Cameron Collegian Spring 2024 Issue #9

CU at commencement Go Aggies!

Brittney Payette Manging Editor

At 7:30 p.m. on May 3 at the Cameron Stadium, Cameron University will host its Spring Commencement ceremony.

President John McArthur said that preparations for this year’s Commencement began last year on May 8.

“When we reviewed the events held on May 5 for what went well, what could be improved, and what should change,” he said, “meetings of the Public Exercises Task Force continue throughout the year to assure a great experience for our graduates, their families and guests.”

McArthur said that the role of the president of the university in the Commencement is largely ceremonial.

“I attend the graduate hooding ceremony, commissioning of our graduates becoming military officers and Commencement exercises,” he said. “ I provide brief remarks during Commencement, confer degrees to our graduates, then have the opportunity to shake hands and to provide a diploma cover to each graduate as a symbol of their degree completion.”

“In many ways, I am thinking about this ceremony as my graduation, too,” McArthur said. “I can still recall when I graduated from college on a very hot day back in 1987. I am more excited than anxious about what comes next.”

He said he wants graduates to know that he is confident that they will take what they have learned and accomplish great things for the community.

“I also want them to know that they are always welcome back to this institution whether as members of the CU Alumni Association, as guests at university events, or even as parents of the students of the future of this institution.”

“I enjoy seeing students I met as first-year students who have grown so much while achieving their academic goals.”

-John McArthur Cameron University President

McArthur said he feels an abundance of pride for the graduates at the ceremony.

“I enjoy seeing students I met as firstyear students who have grown so much while achieving their academic goals,” he said. “I also enjoy meeting family members of our graduates.”

Before the event, McArthur said he always prepares by reviewing scripts and speeches, monitoring the weather, and finding his cap, gown and other regalia.

He said he is looking forward to what comes next since this will be his final Commencement as the president of the university.

Senior Journalism and Media Production major Alec Santos said one of his favorite parts about his college experience at Cameron was founding a fraternity chapter called Kappa Sigma at the University.

“Over the years, the fraternity has introduced me to the most honorable, talented and smartest people I've ever met,” Santos said. “The honor of founding a chapter of the biggest fraternity in the world is one of my proudest achievements, that I'm so glad to have shared with my brothers.”

He also said that it feels surreal to be graduating from college.

“I still feel like my first move-in day was yesterday,” Santos said. “And the fact that I'm on the doorstep of life at the same time kinda freaks me out, but I am excited to find what this new chapter of life entails.”

Santos said his post-graduation plans include an internship with a non-profit organization called The OKC Rookie League Foundation; where he will create public relations and social

media content for the organization.

He said a significant takeaway from his college journey was that it is important to give people a chance.

“Like many of my mentors, whether that be coaches or professors, I've learned to do what they did to me,” Santos said. “Give people a chance, encourage people to be the best versions of themselves, and not be afraid to take risks. Just do it.”

Additionally, Santos said that what you do does not need to make sense to others as long as it makes you happy.

Senior Political Science major Marlon Banner said he is feeling a bit anxious about becoming more independent post-graduation, but he is also feeling eager and elated to finish school.

“In my experience, Cameron has taught me to work harder in my field, as Cameron geographically is much farther away from most opportunities than other colleges,” Banner said. This is both a good and bad thing, as it is farther away, but if you’re willing to work around that and put the extra effort in to seek opportunities across the state, you will stand out.”

He said that his favorite experience at Cameron was joining the Kappa Sigma Fraternity because he made lifelong friends through the organization.

Banner said he plans to work in the political science field.

“My current plan is to continue working for the US House of Representatives with Congresswoman Bice as a Field Representative,” he said.

For more information about Commencement, contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@ cameron.edu.

Photo by Brittney Payette

Make it Stick: the science of successful learning

Brittney Payette Manging Editor

A huge part of college and life in general involves learning. However, students are not always great at learning some of the class material long-term — myself included.

So, when I had a book presentation assignment for one of my classes, I decided to read a book titled “Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning” so I could figure out some of the most effective learning strategies from experts.

The authors of “Make it Stick” are Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel, and they use real-life stories combined with research studies to redefine what are the best ways to learn.

According to the book, learning is the process of attaining knowledge and skills that people can subsequently recall from memory to make sense of future problems and opportunities that arise.

There were also some assumptions made about learning that were established early on in the book. Some of the assumptions were that learning requires memory, learning and remembering is done throughout one’s entire life, and that the most effective strategies for learning often seem counterintuitive.

The authors outlined a three-step learning process: encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of converting sensory perceptions into novel, meaningful representations called memory traces.

The last step in the learning process is retrieval, which is recalling the information from memory and bringing it into one’s conscious awareness.

One of the primary ideas that is emphasized in the book is the idea that the more effort required to retrieve the information, the more durable the learning will be.

So, in the case of learning, easier is not actually better in the long run.

With that thought in mind, what are some effective learning strategies?

The authors offer several strategies that research shows are effective for long-term learning of information.

exam or paper. Knowing my strengths and weaknesses can help me know what to work on and make me feel more confident about what I already know before the assignment or exam date.

Interleaving involves someone switching out their practice set before they finish it. So, if I made some flashcards for one class, I would do a few, switch to another subject, and then come back to the flashcards.

good old trial and error.

Some of these strategies include low-stakes quizzing, selftesting, spacing out practice, interleaving, trying to solve an issue before learning the solution, and engaging in selfreflection.

Low-stakes quizzes and tests are either not for a grade or are not for very many points. They can be beneficial because they allow the individual to figure out what their weaknesses are and work on those before the actual

These memory traces are initially held in the short-term before being consolidated into long-term memory. Consolidation adjusts and stabilizes memory traces. Then, the brain rehearses the learning, gives the memory meaning, fills in blank spots, and makes connections to what the person already knows because of prior knowledge and experiences.

The website Quizlet has been a great tool for studying for my classes because there are a lot of flashcards already created for a multitude of subjects. Plus, best of all, it is free (unless you choose to pay for QuizletPlus... which I did not do.)

Spacing out practice can strengthen memory because the brain reconsolidates the memory, allowing for deeper processing and easier recall of the memory next time. Another form of spacing out practice is known as interleaving.

Interleaving improves a person’s ability to discriminate between problems later and choose the best solution for the problem.

Another study method is varied practice, which occurs when someone practices a skill in a different way. The book also discussed the importance of reflection and said that self-reflection can serve as a type of retrieval practice when someone asks themselves questions such as “what happened? What would I do differently next time?”

One reason why reflection is an effective learning strategy is because it can be considered what the book calls a desirable difficulty. The book described desirable difficulties as problems that occur that make learning more difficult and require more effort to be exerted.

Another useful tactic is generation: the act in which someone tries to solve a problem before learning the solution. So, generation is just

So, I discovered better ways to learn. I have started using some of these strategies, such as interleaving when studying for my classes. Interleaving can be a bit frustrating at times because it feels more comfortable for me to finish one thing before moving on to another. However, I can see how interleaving learning takes more effort and, therefore, leads to more robust and enduring learning.

It is hard to say how well the interleaving strategy is working for me since I have only recently begun it, but I look forward to seeing how it works for me in the long term.

As for the book itself, I appreciated how the book was structured. The authors used headings and subheadings to make the topics being discussed more clear and keeping the book well organized.

I appreciated the diverse, real-life examples that were included that demonstrated the plethora of situations in which people find themselves needing the ability to learn effectively.

I felt like the stories with real people made the material easier to understand and relate to. My main critique of the book is that it could be slightly redundant at times, but it was not a huge deal. I feel like I now know that much of what I have been told about the best studying methods are false and are not substantiated by research.

In summation, I would recommend reading this book if you love learning and want to know how to actually remember what you have learned.

Finally, I rate the book 4 out of 5 stars.

“Civil War” movie review may contain spoilers

and actresses.

What happens when our nation is divided once more and all we have left is remnants of what our forefathers wanted America to be?

A24’s recent film release “Civil War” will most definitely have that thought erupt in your mind.

An original film directed by Alex Garland, the man behind 28 Days Later and Ex Machina, that follows four journalists as they make their way through a war-torn America to have a once in a lifetime interview with the President of the United States.

Along their journey our main cast of characters will come face to face with the atrocities of human nature at its most primal as anarchy reigns supreme in America.

My initial viewing of this film in IMAX was quite enjoyable as there were aspects of the film that I really liked, and there were a couple of other parts that I didn’t quite enjoy or felt as if there needed to be more.

One of the best parts of the film was the performances done by the actors

Kirsten Dunst, who plays Lee Smith in the film, is phenomenal as she near perfectly emulates a desensitized war journalist whose only conviction is to get the biggest story ever.

Along with Dunst, the supporting cast also do an excellent job at depicting other war journalists of varying personalities that mirror their respective ages in the film.

For example, Wagner Moura depicts an adrenaline junkie middle-aged journalist who is in it for the excitement of war and Stephen Mckinley depicts a wiser, older journalist that stands as the straight man or rational mind of the group.

The character in the film who I liked the most in terms of character development has to be Jessie, played by Cailee Spaeny.

At the start of the film, Jessie is seen as this young and naive journalist just starting out her career documenting the events transpiring during the war.

Further into the plot, she slowly starts to become more and more desensitized to the crimes and horrors conducted by humans mirroring Kirsten Dunst’s character.

Another aspect I liked about the film were the choices of location. With this being an internal war between states, Alex Garland manages to showcase a war-stricken America where certain areas are destroyed by non-stop artillery fire or airstrikes and others riddled with dead bodies of those caught in the crossfire. This perfectly sets forth the feeling of chaos and despair to the audience as they witness what is supposed to be a place of security being torn apart. One such scene, which takes place in Washington, D.C., really pushes that agenda further when all hell breaks loose.

The sound design is also wonderfully done with gunfire being loud, destructive and explosive as if thunder has rolled through the theater. With the pros I’ve stated above, there are some things I didn’t like.

I wish the film focused more on the other cast of characters, Wagner Moura and Stephen Mckinley, as they felt underused or not as fleshed out compared to Kirsten Dunst’s and Cailee Spaeny’s characters. It definitely doesn’t help when there is one death that happens earlier in the film that

leaves very little emotional weight compared to a death closer to the end of the film.

Another problem I had was the depiction of how other Americans are affected by the war itself. There are scenes that showcase protests, temporary tenants of those who lost their homes, and outposts of a territory’s militia, but they felt too rushed or not focused upon more.

There could’ve been scenes where the journalists talk with some of the tenants of these camps to show the audience the extent of how this war has affected civilians.

Some of them could be immigrants who’ve recently come to America prior to the war who are now stuck and even penalized by those of varying political viewpoints from the rising tension, or even some racial disputes. These are just some problems I had with the film that are subjective.

I highly recommend checking this film out in IMAX or just check it out in general.

Overall, I do give this film an 8.5/10 as it does its job of depicting this dystopian future of what could happen if America went against itself.

James Jones Staff Writer

Courtesy Graphics

On the first weekend of April, I had the pleasure of attending the Scissortail Creative Writing Festival.

Before this, I never attended a writing festival, so I had no idea what to expect. Everything was new to me. It was all one big mystery to be discovered.

Several Cameron students submitted work to the Scissortail Undergraduate Contest, including myself. In total, eight of us students were in attendance for the festival.

I packed a suitcase for a three-daylong trip, clambered into a Cameronprovided van driven by none other than Professor Leah Chaffins, and settled in for a two-hour drive to Ada, Oklahoma, the Wednesday before the festival.

of emotions. I laughed, I cried, I gasped.

A few presenters were admittedly questionable –strange mentions of little girls and race that were unsavory in their portrayals.

However, the worst of it was overshadowed by wonderful readings.

A number of readers were actually from Cameron – Leah Chaffins, John G. Morris, and the Collegian’s

the authors’ books available for purchase.

I’m glad I remembered to bring cash with me, because I spent a long time browsing the books. I have built a small collection thanks to my attendance at Scissortail. I will undoubtedly seek out more work from these authors in the future.

On Friday afternoon, undergraduate students received recognition for submitting their work to the Undergraduate Competition at Scissortail.

Speaking of that, although Cameron did not win the top prizes, Kaley Muse and Ryn Swinson won honorable mentions – a wonderful feat and a testament to their incredible work as writers.

My favorite thing about Scissortail was listening to the work of all the authors who read over the course of the festival. I feel like I absorbed so much from being in the presence of such a talented array of creatives.

The scheduled authors were not the only ones I learned from, though.

My peers who submitted work

alongside me had a chance to read their work at an open mic, which I was beyond grateful to hear. Hearing the talent of my friends and classmates was, in short, a humbling and gratifying experience that has lingered even now.

Attending Scissortail was a deeply enriching experience, and I have been left with the knowledge of everything I aspire to achieve and how to improve upon my own work.

If I had any recommendations as to which authors you should seek out, I would encourage everyone to read the work of Quinn Carver Johnson, Kai Coggin, Rubeena Anjum, Quraysh Ali Lansana, and Audrey Kallenberger. (I could name many, many more but unfortunately I have to make this concise.)

I leave you all with this: please, if you can, submit your work to Scissortail next year. Join the Writer’s Studio here at Cameron. Support the writers in your community.

Creativity is an overflowing well of knowledge – don’t deprive yourself of another taste.

Amelia Lozano Voices Editor Courtesy Graphic

Photo by Amelia Lozano

BRITTNEY PAYETTE

A BITTERSWEET FAREWELL TO THE MANAGING EDITOR A BITTERSWEET FAREWELL TO THE MANAGING EDITOR

Cameron student mediawill say farewell to the managing editor of the “Collegian” at the end of this semester.

After years of dedicated service, Brittney Payette, a beacon of journalistic integrity and leadership, is embarking on a new chapter in her journey toward becoming a licensed practicing counselor.

Payette grew up with a love of writing and helping people, prompting her into the world of journalism. She started Cameron University declaring journalism as her major, but then realized she could aid those in need in the psychology field. Despite this, she insists she will never stop writing.

Since her freshman year Payette has been an integral part of the newspaper, immersing herself in the art of storytelling and the pursuit of truth.

With a Bachelor’s degree in General Psychology under her belt, her passion for understanding the human mind has aided her journey in journalism.

As she navigated through the bustling newsroom, Payette displayed an unwavering commitment to excellence and a keen eye for meaningful stories.

Her articles delved into the complexities of campus life, shedding light on issues ranging from student housing struggles to the triumphs of academic achievements.

Payette is particularly proud of the preparations she has made for the next managing editor.

“I am really proud of the things that I’ve set up to hopefully make the transition for my leaving easier,” Payette said.

In her tenure as managing editor, she demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, guiding her team through the challenges of deadlines and breaking news with grace and determination. Under her stewardship, the

“Collegian” flourished, earning accolades for its incisive reporting and pursuit of truth.

But beyond her journalistic endeavors, Payette’s passion for learning and exploration has been evident in her pursuits outside the newsroom.

Currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Mental Health, she is committed to bridging the gap between academia and real-world practice, aspiring to make a tangible difference in the lives of others as a licensed counselor.

Away from the hustle and bustle of campus life, she finds solace in the pages of her favorite books.

“I definitely have the belief that there is no such thing as too many books, but there is such thing as not enough storage,” Payette said

Throughout her journey, Associate Professor David Bublitz served as a source of inspiration and support for her.

“I feel privledged to have Brittney on staff for the ‘Collegian,’ and it has been amazing to watch her develop into the professional she has become,” Bublitz said. “Brittney has been serving in a leadership position with student media since she was a freshman. She brings a sense of calm, patience and profesionalism into the newsroom.

I am very proud of her service as a student journalist, and I think she will see a lot of success after graduation.”

As Payette transitions of she leaves behind a legacy of journalistic excellence and unwavering dedication. Her departure marks the end of an era but also the beginning of a new chapter filled with endless possibilities and boundless potential.

Though she may be bidding farewell to the newsroom, her impact will continue to reverberate throughout the halls of Cameron University, inspiring future generations of journalists and advocates alike.

For more information about serving on the Collegian staff, please contact Prof. Bublitz at dbublitz@cameron.edu for further details.

SENIOR ART SHOWCASE

“IN FLUX”: CONSTANTLY CHANGING

Photo by Hannah Owens

“Escape” by Lorena Jaquez

“Pool Party” by Krystal Solis

“Rose Canyon” by Katrielle Sonnenburg

“Ethan & Company” by BettyJo Patris

“Kubrik Stare” by Sage Girardot

The Writing Studio Life Gives Us Our Stories

The Writer’s Studio, previously known as the Writer’s Club, has been an active campus organization since April 2022. Leah Chaffins, is the faculty adviser.

“All of the professors that had been teaching creative writing over a couple of semesters ended up getting jobs at other universities, so we didn’t have the student participation with Scissortail,” she said.

Scissortail is a literary festival that is hosted annually for students to compete across Oklahoma.

“Scissortail, at that point, was given over to me to start taking students to. Only one student went the first year, and on the ride home, that student said to me ‘wow I wish we could have a group of students who meet and were preparing for the Scissortail competition.’ It was at that point that I told the student, well start a student organization, and we’ll build it,” she said.

From that point on, students came together and formed the Cameron Writing Club.

“It went on till COVID-19; however, after COVID-19, the Writing Club didn’t really start back up,” she said.

As campus opened back up, in Chaffins’ Intro to Creative Writing class, students heard about the former club and started to become interested in getting something together again.

“No one was interested in that name because they kind of wanted to reformat their own, so when we went to Scissortail, the students came back and were ready to compete. We knew that our biggest competitor at that time at the Scissortail event was Southeastern State University, so we really did like other sports teams do. We’re not a sports team; we’re an academic team, but sports teams look at their competition and say ‘hey what are they doing that works and what doesn’t work?’

“As we looked around a lot of the universities were going with a writers studio framework, and so we set up as the Writer’s Studio,” Chaffins said.

This upcoming semester, many members of the Writer’s Studio are graduating.

“We’re entering a transition point where all of our experienced writers in The Writer’s Studio are moving on, but we still want to keep the Writer’s Studio going; we know we still have students that are interested in writing,” she said.

The Writer’s Studio is actively looking for students to join.

“We are very interested in students who are looking at rebuilding The Writer’s Studio into what their vision of The Writer’s Studio can be, because that’s what I want the Writer’s Studio to be. What the students want,” she said. It is a good time to join, Chaffins said.

“With everyone graduating, the Writer’s Studio is kind-of a blank slate right now. So it’s a good time to come in and look at what the Writer’s Studio has been and what we want the Writer’s Studio to be. How do we want it to look? Who are our writers? We get to build all of that again,” she said.

The Writer’s Studio has no restrictions on what a member can share or write.

“The students active in the Writer’s Studio, are not picky about whether its poetry or nonfiction or fiction or essays or manifestos or whatever,” she said. Chaffins seeks to diversity the voices in the Writer’s Studio.

“...not just a diversity of pieces, we need a representation of who we are as a people, as a whole,” she said.

Networking is an important part of the Writer’s Studio.

“It helps us move forward, it helps us build those threads, our community of employment, of publication even if it’s for emotional support. Writers are artists, and artists rely heavily on community — even for workshopping

and our personal growth as writers. We rely on each other; we think of writing as a solo experience, the writer in their bedroom in the dark, writing on their computer clickly clacking away, and that is part of it, but its not all of it,” she said.

Not many people realize how important networking is, Chaffins said.

“Its often overlooked, and so when we talk about networking, after the point where the author has sat alone and written this beautiful story, it’s not ready to go; it needs beta readers, needs to be workshopped. It needs people to say ‘oh hey look here what if you did this’ and so writing becomes this very collaborative experience for writers who aren’t connected to a lot of people, sometimes it limits the stories that they have,” she said.

“Because life gives us our stories, right? And the Writer’s Studio is the first initial networking that some students get working with their peers and developing their voice, their skills, grammar it all comes from that networking experience,” she said.

“It’s time to rebuild; I think it will be good getting some new fresh ideas and seeing where the Writer’s Studio is gonna go from here. If I could have the Writer’s Studio be everything it

could be, it would be a place where any writer on the Cameron campus feels comfortable to come

“It’s been pretty fun; I get to liketalk about my story ideas or read other people’s works and like improve my writing by just like talking to people but also learning from them and their writing,” she said.

Davis said it’s a very chill and anyone can come.

“It’s just nice to be with like-minded people and being able to read their stuff and them being able to give me feedback and bouncing ideas off each other,” she said.

When Davis joined she was a little scared.

“But everyones nice; it’s an open space for everyone,” she said.

Davis encourages people to join as it opens doors for writers.

“You don’t just come here and write, there are contests and things you can do to get your writing out in the world.” she said.

For more information about the Writer’s Studio, contact Leah Chaffins at lellis@cameron.edu.

Tal S lar EclipSE visits CU with 95 percent totality

From 1:30-1:50 p.m., April 8, at the Monica & Tom McCasland Family Pond, the CHEM club and Department of Chemistry hosted their very own observatory event for the Total Solar eclipse. Chemistry Instructor KD Priyasantha said he was excited to bring students together.

“My goal is to take Chemistry outside of the classroom to the general community, and not only chemistry but more like science, so this is a part of that,” he said.

The Cameron University CHEM club and Department of Chemistry provided students with free solar eclipse glasses to witness the event.

Alongside free glasses, the Physics and Engineering, ACS Student Chapter provided a Telescope setup for students to get a closer look at the astronomical phenomenon.

As the time got closer to 1:40 p.m., campus became darker with the peak totality at around 1:45 p.m. and ending at 1:50 p.m.

CU student Matthew Halsey was glad to see the eclipse since it won’t happen for another 20 years.

“But, I did think that it would be a bit darker,” he said.

For more information about this event contact the Chemestry, Physics and Engineering Department at (580) 581-2246.

Photo by Sarah Monk

Photo by Amelia Lozano

By Kemar Noel A&E

This review may contain some spoilers for “Your Lie in April.”

As April comes to a close, there is an anime that always manages to make a resurgence in the media around this time every year “Your Lie in April.”

“Your Lie in April” is a romance drama anime written by Naoshi Arakawa that was in serialization between April 2011 and February 2015. The Anime was animated by “A-1 Pictures” in 2014 and ended in March of 2015, just a month before April of the next year. This story, while classified as romance, is a story that takes you on a beautiful musical journey, while exploring the unique struggles that come with youth.

“Your Lie in April” takes place in Japan where a prodigy pianist and our main character Kousei Arima lives. Kousei is known as the “human metronome” and can play any musical score perfectly without error. He was a famous pianist and known for his brilliance while playing the piano so well at such a young age. The goal that he had, and what pushed him so hard when he was younger, was the thought of his mother recovering from her illness the better he played.

His mother, Saki Arima, is the story’s main antagonist who trained and molded Kousei into the prodigy he became. Saki’s methods were very abusive in nature, and the piano skills she wanted to leave him with before she passed away were trivial when thinking about the amount of mental and physical trauma he was put through. Little did Saki realize that, soon after her death, the wounds she inflicted on her son festered so much that it caused him to lose the ability to hear himself when he played piano.

The story is about how Kousei learns how to shake off the trauma inflicted upon him by his mother and how he finds his way to not only play music, but also to reignite his passion for the piano.

The deuteragonist in this show, Kaori Miyazono, is arguably one of the most important in this show. Kaori is a violinist who is the polar opposite of Kousei. She believes that music isn’t something that should have a rulebook; she is free-spirited and has a big impact on the entire main cast.

The other two characters apart of the main cast are Tsubaki Sawabe and Ryota Watari, two of Kousei’s childhood friends. Tsubaki is one person impacted indirectly by the effect Kaori has on Kousei. At first, Tsubaki saw Kousei as a “high maintenance brother,” who she could always take care of, but after he started showing feelings toward

Kaori, everything started to change. Watari isn’t affected much by Kaori but is the first to notice the feelings the Kousei has for her. Watari was able to regain his best friend due to Kaori’s intervention in their lives and expressed his gratitude differently.

The impact that Kaori has on the cast goes beyond the surface level; the way she was able to move the minds and hearts of the stagnant group of friends was very commendable.

Kaori came into the story and changed everyone’s lives for the better. Kousei was unable to hear his music and was afraid to play the one thing that he loved so much, the piano. Kaori paved a new path for him to follow and introduced a new way for him to play music. Even though he wasn’t able to hear his music, Kousei was able to feel the music he was playing, and instead of being the machine he was known as before, he was able to truly understand the piano.

After Kaori’s passing, Kousei received a letter from Kaori revealing her thoughts leading up to her death and everything she didn’t tell him before. She admits that the reason she started playing violin was so that she would have the ability to play with Kousei one day on stage, and when she found out he didn’t play anymore, she wanted to make the change.

Kaori’s goal was to live her life without regrets since she knew she wouldn’t have much time left. The only thing that she regretted was the one lie she told to everyone when she was alive, and in her letter to Kousei, she said “I lied and said that I, Miyazono Kaori, liked Watari Ryouta. And that lie brought you to me.”

There was no way Kaori would be able to make her way into the seemingly impenetrable group of friends because of how tight-knit they had been since childhood. The only way she saw was to ask Tsubaki to introduce her to Watari so she could make her way into the group. This was the only lie she told since she was in love with Kousei from the very beginning hence the name “Your Lie in April.”

The story was so vivid and rich, yet the anime was hard to watch. The love that Kaori showed her joy in all things and how freely she gave that joy to others is something that you couldn’t just help to be fond of.

Love is another aspect that was explored amazingly in this story, and the way the anime explored the many types of love that were given is nothing short of astounding. Arakawa can write characters in a way that makes them feel real, and he shows how emotions are constructive and destructive — he shows just how human they are.

He tells us a story with an important message,

and that is: if we live long enough, we experience the passing of loved ones over and over, but it is what you do with the time you are given that matters.

Kaori was 15 at the time of her death, but she was able to leave an impact on the hearts of the people she held dear to her. Learning to accept all that happens in life is a valuable lesson, and watching how Kaori handled her imminent death with such grace and courage is phenomenal, to say the least.

The musical aspect of the anime is something that deserves much praise because of the dedication that the production team put in to make it just that much better. Each episode is filled with amazing music that is only used to further complement scenes and elevate emotion. For each performance, there are real musicians using instruments, and this unique style choice is something that adds to the story. There are very notable pieces played throughout the show by famous pianists like Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin. Each piece is used in a way that helps progress the story and character growth.

The animation is something that still holds up even a decade after the anime’s release. The emotions and visuals shown to the audience are captivating, and you feel like you are with the characters on their journeys. Each scene animated while characters are playing the instruments is real and isn’t just animated for the sake of getting the scene done. The animation team working on this project was able to show their love for this anime through its amazing production, and they deserve nothing but high praise for the work.

The name of the story itself was decided from the beginning and with that so was the ending.

The story is presented to be an upbeat anime that is about a young boy getting over his past experiences, but those narrative expectations are thrown for a loop because of the emotional rollercoaster audiences experience with the characters.

This story is both a beautiful account of the power of music and a tragic tale of youth. I think that this series is deserving of its success and deserves more due to its powerful storytelling, characters, music and overall thematic elements. Kaori wanted her music and story to touch anyone who listened, and she not only managed to impact the cast in the anime but the audience, as well.

It is a shame that the scale only goes to a ten because this anime is nothing short of a masterpiece. I suggest this anime to music enjoyers and anyone who likes a great compelling story.

I give “Your lie in April” a solid 10 out of 10.

CAMERON UNIVERSITY Women’s Golf

MOLLIE WHEELER

Ramona Villegas Sports Editor

Mollie Wheeler is an exchange student from West Sussex, England, and this is her second year on the green for Cameron University.

Wheeler first picked up a club at age 15 or 16.

“Probably later than most of the girls that I play with would say; a lot of them would say they started when they were 6, 7, 8,” Wheeler said.

Although golf did not interest her as much in the beginning as field hockey did, after a friend invited her to play on the course they had at school, it changed her mind completely.

Wheeler said, “I fell in love with it, stopped playing hockey, kinda dwindled out. Then from there, just picked up golf.”

In America, a 6-hour drive is short, while the whole country of England can be driven in around 15 hours.

“My school was sort of on the south coast of England,” Wheeler said, “Seaford College.”

In America, golf has become an increasingly popular sport, with many women and girls taking up the game. The increased participation has also led to a more competitive landscape, with women’s golf tournaments and professional tours gaining more popularity and prestige.

“So many more girls now are getting so much better at golf and wanting to pursue it as a career professionally so a very different atmosphere to what it is at home,” Wheeler said.

The tennis team coach Christi Williams was the first to contact Wheeler initially, which is what got her interested in potentially attending college at Cameron.

“There were also a lot of girls on the team previous to me who reached out to me through social media, got chatting to them, really liked them as people had conversation with them,” Wheeler said. “She thought the team environment was going to be really great.”

Wheeler likes the opportunity to travel to many states while on the team. The team also plays prestigious golf courses and sees the people who inspire them. Before she came to the States, she had only been to Florida.

“Now I’ve checked off five or six states off my bucket list to visit,” Wheeler said.

She loves to travel and has always enjoyed traveling all over the world. Her passion for exploring new cultures and experiencing different ways of life has taken her to many countries.

“In the fall, we traveled to Salt Lake City, Utah, and that’s definitely the top of my list so far,” Wheeler said. “The thing I liked the most is traveling with a team, especially our further travel flights were we get to go on plains.”

While Wheeler was in high school, or what is known in England as college, her concentrations in biology and psychology.

“In high school, we got to select just three subjects to take so you could really narrow your focus,” Wheeler said.

She is a biology major who wants to go into neurology by becoming a surgeon or studying statistics. Wheeler enjoys her classes, which is a lot of work, especially along-side golf. The golf team also lifts twice a week in the mornings; then, they typically do skills and technical work lasting one to two hours once or twice a week. During their tournaments, they are anywhere from four hours to five and a half depending on how many women are out there.

Wheeler said, “As long as I manage my time half decently, then it’s fine.”

One thing is guaranteed: she will still be playing golf long after she graduates from Cameron. She loves the thought of playing the game competitively while pursuing her higher education.

“If I’m in Europe, play on a lower European tour, and if I’m in the States, playing on a lower state tour,” Wheeler said,” Then work my way up from there.”

When she is out on the green, there is sometimes a high amount of pressure since golf is an individual sport. In golf, during tournaments, they take five girls, and four of those scores are counted as the team score.

“Only one person can have a bad day, and the rest of you need to shoot a good score,” Wheeler said.

For more information on the golf team, go to https:// cameronaggies.com/sports/womens-golf/schedule

Photo by Ramona Villegas

“Something I’ve learned this year is that it’s good to put yourself outside your comfort zone. Otherwise you might miss out on life changing experiences.” -Ciera

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