcats and Cougars, but CSU came back in the top of the seventh to take the lead after scoring off of two late singles, ending the game 4-2. GC bounced back in

game two of the double-header after the late-inning loss. The Bobcats shut out the Cougars, winning 8-0, with a big first-career home run from freshman Emily Hobbs that drove in three.

See SOFTBALL | Page 5

from taking responsibility in the involve-

money makes people feel empowered and

See MURDAUGH | Page 7

Life beyond the haze

Abigayle Allen

Opinion Editor

TRIGGER WARNING: This article includes conversations about different substances that college kids may or may not abuse. When was the last time you used a substance? Many students at GC have this conversation freely and frequently. Whether you are in class, listening to someone talk about the Adderall they bought from someone to study for a test, at a bar listening to your friend brag about their fifth lemon-drop shot or at a party,

watching attendees leave the bathroom rubbing the remnants of cocaine off their noses, drugs seem to be so normalized on a college campus. The conversations associated with substance abuse present themselves as casual or cool after entering your freshman year of college. Many students make it a normal activity to try and alter their natural states using some sort of substance. It seems that students are so desensitized to different substances that even recreational or stereotypical drugs associated with college cul-

ture, such as marijuana or cocaine, seem to be old news. Have college kids become numb to the idea of numbing themselves? Students at GC are familiar with terms like “T-Shirt Tuesday,” “Wine Wednesday” or even “Thirsty Thursday.” These are all times during the week where you can find the downtown bars filled to the brim with college students. While substances other than alcohol seem to be out of sight, take one trip to an afterparty, and you are likely to be met with some sort of drug use.

See HAZE | Page 10

Some people adore it; others ignore it. How does the brain’s structure affect our appreciation of art?

Alex Murdaugh receives his life sentence in the double murder trial of his wife and son.

Courtesy of GC Athletics

Kam Caldwell and MacKenzie Hoffman at bat against Columbus State

The big-ticket event’s viewership struggles bring its relevance to modern fans into question.

collection of changes aimed at modernizing the author’s classics sparks debate.

GCPD

Continued from page 1

Renfroe had also attended the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College and the FBI National Academy. She is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. She is also the founder of the Nikki R. Renfroe Emerging Leader Prep School Scholarship at Georgia Military Prep School, which provides tuition

aid for minority high school students from single-parent homes.

Renfroe was the first woman to achieve the Troop Commander title.

She was the first African American female to achieve the rank of Captain in the Georgia State Patrol. During this time, Renfroe worked crisis, hostage negotiations traffic crash reconstruction and recruitment.

Before her retirement, Renfroe was ap-

Editorial Board

Katherine Futch..............

Cale Strickland................

Claire O’Neill...................

Rebecca Meghani..........

Lily Pruitt............................

Hayden Flinn....................

Brennan Schmitz...........

Jennifer Crider.................

William Van de Planque..............................

Abigayle Allen..................

Hannah Adams...............

Anjali Shenoy................

Marissa Marcolina.........

Connor Patronis.............

Robert Trotter...................

William Burke..................

pointed to the Office of Planning and Research and was assigned to the Commissioner’s Office.

Renfroe currently serves as the founding co-chair of the Traffic Safety Committee for the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. She also serves on the national Law Enforcement Committee for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Renfroe earned many titles, awards

and achievements before coming to serve as GC’s Interim Chief.

It was announced that more details about the search for a permanent Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police will be announced soon, but for now, Renfroe is here to stay and make an impact on GC’s campus.

Renfroe has several plans for GC, but none that are new for students.

“One of the things that I am examining

most recently is how we can make sure that proper notification is made in the wake of an emergency or just important information that needs to get out there,” Renfroe said.

She claims that the most important things are some of the little things, like crosswalks, lights on campus and the RAVE app.

Renfroe plans to train and teach her officers so that they are more equipped for

situations on campus at any given time.

“We are planning to build on what we already have,” Renfroe said.

“There is always room for us, as law enforcement officers and members of public safety, to increase our knowledge.”

The GC community welcomes Chief Renfroe with open arms and can expect more communication between public safety and students in the future.

Courtesy of Georgia College Communications

GC English professor wins prestigious award

Paige Blakemore Staff Writer

Laura Newbern has been an associate professor of English and creative writing at GC since 2005. She graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. She now teaches a variety of classes, including intermediate poetry writing, poetry workshop and creative writing senior seminar.

Recently, Newbern won the 2023 Changes Book Prize in poetry. Established in 2022,

the Changes Book Prize awards $10,000 and publication to the author of a first or second collection of poetry. The winner receives a generous publishing contract, national distribution and a book launch event in New York City.

Newbern’s second collection of poems, “A Night In The Country,” was chosen as one of the prize winners by the 2020 Nobel Laureate in Literature, or the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, poet Lousie Glück. The collection is

expected to be published in the spring of 2024.

In 2010, Newbern’s previous poetry collection, “Love and the Eye,” was selected by American poet Claudine Rankine for the Kore Press First Book Award.

When talking to Newbern’s students and colleagues about her career and her poetry, not one hesitated to sing her praises.

“She just has the style of writing where you can tell she was born to be a poet,” said junior English major Kate Goud. “The way she writes is just so magical. I love it.”

Goud described Newbern’s poetry as a mix of Romanticism and modern poetry.

“It’s so interesting how her brain works,” Goud said. “It’s the kind of poetry that you just want to pick apart and figure out why she said this in this way.”

“Laura is extremely committed to her stu-

dents’ development as writers and thinkers in her classes,” said Dr. Kerry Neville, an associate English professor at GC and coordinator of GC’s graduate and undergraduate creative writing programs. “She is one of the most conscientious teachers that I know.”

Neville had plenty of praise for Newbern.

“Newbern’s work is complex and rigorous,” Neville said. “She has a shining intellect. I’m always surprised by her poetry. They always teach me something about, not only how she sees the world, but something about myself as a human being in existence beside her in this world.”

Dr. Kerry James Evans, an assistant English professor at GC, shared a personal anecdote of how Newbern tapes wrapping paper on her desk to quickly jot down notes, poem ideas and doodles as needed. After commenting on how

much he liked the quirk, Newbern wrapped Evans’ following birthday present in the one-ofa-kind wrapping paper.

Evans compared Newbern’s work to poet Elizabeth Bishop’s.

“That is about the highest praise I can give any poet,” Evans said.

“Newbern completely transformed how I write and how I view myself as a writer,” said senior English major Kayla Goode.

Goode claims she gained much confidence in her writing through Newbern’s intermediate poetry class and her mentored capstone project with the professor. She also point-

-Kate Goud

ed out how well-written “Country Night” was written, which was published in 2021.

“Every one of her poems really speaks to me in some way,” Goode said. “Her way with words is immaculate.”

All concurred on Newbern’s modesty when it comes to her vast accolades. Neville and Evans both agreed that she does not seek the limelight. Instead, the limelight has found her.

GC and the creative writing program offer tremendous congratulations to Newbern on her astounding career and accomplishments.

Controversial art of Vermont Law and Graduate School

Grace Robertson

Staff Writer

Vermont Law and Graduate School is under pressure to address murals around campus that depict the brutality of enslavement.

The paintings have raised concerns in the past few years with students and administration, who argue that the paintings are offensive.

Sam Kerson, the white artist who created the murals, is fighting to keep them up.

In 1993, Kerson was commissioned by VLGS to spend three months painting the two 8-footby-24-foot murals.

The works of art, titled “Slavery” and “Liberation,” illustrate slavery and important civil rights leaders, like Harriet Tubman.

After the state court allowed the law school to cover up the mural in 2021, Kerson appealed the action, arguing that it goes against the Visual Artists Rights Act of 1990.

The law, also known as VARA, works to defend the rights of the author of a work of visual

art, including the right to prevent any destruction, distortion, mutilation or other modification of that work which would harm his or her reputation or honor.

The school, with the backing of the American Civil Liberties Union, suggests they have the right to remove art on campus when history has passed it by.

Since then, VLGS has placed a series of white panels directly in front of the murals, which would block view of the mural without directly violating VARA and led Kerson to file the initial lawsuit.

Mark Huddle, a GC

degree — with Sam Kirson, the artist,” Huddle said. “Certainly, his intent when he created the work of art was not to necessarily offend,” Huddle said. “He believes that this is a difficult history, and if it makes people uncomfortable, then that’s a good thing.”

Community members felt uncomfortable with the brutal images in the art, which depicted people in Africa, the slave market, slave labor and insurrections.

just at least in the eyes and minds of the sun.”

Michelle Garris, a freshman nursing major, gave her thoughts on the situation.

Jefferson altered her opinion and began supporting the student’s disapproval after the re-

fought for the removal of Confederate monuments and memorials.

Debates have arisen to discuss whether these decisions are erasing history or represent disrespect, similar to the arguments toward the murals.

actions to the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

history professor and expert on African-American history and popular culture, spoke about the situation.

“I sympathize — to a

“We want to remember the past,” Huddle said. “We want to be honest about the past, and we want to acknowledge the ugly truths of the Black experience in America, so we are going to depict the institution of slavery in a very kind-of-brutal way —

“It can be very controversial but also brings awareness to what used to happen,” Garris said.

Kerson has received criticism for depicting the issues of slavery as a white artist.

“As a white person, it’s not a person’s history to tell, so he doesn’t have any kind of proprietary and control over the African-American past,” Huddle said.

Shirley Jefferson, vice president of community engagement and government relations and associate professor of law at VLGS, initially showed no interest in objections to the mural.

“We are in the era of George Floyd, and it is a particularly fraught period to engage American race relations, and you have to recognize that and accept it,” Huddle said.

“Times have changed.”

An anonymous GC student explained their thoughts on the reactions to the campus murals.

“I’m one of those people that’s a firm believer that everybody’s perspective and views are valid because everyone is their own person,” the student said.

Since the 2015 Charleston church shooting, protesters across the country have

“The intent of the Confederate monuments was to intimidate — not to commemorate, but to intimidate — the Black community,” Huddle said. “I think the intent of the painting was very different, but that doesn’t change the fact that, in both cases, times have changed.”

With the discussion surrounding race relations in the country becoming more and more prominent, many situations similar to the events in Vermont are garnering controversy.

“This is a phenomenon that we’re going to, as a society, have to confront at some point because there is a heightened awareness and sensitivity to these kinds of issues,” Huddle said. “As times have changed, those consequences have changed.”

She just has the style of writing where you can tell she was born to be a poet

Courtesy of Georgia College Communications

-Mark Huddle

He believes that this is a difficult history, and if it makes people uncomfortable, then that’s a good thing.

-Michelle Garris

It can be very controversial but also brings awareness to what used to happen

Former President Donald Trump’s investigation

Jennifer Crider Arts & Life Editor

The special grand jury that investigated former President Donald Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia has recommended indictment for multiple people on a range of charges in its final report.

From the beginning of this investigation in May 2022 to the end in January 2023, the grand jury of 23 people heard testimonies from 75 witnesses. Although most of the jury’s final report is sealed, portions of it have been released, and they state that there is evidence that perjury occurred throughout this investigation.

“A majority of the Grand Jury believes that perjury may have been committed by one or more witnesses testifying before it,” the report said.

“The Grand Jury recommends that the District Attorney seek appropriate indictments for

such crimes where the evidence is compelling.”

Georgia state law does allow special grand juries to subpoena witnesses, but they can not formally indict individuals. Fani T. Willis, the district attorney of Fulton County, will use the evidence found in the grand jury’s investigation to decide what charges should be given.

The sections released do not include who exactly will be charged. Because Trump never testified in front of this jury, he will not be one of the ones charged with perjury, but he could possibly be charged with something else.

“It is a crime in Georgia to solicit someone to commit election fraud or to interfere with the performance of official election duties,” said Sam Levine in an article for “The Guardian.”

Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act could also be applied in this case. Code B of this act states that

it is illegal for people to participate, directly or indirectly, in racketeering to gain personal control of an enterprise.

The Atlanta grand jury is not the only investigation into Trump right now. The Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., is investigating Trump’s removal of 3,000 documents from the White House after his presidency ended. In New York City, there are two separate investigations on the Trump Organization misrepresenting their company’s finances to gain bank loans and lower their taxes.

If Trump is indicted on criminal charges, it will be a historical decision. Although three presidents have been impeached, no president has ever been indicted on criminal charges.

“I don’t think Trump will get charged,” said Dani Mathis, an early childhood education major. “He’s a person of power, and people in power never get the punishment they deserve.”

Major spotlight: Physics

Kate Verity Staff Writer

Physics is one of the lesser-known majors at GC, with the college’s 2022 Fact Book reporting only 42 students enrolled as physics majors. It is a part of the Department of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy.

According to the major’s webpage, this is a program that “covers all the typical undergraduate courses generally found in physics programs such as mechanics, electricity and mag-

netism, thermodynamics and quantum theory.”

Kaylee Kallam is a senior physics major at GC. She was not sure exactly what she wanted to do when she got to college, but she knew it was something similar to engineering.

“I originally wanted to do engineering, and then I took an electrical engineering class and decided that was not for me,” Kallam said. “So, I started searching for other career paths. You know, like every child, I wanted to be a vet, but then

I bought a horse, and I no longer wanted to be a vet. I applied to every school as a marketing major and was just going to change once I got in.”

The physics program at GC is unique because it offers a special dual-degree program with Georgia Tech. GC does not offer an engineering major, but through this program, students can study as a physics major for three years at GC and then apply to transfer to Georgia Tech. If they are accepted, they can then take

Even though Trump is currently in four investigations, he told “USA Today” reporters at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that he will be running in the 2024 presidential election, even if he is charged.

“I won’t even think about leaving,” Trump said. “Probably, it’ll enhance my numbers.”

Trump could be right about this not harming the number of votes he receives, as his following has proven their dedi-

two more years of courses at Georgia Tech and graduate with an engineering degree. Through this partnership, GC is able to offer a pre-engineering track through the physics major.

Outside of the pre-engineering track, this smaller major does not offer specific concentrations. But Kallam describes how the professors help make sure students take courses that will prepare them for their specific career goals.

“There’s different classes you can take to better prepare you for your plans after college,” Kallam said. “For example, there’s thermodynamics for engineers and then just a regular thermodynamics class. I don’t think there’s, like, defined tracks outside of pre-engineering, but you can definitely cater your educational experience to what you would like to do.”

One specific professor that helped Kallam figure out what she wanted to do was Dr. Ralph France. France is a GC physics professor with a Ph.D. in nuclear astrophysics from Yale University. According to Kallam, he teaches most of the seminars, including Career Exploration, which was where he first told her about medical physics.

“So, Dr. Ralph France

cation to him, and they seem generally unphased by these investigations.

“This won’t have any effect on his followers voting for him, because people who support Trump care more about his personality than what he does wrong,” Mathis said.

Trump’s presidency shifted the ideology of the Republican Party, and some feel that all of these scandals that occurred during this presidency resulted in a more divided country.

was actually the professor that told me to start looking into medical physics,” Kallam said. “He showed me that about this plan, and then I was able to research it more and decide that’s what I wanted to do. He actually went out of his way to offer the nuclear physics class last semester that I was able to take.”

Kallam has been hard at work interviewing for graduate-school programs over the past few months. She plans to go on to study in a graduate program so that she can work in diagnostic medical physics.

“Essentially, all of the machines that contain particle accelerators and produce radiation, like the MRI, CT, mammogram, X-Ray, all that, they have to have like yearly checks to make sure that they’re running properly and not going AWOL and overdosing people with radiation,” Kallam said. “Then, if something breaks and has to be fixed, it needs to be reevaluated and signed off on before it can scan people again, so that’s sort of what a diagnostic medical physicist does.”

The physics program at GC may seem full of complicated concepts and difficult courses, but Kallam still managed to find ways to participate in extracurricular ac-

However, Ron DeSantis, Trump’s competition for the Republican nomination, seems to be even further right-wing than Trump, leaving moderate Republicans confused about who to vote for.

“When you have someone who is so hard-liberal and so hard-republican, it’s obviously going to divide a country,” said Bobby Norman, a senior marketing major. “I want a president who can see it from both sides and work with the other party.”

tivities. She has been a member of Delta Gamma, served on the GC Panhellenic Council, played intramurals and is the president of the Equestrian Club — while still taking time to be a part of the Physics Club as well. She emphasizes that, although courses are difficult at times, physics students should be sure to have fun at college.

“Advanced quantum mechanics is definitely a difficult course, but I have to say that p-chem — physical chemistry — one and two have been the most time-consuming,” Kallam said.

“It seems really hard at first, but it’s one of those things that, once it clicks, it clicks. If you do go physics, don’t spend all of your time on school. Definitely take time to do things that you enjoy, whether it’s going out with your friends, shopping, laying by the pool or joining a club sport. Your whole life doesn’t have to be about school, and I do think some people in this program forget that.”

Although physics seems like one of GC’s more-daunting major programs, students still go through and graduate with their degrees every year. It may not be one of the more-popular majors at GC, but it certainly does not deserve to be overlooked.

SOFTBALL

Continued from page 1

GC softball hosted Columbus State University in a three-game series on March 4 and 5, playing two games on Saturday and finishing the series with one game on Sunday.

The first game of the Saturday double-header was a close game between the Bobcats and Cougars, but CSU came back in the top of the seventh to take the lead after scoring off of two late singles, ending the game 4-2.

GC bounced back in game two of the double-header after the late-inning loss. The Bobcats shut out the Cougars, winning 8-0, with a big first-career home run from fresh-

man Emily Hobbs that drove in three.

CSU started game three off strong, taking advantage of back-toback walks in the top of the first with a triple to right field. While GC produced hits in the early innings, they could not produce any runs.

The Cougars added onto their lead in the top of the third after a double scored the runner on second base.

The Bobcats found some momentum in the bottom of the third with a double by junior Mackenzie Hoffman. Leadoff hitter Sydney Lancaster advanced the runner with a single and followed that up with a stolen base.

Sophomore infielder Kam Caldwell kept the inning alive for the

Bobcats after an unsuccessful catch by the CSU shortstop that sent the ball into right field, scoring the Bobcats’ first runs of the day.

Next up, senior infielder Jessica Owens tied the game after a firstpitch triple to right field.

GC scored again after junior outfielder Mackenzie Martian reached on an error. The Bobcats ended the third inning with the lead, 4-3.

CSU fought back, producing three runs after a bad throw from Hobbs with the bases loaded. Although CSU had a hot fourth inning, the Bobcats did not let that affect them from having one too.

GC had 10 hitters come to the plate in the bottom of the fourth

inning, with two doubles, two singles, two walks and a hit from a throwing error, making the score 10-6.

The Cougars were held scoreless in the late innings of the game after junior pitcher Shelby Jones stepped on the rubber for the Bobcats. She gave up no hits and allowed only one walk, keeping the score 10-6.

GC had 11 hits, led by Kam Caldwell, who was 3-for-4, and Mackenzie Hoffman, who was 3-for-3. The Bobcats tore up the base paths in Sunday’s game, going 8-for-8 in stolen bases.

“Our performance today was definitely a ten out of ten today,” Caldwell said. “They scored first, but we knew we had to come back

with big energy. We were able to work as a team to get timely hits when we needed them.”

This series was the first time the Bobcats beat CSU since their last home series versus the Cougars in 2018.

“This series win was huge,” Hoffman said. “This is the first time in, I think, four years that they have even come to our field, which is the last time we won a series against them, let alone a game. We have always wanted to beat this team, so it feels good, especially since I have been here since my freshman year, and we have never been able to play like this against them.”

The softball team picked up the pace from a year ago, already sur-

GC men’s tennis on three-game win streak

After another beautiful weekend in Milledgeville, the men’s tennis team sits at 5-2 with two home wins against Converse and Catawba.

The Bobcats were dominant on Saturday in their 7-0 sweep of Converse. The only loss of the match came in doubles play, where the Bobcats won two of three matches. GC sported a perfect 6-for-6 record in singles.

A major moment in the match came from sophomore Karol Malirz and junior Enzo Sergi winning 7-6 in the cru-

cial tie-breaking match for doubles play. This doubles duel of Malirz and Sergi against Leopold Morel and Marty Letessier of Converse was the highlight of the event.

Malirz and Sergi were key players for GC, as they outmatched and outlasted Converse with impressive return shots and merciless serves. In a high pressure, tie-breaking scenario, these two brought intensity and an edge for the Bobcats, which is a promising sight heading into conference play.

Malirz and Sergi also saw involvement after this huge match, both

finding singles wins. Malirz defeated Gregoire Legrand of Converse in two sets 6-0, 6-1. Sergi defeated Paul Berrouet of Converse, also in two sets 6-2, 7-5.

Junior Jorge Robinson was another key player for the Bobcats. Robinson put on a strong display by teaming up with redshirt-sophomore Aurélien Arlot to beat Gregoire Legrand and Paul Berrouet of Converse 6-4.

Robinson’s strongest moment of the match came in his singles duel with Converse’s Enzo Marcheschi. After losing the first set 6-1, Robin-

son turned on the heat to come back with wins in back-to-back sets 6-4, 6-4 and take the match.

Freshman Luka Sauer Jiminez also pulled a comeback in the last two sets of his match against Leopold Morel of Converse. Morel jumped to a one-set lead 6-4, before Jimnez dominated the last two sets 6-2, 6-1.

“The team performed pretty well,” said redshirt-senior Jack Sorel. “We got two solid wins that we’re ready to build on going into conference play.”

When asked about how the team looks going into conference play,

passing their win record from the whole last season. Although the Bobcats have had a good beginning of their season, there is still room for improvement to help them finish strong.

“We just need to continue to work on consistency,” said head coach Jamie Grodecki. “We need to keep trying to avoid giving up big inning, keep it clean on defense and try to minimize our walks. I think all we need to do is show up, make the routine plays, do our job and play GC ball.”

GC will continue their journey with a long twoand-a-half-week road trip before their next home game on March 25 against Lander University for alumni weekend.

Sorel added, “This is the best team we’ve had since I’ve been here. We’re definitely looking to do some damage”.

The Bobcats proved this weekend that they are a force to be reckoned with.

“This is the best team we have had since I have been here,” Sorel said. “We’re definitely looking to do some damage.”

Dominance and intensity paired with crucial comebacks by Jiminez and Robinson gave the Bobcats the opportunity of a perfect record in the singles matches, as the rest of the matches were finished in two sets.

“We’re gonna work hard as a team, day in and day out to give ourselves the best chance of taking the PBC conference title for Bobcat nation,” Sorel said.

The Bobcats are heating up for a great run in conference play and the conference tournament. This weekend, the team displayed a combination of both talent and a desire to win.

They will look to continue their win streak this Tuesday, March 7, on the road at Auburn Montgomery.

Marrisa Marcolina | Digital Media Editor

The GC men’s doubles team serves up the point versus Converse College on Saturday March 4.

Christian Castillo

Contributing Writer

NBA ALL-STAR GAMES POOR RATINGS REFLECT FANS’ FRUSTRATIONS

Drew Bogumill Staff Writer

This year’s NBA AllStar Game averaged a combined 2.2 rating out of five and 4.59 million viewers. That is a significant decline from the 2022 edition of the game, which averaged a combined 3.1 rating and 6.28 million viewers.

The 2023 NBA AllStar Game’s ratings dropped 29% from 2022, and viewership dropped 27%. According to Sports Media Watch, that is the biggest single-season decline for the AllStar Game since 2000.

As always, a number of big stars either were hurt or left the game early. This year, it was Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The All-Star Game is in the middle of the season, so, naturally, no one wants to injure themselves in a game that means absolutely nothing for the individ-

uals’ teams. James actually hurt himself in the first half of this year’s game, which put him out for the rest of the game.

LeBron and was very disappointed with how the game turned out. While he did credit Joel Embiid and Kyrie Irving for

All-Star Saturday Night saw its lowest numbers in over 20 years, with 3.42 million viewers on TNT.

of 1.23 million viewers.

tive for me to watch.”

With no one trying their hardest, especially on the defensive side, fans got a game that ended with Team Giannis beating Team LeBron 184-175.

Michael Malone, head coach of the Denver Nuggets, coached Team

actually giving an honest effort, he went on to say that it was the worst game of basketball ever played.

It was not just the All-Star Game that was a disappointment, as the other events on All-Star Saturday Night also failed to reach expectations.

However, Mac McClung’s dunk contest performance revived its viewership. That broadcast averaged 4.24 million viewers last year, and the NBA All-Star Rising Stars Challenge was down to 888,000 viewers from 2022’s figure

The one outlier of the weekend was the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. That broadcast actually saw an increase in viewers, from 1.23 million to 1.40 million, on ESPN.

“I did not watch this year’s All-Star Game,” said junior accounting major Tucker Sutton. “With a lot of the big stars out, there was really no incen-

“I watch the All-Star Game every year, and I can say, without a doubt, this year’s game was the worst ever,” said junior mass communication major Christian Castillo.

“With it being the All-Star Game, it came with no surprise that there was not a lot of effort on defense,” Castillo said. “But this year’s game was even worse than usual. The only defensive play was LeBron going for a block on Pascal Siakam, which ended up with LeBron hurting his wrist and sitting out the rest of the game.”

“I think they could improve the All-Star Game by making it mean something,” said sophomore business major Michael Larruso.

The 2023 All-Star Game was considered a major disappointment, but fans can only hope that the NBA hears their comments and changes the game for the better.

GC club baseball sweeps away the Yellow Jackets

Bruce Smith Staff Writer

The GC club baseball team took on undefeated (6-0) Georgia Tech in a three-game home series on Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26.

The 1-1 Bobcats started off the three-game series strong, winning 2-0.

Junior pitcher Michael Roberts got the start and held the Yellow Jackets to only four hits through five innings. Roberts reached base twice during the game.

Senior pitcher Will Forth would relieve Roberts in the sixth inning and eventually close out the game, putting his record to 2-0 on the season. Forth also went 1-for-1 on the day, sending a single to right field.

The Bobcats were scoreless through four innings before sophomore Drew McMillan scored the first run of the game.

“I felt like we kept on

getting hits but could not capitalize and actually score a run,” McMillan said. “So, once I was finally able to do so, it was a sigh of relief across the whole team.”

Game one was a defensive battle for both teams, as the star pitchers for both the Bobcats and the Yellow Jackets had a solid day.

Game two started at 3 p.m., and the Bobcats looked to carry momentum from game one and secure another win against the no-longer-undefeated Yellow Jackets.

Junior pitcher Elliot Esposito got the start for game two and was nearly flawless, only letting up one run in his four-inning outing.

Freshman pitcher Connor Coursey would relieve Esposito in the fifth inning, and he closed out the game.

This was Coursey’s first time taking the

mound this season, and the freshman delivered, allowing only one run and leading the Bobcats to a 12-2 victory.

“It felt really good just to get out there and pitch again,” Coursey said. “I know I have a lot I need to work on, but it is nice to see my team put their faith in me as a freshman, and I am glad I was able to help us get the win.”

The 12 runs scored by the Bobcats was a season high and one that they would like to remember for the rest of the season.

In game three, the Yellow Jackets came out hot, wanting revenge.

The Bobcats found themselves down 4-2 through seven innings.

Heading into the eighth inning, senior Will Forth looked to start a rally for the Bobcats, as he led off with a double to right field.

Forth’s double sparked an eight-run inning,

giving the Bobcats a 10-4 lead that they did not look back on.

“I just stuck to my game plan and figured, if I just do what I know to do, I could spark something in this

team, and we could win the game,” Forth said.

The senior has been solid at the mound along with his performance at the plate.

The Bobcats will definitely look to Forth

to continue to lead them to a great season.

The club Bobcats are back in action Saturday, March 4, at 2 p.m., where they will travel to Kennesaw State to complete their three-game series.

Courtesy of Michael Roberts (team member)

The GC club baseball team after their sweep over Georgia tech on Sunday Feb. 26.

MURDAUGH

Continued from page 1

Three years later, the family would be connected to a second death after their housekeeper and nanny, Gloria Satterfield, was found dead from blunt force trauma in the Murdaugh family home. Maggie Murdaugh reported to the police that Satterfield died from tripping over the family’s dogs and falling backwards down the stairs.

Before this tragedy, Satterfield had discovered that Alex Murdaugh had been recreationally using opioids, and she told Paul about his father’s drug use. According to Paul’s girlfriend, Morgan Doughty, Paul had been forcing his father to detox. It is speculated that Alex and Maggie

found out that Satterfield told Paul this information, and then they murdered Satterfield.

Though Satterfield was taken to the hospital before her death, there is no recorded autopsy, and Maggie and Paul Murdaugh are the only witnesses.

A year later, the Murdaugh family was at the center of another death. In February 2019, Paul Murdaugh was driving a boat while severely intoxicated, and he crashed into a bridge, resulting in the injury of four passengers and the death of Mallory Beach.

The Murdaugh family claimed Connor Cook, another passenger on the boat, was actually the person driving the boat at the time of the accident. Through an investigation, this claim was de-

termined to be false. Paul was charged and put on trial for Beach’s death, but he was found not guilty.

The Netflix documentary shows footage of Anthony Cook, a survivor of the crash and Beach’s boyfriend, making a statement that emphasizes the power that this family had.

“You know who that is?” Cook said. “That is Alex Murdaugh’s son. Good luck.”

After the trial, the family went to live on their hunting estate that they called “Moselle.” Life for the Murdaughs seemingly went on as normal for a few years until yet another murder occurred, but this time was different. The Murdaughs were now the victims.

In June 2021, Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were found shot to death at the

dog kennels at Moselle.

When investigating their murders, it was found that Alex had taken out life-insurance policies on both of them, and both weapons used in their murders were owned by the Murdaughs.

Three months after the murders, on Sep. 4, 2021, Alex Murdaugh made a 911 call claiming that he had been shot in the head. However, it has been confirmed that Murdaugh hired Curtis Smith, a former law firm client, to shoot him, in the hopes that this would make Smith look responsible for the murders. However, this scheme did not go according to plan. Alex Murdaugh was charged for the murders of his wife and son, and he turned himself into the

Hampton County Detention Center on Sept. 16.

Murdaugh claimed that he was not home at the time of the murder, and he found the victims after he returned home. This was proven to be false when a video surfaced of Paul and his dad at the kennels right before the murdered occurred. When this evidence was presented at the trial, Murdaugh admitted that he lied to the police.

“All those things, coupled together after finding them, coupled with my distrust for (the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division), caused me to have paranoid thoughts,” Murdaugh said. “I wasn’t thinking clearly. I don’t think I was capable of reason. And I lied about being there, and I’m so sorry that I did.”

What language is offensive language?

Ronald Dahl’s boooks are being rewritten to remove offensive language

Shaw Coggin Staff Writer

Classic books written by famed author Ronald Dahl are being rewritten to include more gender-neutral language and remove offensive language, such as “fat,” “ugly” and “enormous.” These changes will affect pieces of work such as “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “Matilda.”

These changes are being implemented by both Puffin, the publisher of Dahl’s works, as well as the now-Netflix-owned Roald Dahl Story Company. The streaming giant announced they are creating a unique universe of Dahl’s work that will include both live-action and animated story projects.

With these new projects creating a resurgence in popularity, Puffin hired sensitivity readers to go through the original text and change the language to ensure

these stories could still be enjoyed by everyone.

“I think it’s a good thing,” said Essie Kyle, sophomore special education major. “I think, at that time, it was probably not considered offensive, but in this day

“When I am gone, if that happens, then I’ll wish mighty Thor knocks very hard on their heads with his Mjolnir, or I will send along the ‘enormous crocodile’ to gobble them up” Dahl said.

The Five, a popu-

not want his words changed, some argue that these changes are beneficial in adapting with a changing society.

“I don’t think that there’s a problem with it at all,” said Moriah Hamlin, early childhood ed-

Dahl’s books are often used in the classroom because they are entertaining yet teach students a positive lesson. For instance, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” teaches children about the effects

The Netflix documentary has been very popular since its release.

Liliann Pittman, a senior biology major, watched the documentary because the town of Hampton is less than 100 miles from where she grew up.

“The town being so small with old families in power reminds me of the dynamic of my town,” Pittman said. “It added a sense of uneasiness to hear about the case and realize that could very easily be people I knew.”

This case has intrigued the nation with all of its controversies, unexpected developments and surprising turns of events.

Murdaugh will serve two consecutive life-sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders of his wife and son.

story about someone’s experience, they can take anything from it.”

Ensuring that young students feel represented in the classroom helps them create a positive self image.

“As a teacher, when looking at books, you want to make sure that they’re positive books and that they’re building all kids up,” Kyle said.

Hamlin, who hopes to teach fourth graders, also let it be clear that she would teach the book in class no matter what and that it is important to establish positive thought in the minds of children.

and age, that thing of tearing people down is not as necessary.”

This announcement caused a debate on the ethics of changing classic literature to reflect modern times.

Before Dahl passed away in 1990, he stated that he did not want any of his work to be changed.

lar conservative talk show on Fox News, said that the changes were “woke” and “absurd.” They argued that this was censorship and that children will have a difficult time picturing what they are reading if the descriptions of characters are changed.

Although Dahl did

ucation major. “I think that making changes to make things less problematic is a good thing. It’s waking people up to things that people didn’t consider before and taking into consideration other people’s feelings more than they used to, but I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing either.”

Director

of greed and selfishness. Therefore, some argue that the offensive language could distract from those messages.

“What is in the books has a lot of impact on what students learn,” said Danielle Mathis, senior early childhood education major. “If students can listen to a

“I think that there’s not a lot of material for kids that make them feel represented or good about themselves in general,” Hamlin said. “So, making more that they can see themselves in in a positive way is important. I, personally, wouldn’t put any books with negative language about children, and people in general, in my own classroom.”

Claire O’Neill | Art

Cale’s cinema corner: Oscar predictions

Cale Strickland Managing Editor

To everyone’s surprise, the Oscars are, once again, returning. The 95th Academy Awards will air at 8 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 12.

Last year’s telecast, which — thanks to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock — made waves on social media, managed to pull in 16.6 million viewers, a 58% increase from the previous year, reversing the awards show’s steady, worrying yearto-year ratings drop.

Whether or not last year’s ratings rebound was a one-off, however, remains to be seen.

However, several big-budget and fan-favorite films are nominated for Best Picture, including “Avatar: The Way of Water,” “Elvis,”

“Everything Everywhere

All at Once” and “Top Gun: Maverick.” Nominating movies people have actually seen can only improve your show’s chances of attracting an audience.

Even considering the relative success of last year’s telecast, the biggest night in Hollywood is no longer a mainstay of popular culture. As someone who enjoys watching the show each year, it is a bit frustrating, but it also makes sense. Last year, Sian Heder’s “CODA,” a small indie film which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and popped up on Apple TV+ several months later, won Best Picture, the biggest award of all.

It is difficult to determine how popular — or unpopular — “CODA” was at the time it won Best Picture. Although it pulled in nearly $2 million at the worldwide

box office, it was — primarily — a streaming release. Streaming data is, often, deceitful in its own right. Additionally, Apple does not display indepth metrics for any of the content on its service.

The Oscars can — and should — shine a light on lesser-seen films. The phenomenal box-office performance of Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” in the weeks after its Best Picture win is a great example of the awards

Quan has been the favorite for months now, and he should be. In addition to giving a fantastic performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” he seems to be the sweetest person on the face of the earth. I will be shocked — and upset — if he does not win. All great stories have a great ending, and I believe Quan’s comeback arc ends with a golden statue in his hand.

SUPPORT -

nominees: “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” and “Top Gun: Maverick.” Sarah Polley has been the favorite for months now, and “Women Talking” was, surprisingly, shut out of all of the acting categories. With her second career Oscar nomination, I believe she will bring home her first win.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Until recently, many people did not expect

ute runtime, but I believe “The Fabelmans” will net Spielberg his first Oscar win since 1999’s “Saving Private Ryan.” However, with how overwhelmingly dominant “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is right now, I would not be surprised if Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert pull off a win here.

ACTOR

Austin Butler is absolutely killing it right now. Thanks to “the voice” — of Elvis Presley,

if the film surrounding him does not hold water.

Although I believe Butler is deserving of the Oscar, I would give it to Paul Mescal. His performance in “Aftersun,” while not nearly as showy as Butler’s, is truly heartbreaking. Equal parts honesty and subtlety, it is one of my favorite performances of last year.

ACTRESS

show’s potential to elevate smaller projects. At the same time, people come to awards shows for big-name celebrities just as much as they do for the movies they are in, which is why the Golden Globes have been able to maintain a relatively stable cultural presence in spite of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s countless wrongdoings. Sure, the Globes do not have the pedigree the Oscars do, but they are also an opportunity to watch famous people get drunk together. Sometimes, that is all people want.

Here is what I think will win — and what I think should win — the major awards at the 95th Academy Awards.

ING ACTRESS

If you have been on Film Twitter in the past week, I am sure you have seen the clip of Ariana Debose singing about Angela Bassett’s Oscar nomination.

“Angela Bassett did the thing,” Debose said. She sure did. I am not a big fan of superhero movies, but Bassett’s performance in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is heartfelt and moving. My pick would be Stephanie Hsu for her work

“Everything Everywhere All at Once,” but I think Bassett will win. She would, undoubtedly, be a deserving winner. Hsu is a rising star; Bassett has done her due diligence.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

I can not say too much here, as I have only seen two of this category’s

“Triangle of Sadness” to receive as many nominations as it did. Undoubtedly, there is a massive wave of support for Ruben Östlund and last year’s Palme d’Or winner. However, I think Best Original Screenplay is its ceiling, which is ironic, as my one issue with the film — which I, on the whole, adore — is its overwrittenness. If I had a vote, it would be for Todd Field’s Swiss watch of a script for “Tár,” but out of my admiration for “Triangle of Sadness,” I would be satisfied with an Östlund win.

DIRECTOR

The Academy loves autobiographical films, and Steven Spielberg made one. Obviously, my pick would be Todd Field, as he is in full control of “Tár” for every single second of its 160-min-

not “Dune: Part Two” — he is charming his way through every single Oscar precursor, and I can not blame him. Is it an act? Oh, it absolutely is. But guess what? The Academy loves Elvis. For one of Hollywood’s newer stars, he is playing ball exceptionally well.

If I was a betting man, I would put my money on Butler, but Brendan Fraser — who was, for months, the overwhelming favorite — is, once again, rising. He just won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor for his role in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale.” I have been a fan of Aronofsky’s for years, but, honestly, I found “The Whale” completely vapid and emotionally terroristic. Nevertheless, Fraser is transcendent, even

This is a two-horse race between Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh. Right now, it feels like Yeoh is in the lead, as “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is currently the favorite to win Best Picture. But if it starts to lose momentum, the Oscar might become Blanchett’s to lose. Although I would not be disappointed if Yeoh — a first-time nominee — won here, I would vote for Blanchett. To me, her performance in “Tár” is the performance of the 2020s so far.

PICTURE

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” is the moment. It is winning movie-of-the-year awards left and right, and it — feels as if — it has the potential to go all the way. But Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” was in the same position last year — until “CODA” won it all. If “Everything Everywhere All at Once” falls to a similar fate, there are a handful of other possible winners: “The Banshees of Inisherin,” the runner-up; “The Fabelmans,” the safe choice; “Top Gun: Maverick,” the populist choice; and “Tár,” the critics’ choice. Best Picture should go to the best movie of the year; the best movie of 2022 is “Tár.”

BECCA AND WILLIAM’S FOOD REVIEW: CARDI B/OFFSET

MCDONALD’S MEAL

McDonald’s, the multinational fast food chain, released its most recent celebrity collaboration marketing endeavor last month with the “Cardi B & Offset Meal”. The promotional Valentine’s Day meal consists of a cheeseburger, a quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, two large drinks, an apple pie and a side of barbeque sauce.

The company has collaborated with celebrities to help drive digital business and company earnings. Past stars have included BTS, Saweetie, Travis Scott and J Balvin.

“We’re focused on putting McDonald’s at the center of culture,” said Tariq Hassan, McDonald’s chief marketing executive, according to TMZ.

According to McDonald’s executives, the company wants to continue collaborating with celebrities to build its consumer base and popularity with the youth and young adults.

The latest collaboration with Cardi B and Offset has stirred up controversy with the issues of the couple’s image reflecting poorly on McDonald’s family-friendly values and they have been accused of breaking their Golden Arches code because of their lyrics and lifestyle.

“The company’s Golden Arches Code for marketing states that promotions and branding shouldn’t include ‘musical partnerships associated with content that includes offensive language in the lyrics’,” said the Wall Street Journal in a recent article.

Ethics and company policies aside, “The Colonnade” editorial board decided to taste-test the meal to see for themselves if it was worth the hype.

Head News Editor Re-

becca Meghani and Assistant Arts & Life Editor

William Van de Planque accepted and underwent the mission last Monday. Their professional food reviews are as follows.

Rebecca Meghani:

While the collaboration has created a buzz among the youth and young adults, it is not

a special meal by any means. With their drinks being Coca-Cola and Hi-C Orange Lavaburst, respectively, the meal consists of food that already exists on the menu of Cardi B’s and Offset’s regular orders. It feels lazy and uninspired. If collaborating with a huge and well-known company, I would want to create something special for the consumers, especially knowing that my fanbase would flock to the fast food restaurant.

Going into the meal, the only excitement I had was being prepared to bash on this meal because of the lack of uniqueness that it had. Also, I hate barbeque sauce. It has the raunchiest smell I have ever smelled and no one sane enjoys it. That being said, I am a recent convert as the McDonald’s french fries dipped in their barbecue sauce was a religious experience for me and changed the trajectory of my life.

Their french fries are never failing, as long as you eat them within the five minutes you got them in. Otherwise, the crispiness and crunch of the fry can never be revived

and the experience is not the same. Their fries top the charts as number one in comparison to the rest of fast food fries and I really believe any other argument is obsolete.

We each had our own individual burgers with me having their quarter pounder. As usual, nothing special. I really think you could place any fast food burger in my hand and I would not be able to tell the difference. It was simple and enjoyable but it is not a personal choice I would ever choose to order myself. Dip it in some barbecue sauce and maybe we’ll have a different story.

Now, the apple pie. I have never ordered it before because I do not trust a $1.50 apple pie. Again, I did not expect to be proven wrong by a fast food place, yet again. It was warm and it felt like a hug. It is definitely on its way to becoming my new food hyperfixation for the next week and it deserves a special place in everyone’s hearts. If there is any reason to take a quick trip to the golden arches, let it be this apple pie.

Lastly, Coca-Cola.

Never failing. A GA pride and staple. Maybe it did not have the same pizzazz and punch as the coveted McDonald’s Sprite, but you will never be disappointed with this classic.

William Van de Planque:

I don’t eat fast food often. Most of the time, my first choice is Chickfil-a for a quick meal and good service. When Becca brought the meal to our production meeting for us to taste-test, I was excited for a new, different, and themed meal from the widely popular chain; something I had never tried before.

The Cardi B & Offset Meal was surprisingly disappointing and did not nearly meet my expectations. Sure, I think it’s safe to say most people don’t order Hi-C at McDonald’s, but other than that, the meal was more or less bland. The burger and the quarter-pounder had the same old plastic taste like almost every other item on the chain’s menu. The meal does come with a fun themed to-go bag, with the logo of the collaboration featured on the side.

I had never dipped

a burger in BBQ sauce, which was something new for me. However, it was just BBQ sauce. It was just a burger. These are everyday things. Encountering them, especially in the fast-food industry, is not new for anyone. Perhaps that was the point of the meal and of the collab in general. Cardi B and Offset, big influencers in American culture, while they lead lavish lifestyles, they are able to interact with everyday life and those living it. They have taken something so simple as a fast food meal and made it into a “date night tradition”, as the celebrity couple has repeatedly advertised. Of course, there is the possibility that they have only done this solely for the money, making the meal less romantic. Either way, setting any controversies aside, the celebrity couple shows that sometimes simplicity and frugality can make the most intimate date nights and even start long-lasting traditions.

Rebecca Meghani News Editor

William Van de Planque

Asst. A&L Editor

HAZE

Continued from page 1

Speaking of drug abuse, what about the addiction to coffee or nicotine? It seems to me like many students will go an entire day running on a singular iced coffee and a couple hits from their vape. The interesting fact is, if you were to ask any student about their weekly party schedule and the substance abuse that follows suit, students would not know how to respond or would be perplexed at why you thought it was abnormal. Many college students get to Saturday, normally nursing a hangover from nights prior, and still continue to drink because, well, it is a Saturday in “Milly Vegas.” Many college students see the weekends or their regular party schedules to alleviate stress, which in turn leads to using some sort of substance.

Some students use substances to alleviate anxieties or outside pressures, while some students see using substances as a norm in our twisted college culture that suggests you are an outsider if you do not join in. For others, the practice of using alcohol or other drugs has become a habitual act of bonding with their peers. Because college years are so developmental, many of the habits formed during students’

time at university stick with them for life. The days of week-long benders do not age well when beginning a 9-5 as adult life sinks in. The overwhelming weight of “real world” stressors seem, in the opinions of some, to be numbed with the use

weight of an uncertain future bearable. Will we continue to ignore the blatant truths that college kids are, and have been for decades, looking for an escape, or will we sit back and allow substance abuse to continue skyrocketing? Ac-

ble drug use within students will continue to affect not only student’s academic performances, but also encourage risky and harmful behavior for their foreseeable futures. Students enrolled for longer periods could be looking at health decline,

and move available. As young adults, many of us are still navigating our paths to adulthood, making the habitual use of substances resemble a tightrope walk. How do we begin setting boundaries for resetting after a tough academ-

of substances. The act of mixing these stimulates and depressors make college seem like a rollercoaster with a “work hard, play hard” mantra playing in the background. Substance abuse is increasing. Many students live under the impression that using substances can make the

cording to Ashley Addiction Treatment, roughly 80% of U.S. college students abuse alcohol, and 4.9% use marijuana daily, whereas only 2.8% used daily 20 years earlier. As for other drugs, including benzodiazepines (e.g. Xanax), the proportions for student use have increased 450%. Incredi-

What makes you hungry?

Abigayle Allen Opinion Editor

A couple of weeks ago, my senior-seminar professor plainly asked my peers and I “what makes you hungry?” This question has lingered in the back of my mind since that class period. To be such a simple question, I think the answer may be complex. My class went around in a circle explaining the reasons why they wanted to write and what continued to fuel this passion through the white noise.

(Disclaimer: I am a creative writing major, so the question was asked in that aspect.) Many of my peers recounted the diary they kept since they were younger, the English teacher in high school that gave them hope or the simple answer that they just knew that is what they wanted to do with their lives. For a long time, I prided myself that I wanted to choose a career that would make my parents’ sacrifices worth it. While that statement remains true, I started diving into

the unanswered questions I had about the unprecedented future I was about to face. Our generation has been driven by social media since we were kids. Many of the choices made have been done so under the advice from influencers or the examples set by those we may have idolized on social media. So many lifestyles that seem to be popular have to do with “fitting in” or what may be trending on TikTok. I guess the bigger question I started to ask myself was, what decisions am I making that truly make me happy or fuel my fire? It is no debate that each person is born with a unique set of values, opinions or mindsets that set us apart from each other. However, it is in my opinion that many of us suppress our true selves to instead exude the parts of ourselves that may look pretty on paper. I think the rise of social media has cursed us with this learned trait.

I think it is time we start discovering the things that make our own worlds turn rather than

worrying about what other people may think. These are some things that have helped me begin to find out who I am and what I want my purpose to be.

1)Find your community. To begin, it is important that you start to surround yourself with like-minded people who practice looking out for your best intentions daily. I know many of us have already formed our friend groups, but this can even be attributed to the content you expose yourself to daily. Take note of what videos you are scrolling through on TikTok, what influencers you follow online, the books you are reading and the music you are listening to. All of these things are a culmination of the community you are actively forming. In finding an atmosphere that is positive and that incorporates the things that make you truly happy, you can begin to find yourself being genuinely happy.

2)Learn how to sit still with yourself.I think it is so normal to have the feeling of being completely alone while being

addiction and abuse, and relationship issues. College culture as represented in movies and taught to us by upperclassmen has always involved the inevitable experimenting with different substances. However, the harsh reality of these experiments sinks in as substances become more

ic week or having fun with our friends and trying to numb or remove ourselves from outside stressors by using substances? Young adults, or, more specifically, college students, are facing many stressors as we near the end of our college days. As for me, I am trying to navigate finding

a job in a post-pandemic economy, navigate how our climate may survive the nearing future and decide how I am going to find a career that will help pay off the student loans I have racked up over the past four years. However, I know that there are ways of dealing with these stressors that are not going to risk my future and harm myself along the way. I am by no means implying that having a casual drink with your friends or going downtown is unacceptable However there are boundaries that need to be drawn in the sand when partaking in substance use. Sometimes, you have to take care of yourself, even if that means sitting out a party or being the designated driver for the night. College kids, including myself, are all trying to forge our own paths and decide what choices will help us become the best versions of ourselves. Maybe in learning yourself and learning your body, the three-day benders that have become your norm will seem less important. I think, as a society, it is time to take a step back and decide what it is that makes the idea of numbing reality so common. I think, in doing so, maybe we can save ourselves from self-destruction and combat this substance-abuse crisis.

surrounded by so many people. This can be attributed to spending too much time with friends and not enough time with yourself. Sometimes in getting to know yourself, you are able to be more intentional with the people in your life. Take yourself on a date. Go to the gym all alone. Go buy groceries alone, or pump your gas alone. I am not saying to isolate yourself or ostracize yourself from your friend group, but it is important that you can be comfortable sitting still all on your own to truly be comfortable with your journey into adulthood. Trust me, self-confidence

and self-contentment go a long way.

3)Journey outside of your “norm.”I think, as college students, it is easy to get lost in the mundane routines of everyday life. These habitual acts can, and will eventually, burn you out. How are you supposed to know yourself and know what you want for your future without doing a little experimenting along the way? Apply for that internship, even if it looks a little different than the plan you have set for yourself. Maybe join a club or do something as simple as explore a form of media that you have never looked into before. I am not saying

that having established routines is bad. I myself stick to a pretty strict routine. However, in trying new things, you may learn more about yourself than what meets the eye. I by no means want to pretend that I have the ultimate guide to navigating your life, but these are some things that have helped and challenged me this past semester, and I decided it would be selfish of me to not share. Maybe give them a try, or maybe just begin meditating on the things that fuel your fire. Regardless, you are not alone on the road to self-discovery. Stay hungry.

Courtesy of Art Director | Claire O’Neill

Courtesy of Art Director | Claire O’Neill

Art is not only for the left-brained it is a universal method of commmunication

Hannah Adams Asst Opinion Editor

For centuries, art has been a method of intuitive communication that sparks a certain type of feeling in its beholder. Each person perceives art differently. Some people have a stronger connection to it than others. There are those who seek out art and desire for it to be a large portion of their life, and there are those who keep art at a distance. It can be fascinating and informative to obtain an understanding of the complex ways in which individuals view artistic creation.

For those that think more with the right side of the brain, art typically has a huge impact in their life. It is a source of grounding and connection, as well as an escape from the stresses of

tality is further explored.

“The Research Center for Arts and Culture (RCAC) at the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) established that artists suffer less loneliness and depression than the general population,” Phillips said. “According to the study,

ative collaboration for the aging population.”

For many rightbrained people, artistic values intrinsically become part of their personalities. It is not something they can control or even consciously think of. It is a crucial aspect of them as a person. For

derstand the connection that right-brained people feel to art. Despite these barriers, there are methods of art that can be suitable and appealing for all. It is not limited to the general mediums that come to mind when thinking of artistic practices, such as drawing

of recovery. Those being coached through the healing process tend to be exposed to creating their own art as well as visualizing the art of others. In elderly homes for those that struggle with dementia or memory loss, art is used as a crucial tool to maintain brain

hospital, I realize how fortunate I was that the patients gave me permission to enter the private corridors of their mental state — demons and all, “Phillips said. “They provided an enormous amount of valuable education that no academic course could ever offer to me. I also learned firsthand how creative self-expression has the potential to help those inflicted with mental illness. There are ways to communicate through art that transcend barriers and limitations and go straight to the heart of the matter.”

Art allows for a certain type of subjectivity that is not given the same capacity in other areas of life. It encourages the artist to create what is speaking to them, without limitation or hesitation. These