The Yard: Vol 12 Issue 2

volume twelve  issue two

Spring 2023

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Springtime in Charleston is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. Even as I write this letter in February, the temperatures are slowly beginning to creep above 70 degrees, and the air is getting more humid by the hour. Rivers Green is more crowded than ever, and beach weather is just around the corner. As always, e Yard is here to help you get prepped for the spring season– browse our rst ever CY sta -approved book list for your beach reads, study up on alternative grading methods in time for nals, learn about at-home gardening with our Features Editor Devin, and nd out ways to get your books that do not involve J* B*z*s.

Before embarking on this issue, I want to bring to your attention the people that make it happen. With May not far on the horizon, it’s hard to ignore that my tenure as Editor-in-Chief will soon come to a close. I’ve seen this magazine come so far since last year, and I could not be more proud of each and every person who was a part of it. To my amazing volunteers: know that your incredible work has made an impact on this campus. Some of you have been with us since your rst few weeks on campus, and you’ve come farther than I could have ever expected. It’s been a true honor to watch you all grow. To Courtney, our Operations Manager: thank you for bearing with me and taking all of my panic in stride. And nally, to Tyler, Alix, Lara, Madison, Devin, and Bri: I cannot thank you all enough for your hard work and dedication to this magazine. I know it took a lot of sleepless nights and enough frantic texts from me to ll a museum, but I could’ve never done it without you.

I know this sounds like a goodbye, but rest easy– you’re stuck with me for a little longer. For now, I hope you enjoy all this issue has to o er. I hope, too, that you relish in the warm weather ahead and nish this semester strong. May this issue be tucked in your beach tote, or packed alongside textbooks for a sunny study session in Marion Square. No matter where the season takes you: have a happy springtime, CofC!

Margaret Bruce Editor-in-Chief Class of ‘23

CY READS

Wht’s our st f Rading?

What You Have Heard Is True: A Memoir of Witness and Resistance by Caroline Forche

’

On Earth We’re Brie y Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

The Force of Such Beauty by Barbara Bourland

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

My Year of Re and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh

The Secr Hi ory by Donna Tart

Burnout: The Secr to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Slouching Towards B hlehem by Joan Didion

The Five People You Me in Heaven by Mitch Albom

To Paradise by Hanya Yanagihara

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jenn te McCurdy

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

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By: Madeline Ritger

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Cannibalism has dominated the screen post-pandemic. anks to television shows like Yellowjackets (2021) and Monster: e Je rey Dahmer Story (2022), and movies like Bones and All (2022) or Fresh (2022).While these works all share the act of consuming human esh, they each take very di erent approaches to the narrative. Whether it’s meant to be thrilling, symbolic, or just plain horrifying, the act of consuming other people has become a recognizable and enjoyable trope in popular culture, something we eat up.

Yellowjackets follows a soccer team who are stranded after a plane crash. Without giving too much away, the rst episode ends with some of the survivors slicing up meat on a platter. While the show itself is not about cannibalism, it does serve as a means for survival for these girls. e show is based o of the real Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes in 1972. Survivors were forced to consume the bodies of dead passengers in order to survive.

Bones and All, starring Timothee Chalamet, is the complete opposite of Yellowjackets. While the show uses cannibalism as a means for survival, Bones and All uses it as a metaphor for love and the inability to escape who you are. e movie is incredibly romantic to the point where you empathize with the characters despite the monstrous acts they commit.

Fresh, starring Daisy Edgar Jones and Stebas-

tian Stan, starts o as a sweet romantic comedy turned horror when heroine Noa is sucked into an underground cannibal ring. Stan’s character, Steve, seeks out young women, woo’s them, and then kidnaps them. He dismembers them slowly over long periods of time and sells their meat to rich buyers who enjoy consuming human esh. Here, cannibalism is not a tool of survival, but a symbol of capitalism and the all consuming attitude the rich have.

e Je rey Dahmer Story might be the most disturbing of all as this is not a work of ction, but rather a drama documentary about famed serial killer Je rey Dahmer, portrayed by Evan Peters, who was known for consuming his victims. e show received a lot of backlash due to the sense of glori cation and capitalization of a real life tragedy. Nevertheless, it was incredibly successful and Peters recently took home a Golden Globe for his performance.

It is not surprising that we are subconsciously attracted to things that are disturbing. But why is Hollywood producing such vulgar content? And why do we enjoy it so much? It’s the phenomenon of knowing that at the end of the lm, we are still safe. ere is something so enjoyable, almost ecstatic, about being able to experience horror through ction. It is grotesque the concept of someone eating someone else, but like the characters in these lms, we have a deep desire to consume the content.

Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, e Weeknd, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo and Adele. From record breaking album drops to unprecedented world tours– the past few years have been a whirlwind in the entertainment industry. Did a long break in pop culture do society some good? Or can we even call these new numbers a good thing?

e pandemic has o ered a fundamental shift in how we experience music. e 2010’s o ered a variety of live music and the shift from analog (radio) to digital (streaming). e early 2020’s introduced a two year drought to the industry as a whole. Artists couldn’t get in the studio, obviously couldn’t perform live shows and the production line basically came to a halt. Ranging from artists being unable to record in the studio, to lack of physical promotion (i.e. tours), and even

the distribution of albums outside of the internet became near obsolete. It could be considered a dark age for the industry.

While forms of enjoyment such as radio and analog were already becoming obsolete forms of listening, COVID seemed to solidify streaming platforms place at the top due to restrictions for in person shopping, in addition to the newfound convenience of online streaming. It is dominating the music industry, and without much competition. Going out and buying your favorite album is now basically a thing of the past with vinyls being an inconvenient exception. Now, it’s easier than ever to put out music. Marketing can be done at your ngertips, and royalties allow artists to not only make money when someone initially purchases their album, but whenever they circle back to it. While all this sounds ne and dandy it

L e t s

CoRNa Baker

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creates a paradox where the big artists only get bigger and the small names just get lost in the shu e. On average 100,000 songs are being uploaded to digital music providers every single day, says Variety. We can compare this number to an average of 40,000 per day in 2019 and 60,000 in February 2021. is represents a fundamental shift in the industry, and spreads beyond the past couple years - in the 1960’s only 5,000 albums were being released a year. We can attribute this recent spike to the convenient and e ortless ways music can be produced. With even just a laptop, anyone can create and record a track and post it to a number of di erent websites. Our world today is becoming more fast paced– in terms of music, fashion, pop culture and media. And it’s quite literally impossible to keep up, placing the burden of keeping up onto labels, companies and artists. Spotify’s contribution to helping new artists and listeners is in the form of their curated playlists - personal and sitewide. With the New Music Friday boast-

ing all the new music from the week - often lesser known artists. Along with Daily Mix playlists and Release Radar o ering users unique and curated playlists based solely on their recent listening history, with the addition of new songs they think you may enjoy. Instead of only having a few core artists you keep up with, listening has become a game of discovery. Apple’s also taking a jab at this new world of music stating:

“With such a huge expanse of songs, we know you need someone there to guide you through. Gone are the days of hitting shu e on your library: Now it’s on us to help you discover new favorites and rediscover forgotten gems, whether it’s one of our expert radio hosts lighting your path, or a handcrafted playlist.”

is new way of listening and releasing presents alternative ways of “getting streams.” It can be safely assumed that the current extravagance of the industry could be attribut-

ed to the abundance of online consumerism. Looking at Tiktok for example, a whole new way of marketing has opened up– particularly in music. With nearly every video having a sound bite or song attached to it, a viral trend can change an artist’s life and launch nearly anyone into stardom.

is o ers a unique translation into live music. Now, with seemingly no restrictions and exponential opportunities to release and market music, the entertainment industry is experiencing a Renaissance. Not only are we getting new music faster than we can consume it, live music is booming. So while at home streaming has certainly become one of America’s favorite pastimes, as of lately most big names have released albums in the past two years and the majority of artists have or are planning a tour as an accompaniment. ere is no lack of enthusiasm from fans to see their favorite artists perform live. But ticket prices are in a losing battle against in ation and companies’ attempts to regain losses from the pandemic.

Since before the pandemic hit, we’ve been seeing this rise in prices and popularity of tours, and to nobody’s surprise– a rise in “standom” in the 2010’s. Simply put, standoms act as a badge of honor to the most extreme and loyal fans. With tour’s gaining traction and picking up speed in the late 2010’s, we saw the introduction of new hoops to jump through in order to score tickets. With virtual queues, veri ed fans and scalpers dominating the sales - this jump didn’t come out of nowhere. e days of getting tickets to a top artist from the box o ce a few weeks before the show are over. Anyone who tried to buy Taylor Swift tickets in the past few months knows the pain - with a whopping 2 million tickets being sold

in a single day, the most ever sold for an artist in a single day according to TicketMaster. We saw more big numbers in 2021 with Harry Styles selling 669,051 tickets for his infamous Love on Tour according to Variety. What we can take away from this - is that fan bases and tours are only getting bigger. So I’d honestly say your best bet in getting a ordable tickets in this day and age, is taking a liking to less popular artists.

With bands like Boy Genius reuniting, and artists like Bonnie Raitt winning a surprise Grammy after nearly 50 years in the industry and even Olivia Rodrigo experiencing a quick rise to fame in 2021. e past 2 years have been a whirlwind that no one could have expected in the industry.

So if you take anything away from this article, I’d say to just enjoy it. Listen to new music, learn about new artists and bask in a world where there is clearly no shortage of chords that I’m sure you’ll be able to take a liking to at least something. Now that we can leave our houses in a more peaceful manner, go to a concert for a new band, or attend a local music festival. Whatever it is, music is in a place we’ve never seen before, and we’d be fools to not take advantage of it.

By: Claire McCa rey

UERTED Behi Your Go

For Charlestonians, picnicking and tanning season have always been a staple of leisure. While we may like to think that we are the blueprint- getting tan lines at Marion Square, indulging in sunset picnics at White Point Gardens and carpooling to meet friends at the Washout- locals have been enjoying our favorite parks and beaches for centuries. Although, they would tell their versions VERY di erently. While there are many gruesome histories of Charleston that should never be overshadowed, here are the stories of some unique silver linings that you have probably never heard of.

White Point Gardens

Your classic walk down King Street to the Battery would have spit you out into a foreign land in the 1600s! What we know today as White Point Gardens, the city’s oldest park on the Battery, used to be a wasteland littered with sun-bleached oyster shells, giving it the name Oyster Point up until 1837. As time went on, it developed into a recreational area with evolving functions. How fortunate are we for the added greenery! As it grew in popularity, locals began devising a plan to elevate the park even further: the addition of a oating, public bath house on top of the Ashley River. Not only did the towering, circular structure create a natural pool in the center for residents to escape the summer heat, Ghost City Tours claims that it even had a cake and ice cream parlor on top, and was occasionally used as a base for rework displays. JUST IMAGINE! Charleston’s original rooftop scene! Unfortunately, a rough hurricane season eventually led to its destruction in 1881. Nevertheless, Charlestonians always knew how to keep the good times rolling. Ghost City Tours notes that in 1906 a bandstand was added to the park that held concerts up until its demise in 1978, largely due to noise complaints from the neighborhood…wah wah.

e history of Charleston’s music scene didn’t stop there. Believe it or not, Folly Beach hosted the hottest performers from the 30s to the 60’s, including Otis Redding and Tommy Dorsey, SC Living claims. You may be curious as to where the concerts took place, now that the beach is lined with hotels and other establishments. Adjacent to the pier, what used to be a simple pavilion for events in the 1930s, later developed into the ‘Ocean Plaza’ in the 60s. Not only was it a lively pavilion, it also included a skating rink, bowling alley, roller coaster, ferris wheel and a merry-go-round…all of it right on the beach, according to SC Living. On summer days, locals and tourists would dance the night away under the pavilion and pier. Jealous yet? Well, you can count your blessings. Similar to tra c on the rst few beach days of March nowadays, a trip to Folly in the 1920s used to take an upwards of two hours via the steamer ‘Attaquin’ or uncommonly via automobiles, according to Charleston Magazine. Fol

HIOES To Tni Spots

is boat-to-beach business was nothing new to Sullivan’s Island. In the summer of 1820, the advent of steamboat ferries led to the replacement of Sullivan’s seasonal, row-boat ferry to “the cove,” or in modern terms- a dropo between Station 12 and 13, according to the Charleston County Public Library. Later, after the development of urban street cars on the downtown peninsula, local investors decided to add some to Sullivan’s! Afterwards, all beach go-ers needed to bring was their swimsuit, towel, and sunscreen (although, the attire and manners were very di erent back then). You may have noticed that neither of this exists today. Several trolley-related personal injury lawsuits in the early 1920’s and many, many more dilemmas are to blame for their closure, Charleston County Public Library notes.

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ese mini-histories have only scraped the surface of uncommonly discussed stories. It is remarkable how much history is right beneath our feet…or our beach towels. What’s even more exciting is that we are contributing to it every day! It’s our responsibility to make sure the histories we create are more than just the few silver linings, so get involved and help protect these amazing landmarks.

For residents and tourists who wanted to stay on the peninsula, Hampton Park was the place to be. Charleston Magazine notes that in 1791, a portion of what was previously Orange Grove Plantation was bought by the South Carolina Jockey Club. From there they developed a oval race track for the nest of horses. Does the park’s mile-long workout loop make sense now? Well, each February the course would host Race Week, which was comparable to the modern-day Kentucky Derby, New York Fashion Week and Met Gala tied into one. Members would grace visitors with ne hospitality and socialize with the rest of Charleston’s elite. is tradition lasted until 1882, due to the tragic interruptions on the land during the Civil War. Later, Charleston Magazine states, Hampton Park became the site for the South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition, which constructed grandiose buildings on the park to display the newest innovations for visitors like Mark Twain. Oddly enough, where the ponds sit today used to be the dry, “sunken gardens” for the exposition!

The Pros and Cons of Studying Abroad

By: Madeline Ritger

While studying abroad is not a common experience for the average college student, it is something that I see advertised everywhere. ose who have had the opportunity to study abroad call it a once-ina-lifetime or life-changing experience. While I am sure these things are true, I can’t help but wonder what the downsides are.

Study abroad is a program that most universities have that allows you to travel and study in another country for a period of time. It could be a week, a month, a semester or a year. College of Charleston has a vast study abroad program, working with countries all over the world. Students may choose to study abroad in order to gain global experience while earning college credits.

ere are de nite pros to participating in this program: you get to experience a culture unfamiliar from your own, make new friends internationally, get a change of scenery and gain a newfound sense of independence. In addition, it looks fantastic on a resume and can open the door to networking opportunities.

On the other hand, there are a lot of downsides that come with studying abroad. As someone about

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to study abroad, one of the biggest concerns I have is how expensive it is. I decided to study abroad during the month of May, and I will be spending the same amount of money as I would for a regular semester of college. In addition to the cost of the program, I am also responsible for the plane tickets and all of my meals. While scholarships and grants exist, they are not guaranteed. Another downside to studying abroad is culture shock. While you are getting to experience a new place, you are also having to navigate said new place on your own. Meeting new people, learning your way around and being away from home can be di cult. ese di erences can lead to homesickness, which can lead to feelings of isolation.

Studying abroad can be a great experience, but it is not for everyone. It is expensive, but it does o er worldly experiences you will not get at home. Culture shock can be di cult, but the program leaders are there to act as a guide so you are not alone. Being away from family and friends is hard, but making new friends internationally is not something everyone has the opportunity to do. ere are pros and cons, but the same can be said for any choice you make. Your college experience can be great with or without studying abroad.

UNoveRng th TRubLd Teen INustry

by Blakesley Rhett

It’s the middle of the night, and you are sleeping peacefully in your bed after a normal day at school hanging out with your friends. Suddenly, you are awoken by two strange men standing in your bedroom. As the men grab onto you and pull you from your bed, all you can do is scream, as you fear the worst is about to happen. e two strangers force you out of your room and down the stairs, and you are shocked to nd your parents awake in the living room. You call out to them for help, but all they do is watch as the men drag you away from your home and are thrown into a van. e men ignore your pleas and sobs as they drive

for hours, only talking to you once they reach the airport. ey force a walking boot onto one of your legs and tell you not to try to run or say anything as you are forced onto a plane and own away from your home and normal life. It is not until after hours of travel that you reach a facility and begin to understand: your parents hired those men to kidnap you, to drag you across state lines and bring you to a troubled teen treatment facility. You are told that you are not allowed to contact your parents or leave for many months or even years. is is your new life.

Wht is Th TRubLd Teen INustry?

is may seem like a nightmare, but in actuality it is a horrible reality for thousands of teenagers all across the United States. e Troubled Teen Industry (TTI) encompasses all of the facilities that are framed as teen rehab centers. ese facilities come in many di erent forms, from boot camp, wilderness therapy, conversion centers, to behavior modi cation centers and are advertised to parents who feel the need to change their child’s behavior. Children are sent to these facilities by their parents for a multitude of reasons: mental

illness, substance abuse, staying out late, sexuality or disrespecting authority. ese residential facilities are marketed to parents as a safe space for their children to learn and be provided therapeutic services. When a child is sent to one of these facilities, they lose any sense of control in their lives and have no outside contact or chance of leaving until either their parents or the facility sta see t. ey are at the complete mercy of the residential sta

Behvior Md ication ThRpy

e most infamous of these troubled teen facilities is the Provo Canyon Union school in Utah. e school website describes itself as a “Compassionate behavioral health center” that works to provide long and short term support for struggling teens. Provo Canyon Union was the facility that famed socialite Paris Hilton was sent to during her teenage years in the late 1990s. Recently, Hilton came out publicly about her time she spent at Provo Canyon Union and the horrors she faced there. Hilton stated that she was given a multitude of sedatives that made her “feel numb and helpless,” was locked in a small cell for days and was sexually abused by the sta .

Since Hilton came forward about the torture she faced at Provo Canyon Union, there have been many more former residents who have come forward with their own experiences at the facility. ere have been reports of minors at the facility being strip-searched upon arrival, locked in solitary for days on end, being overmedicated, restrained and physically abused by sta

ough Provo Canyon Union is the most infamous troubled teen facility, it is far from the only facility that has faced accusations of abuse towards their students. Most troubled teen facilities operate on a level-based system, in which a student has to go through the ranks to earn basic privilege. e students have a strict set of rules they have to follow, and can face severe punishments for the simplest of mistakes. Some punishments that facilities around the United States practice include: food and sleep deprivation, isolation, emotional/ physical/or sexual abuse, use of restraints, forced labour or exercise, exposure to harsh elements (heat, rain, snow), use of attack therapy in group therapy in which the sta encourages other residents to verbally abuse another resident, conversion therapy to try and change a resident’s sexuality or gender expression and humiliation or public shaming.

Th studeNs hve a stRct set RLs thy hve to foLow, aN can face seveR puNsheNs for th simpLst Mstakes.

WiLeRess ThRpy

Another type of institution in the troubled teen facility is wilderness therapy, in which a child is dropped o in the middle of nowhere and forced to spend most, if not all, of their time outside in rural areas such as the woods or desert. One example of these wilderness therapy schools is Trinity Teen

Solutions, which is located in the middle of the mountains of Utah.

A former resident of the Trinity Teen Solutions boarding school, Maggie Higgens began talking to TikTok (@ maggiehiggens4) to share her experiences. Higgens was originally taken to Trinity Teen Solutions in October of 2011 when she thought she would be gone for three months, but instead turned in her being forced to stay at the school for two years. During her stay, she had almost no contact with the outside world, as she was prohibited from leaving the ranch and any phone calls or letters she exchanged with her family were heavily monitored.

from them. e girls were also forced to do heavy manual labor everyday when they were on the ranch, even when they were sick and injured. e girls would have to build animal caging, trek through the snow and the heat, run laps for hours and take care of all the animals on the ranch.

FoRed to stay at th schol for two yeaR... sh hd alMst N coNact with th outside woRd, aN any phN caLs or LtteR sh exchnged with hr faMly weR havily MNtoRd.

e girls were also forced to endure mentally and physically damaging punishments. Higgens recounts how girls were often put on silence for talking back and would go weeks or months without speaking. e girls could also be put into isolation, where they would be forced to sit on a chair in the kitchen and stare at the wall or locked in a dim room for days on end.

Higgins explains that the girls had poor living conditions such as having to sleep in cabins with no heat or air in extreme weather, being permitted only a few minutes to shower and get ready, being watched while using the bathroom, being given limited food and having their prescribed medications taken

CoNLsion

e TTI is estimated to collect more than 23 million dollars from private and public institutions, and there are more than 200,000 adolescents who reside in facilities or group homes each year. Due to poor conditions caused by lack of regulation and accountability, there have been more than 350 deaths of residents in the 50 years since the rst troubled teen facility was established, along with countless injuries. ose who are lucky to leave physically unscathed still su er from forms of mental trauma and leave with anxiety, paranoia or PTSD.

As more and more survivors emerge from TTI centers, they are speaking out about their experience and spreading awareness. An advocate group called Unsilenced was founded by

e sta often created cruel and humiliating punishments, such as forcing girls to wear signs letting everyone know what they had done. ey even made one girl carry a backpack around lled with rocks all day. e residents were also encouraged to tell one another if one of their peers broke a rule or stepped out of line, which kept the girls from befriending one another. ere were times when an older girl would be tied to a new resident with a leash in which the younger girl would be forced to ask the older girl for permission to speak, stand up or move.

survivors who speak out against youth institutionalization and teen behavioral rehab centers. Groups like Unsilenced are aiding past and present survivors of the industry and are working towards a world children are not stripped away from their homes and subjected to mental and physical torture– a world without the Troubled Teen Industry.

ALTERNATIVE

Looking at the current undergraduate grading system, the College of Charleston ranks its students’ work as ranging from superior to fair to barely acceptable. Alternative grading methods, even though they still perform under this rigid letter grade system, try to move beyond letter grades to a more comprehensive and holistic approach to tracking progress and understanding. While the current system employed by the College of Charleston takes a rather black and white approach to student’s work through assigning letter grades and speci c criteria, alternative grading methods create a more uid and revisable relationship between students and grading. Since elementary school, we’ve been taught that a grade we receive is somehow re ective of our learning. ere is actually no evidence that grades are an accurate representation of a student’s learning. Grades are a way of wielding power over students. Since most of us have been surrounded by this arbitrary grading system for more than 7 years, a great deal of students have learned how to just get the grade they want instead of actu-

By: Eva Neufeld

ally mastering the material. Yet, there have also been instances where the students have felt they did a substantial amount of learning, but their grade doesn’t re ect that. e College’s current system simply forces us to prove ourselves in an arbitrary way, which changes from class to class, and alters our relationship with learning and our educational experience. Using alternative grading methods unlocks the ability to democratize the classroom space. ese methods also exist in the classroom on a spectrum. Using ‘ungrading’ or contract grading, doesn’t automatically mean that grades are thrown out the window–it means that di erent assignments and forms of re ection and communication are incorporated into the course. In one Q&A with Dr. McGinnis from the Political Science department and another with Dr. De Welde, the director of the Women and Gender Studies department, you will get more direct insight on what it means to be in a classroom that uses an alternative grading method. With nals coming up I just want to remind you all your worth is not based on the letter grade you get!

Eva Neufeld: How would you explain your grading method to your class?

Dr. McGinnis: I use contract grading and de-

GRADING

ne it as “shifting the emphasis away from evaluating students on the basis of the comparative quality of their expertise and toward evaluation on the basis of how much labor and commitment to mastery the work displays.” I use contract grading in my Political Science 150 class, which is an introductory level class. I believe that at an introductory level, it is important to not be assessing students on things that they are coming in knowing, versus what they have actually learned in the class. I assess my students on how much e ort they put into the class. Dr. De Welde: I explain ungrading as an alternative form of grading that encourages students to focus on their learning and to take risks in their learning. I want my students to be creative. e ultimate goal is to remove the emphasis on grades. We (professors) pretend that grades are objective, but they aren’t. Ungrading embraces subjectivity. I have moved to using ungrading with all of my classes! Ungrading is a spectrum. People can do ungrading in their classrooms in small ways.

E: Why do you use this speci c grading method?

M: I use this method because some students might not be as passionate as others. She is trying to assess how much work they are putting into mastering the material. It is not just an A for e ort, the e ort is measuring how much work the students are putting into the class. I use this speci c method to even the playing eld so that students that went to better-resourced high schools are not unfairly advantaged. I also want to lessen anxiety. Uncertainty breeds anxiety, and contract grading is fully transparent with the student in the driver seat. D: So much of what we do is established collaboratively. We revisit deadlines, content, and discussions based on what is happening. In a eld like WGS we are constantly responding to a world on re. I establish a shared criteria with my students for what grades are and what they should be.

E: Does this grading method a ect the types of assignments you give?

M: How do you assess whether the students understand the content? To assess this I vary assignments in order to be accessible to all of my students. ere are a xed number of assignments and some are required to pass the class (such as reading quizzes), while others are optional. My students determine

the grade they get by completing or not completing the assignments. I keep my assignments fairly brief and limited in scope.

D: Yes it does! I have to be intentional in creating the “containers’ ‘ in which my students can demonstrate and be mindful of their learning and can expand and push themselves. I struggle to think how a multiple choice exam works in the context of ungrading, but even the assignments I have been assigning with revisions along the way, I have had to recon with those. I ask myself, do these assignments provide students an opportunity to demonstrate their learning? It also impacts how I ask students to approach their readings!

E: How do you feel about the current grading system at the College of Charleston and how do you think your grading method compares to the College’s system?

M: e College of Charleston system is very exible. ere are controls to make sure it is not too arbitrary, but within that professors do have a lot of freedom to explore alternative grading methods. I think that there are di erent methods of grading more appropriate for di erent subjects and levels. e CofC system works well.

D: e College’s system re ects practices in the higher education system. We are no better or no worse with most institutions. e grading scale is very arbitrary. I will say that I nd ungrading to be experimental and that there are a lot of folks who are suspicious of ungrading as a way for professors to be lazy. It is entirely the opposite. ere are so many layers of feedback and re ection for ungrading to work. I don’t have any grades in the class until the midterm and nal grade. We should be open to having conversations with our students about this work that they submitted and the strengths and the challenges of it.

E: Obviously given the College’s system of grading, you still need to put a letter grade in the gradebook. How does your system of grading

reconcile with that?

M: e student is entirely in control from the start of class. When it boils down, contract grading is binary, the work is either satisfactory or it is dissatisfactory. If the student is not happy with the letter grade that is in the gradebook at the end of the semester, they can discuss it with me.

D: For better or for worse my grading method is still happening within this structure. I actually think midterm grades can be helpful for some students. It gives students information about where they are in the course. It is challenging though for an ungrading course to disrupt in the middle of the semester and assign a grade. It kind of disrupts the ow of things. At the end of the semester, I recognize that nal grades might be needed for some students. I recognize the importance of grades, but I still resist what it is they stand for. I want the nal decision of grades to be fair.

E: How do you think your grading method impacts your students?

M: At rst my students were unfamiliar with the topic, but hopefully it will over time cause them to have less of a “deer in the headlights” feel throughout the semester. My hope is that contract grading will help with student’s academic success and mental health. If my students don’t meet the quality threshold (an 80-85%), on a traditional grading schema, I don’t give them a numerical grade, I instead hand it back with detailed feedback. Students can redo assignments as much as needed. ey can either choose to revise or not complete the assignment. I want my students to just master the material. I think that contract grading is more fair and will motivate my students to get more out of the class and not just be focused on the outcome of their grade.

D: Students shift the way they approach their education and learning. Ungrading has also been shown to help with issues of equity! is method is more individualized, so it evens the play eld for students.

REVISING E ROM-COM RTIVE

By: G TENER

You’re rushing to work at seven AM, your roommate turned your alarm o again, somehow though you managed to pull together a awless ensemble, complete with a hot cup of co ee you happened to retrieve, despite the fact that you are behind schedule. Carrying a pile of loose papers in one hand, ip-phone pressed to your ear in the other, you miss the conveniently attractive person walking in the opposite direction. Of course, you collide, and the classi ed documents litter the NYC sidewalk. While scrambling to retrieve the documents, the handsome stranger’s hand touches yours and you feel a tingle go up your arm. Your eyes meet, and suddenly you forget all about the high-pro le magazine job you’d spent years hoping for and accept their o er to buy you a new cup of co ee from what is coincidentally your favorite cafe, and out of nowhere a romantic song starts to play as you and the person you just met walk into the sunset– I mean to the subway… WAIT, you mean that story is not about you? On a daily basis, you don’t skip your obligations to get co ee with the person you met 30 seconds ago? You’ve never

experienced “love at rst sight” or heard a theme song play in the background as cliche events occur in your life? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Despite what rom-coms led us to believe, the pursuit of love cannot be wrapped up within an hour-and-a-half timeline, and a lot goes on behind the scenes. In the 21st-century, our perception of love has begun to change, and these outdated accounts do not match up to relationships today. It is important to recognize what love means to you and to work towards nding happiness in a relationship, something that you can do before having a person to share it with. Let’s discuss some ways that you can decipher the romantic media you consume and decide for yourself how you desire to be loved.

As the expectations for relationships have changed, so have young people’s ideas of what love is. Hookup culture has a chokehold on the collegiate demographic and with toxic relationships being highlighted on every episode of the shows they watch, it begs the question: what does love look like in modern times? Although media in uence has altered the conventions of relationships, the concept of nding a monogamous love interest has not been completely lost on today’s young adults. But, even if you nd the person for you, that does not necessarily mean that things are easy from there. So many movies cut to the credits right when the couple gets together– they kiss and makeup and the curtains close with a ourished “the end.” However, the story does not stop there. As much as I appreciate a rom-com, the unrealistic expectations it has for real-life relationships (not to mention the glori cation of the chase) have become almost impossible for

audiences to apply to their lives.

If you are unaware of what you desire in a relationship, seeing unrealistic displays of a ection can confuse you. As you watch movie after movie portraying one type of relationship you start to align your expectations with that storyline. By taking the time to self-re ect and recognize that everyone is unique and therefore the relationships they seek change from one person to another, you can begin to place yourself into your own love story. Due to the information research has o ered, we now have insight into the di erent types of relationships and love languages that can help guide you toward what relationship works for you. If you are single, or in a relationship right now, you can take the love languages quiz to get a sense of what style of a ection you respond best to. Gary Chapman, a relationship scholar, devised the ve categories and you can take the quiz online for free at 5lovelanguages.com, or purchase his books.

Another resource that is valuable when recognizing what type of romantic relationship that is right for you is the eight types that the ancient Greeks categorized love into. Understanding the type of relationship you desire is bene cial in allowing you to have insight when you are in a relationship. e eight love languages that the ancient greeks compiled are Agape (unconditional love), Eros (romantic love), Philia (a ectionate love), Storge (familial love), mania (obsessive love), Ludus (playful love), Pragma (enduring love) and Philautia (self-love). Now, I rmly believe that you should practice Philautia (self-love) ALWAYS and, by getting to know yourself (particularly in terms of your romantic goals) encourages healthy relationships later on. Knowing yourself is a critical step towards committing

to a loving relationship by improving communication between you and your partner. With that being said, a New York Times survey used a 6-prong scale created by sociologist Terry Hatkof, to provide insight into your relationship style. Hatko ’s research echoes that of ancient Greeks and is a fun quiz to take by yourself or with a partner to open up about your needs in a relationship. e quiz can be found on the NYT website.

ese resources and others can be an excellent way to improve your self-love and your love life in general. College proves a time when an individual experiences strides in personal development and navigating love, and relationships are some ways in which you can understand your identity. Although the media portrays an unrealistic expectation for nding love, it can still be entertaining. It is important to understand the reality of relationships, though, and not compare your experience to ctional characters. We have more information on relationships than ever before and more research is being conducted every day to give us an even better understanding of romance. Please take the time to get to know your love language, relationship style, and expectations and determine if a committed relationship is a goal you want to pursue. Regardless of your circumstances, open communication is a critical part of any type of relationship, particularly romantic ones. Maybe next time you turn on a rom-com, you’ll nd yourself applying newfound knowledge on relationships to what you’re watching, or recognize it in those you love, so you can be a better friend towards them as well. Regardless of your perspective on monogamous relationships, you have control over your love life and can take the steps towards nding happiness by getting to know yourself and your priorities now.

Beyd BINARY e

Existing outside of the gender binary is not a new concept. Gender diversity is everywhere in human history, from South Asian Hijras to Italian femminielli. Nowadays, when people talk about being non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender uid or genderqueer, they talk about it as if it’s a revolutionary new way to approach gender identity. Many people view it as a trend – just something people are doing to rebel against the norm, especially now that Western society is participating. Oftentimes, these discussions turn into hot-button political issues and exclude Black and Brown communities. us, the image of what it means to be non-binary becomes white-washed and watered down.

Here’s the thing – gender is a social construct that humans invented, like beauty, race, money and more. According to the gender binary, there are only two genders: male and female. ese two identities are restricted in their expression by gender roles, or how you’re expected to dress, act and present based on your assigned gender. ese ideas are maintained and enforced by a system of power that oppresses those who do not conform to what’s socially acceptable and devalues the existence of intersex, non-binary, gender-nonconforming and trans communities. Anyone existing outside of the binary is deemed unnatural.

Adhering to the gender binary ignores the fact that nonbinary identities have existed for thousands of years. According to Seeing Gender by Iris Gottlieb, in the pre-colonial United States and Canada, a number of indigenous tribes recognized more than two genders. ese non-binary individuals now identify as Two-Spirit, an umbrella term used to encapsulate the diverse nature of gender within North American native communities. is gender perception varies greatly according to di erent languages and established gender roles. Non-binary expression has also existed in India for over 2000 years. For example, the Hijras of South Asia include intersex people, some transgender women or people who just don’t identify with being male or female. Hijras acted and wore clothes of a traditionally feminine fashion and often played important roles in pre-colonial times. e list goes on and on, with the mahu of Hawaii, muxe of Mexico, il femminielli of Italy and more.

So, why don’t we see more of this non-binary expression in modern culture? Well, most of the time, the answer is colonization. Colonization spread Western ideas of patriarchy, the gender binary, heteronormativity, racism and hierarchy throughout the world and condemned those who didn’t align or agree. Any variance was labeled as sinful and used as justi cation for the inhumane treatment and massacre of countless people. ese Western

ideals became what was “natural,” and non-binary identities were marginalized. Even those from their own community would regard these expressions with disdain and fear because it was no longer safe to think otherwise. Along with silencing the long history of gender diversity, the gender binary does not account for natural variations in human biology. Intersex is the term used to describe bodies that don’t strictly align with the anatomy of a male or female body. is phenomenon is more common than you might think. According to americanprogress.org, the percentage of the intersex population is very close to the percentage of people with red hair. Furthermore, there is no one way to be intersex: some people are born with a combination of male and female genitalia, male-typical external anatomy and female-typical internal anatomy or a di erent combination of chromosomal patterns. ese variations are a natural part of biology and appear all throughout history; however, when a baby is born intersex they often undergo surgery and/ or hormone therapy to t into the gender that a doctor or their family chooses. Instead of letting the child grow up and make their own choice, they are assigned and raised as the gender of someone else’s choosing in order to maintain the dominant social order.

Maintaining the gender binary helps sustain systems of power that work against minorities, especially when we consider the concept of intersectionality. We can’t talk about gender without also factoring in issues like race, socioeconomic class, location, religion and more. Someone who identi es outside of the gender

HIJRA

ORGIN EATER

By: Margaret Bruce

When springtime comes to mind, many of us envision cute baby animals, dyed eggs, and the Easter bunny. e increased commercialization of Easter has brought on an onslaught of relevant candy: egg-shaped Reese’s, bunny-shaped Peeps, and a never-ending parade of chocolate bunnies.

e shelves of Target are perpetually littered with Easter baskets and candy from post-Valentine’s day through April. For some, springtime revolves around the celebration of Easter, which, according to Catholic theology, marks the resurrection. But, just like Christmas and other Catholic holidays, many of the images we associate with springtime actually have nothing to do with Christian tradition.

So, what was the giant bunny’s role in the New Testament? Well, nothing. Where the hell did we get the idea for the Easter bunny? at’s a more complicated answer. e Easter bunny probably traces back to German folklore, according to Stephen Winick at the Library of Congress Blogs. e inspiration for the caricature most

comes from the German goddess of fertility and springtime, Eostre, though she’s actually only mentioned by Bede, an early Christian philosopher writing in the seventh century. Whether or not she actually existed was debated, until Jacob Grimm (you’ve probably heard of him before, famous folklorist and 1/2 of the world-renowned Brothers Grimm?) proposed in 1835 that Eostre was just a version of the more known goddess, Ostara. Just like Eostre, Ostara is not mentioned beyond Grimm’s work and could’ve just been a gment of his imagination.

e connection between Eostre/Ostara and rabbits is even more convoluted. According to NBC News, Eostra was o en associated with rabbits because of their proclivity to, well… reproduce. Fast forward to Germany, 1682, and a doctor by the name of Johannes Richier wrote a dissertation on Easter eggs. According to livescience.com, the Osterhare was a gure of folklore in western Germany who le colored eggs for children to nd

on Easter. Richier, who was originally writing to warn people about the health dangers of eating too many eggs, accidentally catapulted Osterhare to fame. When German immigrants moved to colonial America, their children began to leave nests for Osterhare to leave his eggs in. Add in a couple centuries of classic American commercialization, and we have your classic Easter bunny and his baskets.

Why do we celebrate Easter, then? As you’re probably guring out with the warming temperatures in Charleston, spring makes a pretty good time to party. Springtime festivals date back centuries, with even early civilizations celebrating the end of winter and the promise of summer. You’ve probably already put together how the Catholic holiday worked its way in here–early Catholic missionaries saw that civilizations already celebrated springtime and went ahead and tacked their own holiday onto it. England adopted the name ‘Easter’ a er Eostre, and the rest is history.

Believe it or not, the festival of Ostara is actually still celebrated by modern pagan and Wiccan groups. ose who celebrate Ostara emphasize the coming of spring and its association with rebirth and growth. Ostara rituals include meditation, planting rituals, and cleansing energy. Instead of capitalizing on candy baskets and gargantuan bunnies, Ostara focuses on the chance to begin anew with the coming of spring.

is Easter, while you’re taking pictures with a sweaty 15-yearold in an Easter bunny costume and wondering exactly why we do this to ourselves, take comfort in this answer: we don’t know! e origins of Easter traditions are fuzzy at best, and we’ll probably never know for sure where they came from. Regardless of whether you’ll be celebrating Easter or Ostara this year, at least take solace in the fact that celebrating the arrival of warm weather and spring is a tradition as old as time.

It seems like an easy enough task- just get a cute little plant on your windowsill and water it every now and then. But as anyone who’s actually had to keep plants alive will tell you, it’s a lot easier said than done, especially in as small a space as a dorm. But don’t despair! Instead, join me on a journey of learning and discovery that will hopefully leave you with a couple cute plants to lter that musty dorm air and boost your mood.

Succulents & Cacti

Succulents have been steadily growing in popularity for the last decade due to their ease and versatility. Not only do they rarely need watering, but they also come in any size you can think of! is, combined with how hard they are to kill, makes them perfect for lling those little nooks and crannies in your room that could use a little life.

Cacti, succulents but spiky. ese guys almost never need water, and they’re more likely to get killed by a meteor slamming into your house than by user error. ey’re also great way to tell all your guests that you suck at keeping plants alive. Still, they look really unique and come in more colors than Skittles.

Stu you c eat

Lettuce and Kale both do quite well in wide, frequently-watered pots, seeds at least six inches apart.

Spinach is even easier, as it doesn’t need that much sunlight or water aside from the occasional misting, and save yourself some trouble.

Herbs are also a great choice.

Mint is immortal. I challenge you to try and kill a mint plant. Plus it smells and tastes good, or whatever.

Basil grows like crazy- just make sure you’re giving these thirsty dudes enough water.

Small fruits and veggies are good if you need some color.

Radishes and strawberries are great for salads and provide a pop of color to the barren wasteland that dorms often are. Just make sure to defend them from fruit ies.

Potatoes are way too easy, it feels like cheating. Just buy a potato that has visible sprouts and partially submerge it in a glass of water..... and that’s it. It’ll grow leaves. Make sure to transport it to soil before it rots after a few weeks.

Houplts

Pothos and rhododendron grow way faster than you would anticipate and can tolerate any light conditions and go without water for scary amounts of time. You can also snip o parts of these plants and propagate them in soil or water, perfect for cultivating that plant girl aesthetic without any actual e ort on your part.

Lucky bamboo and money trees are two other great options for low-maintenance houseplants. Both of these grow over a long lifespan, and can go from tiny sapling to a four-foot tall tree that may one day serve as the centerpiece to your lovely future home. You can all crowd around the money tree one day and tell your grandkids about how you grew it from a baby in your dorm. Doesn’t that sound so nice?

Snake plant, don’t worry, it doesn’t bite. is cool-looking plant grows really slowly, but is nearly impossible to kill! is is that plant you see on o ce desks in the backgrounds of movies or video games. Look it up and you’ll see what I mean.

Seas’s Getis

By: Liv Lott

Da odils have always been my favorite ower. As a little girl, the bloom of my neighbor’s da odils marked the annual start of my independence.

Each year, when the Michigan winter had retreated and I could nally hear the birds when I woke up, I knew my day had come. I would throw on my Justice tank top and cargo skirt, lace up my Keds, queue Taylor Swi on my Ipod shu e and sprint down the stairs. I would hurriedly shove my arms into my jean jacket, getting stuck in the sleeves while I yelled “Bye!” to my Mom and ran out the front door.

ere was never really a question of where I was going. My route was predictable. It was always out my driveway and to the le , because ve doors down was the lawn with the da odils.

ere was nothing extraordinary about these owers; in fact even the man who planted them would echo this. He once asked me why I liked them so much, and my cheeks turned crimson and I ran away. I found it embarrassing how much I looked forward to these perennial owers he had unsuspectingly planted. I could not articulate it at the time, but to me, they were the most important announcement. When they

were in full bloom, commandingly yellow and sprouting out of blades of grass without a trace of frost on them, I knew it was truly springtime.

Spring meant I had survived the darkest and coldest days of the year. I was no longer the weird girl who stayed indoors not wanting to ski or snowboard –I never got the appeal of blank frozen water covering everything. Spring was when I got to be myself again. Everything changed because I could go outside. I could hear myself think, no longer stuck between my baby sister crying in her crib and my brothers wrestling. I did not have to share my room, bathroom or Wii; the whole outdoors could be for me. My imagination did not t within the four walls of my home and spring gave me a whole new muse.

e con rmation of da odils meant freedom. I was allowed to walk around my neighborhood, behind my backyard around the retirement community and across the street throughout the small Christian college campus. A radius of less than half a mile, but to me, it felt like ve hundred.

Each step was a new prospect, a fresh invitation to discover who I was and who I would become. I fed the ducks at the pond and thought about whether I should become a veterinarian someday and if I would look good in a white lab coat. I picked wild owers from

the campus eld and wondered what owers I would have at my wedding and whether I cared if my future partner would agree with them. I climbed trees and questioned why I was not afraid of the heights and what I would do if I fell. I passed college students practicing soccer while braiding back their hair and elderly retirees pushing their wheelchairs down the sidewalk. I could see myself in both of them, all of us doing our start of spring rituals. I thought for hours about things that had never crossed my mind in the past four months. Just as all of nature had been covered up, so had my self re ection.

I would get the overwhelming feeling that everything around me was coming into culmination with me. at the world had waited for me to bloom. As it thawed, it too was looking for einvention. at the lessons it was teaching were uniquely for us to share.

Outside of my familiar and crowded home, I had space to grow. Space to reinvent, challenge and excite myself. With pollen in my nostrils and mulch in my shoes, the opportunity to explore who I was kept me outside until sunset almost every spring day.

When looking at colleges, I thought Charleston would give me this da odil feeling all the time. e image of palm trees surrounding me in De-

cember was enough of an appeal to pack my bags and move a thousand miles away. Two years later, I can say that this is not the case. Evergreens do not give the same e ect as perennials. e rush of passion and motivation is a uniquely spring phenomenon. Although my neighbor’s da odils can no longer endorse when it is o cially here, I have found new ways to con rm the feeling.

It’s the rst time you don’t go back to your apartment during your usual mid-day class break. It’s breaking a sweat on your way to class, not because you are rushing. It’s realizing you do not need to bring a sweatshirt for your sunset walk to the Battery.

Once these da odils have been con rmed, the fun begins. My iPod shu e has become my iPhone and my Keds turned into New Balances, but Taylor remains on the playlist. I nd a new route to walk and wonder about each of the houses’ stories and what the current owners are having for dinner. I sit on the Folly pier and watch the surfers, convincing myself that someday I’ll be as good as them. I smile at the dirt stains on my shorts from lying at Marion Square. I embrace being a kid getting out of the house again, just like every spring before.

Th FiL

INustry Neds to Stop SexuaLzing TeeN

By: Hailey Gri n

e objecti cation of teens has been an issue in the lm world for decades, and it is still prevalent today. Why is this still happening in today’s society? e answer lies upon the concealment of sexualization in the excessive consumption of mass media. We have allowed show makers to make lms that exploit teenagers without consequence. is issue is now being overlooked. is does not apply to the entire lm industry, because sex scenes in movies are not a problem. e problem emerges when underage minors are shown engaging in unhealthy sexual behavior. For example, in Romeo and Juliet, the underaged cast was sexually exploited and coerced into the act without proper consent.

e classic Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s best-known plays. Despite the many adaptations

of the play, the 1968 lm is one that is facing backlash. Romeo, played by Leonard Whiting, and Juliet, played by Olivia Hussey, were both under the age of 18 at the time. e director, Franco Ze relli, originally told Hussey and Whiting they would not be lming any nude scenes, and they did not have to worry. However, he lied and told them they had to lm nude scenes during lming to receive success. us, Hussey’s breasts were shown at the age of 15, and Whiting’s bare butt was shown at the age of 16, withaout proper consent due to coercion. Ze relli did not just be dishonest to the cast, but rather, he showed how teens are being sexualized at such a young age.

is was in 1968. Now, Whiting and Hussey are suing Paramount after years of dealing with trauma. If this does not show the need to stop sexually exploiting innocent teens, then take into account

the age the cast is written in the original script: Juliet is 13 and Romeo is 16. Why would it even be acceptable to think that it is ok to sexualize someone that’s supposed to be 13? is cruel, inhumane behavior has been happening for decades, and it is insane to think that we still are watching lms with the hypersexualization of teens.

Other movie classics such as Grease and e Breakfast Club explicitly convey teenage girls being exploited. In Grease, during the popular song “Summer Nights,” Danny is shown over-sexualizing his summer with Sandy on the beach, while Sandy is head over heels in love. is illustrates that lmmakers do not just want to show a romantic scene, but rather over sexualize a teen girl.

e Breakfast Club, although a loved movie, also has to be looked upon with a critical eye. e main characters, John (Judd Nelson) and Claire (Molly Ringwald) are shown to have found romance by the end of the movie. How did they get there? By John sexually harassing Claire. In a scene in the movie, John is hiding under a desk from a teacher and just so happens to be under Claire’s desk. en, he is seen looking up her skirt and the camera shows Claire’s underwear. Not only is this pathetic, but it shows the lm is clearly leading on to sexualize a high school girl. Once John gets up from under the desk, Claire slaps him, and he just says that “it was an accident.” Right, like staring under a girl’s skirt is an accident. Grease and e Breakfast Club overall convey the idea that lmmakers are obsessed with the sexualization of high school girls.

Why is this happening so often? One take could be the age of the actors being casted to play teen roles. e casting of adults in teen roles is a complex issue that’s been going on for a while. When mature adults in their twenties are cast in lms to play teenagers, sexual scenes are more intimate because the lmmakers do not have to worry about lawsuits. Since the individuals in these movies are already fully grown adults, sexual situations become more about exploitation than sexual

discovery. Show producers use actors with awless physique to perform overtly sexual behaviors. And once teens start watching these lms, bigger problems start to emerge. Most teenagers lack the ability to contextualize sex scenes in movies due to the lack of sex education in schools, and as a result, they are unaware of the signi cance and reality of sex in their own lives. If viewers are not constantly engaging in sexual activity as a teen, watching movies where grown adults play teens only serves to make them feel behind in life. And if teens are engaging in sex in their own lives, watching teens in movies having perfect sex makes teens feel this pressure to live up to unrelatable standards.

e sexual exploitation of teens a ects both actors and viewers. Actors have had trauma for years from just one scene from one lm. Look back at Romeo and Juliet – it took the actors years for them to speak up, even though they were dealing with a huge amount of trauma and anxiety. As much as it hurts us as viewers, it also hurts the body image and con dence of the actors. As viewers, many teens already struggle with con dence and awkwardness, especially when it comes to sex. In most cases, teens do not even have someone to talk to about sex. For teens to be hypersexualized on the screen just causes actual teens to become more insecure with themselves, especially when the lm casts

adults. Adults have mature bodies and are more experienced. us, when teens watch sex scenes in a movie, they are not being exposed to the truth, but rather an imaginable reality most teens do not experience.

I would think sexually exposing minors would have been something that was happening in past generations. But it is still an issue today, not just in the lm industry. We see it in TV Shows such as Euphoria and Riverdale. Euphoria not just idolizes teen girl nudity, but also illustrates unhealthy sexual relationships and pornographic addictions. On the other hand, Riverdale adds sexual scenes that don’t add to the plot and are just unnecessary. For example, one of the main characters, Betty, is shown pole dancing at a bar as a minor. e teens growing up now are being exposed to way more teen sexualization than any other generation, and it needs to be talked about at a greater level. No minor should be exploited on TV, and it is about time we do something about it. Sex scenes in teen movies are okay and normal, because it is not a secret teens have sex. However, it’s an issue when the show makers go too far and borderline exploit minors. As a society, we must ght against this tendency in the cinematic universe and denounce the hypersexualization of youth in the media.

by Inés Carrillo Marquina

“Can you play Bad Bunny?” has been a common question thrown around at functions for some time, a question that tends either be ignored, dismissed, or answered with a confused look. But in the past year or so, that question has become all the more valid, as we’ve, for the most part, lost the confused look as a typical response.

Although you can pretty much count on never hearing Bad Bunny or any style of perreo or reggaeton at a local frat party, there has been a growing number of events and spaces in Charleston that have been making it easier to ful ll the desire of hearing a reggaeton classic or making you actually wanting to dance at a party.

Noche de Verano Sin Ti, an event that has been hosted at the Music Farm several times in the past six months, has gotten incredibly popular, with tickets selling out weeks beforehand. ese nights are dedicated to el Conejito Malo himself, playing music from his latest hit album all the way to just about any song with his name on it. e demand is high for Latino artists, and the call is nally being heard, but it’s safe to say that the demand is coming directly from our Hispanic and Latino population themselves. A new corner has been turned, and from here on out, it’s making sure that Latino voices are heard and recognized, no longer being shut down or dismissed.

e people who brought Noche de Verano Sin Ti to Downtown, Duo Macky, the North Charleston-based DJ duo, work to promote themselves and have now established themselves as the local faces of perreo and reggaeton events, as they have continued their work not just at the Music Farm, but even expanding to venues like Trio and Deco for their own takes on Latin music nights.

e local Hispanic and Latino communities have seemed to grow in number in recent years and understand the true power that they hold as a demographic, as even the past year’s events for Hispanic Heritage Month focused heavily on celebrating their di erent cultures through local artists, food, and dance all around the city. CofC’s Hispanic Latino Club has grown in size and in their involvement around campus, and our school’s new Hispanic Studies program speci cally geared towards Heritage speakers have all signi cantly helped to welcome students deeply into the beginnings of what is feeling more like a safe space at the College.

But with the rise of what feels like Hispanic and Latino appreciation also comes the question of, will it last? e roads for these newfound opportunities around Charleston were paved by the rise in signi cant gures in pop culture, as we are now just beginning to see genuine representation of Hispanic and Latino cultures in music and media, 41

and the reactions have clearly been so positive that local spots have felt that it’s now time to really hear the community out. However, the attention and rising popularity of Latino and Hispanic culture does come with its own nuances. Hispanic and Latino gures have been essentially forced to reach exceptional heights of excellence and fame to even be considered as worthwhile in the industry, and that social decision of worthwhileness translates directly into the possibility of making that representation happen on a local level. Bad Bunny, himself, is a man who has had to break countless records and top charts on a global scale just to have people understand just how great his impact truly is and have reggaeton be acknowledged as an important genre. Yet for other musicians or genres, it simply takes one good song with a catchy chorus to blow up on TikTok, and they receive instant fame.

Unfortunately Tiktok has paved a way for a new problem, Hispanic and Latino cultures have been increasingly “borrowed from” to form new TikTok trends, from the “clean girl” aesthetic to certain styles of doing lip liner to dances. And while the rise in Latino trends on the app has allowed many to take pride in their cultures and introduce

their cultures to others, there are many trends that take without giving so much as a mention of appreciation or credit. All of these details combined begs the question of if this love and appreciation for Hispanic and Latino culture is truly here to stay beyond our own communities, or if it’s all simply part of a trend to follow the hottest albums and actors that the general public will all move on from in a matter of months.

For optimism’s sake, I would like to say no, our representation is here to stay, and feel con dent that maybe the rise in representation is truly opening people’s eyes to the beauty that is the culture of Hispanic populations and of Latin American countries. As a community, we have fought to be heard these past few years, holding on tight to those gures that have allowed us to more openly present our cultural pride. With each voice that is heard, it is important to remember that we are ghting to be seen with every day, and that the representation that we put forth for ourselves is something which we are working for each and every day.

 PAY

w dream - w Leg

sunday morning - no doubt

eamroller - phoebe bridgers

bodys - car seat headre

long Time - spaceface Labrys

sunny day - beabadoobee

the video dept. - the radio dept.

gold du - du er

to be alone - no fun haus

birds dont sing - tv girl

submission - monsoon

choking on owers - fox academy

o it down - yawner.

submission - monsoon

you go where i go - goth lip ick

CURATED BY THE STAFF OF CY RADIO

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By: Logan B a m o n te

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Why S p ring Clean?

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Ah spring. e season of bright pastels, blossoming owers and breaths of fresh air as we welcome warmer weather–a sign for many that the dreary days of winter are behind them. Spring is known as a time of rejuvenation, renewal and regrowth. e arrival of days more frequently spent outdoors taking a hike or reading a book in a worn out hammock. e time comes and you grab your favorite book o the old IKEA shelf. You can’t help but notice the thick lm of dust coating the tops of the pages pressed together. Maybe that shelf could use some reorganization. Don’t forget to clean out that closet you’ve been meaning to get to but it just keeps slipping your mind. While you’re at it, dust every crevice and every corner until it looks like it’s snowing when the sunlight beams through the living room window. Finish that todo list that always seems to grow longer no matter how many tasks are struck through. e weather is warm and the urge to start spring with a fresh space is nagging. But why?

In Jewish custom, spring cleaning can be linked to the celebration of Passover. Originating in the Torah, Passover , or Pesach in Hebrew, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt. is story of Exodus led to the start of the Jewish nation. e holiday is a holy celebration of freedom that is central to Jewish history and life today. Often, there is great attention to cleaning in preparation for Pesach. Jewish customs require special guidelines for preparing kosher food intended for Pesach, beyond the normal rules of keeping kosher. Around the house oors are swept, scrubbed and shined, and all leavened products (chametz) are removed from the kitchen. e Israelities ate unleavened bread (matzah) when they made their departure from Egypt, so having chametz in the house during Passover is considered ungrateful. is preparation is purposeful and much more signi cant than the great stu ed animal clean out of 2012 that took place in my childhood home.

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Many people would say we spring clean because that’s just what their family and the people before them have always done, and their claims have some merit. I have memories of the annual spring neighborhood yard sale where every tossed away toy was rehomed and my room ready for the next brave Barbie to settle in my space–a space freshly deep-cleaned. e habit of spring cleaning has roots in religious and cultural customs around the world, reinforced by sprinkles of scienti c reasoning.

In Iranian culture, Nowruz, or Persian New Year, is celebrated to mark the beginning of the Zoroastrian calendar. is day not only signi es a new calendar year, but the return of spring and consequently, new beginnings. According to UNESCO, Nowruz is celebrated and observed by many countries that lie along the Silk Roads. e holiday has origins in Zoroastrianism and Persian mythology and holds a great spiritual signi cance for many people. Believers say the return of spring symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, referencing the Spirit of Noon who

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is welcomed back during Nowruz celebrations in Zoroastrian tradition. While it varies from country to country, preparation for the holiday traditionally includes extensive cleaning and purchasing new clothing. Did someone say new spring wardrobe?

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ere’s no doubt that history impacts the actions of people today. After all, humans are creatures of habit and old habits die hard. But what if there was a psychological component to the annual cleaning frenzy? According to Dignity Health, cleaning can reduce stress and increase productivity. rough decluttering and organization, many people nd themselves with a clearer mind and improved information processing. e American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology suggests that spring cleaning can improve breathing by removing built up dust and dander that trigger asthma or aggravate allergies. Good physical health supports better mental health, and spring cleaning might be just what you need to get out of that post-winter funk.

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Next time you get the urge to sort through your wardrobe or deep clean the area rug, look at the calendar. If the date falls before the spring equinox, would you put it o until the owers bloom?

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Maybe you spring clean because of your religion, or your mental health or just because your mom has made you do it for so long that it’s a habit you can’t kick. Whatever the reason, spring cleaning is here to stay.

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Th CoL e’s

Cost Lving pRbLm

By: Madison Como

Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charles ton. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students. Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent in creases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu dents.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu dents.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu dents.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu dents.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu dents.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu dents.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu dents.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for students.Rent Increases in Charleston. Higher costs for Students. Rent increases in Charleston. Higher costs for stu

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Housing. It’s a necessity for all humans, no matter their age, income level, race or any of the other numerous factors that can a ect someone’s ability to access safe and a ordable housing. Most college students, and let’s be honest, most people under 35, don’t have the ability to purchase their own house, so they choose the other option: renting. e system is, in theory, simple. Younger generations rent until they can afford a home. Renters get access to a home without having to deal with the hassle of down payments, loans, maintenance and unplanned disasters, while older, more nancially stable parties take the risk. Anyone who has rented, especially from a larger management corporation, knows this short list of pros comes with many downfalls: landlords ignoring maintenance requests for weeks, overcharging just because they can and stealing tenants’ safety deposits.

Problems with renting are often worse for college students, since they are more vulnerable to exploitation. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, students are at a higher risk of housing insecurity because of their lack of rental history and money for safety deposits. Additionally, students’ inexperience with the renting process and landlords can lead to less of an inclination to report maintenance and other issues. First-time renters often don’t know their rights; in South Carolina, they don’t even have many. Most of South Carolina’s property laws seemed to be aimed at protecting the landlord. South Carolina currently does not have any laws in place governing

rent control. In fact, SC Code § 27-39-60 (2021) completely prohibits “county or municipal” action to regulate rent prices for privately or commercially owned properties. Unlike many other states, South Carolina law does not require a speci c notice period before raising rent. State law does say, however vague, that landlords must act in “good faith,” which is de ned in SC Code § 11-35-30 (2013) as “honesty in fact in the conduct or transaction concerned and the observance of reasonable commercial standards of fair dealing.”

Although colleges account for students who can not a ord o -campus housing by o ering on-campus housing, this system is not always perfect. Colleges don’t have enough on-campus housing for every student enrolled, meaning that a large portion of students have to live o campus. Furthermore, on-campus living options are not usually open over breaks, meaning that students who don’t have stable housing, like those coming out of the foster care system, have housing issues over breaks.

Access to on-campus housing options is incredibly important to a college’s and its students’ success because of its a ordability, community and positive e ect on retention. is is especially true with students from marginalized communities and lower socioeconomic backgrounds. According to López and Wodtke, Black students who live on campus have a “signi cantly higher GPA” than students at the same college who live with fam-

ily o -campus. is trend was also seen among all races at liberal arts colleges.

While renting for college students is always di cult, colleges are often in cities with higher costs of living, like Charleston. is exacerbates the issue of college accessibility. Cost of living is an under-discussed factor in the consideration of the price of college. ese expenses are often a large portion of a college student’s budget– housing, utilities, internet, groceries, transportation and all of the other daily necessities. Research from the Housing and Development Department (cited earlier) indicates that institutions often misrepresent local living expenses. is has many drastic consequences. ese estimates are the basis of students’ budgets and even nancial aid and scholarships at many schools, especially private institutions.

At the College of Charleston, “for on-campus and o -campus students the weighted average cost of room $8764 plus $3997 board totals $12,761,” not including students living at home and commuting. While some on-campus living options can add up to less than this estimated average, a large portion of them cost more than the estimate: Kelly House, Warren Place, 99 St. Phillip and George Street Apartments. O -campus housing options are even further o the average. Student-speci c apartment complexes like Yugo Charleston Campus (previously Sterling Campus Center Apartments), Ho er, Skygarden and 400 Meeting start their monthly rents at about $1200. Houses and condos can expect to see similar rates with utilities

factored in. is means that o -campus housing can be over $14,000 a year, not even including food, which was factored into the original number. is is up from 2015, when Charleston Property Company estimated rates for College of Charleston’s students were between $633 and $1087. Furthermore, I surveyed 25 student households and found that their rent for 2023-2024 will be an average of 10.3 percent higher than their 2022-2023 rates. e already expensive city is becoming even more expensive.

With limited on-campus housing for the current school year, these high o -campus housing costs may be part of the reason why CofC struggles so intensely with a lack of economic and racial diversity in its student body. Drastic increases in o -campus housing rent prices can turn an a ordable college into one that can send students into debt and lead them to transfer or even drop out. We should always be ghting to make college more accessible because, by now, we all know college education is one of the best ways to end the cycle of poverty. Furthermore, the College is a public institution, and its demographics should re ect the state that it’s in, and it doesn’t. While the school can’t do anything when it comes to regulating o -campus living costs, an important step is updating the cost of living section of the College’s website to make it mirror what students are actually paying. It can also continue expanding and improving on-campus housing options while prioritizing students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds when allocating this housing for upperclassmen.

By: Lara O’Dell

As a bookseller, I have spent many hours of many quiet shifts eavesdropping on the comments customers make about the bookstore atmosphere. I’ve heard adorations about the smell, the decor, the displays, and even myself or my coworkers as if we are props adding to the store’s vibe. Many hours of paid pondering and observations have led me to conclude what makes that bookstore ambiance so enticing. While the decor and displays work to create a quaint, comfortable environment, not all credit is due to strategic decorating. I believe bookstores lure us in with the irresistible promise of being told a story. is essential part of our humanity is easily forgotten, but bookstores are establishments devoted to sharing stories. No bookstore better encapsulates the importance of that than Buxton Books. Buxton is a local bookstore, the best kind, with deep connections to storytelling in many forms. On top of the diverse selection of prose, poetry and non- ction that the store o ers, oral storytelling is integral to Buxton’s mission to connect us all through the power of storytelling. During the day, Citadel professor and published author Damon Fordham leads Black history walking tours around the city that depart from Buxton’s storefront. Fordham keeps our city’s arguably most crucial history alive by sharing his knowledge with locals and tourists.

GROW YOUR LIBRARY, G BUT LOCA LLYOF COURSE .

Buxton Books’ a nity for storytelling has been a foothold for the company since its inception. Julian Buxton, one-half of the couple who owns the store, published his book e Ghosts of Charleston in 2001. He spent years gathering the forgotten stories and history from all over the city to compile the rst ghost story collection about Charleston. en, Julian met Polly, whose life passion was building community through books. Soon, Buxton Books was born on Cumberland Street, Charleston, South Carolina.

Since its beginnings on Cumberland Street, the Buxton storefront has moved to a prime location, nestled right next to the Charleston Library Society on the corner of King and Queen Street. Walking down King street late at night, you may notice the bookstore is one of the only establishments still open at nine o’clock at night. is is because, at night, the bookstore transforms into a departure point for the Ghost Tour of Charleston. ese tours are based on the book mentioned above, written by Julian Buxton, and led by incredible storytellers. e tours take guests around the city to encounter rsthand some of Charleston’s most haunted spots. Back on King street, the bookstore is still open for those who wish to browse the shelves under the glow of moonlight– something I would highly recommend.

Buxton Books has been an integral part of my time living in Charleston. From spending slow Saturday afternoons there during my freshman year at the college to attending live poetry events for my newly published friend this year, Buxton Books is far more than a store. Supporting local businesses is always great for the community, but supporting the continuation of storytelling grows our connection to one another. Convienetly, all the books mentioned in this issue of Cistern Yard can be found at Buxton Books.

W HEREVER T HEY F IT (AND THEY WILL...)

By: Lauren Curry

I have a bookshelf a less than exciting fact, I know. is being the Age of Zoom, it seems that everyone has a bookshelf background, and they are more than happy to show o their treasuries on national television.

I understand the sentiment. My shelf is the subject of my unwavering a ection, a statement con dently made because I have no children and I haven’t been alive long enough to attentively curate anything else. One of my favorite things to do, besides read the books, is rearrange the shelf— proba-

bly doing so more often than is considered healthy. If the books are pulled down too soon after the last time, my mom squints at me a little harder than usual.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks. “Haven’t you already done that?”

I’m quick to reassure her that everything is ne, that this time is going to be awesome, that I’ve already made a playlist, and would she like to help?

It’s a stress-relieving puzzle, an exercise in problem-solving, an introduction to record-keeping, an adventure through my evolution as a reader. And it’s fun.

e latter answer is, of course, true, but the former justications are necessary, lest you squint at me like my mother. I am nonsensically fond of the warm assurance and familiarity that comes with analyzing my collection. I bask in the condence, the comfort of the habitual check and recheck of an author or date before depositing each book in a pile or nding it a new home on the shelf. I cherish the memories that come with each volume.

Great Expectations contains the story of Pip as well as my ninth-grade self and my earnest attempts at reading Charles Dickens. e damaged spine of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban recounts the odyssey of hands it has passed through, from my brother’s, to my own, to half of my ballet school before a doting pair taped it back together. Far from the Madding Crowd is still marked with makeup, remnants from its debut performance during an expedition across the stage as a prop in e Nutcracker. Les Misérables voyaged with me across the Atlantic as I studied abroad in Switzerland. Stories that have been read to me or that I have read to others hold tokens of family and beloved teachers. Long-forgotten

bookmarks and hall passes serve as soft reminders of the journeys these books have taken between slumbers on my shelf. Every time I rearrange, I remember. I am selectively systematic when it comes to my books. I do try my hardest to sort the shelf with some semblance of sanity. At some point, whatever strategy I’ve invented dissolves into “wherever they t.” Often, I cave after days of sleeping on the living room oor because my bed is caked with homeless books.

e bar for success is low, but di cult to achieve.

I once attempted the traditional alphabetical by author arrangement, and though excited for the challenge, I ran into trouble. A few of the books were too tall to t where the English alphabet dictates they should dwell, and I realized that- regrettably I don’t know, o the top of my head, the author of every book. To nd books in my own library, I would need a catalog, which isn’t to say that I don’t have one, but needing an administrative index is an inconvenience. Once I sorted them by color, a system that the Internet has shown to be esthetically pleasing. e process was thrilling, but my result was anticlimactic: I have a lot of blue books. However, short of my beloved set of Harry Potter novels, I don’t recall the color of each volume. Is e Secret History black or white? at information is not

featured in my catalog. Nevertheless, a trusted solution prevails.

It is a mix of real genres (classics, dystopian, thrillers), authors (Rick Riordan), and categories that I’ve invented (“You have the rst book, but not the rest of the series” or “ ese were on sale at the book fair”). And, of course, a healthy mix of “wherever they t.” And they’re easy to nd. One day I will know someone who will come to love the books as much as I have, who will pass them on to whomever they meet, who will share the stories and add their own. But until then, the memories remain with me.

e collection grows, so every rearranging is a little more challenging than the last, the method to the madness falling a little closer to exclusively “wherever they t.” ey do t, or they will t, and not just because I refuse to believe otherwise. Here the tomes will live, however they must t-despite my mom’s fond squinting-to continue to tell their tales with every check and recheck.

Npo Babies aN Th SeL-Mde SeL

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It seems that nepotism babies are sucking the media industry straight from the teet of their bottles. Nepotism babies, often shortened to nepo babies, is a term used to describe children who have very famous or successful parents, and, more likely than not, have been piggybacking o their parents fortune to become famous themselves. Over the course of the 2010’s, there has been a steady rise in celebrity couples raising children who dream of following in their parents’ footsteps and leaping into the entertainment industry.

ese babies often become stars in their own right, getting a leg up from their dear parents that allows them to quickly rise above the rest and join the ranks of the Hollywood Elite without having to work at all. But what are nepo babies, who are they, and can they really be considered self-made?

ere are three di erent types of nepo babies in the Hollywood scene who each experience their own set of privileges. e rst are “Industry Babies,” whose parents work behind the scenes often as producers or writers (Billie Eilish and Timothée Chalamet). Next are “Classic Nepo Babies,” who are easy to spot, since they share a last

name with their famous parents (Lily-Rose Depp and Willow Smith). Last are “Bloodline Babies,” whose families have been in the media for years.

Maude Apatow, of Euphoria fame, is who some would call the instigator of the nepo baby buzz in 2022. Upon discovering Apatow was the daughter of director Judd Apatow and actress Mann, Leslie Mann, some fans began to theorize on social media that the reason Apatow landed her role in the popular HBO show wasn’t based on talent alone. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Apatow stated that she found the term nepo baby to be “sad.” She also responded that, while she admitted to feeling very lucky in the industry, she also wanted to make a name for herself.

In that same thought, Gwyneth Paltrow, daughter of Emmy-winning actress Blythe Danner, believes that children of famous parents have to work twice as hard in the industry. In a video on Haley Bieber’s Youtube channel, Paltrow stated that “People are ready to pull you down and say ‘You don’t belong there’ or ‘You are only there because of your mom or your dad.”

Some nepo babies try to hide their lineage, often changing their names to try and hide a connection with their famous parents. Legendary actor Nicolas Cage, grandson of Oscar-Winning composer Carmine Coppola and nephew of e Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, was born Nicolas Kim Coppola, but changed his name so his success couldn’t be attributed to his family name.

Marvel actor Elizabeth Olsen even considered changing her name after spending most of her childhood watching her older twin sisters MaryKate and Ashley on screen. Being heavily aware of nepotism even at a young age, Olsen debated going by Elizabeth Chase (her middle name). When starting o her acting career, she did not want to be associated with her sisters and “always wanted to do it alone.”

On the other hand, there are nepo babies that embrace their famous families. e Kardashians are a prime example of this group, and their fame only rose with their long-running reality show Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Kim Kardashian is what many see as the most successful nepo baby, with an estimated net worth of 1.8 billion dollars, mostly due to her numerous lines in the cosmetic and shapewear industries. American model Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin), daughter of actor and director Stephen Baldwin and niece of actor Alec Baldwin, stated in one of her Youtube videos that she tried hard to keep her career and last name separate to “try everything on her own.” Only a few months later, she seemed to change her tune. Following the Twitter coining of the term, she was photographed proudly wearing a white crop top with the term “nepo baby” written across the chest, where she seemed to be attempting to reclaim the term for herself.

Is it fair to struggling actors who have to work multiple jobs just to get by, while a nepo baby has their parents’ resources helping them book jobs? Is it moral for a nepo baby and a person with

non-famous parents to walk into the same audition and have the casting agent choose the nepo baby, solely because they are friends with their parents?

It seems that every time a nepo baby is introduced or revealed, the Internet goes into an uproar about unfairness, mainly due to the fact that Western cultures are hyper-focused on individualism. e Internet is obsessed with the advantages and disadvantages that people have, but that doesn’t stop at celebrities and their children. Nepo babies and people born into privilege are everywhere and in all types of industries. From children of teachers who get help writing essays, to kids whose mothers work in law enforcement, and sons whose dads run a baking business and get free cupcakes. If we as a society really want to get up in arms about nepo babies, then we need to check everyone’s privileges, including our own.

T My of e “Cool Girl”

By: Taylor McElwain

Amy Dunne’s now-iconic Cool Girl monologue from Gone Girl has rightfully claimed its place in women’s collective consciousness. e beginning is as follows: “Nick and Amy would be gone. But then, we never really existed. Nick loved a girl I was pretending to be— Cool Girl.”

Cool Girl, by de nition, is fake. She has to be; she’s a gment of the male imagination, a cross between an always-available sex doll, a loose amalgamation of his interests and a cook/maid/caretaker. Such women don’t exist— real women have the audacity to have wants, needs, desires, to make mistakes and be messy and fuck up.

But Cool Girl doesn’t! She’s only messy insofar as she won’t nag her boyfriend to clean up his beer cans. She’ll probably do it with a smile. Her wants align with his, her desire—

her one desire— is to make him happy. Cool Girl is a product of men pushing their agendas onto women’s bodies and psyches; in the monologue, Dunne states that “[she] wax stripped her pussy raw… I ate cold pizza and remained a size 2. I blew him, semi-regularly. I lived in the moment. I was fucking game.” What says e ortless Cool Girl more than that? However, the paradox of it all is that, in trying to become this idealized woman, women deal with the invisible labor, (both emotional and physical) that’s inextricable from the seemingly-e ortless Cool Girl.

Taylor Swift deconstructs the Cool Girl as well, although it didn’t cling to our collective consciousness the same way Dunne’s monologue did– probably because many didn’t understand that it was intended as satire. In 2014, rightfully tired of the media xation on her romantic relationships in lieu of her

professional work, Swift wrote “Blank Space,” a satirical pop song subtly mocking the media’s rabid obsession with her love life through bringing the serial-dating caricature the media was so fond of to life. Swift, narrating as this caricature, sings “You’re the king, baby I’m your queen / nd out what you want, be that girl for a month.” Again, intrinsic to the concept of Swift’s Cool Girl is that she’s not real; she’s merely the manifestation of this man’s desires, brought to life on the blank slate of Swift as she molds herself to t his wants. In 2023, nine years after both “Blank Space” and Gone Girl, we’ve forgotten that the Cool Girl isn’t just something men push onto women; it’s a persona women put on. is isn’t to blame the women trying to be Cool Girls— of course you’d want to be the relaxed, sexy, desirable, chill girl! Like Amy Dunne said: “[Cool Girl] likes what he likes… When I met Nick Dunne, I knew he wanted Cool Girl. For him, I’ll admit, I was willing to try.” Both Swift’s “Blank Space” caricature and Amy Dunne acknowledge the transference of their partner’s desires onto them, and both are willing to give it a shot, despite their knowledge that they are not, actually, the Cool Girl. Both of these Cool Girls su er on the altars of their male partner’s desires, eroding themselves as they try to assume this persona. In both scenarios, it all comes crashing down around them; in the Blank Space music video, Swift destroys a mansion and hits her lover’s car with a golf club when they get into a ght, and Dunne frames Nick for her death as revenge for cheating on her, moving her to Missouri and generally being an entitled asshole.

So if these women know the Cool Girl per-

sona is, in fact, a persona, why do they still attempt to turn into one? Why do they put so much mental energy and invisible labor into becoming her, especially when the payo is so low?

Dunne answers this too: “men always use that, don’t they, as their de ning compliment. ‘She’s a Cool Girl.’” It’s the crown jewel of praise, being deemed chill enough to hang out. Validation is the elusive reward that keeps us returning to the Cool Girl trope over and over again; the hope that if we perfect the persona, everything will fall into place. Swift, at the end of the “Blank Space” video, watches as a new love interest arrives; the last thing the viewer sees before the credits roll is her red lips curving into a smile.

We need to examine the di erences between the ways in which we, as women, are conditioned to seek male validation at the expense of ourselves, our time, our labor and our ethics. We all want to be cool, especially in this time of unprecedented social visibility, but trying to be the Cool Girl is ghting a losing battle that only succeeds in pitting ourselves against each other and reinforcing the need for external validation.

Men always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's a Cool Girl. and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, lov ing manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl. Men always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl. Men always say that as the defining com pliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl. Men always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl. always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl. Men always say that as defining compliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl. Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women willing to pretend to be this girl. Men always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend be this girl. Men always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's cool girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl. always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl.Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women are willing to pretend to be this girl. Men always say that as defining compliment, don't they? She's a Cool Girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry; they only smile in a chagrined, loving manner and let their men do whatever they want. Go ahead, shit on me, I don't mind, I'm the Cool Girl. Men actually think this girl exist. Maybe they're fooled because so many women willing to pretend to be this girl. Men always say that as the defining compliment, don't they? She's a cool girl. Hot and understanding. Cool Girls never get angry;

This dystopian sci-fi series tells stories of humans’ relationship with technology in the future, but is eerily present in our reality today.

Arkangel

BLACK

Imagine Life 360: but this time, your vision, hearing and body can be monitored by your parents. Released in 2017, Arkangel tells a story of a concerned mother enlisting her daughter into a new child surveillance system via a brain implant. e implant is connected to a tablet that the mother monitors, where she can see and censor her child’s vision and hearing and view her live medical data and past audiovisual recordings. As her daughter grows older, her attempt to protect her eventually unravels with this extreme violation of privacy.

Today, all sorts of new surveillance technologies are coming out for children. We’ve all heard of applications such as Life 360, which can monitor driving speed, location and now even ‘camera roll scanning.’ Features from Apple allow parents to monitor text and call history as well. As these products advance, children’s privacy can become more and more limited.

Nosedive

In this episode, humans live in a futuristic society where everyone is ranked from one to ve based on their social interactions, basically a Yelp for humans! Possible through eye implants that are connected to smartphones, people can see themselves and others’ ratings and social media feeds in real time. e higher the rating, the more privileges people gain to boost their socioeconomic status and obtain luxuries. e story follows Lacie, who obsessively tries to improve her rating to purchase a new home by exaggerating her social interactions.

Similarly, China has been developing a social credit ranking system for the past few years. e system would punish people for things such as driving tickets by implementing penalties like travel bans or slow internet. However, the social ranking system is already

closer to home than we think. In our emerging social media culture, we assess individuals and their statuses online through followers, likes and impressions. e punishment and reward for social media status may not necessarily be government control, but it is already taking its e ect in other ways. e acute anxiety that many of us feel on social media can make us feel like we are constantly being observed for our ‘performance.’ For some, this e ect de nitely causes mental health, self-image, and happiness levels to be dependent on the interactions we gain on social media.

LyNa TRn

The Entire History of You

is 2011 episode is set in the very near future where people have access to a memory implant that can record and keep every single memory. e storyline revolves around a married couple where the wife is cheating on her husband. e husband becomes unhealthily obsessed with forcing his wife to replay her memories proving her in delity for him, which leads to their separation.

While the story’s biggest themes were love, loss and in delity, a future where implants can manipulate our vision isn’t too far. According to Forbes, a company called Mojo has been developing augmented reality contact lenses for the past seven years, and the user will have the ability to see the content they want to see, whenever and wherever they want while remaining seemingly present in the real world.

Not s o fiction a l ?

Rachel, Jack & Ashley Too

is iconic 2019 episode starring Miley Cyrus tells the story of a young singer named Ashley O whose stage persona is completely concocted and controlled by her exploitative aunt. Ashley is drugged into a coma by her manager. While she is unconscious, her aunt feeds her medications to raise the energy in her brainwaves, allowing them to extract songs. ese songs are then performed by the holographic version of her.

e story is very telling of the music industry and incidents of young female artists ghting for control of their professional and personal lives, exempli ed by Britney Spears’ conservatorship controversy. Technology-wise, hologram performances have already taken place. A TV series called Alter Ego rst aired in December 2021 and showcased real people backstage singing while their digital avatars were on stage. Oddly enough, there is also a Google Magenta AI program that can generate new songs from deceased artists such as Amy Winehouse and Jimi Hendrix.

four episodes co M ng t R e.

PRIMAVERA

By: Addison Ware

e rst record of Botticelli’s enchantment with the goddess begins with the rumored commission from the de’ Medici family for the painting of La Primavera as a wedding present to wild and ery Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de’ Medici. With the name Primavera translating to “Spring,” Botticelli encapsulates the emotion and lusciousness that constructs the season we all know and love. In the painting, Botticelli created three narratives for the viewer to read and appreciate fully, all of which exist on the same playing eld. From left to right, we have Mercury distilling the clouds with his caduceus, or the messenger sta , to brush away the clouds and keep an everlasting spring. Next to Mercury, we have the three Graces wearing thin silk garments typically worn by Renaissance women on the nights of their wedding, or received as a gift. In the center, we have the goddess Venus accompanied by her child Cupid, who seems to be getting into trouble by aiming his arrow at one of the Graces to enchant her in a spell-binding love. Lastly, on the far right we have the story of Zeyphr and Chloris, who is kidnapped by Zephyr and transformed into Flora, the goddess of owers.

In conversation with Dr. Rebekah Comton, Associate Professor of Renaissance and Baroque Art here at the College of Charleston, she gives us insight into our understanding of narrative. She comments on Primavera, saying “In the ancient texts of Ovid’s Fasti [ e Book of Days], Zephyr and Flora are related to the month of March, Venus is the goddess of April, and Mercury is the god of May. So they’re literally making up the three months of Spring in the painting, and as she is the goddess of the whole

season therefore she’s in the center.”

Let’s take a closer look at the envioirment of the painting. Bottecielli takes the authenic setting of 15th century Italy and transports it into the world of mythology to respect and acknowledge the overlap of the mythological world and the real world in honor of antiquity. Scattered across the eld of grass are indegienious ora and fauna from Florence, Italy, the homeland of Bottecielli; Forget-me-nots, roses, myrtle, carnations, iris, jasmine, the grape hyacinth.

It seems almost like the forest itself is worshipping her, creating breaks between the long limbed trees to form a pale blue halo around her head of golden hair to show respect and admiration. e oranges littered in the tree branches are at their fullness. Plump with their saccarine nectar, ready to be enjoyed by the visitors of the garden. Botticelli is creating a work of art that can enrich our sense o of the panel and into our lives, similar to how Venus would enrich the same sense into the world of the Romans.

VENUS: ICON OF SPRING

From foam in the ripples off the I and of Cyprus, the goddess Venus is born. She's gre ed on her left by the wind god, Zephyr, and accompanied by the breeze, Aura, on his arm. To her right, the Horae of Spring is ready to adorn her in a vermillion cloak of orals.

She's captured be by the soft glow of the Spring sun. Venus is famou y depicted by Sandro Botticelli in the mo luxurious way the Renaissance arti could, in a garden of blooming owers and the essence of springtime in the air. love saturating the Graces, Mercury, Flora and Zephyr..

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Margaret Bruce

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CY FAHON RTURS...

...ARL 2023

UNtil next time...