9-26-23 entire issue hi res

The Corne¬ Daily Sun

Insectpalooza

Te department of Entomology celebrated the 20th year of the bug-themed event. |

Arts and Culture Weather

Cornell Beats Yale Cornell football defeats Yale in unprecendented upset on Saturday. | Page 8

Clocktower Closed to Visitors

Major renovations on tower underway until November 2024

By SOFIA RUBINSON Sun Managing Editor

Generations of Cornellians have enjoyed the sound of the University’s iconic clocktower at the heart of campus, with chimes to signal the passing of each 15-minute interval and daily concerts by chimesmasters through the Cornell Chimes program. But since July 3, major renovations have silenced the tower during the school day and closed it off to visitors, with a scheduled end date of November 2024.

“We are excited that the construction project will help ensure that future generations can enjoy music from the Cornell Chimes,” said Head Chimesmaster Elisabeth Wang ’24 in a statement to The Sun. “Although this does mean fewer concerts this year, the tower requires periodic maintenance and has not seen renovations on this scale since 1998.”

According to Wang, the construction primarily involves replacing the roof and performing maintenance work on the exterior of the tower. Inside the clocktower, which is now closed to visitors, the sixth floor museum recently underwent renovations to upgrade the lighting system and repaint the walls.

Typically, Cornell Chimes plays three concerts a day, seven days a week. Working around construction hours, the group now performs only one, longer concert on weekday evenings — though they still perform three concerts on weekends. The automated hour bells have also been turned off from 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays to not interfere

with construction.

“Since the chimes are very loud, concerts could be a disruption and distraction to construction efforts, and it would not be safe for the workers,” Wang said. “Concerts can still occur in the evenings and on the weekends when construction activity is not actively occurring.”

In prior years, visitors were encouraged to climb the 161 steps inside the tower to watch the chimesmasters at work during scheduled concerts. But this year, the construction has also halted this tradition.

“We are unable to have visitors due to the construction,” Wang wrote. “Chimesmasters need to be able to focus on playing the music, which makes it difficult to ensure that visitors are following the guidelines to protect their safety.”

Some students told The Sun the lack of consistent chimes and visitor policy has paused a Cornell tradition they came to enjoy.

“I applied early decision, and for me, the clock tower was a symbol of something that made me hopeful and excited,” said Ashley Berrezueta ’25. “I don't think I represent the large majority in some ways, but for me, I do love the clocktower.”

Some seniors, who will not see the clocktower back in full swing during their time at Cornell and started at the University when the tower was closed to visitors due to the pandemic, expressed disappointment for the loss of the tradition.

White House Hosts First Press Briefng of Academic Year

By SOFIA RUBINSON and JULIA SENZON Sun Managing Editor and Sun News Editor

In the first Campus Press Briefing for the 2023-24 academic year, White House advisors and press representatives discussed pressing issues for college students nationwide, including college affordability, climate change, mental health initiatives and diversity in higher education institutions on Monday, Sept. 25.

College Affordability

Making a college education affordable and accessible is a top priority of the Biden Administration, according to White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt.

“President Biden understands the importance of a higher education. It’s got the power to unlock doors of opportunity for millions of students, like those who read your papers,” LaBolt said. “That’s why he’s been focused on fixing the broken student loan system and making college more affordable for students and families.”

The Biden Administration has

approved $117 billion in targeted relief for 3.4 million borrowers through various initiatives. This includes $45 billion of debt relief through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program for public servants, including teachers, police officers and nurses, who make payments for 10 years.

“Historically, [public service] programs haven’t worked very well, and people who were supposed to be getting credit towards getting their loans forgiven for spending time in those areas didn’t get them,” said Bharat Ramamurti, Deputy Director for the National Economic Council.

“Since the President came to office, he’s made those programs work a lot better. We’ve gone from a few hundred people getting their loan forgiveness under that program to tens of thousands of people getting their forgiveness.”

Launched in August, the new Saving on a Valuable Education Plan is an income-driven repayment plan where payments are dependent on a borrower’s income and family size, not their loan balance, and any remaining balance is forgiven after a certain number of years, depending on the orig-

inal balance owed. The SAVE Plan cuts borrowers’ monthly payments to zero if they make less than $30,000 a year and saves around $1,000 a year for those making more than $30,000 a year relative to other income-driven repayment plans. Four million borrowers have already enrolled in the SAVE Plan, according to LaBolt.

LaBolt also noted that the President secured the largest increase in Pell Grants in more than a decade, with a $500 increase to the grant amount that qualified students receive which does not need to be repaid.

The Biden Administration is also actively pursuing alternative pathways to debt relief following the Supreme Court’s strike-down of the President’s original debt relief plan in June, which would have given 40 million borrowers up to $20,000 in debt relief.

“We know that many young people are worried about student loans as a barrier to opportunity. And the President’s hope is that all of these plans and all of these actions reassure students, reassure alumni, that the President has your back,” LaBolt said. “He won’t stop fighting to bring the

promise of affordability to more students and families. And you can expect more actions of forgiveness to be announced in the coming weeks as well.”

Climate Change

LaBolt said that the President views climate change as “the one existential threat to humanity, an existential threat to the United States and something that he's committed to taking the most substantial domestic and international action that's ever been taken by a president before [to

address].”

On Aug. 16, 2022, Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act — the most significant investment in climate in world history, LaBolt said.

“[The act] will enable our country to cut emissions in half by 2030,” LaBolt said. “It’s expected to double the amount of solar, wind and batteries that we could deploy across the country in the next 10 years as we transition to renewables, which will also create millions of jobs in the meantime.”

Spill her GUTS

Ayesha Chari '24 reviews pop artist Olivia Rodrigo's new album, "GUTS."

One last chime | McGraw Tower will be closed to visitors until November 2024 as construction crews work to renovate the Cornell landmark.

Daybook

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

A LISTING OF FREE CAMPUS EVENTS

Today

Turkish Conversation Hour

10 a.m., G25 Stimson Hall

Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics and Applied and Engineering Physics Seminar by Xiaoliang Qi (Stanford University)

12:20 p.m. - 1:30 p.m., 700 Clark Hall

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Colloquium: Prof. Michael P. Burke, Mechanical Engineering, Columbia Univeristy

1:30 p.m., B11 Kimball Hall

Law School Day 2023

2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Statler Hotel Ballroom

Teaching and Learning Science in the 21st Century — Prof. Carl Wieman, Physics, Stanford University (A.D. White Professor-at-Large)

4 p.m., 201 Schwartz Auditorium, Rockefeller Hall

Prof. Stefan Wagner, Operations, Information and Technology, Stanford Univerity — Treatment

Effects in Market Equilibrium

4:15 p.m., 253 Rhodes Hall

Tomorrow

Food Insecurity in India: Issues and Concerns

12:20 p.m. - 1:10 p.m, 135 Emerson Hall

Graduate and Professional School Day 2023

2 p.m. - 6 p.m, Statler Hotel Ballroom

Institute for African Development Seminar:

Women’s Land Rights and Rural Climate

Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa

2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., G-08 Uris Hall

Preparing for Finance Careers for Undergrads

4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., G76 Goldwin Smith Hall

Poetic Inspiration and the Alembic Metaphor in 16th-Century France

4:45 p.m., K155 Klarman Hall

Independent Since 1880

one for incoming freshmen in July — make for a total of 61 issues this academic year. Subscriptions are: $60.00 for fall term, $60.00 for spring term and $120.00 for both terms if paid in advance. Standard postage paid at Ithaca, New York. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Cornell Daily Sun, 139 W. State St., Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.

White House Briefng Covers Campus Issues

BRIEFING Continued from page 1

On Aug. 16 of this year, the U.S. Department of Energy released an updated report that said that the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — which Biden signed into law on Nov. 15, 2021 — would lower U.S. net greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.

“Next, the President has been working hard to conserve America’s natural beauty and strengthen climate resilience,” LaBolt said. “I don’t think this has gotten as much attention as it deserves.”

Biden has protected over 21 million acres of public lands and waters — putting him on track to conserve more nature than any other president in history, according to LaBolt. He has also established five new national monuments, LaBolt said.

The Center for American Progress reported on Dec. 20, 2022, that in Biden’s first two years in office, he funneled more money into conservation projects than any other president in their first two years. Biden channeled $10.71 billion into conservation in his first two years, compared to President Donald Trump funneling $4.4 billion into conservation in that amount of time.

LaBolt also mentioned that on Wednesday, Biden established the American Climate Corps, which commits to providing job training for 20,000 young people to address the climate crisis.

“This [program] will train [young people] to do things like restore our lands and waters, bolster community resilience, deploy clean energy and implement energy-efficient technologies,” LaBolt said.

Mental Health

LaBolt acknowledged that students across the U.S. are currently grappling with various mental health obstacles.

“The President hears you; that’s why he’s created a mental health strategy as part of his Unity Agenda,” LaBolt said. “He’s committed to creating a mental health system that works for everyone and treating it with the parity with physical health that it deserves.”

To continue reading this article, please visit www.cornellsun.com.

Sofa

Student Assembly Passes Resolution 21 to Support Graduate Unionization

By MATTHEW KIVIAT Sun Contributor

The Student Assembly unanimously passed a resolution Thursday expressing support among undergraduates with Cornell Graduate Students United — an organization that advocates for the rights of graduate students — and their effort to unionize.

The passage of the resolution follows CGSU’s recent announcement that graduate students at Cornell will seek to unionize under the labor union United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, on Sept. 6 when they held a unionization card drive event in front of Bailey Hall.

Resolution 21: Solidarity with Cornell Graduate Students United, was sponsored by assembly members Suraj Parikh ’24, vice-president of external affairs and minority students at large liaison, Patrick Kuehl ’24, president, Claire Ting ’25, executive vice president, Aissatou Barry ’24, vice president of diversity and inclusion and minority students liaison at-large, Adam Vinson ’25, CALS representative and representative to the University Assembly and Casey Platkin ’26, ILR representative. The resolution

Insectapalooza Turns 20

Te entomology department hosted the insect-themed event Saturday

By ANGELA MILLER and EVAN LIBERMAN Sun Contributors

By 9 a.m. on Saturday, the incessant buzz of scorpions, millipedes, spiders and dozens of insects had engulfed the Cornell Dairy Bar. This was no infestation — rather, the 20th annual Insectapalooza, the Cornell Department of Entomology’s annual insect festival, was in full swing.

Insectapalooza is a one-day educational event hosted by the Department of Entomology intended to display the department’s research and get the public excited about insects, said organizer Prof. Linda Rayor, entomology, in an interview with The Sun.

When the event began 20 years ago, Insectapalooza was part of a larger celebration of 100 years of the College of Agriculture and Life Science. Rayor said she and her colleagues had hoped about 300 people would attend the event — instead, they got 1,000. In recent years Insectapalooza has drawn between 2,500 to 3,000 people of varying ages and backgrounds.

“We get a really bimodal distribution of the people who come,” Rayor said. “We get a lot of families and elementary and middle school-aged kids, but we also get an awful lot of interested adults. People come from all over the Eastern U.S. — from Boston, Michigan, Virginia.”

This year’s Insectapalooza hosted over 30 different exhibits, including an arthropod zoo, a darkroom that displayed fluorescent arthropods, an insect bioacoustics station and a display of bugs at nanoscale, allowing attendees to see details of insects as small as one billionth of a meter in size.

The six-hour event is the only opportunity for the public to view the Cornell University Insect Collection, which contains over 7 million species. Species on display Saturday included huntsman

spiders, Asian forest scorpions, striped love beetles and Rhetenor blue morpho butterflies.

Donna Pinnisi, an employee at the Einaudi Center, and her son, Michael Pinnisi ’22, came to Insectapalooza to encourage Michael’s two-yearold daughter, Freya Pinnisi, to explore insects. Despite her age, Freya is just as fascinated by bugs

as she was by her Dairy Bar ice cream.

“This was the first year we came because, since she loves [looking at insects] at home, we thought this would be a great way to introduce her [to them],” Donna Pinnisi said.

Insectapalooza provides a unique opportunity to shape children’s curiosity about insects through outreach to both parents and children, according to organizer Annika Salzberg grad, a Ph.D. candidate in entomology.

See INSECTS page 4

was introduced alongside Jessica Ness grad, an organizer at CGSU.

Parikh reflected on how this is not the first time that graduate students have been calling for unionization at Cornell, as there have been two different graduate student unionization efforts in the past, one in the early 2000s, which failed, and another in 2017 that also failed.

While graduate students serve as an integral component of the Cornell community, they face many challenges including low pay, limited access to health care, issues coming to campus and other problems, especially if they care for families with children or come from other countries, the resolution states.

According to the resolution, 62 percent of graduate students cannot save “the recommended 20 percent of their paycheck,” 65 percent are unable to visit the dentist twice a year and 65 percent say that the TCAT system does not meet their “transportation needs.” The resolution asserts that by formally unionizing, graduates will be able to “collectively bargain with the University for better wages, benefits, rights and working conditions.”

Rubinson can be reached at srubinson@cornellsun.com. Julia Senzon can be reached at jsenzon@cornellsun.com.

Bug bonanza | Insectapalooza provides opportunities for visitors to engage in a variety of bug-themed activities.

EMILY VO / SUN MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Insectapalooza Teaches Entomology to Younger Audiences

Cornell’s Department of Entomology hosted 20th annual Insectapalooza to showcase department research

“Some little kids are automatically grossed out by bugs, but a lot of them are just interested. Whether or not a child becomes a bug lover or a bug hater depends on what the adults around them are doing,” Salzberg said.

Beginning last year, the event has added half-hour workshops led by Cornell faculty on topics such as careers in entomology, tick-borne diseases and pollinator gardens, according to Salzberg.

Alejandro Calixto, director of Cornell University’s New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, presented on the biology, development and effects of the invasive spotted lanternfly, which feeds on grapes. The insect was first identified in 2014 and in recent years has spread throughout New York, raising concerns about threats to local vineyards.

“In Pennsylvania, we have vineyards that have been completely lost due to the spotted lanternfly, and this very well could happen in New York State,” Calixto said. “In the next two years, we’re going to start seeing the impact on grape production.”

As part of its IPM strategy, Calixto’s team works to reduce the risk of pests like the spotted lanternfly through chemical, cultural, mechanical and biological approaches. They then educate the community about strategies the public can take to combat pests beyond spraying pesticides.

“The idea with this program is to try to engage with the public before the pest gets into those vineyards, so at least the growers have tools to prevent significant

economic damage,” Calixto said.

Prof. Bryan Danforth, entomology, discussed the diversity of solitary bees. These bees are different because they are not social — meaning they do not create large nests — and will often pollinate a single type of plant year after year. As such, they are often overshadowed by the ubiquitous honeybee, Danforth said.

risk of extinction, while the worst-case scenario sees that number rise to 60 percent.

Insectapalooza relies on the help of volunteers, some of whom are undergraduate students. Sarah Garcia ’25, president of Snodgrass and Wigglesworth, Cornell’s undergraduate entomology club, volunteered to spread curiosity and awareness about insects. Snodgrass and Wigglesworth led the isopods and arts and crafts tables.

“[Insectapalooza] puts a face and a love to the science of insects,” Garcia said, adding that they hope Insectapalooza’s outreach will tackle the fear of bugs “embedded in our culture.”

Similarly, Brian Gollands, an employee at the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, volunteered to work at the fossil arthropod table. A former Cornell biological control employee, Gollands has come to Insectapalooza for over ten years to share his love for insects with children.

“I want people to take away an appreciation for the diversity of [solitary bees’] nesting habits, their floral associations,” Danforth said. “[There is] a sheer weirdness [to] some of these species — some bees nest in snail shells and some nest in cow dung.”

In an interview with the Sun, Danforth also stressed the economic impact and numerical diversity of bees in general. He noted that there are five times more species of bees than there are species of mammals, including 20,000 bee species in the U.S. and over 400 in the state. Many of New York’s native pollinators also contribute significantly to fruit and vegetable pollination in the area. However, according to a 2022 study involving Danforth’s lab, a conservative estimate places 38 percent of New York’s native pollinators at

“You find out kids are just like me. They like insects, and you’re hoping that maybe if you talk to a few of them … they’ll be inspired to go onto a career [in entomology],” Gollands said.

According to Rayor, Insectapalooza is more than just the sum of its exhibits and presentations, but a way to bring like-minded people together.

“Very often, this is an opportunity for spider kids and bug nerds to come to this event and find their tribe,” Rayor said.

ASSEMBLY

Continued from page 3

Construction Closes Clocktower Trough November 2024 S.A. Calls For Sexual Violence Prevention Reform

CLOCKTOWER

Jahan Okata Harrison ’24 said the chimes helped build school spirit, and Theodore Bloch ’24 said they represented a meaningful study break and uplifting part of the day whenever he studied in the nearby libraries.

more practical reasons. Due to the active construction zone, the pathway connecting Ho Plaza and the Arts Quad is closed off, meaning students must walk around Sage Chapel to get to the Plaza and Collegetown.

“When I have to get somewhere important, then it is a little annoying,” White said.

In a recent Slope Day Programming Board survey sent to the student body, one question asked students whether they would support moving Slope Fest — a festival with free food, drinks, carnival games, prizes and music during Slope Day — from Ho Plaza to the Arts Quad due to the construction. No decision on this matter has been announced.

To stand in solidarity with the entire Cornell graduate community as they fight for unionization, the resolution formally expresses support among undergraduates as CGSU tries to significantly “improve the lives of graduate students.”

Parikh emphasized the importance of the work that graduate students do at Cornell, and how they need to be fairly compensated.

“I think it’s incredibly important that [we] undergraduates demonstrate our solidarity with regard to the students who basically make this campus run,” Parikh said. “These are people who are teaching our classes [and] include people who are a huge part of our education.”

steps to affirm our shared commitment to safety, inclusion, belonging and respect for all Cornellians.”

The resolution was introduced by sponsors Alhassan Bangura ’25, chairman of the office of ethics, Lucia Balestrieri ’26, womxn’s issues liaison-at-large, Ting, Barry, Jack Kalinski ’24, executive archivist and Agnes Coleman ’26, deputy parliamentarian.

“How far is too far for something to happen for us to make a change for ongoing sexual assault prevention resources, our programs, our education?”

Claire Ting

urges the “Administration and the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX to commit to consistent reassessment and collaboration with the student body” to prevent such violence from occurring again.

The resolution also suggests that the Administration 1) meets with the S.A. and student body to engage in a conversation about current limitations of Title IX training for first-year students, 2) formally releases a statement acknowledging the recent incident and providing information on how to report to Cornell’s Title IX coordinator, Campus Police and other support services and 3) creates supplementary firstyear orientation courses which can “reduce the risk of victimization” on campus.

“I’ve heard a lot of unhappiness about that from my senior peers as they were hoping to take graduation photos [with the clocktower], photos with their family. I know some people’s families aren’t often able to visit, and so being able to visit campus when they graduate is a big thing for them,” Okata Harrison said. “To see it sort of under construction and perhaps a little dingy probably isn’t optimal.”

Other students, like Adrian White ’25, commented that the construction is inconvenient for

Wang noted that Cornell Chimes is finding ways to connect with the Cornell community despite the lack of visitors and reduced concert schedule. She said they have an upcoming sunset concert for Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 30.

“Our main goal is to continue to deliver high-quality concerts while maintaining safety as a top priority,” Wang said.

Nancy Lin ’27 contributed reporting.

Parikh also spoke on the correlation between graduate students’ unionizing and the 2023-2024 academic theme of “Freedom of Expression.”

“I think it’s important to recognize [that the] Administration has put such an emphasis on free expression,” Parikh said. “One of the most important ways that you can express your voice is signing a union card and joining a union because that’s the freedom of association.”

The S.A. also unanimously adopted Resolution 24, which affirms that sexual assault has no place on campus and calls for the University to “take

Following a recent sexual assault on Sept. 14 on campus, the resolution formally condemns the incident and urges that the University address it and affirm that Cornell is committed to ensuring the safety of students.

Ting said a statement from the University is overdue, and the resolution calls for reform to take place to evaluate the effectiveness of sexual violence prevention initiatives at Cornell.

To better provide students with resources to help prevent sexual violence, the resolution

Ting reflected on the necessity of the University to take steps to address sexual assault and the dangers of failing to act swiftly.

“How far is too far for something to happen for us to make a change for ongoing sexual assault prevention resources, our programs, our education? How far will it have to take us to finally give enough funding and human resources to the people who are educating others on consent?” Ting said.

“That’s why I think we as the sponsors are pushing so hard for this to happen.”

Assembly unanimously passes resolutions on sexual assault, grad unions

’25

Angela Miller can be reached at am2592@cornell.edu. Evan Liberman can be reached at ell74@cornell.edu.

Matthew Kiviat can be reached at mlk256@cornell.edu.

Sofa Rubinson can be reached at srubinson@cornellsun.com.

“The tower requires periodic maintenance and has not seen renovations on this scale since 1998.”

Elisabeth Wang ’24

“Whether or not a child becomes a bug lover or a bug hater depends on what the adults around them are doing.”

Annika Salzberg grad

Olivia Rodrigo Wears Her GUTS On Her Sleeve

AYESHA CHARI ARTS STAFF WRITER

Back in my freshman year, I wrote an article about recent teenage sensation Olivia Rodrigo and her new single “deja vu.” The title? “Olivia Rodrigo Proves She Is Not a One-Hit Wonder.”

Two and a half years later, it is pretty safe to say that Olivia Rodrigo is, in fact, not a one-hit wonder. Her debut album SOUR spawned another number one single, “good 4 u,” and the album itself hit number one on the Billboard 200 and went fourtime platinum. Now, with the release of Rodrigo’s sophomore album GUTS , Rodrigo is back with more intense feelings channeled into pop rock bangers and cathartic piano ballads. GUTS and SOUR share many similarities: in aesthetic (purple album covers), in the continued collaboration with indie hitmaker Dan Nigro and in themes of heartbreak, angst, frustration and insecurity. However, the

evolution feels mostly natural: While GUTS may be Rodrigo and Nigro attempting to recreate the success of SOUR , it is done in a careful way that shows the progression of Rodrigo as an artist and as someone reckoning with newfound fame.

The first thing to notice about this album is that Rodrigo sounds really great. Her voice is strong and always enjoyable, even when she screams. More than that, Rodrigo is an actress, and she really commits to her songs’ theatrical elements by yelling, stomping and emoting. An album with so many shouting elements would not be pleasant to listen to with a lesser performance. Rodrigo’s singing also varies among GUTS ’s ballads and helps differentiate them in style and tone.

My favorite song on the album right now has to be the third single “get him back!,” another fantastic slice of pop rock. The song relies on a pretty clever premise: Rodrigo wants to “get him back,” or to get together with

him, but she also wants to “get him back” for all his wrongdoing. This double entendre works well in the chorus, when she shouts “I want sweet revenge / I want him again,” but works best on the bridge, where Rodrigo uses line breaks to change the meaning of the lyrics from the first version of “getting him back” to the second. This leads to my favorite set of lines in the album: “I wanna kiss his face / with an uppercut / I wanna meet his mom / just to tell her her son sucks.”

Rodrigo’s writing shines most when it’s specific, self-deprecating and selfaware. In the bombastic “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl,” Rodrigo laments her social life by saying “everything I do is tragic / every guy I like is gay.” In “bad idea right?,” Rodrigo sings about the fatal moment when one decides to hook up with an ex, despite her better judgment and the warning of her friends. It’s all very dramatic and also very relatable; Rodrigo is like the one friend you know that is in

an emotionally draining situationship and seems to like it, but completely owns her own messiness. Unlike SOUR ’s biggest songs, in which Rodrigo reacts to events that happen to her, in GUTS she claims control of them and grapples with the emotional turmoil that ensues.

In the opening song, the cinematic “all-american bitch,” Rodrigo screams “I know my age and I act like it,” a seeming response to the criticism that GUTS may be too immature. In fact, much of GUTS is about that impossible dilemma young women in the spotlight face: the pressure to be ‘grown,’ while at the same time holding on to the youth that makes them appealing. In “teenage dream,” Rodrigo writes about the pressures to maintain her image after being a prodigious youth, and in “Logical” and “Vampire,” older men both desire her youth and dislike the emotional burdens that come with dating someone at such a critical age.

When listening to GUTS ,

I think about the common and unfortunate rhetoric that people my and Rodrigo’s age are “adults,” and therefore, older men should be able to date us without societal shame. While it may be accidental, I think GUTS does a great job showing that the transition from youth to adulthood is gradual, and that while 20 year olds are not children, they are still looking at their childhood in their rearview mirror.

Sometimes, the juxtaposition of immaturity and maturity does not work as well for me.

For example, the track “love is embarrassing” retreads on many themes from earlier in the album, and “lacy,” despite its intriguing premise of an obsession with another woman, doesn’t go bold enough, seeming to hint at homoeroticism but not fully committing to it.

To read more, please visit cornellsun.com.

Te Two Biggest Fantasies of 2023

In the world of Book-tok and Book-stagram, there is always a popular new book that creators are raving about. In the past few months, two books have risen to the top of the charts amongst fantasy and romance readers. Both books are deemed to be “romantasy,” or romance fantasy, with strong world building and enemies to lovers storylines. But what sets them apart from one another, and which one might be best for you?

The first book that has blown up is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. This book came out in May and quickly rose in popularity, making it nearly impossible to find in most stores, including Barnes & Noble. Fourth Wing is the first fantasy book Yarros has written, which many readers may find shocking. It follows the main character, feisty Violet Sorrengail, as she is thrust into learning how to become a dragon rider at Bagsliath War College. She is forced to become a dragon rider by her domineering mother, despite her training

to become an archivist, which could be considered similar to a real life librarian or researcher. When Violet meets Xaden Riorsen, an older dragon rider, she recognizes him as the child of rebels. Since Violet’s mother works as a general, this means that their families are essentially enemies.

One thing I liked about this book is that the reader is thrown directly into Violet’s first trial from the first chapter. The book also develops excellent character relationships as Violet interacts with Xaden, her childhood friend Dain and other new characters. I also appreciate that this book has substantial disability representation, as Violet is confirmed by Yarros to have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The presence of a love triangle and significant side characters in the novel added a sense of reality to the fantastical setting. As for the setting of Fourth Wing, Yarros does an excellent job setting the scene of Bagsliath by detailing the different trials Violet goes through and her encounters with the dragons, while also keeping the plot moving forward.

The second book that has taken the book community

by storm is Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. This book came out in April 2023 and went through a similar rise to fame as Fourth Wing, with creators on all different platforms arguing that they thought Divine Rivals was even better than Fourth Wing. Ross has written other fantasy books before, but none as popular as Divine Rivals This book follows Iris Winnow as she lives through a war between gods. With her brother off at war, her mother facing addiction and an annoying rival at her job named Roman Kitt, Iris has a lot on her plate. She begins writing letters to her brother on her typewriter and absentmindedly shutting them in her wardrobe. One day, she gets an answer to the letters. Little does she know, it is Roman himself writing her back, as they have magical typewriters that are somehow connected to one another. One of my favorite parts of the novel was getting to see Iris’s and Roman’s relationship evolve, while also learning more about the war and the magic at play in the story. The two main settings in the book, Iris’s home town and the front line of the war, contrast nicely with each other and succeed at

keeping my attention.

When comparing these two novels, it is important to note that they both have their own merits, and I myself gave both books a five star rating. On Goodreads, Fourth Wing currently has a 4.66 star rating, and Divine Rivals has a 4.28 star rating — these are both extremely high. The first comparison that can be made between the books is focusing on their fantasy elements. If you are coming into these novels as a strictly fantasy reader wanting to dive into more romance, I recommend Fourth Wing. The world building is slightly more developed, and the plot is more centered on the fantastical elements of the college and Violet as a dragon rider. If you are coming into these novels as a strictly romance reader wanting to dive into more fantasy, I recommend Divine Rivals. The world is less complicated, and the plot is a little easier to follow. While both books have excellent romance, Divine Rivals is less raunchy than Fourth Wing The romance between Iris and Roman is best for readers who are looking for a deep emotional connection, rather than a more physical one.

In terms of pacing, both books are very fast-paced, with the reader being dropped right into the action. Since the fantasy in Divine Rivals is a little easier to understand and the book itself is a little shorter, I would argue that it is a less intense read compared to Fourth Wing. Both Iris and Violet are extremely strong and ambitious female leads, and Roman and Xaden are great love interests, with Xaden being more morally gray than Roman. Divine Rivals does focus less on side character development than Fourth Wing, so that is another aspect to keep in mind. Both books are also part of series, with their sequels releasing in the coming months, so they do both end in cliffhangers.

Overall, both books are great reads for romantasy lovers or anyone looking for a cozy fall book. It is really up to the reader which one you prefer, and I have heard a range of opinions. If you are in need of a fast-paced magical book with enemies to lovers, both are excellent choices.

EMMA ROBINSON ARTS CONTRIBUTOR

Emma Robinson is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at elg29@cornell.edu.

Ayesha Chari is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at asc294@cornell.edu.

The Corne¬ Daily Sun Independent Since

Aurora Weirens

Aurora Weirens is a third year student in the College of Arts & Sciences. Her fortnightly column Te Northern Light illuminates student life and culture. She can be reached at aweirens@cornellsun.com.

A Fruitless Endeavor

The hoggish students lined up, nudging the line forward, eager to get their evening grubs. There was a bountiful selection of different salads, vegetables, tofu, traditional American courses, Asian fusion, pizza, homemade pasta, yogurt and eight different flavors of Cornell Dairy ice cream, not including the three different flavors of soft serve churning in the corner. Almost every day is a good day to be a hungry student at Cornell. Our talented chefs work hard to feed us well. However, there is one glaring shortcoming that Cornell has: There is almost no fruit to be found in any of our dining halls. A couple of wedges of under ripe cantaloupe, picked over and in a puddle of juice along with a basket of bruised, unripe bananas and crusty oranges by the entrance is the usual offering.

SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR GUEST COLUMN

The Cornell Daily Sun is devoted to publishing a broad and diverse set of content from the Cornell and greater Ithaca community.

We want to hear what you have to say about today's paper or any of our pieces.

Guidelines on how to submit can be found at Cornellsun.com. And here is our email: opinion@cornellsun.com

Given how sickly the average Cornellian seems to be (go sit in a lecture hall and be serenaded by a symphony of coughing and sneezing) and how little sunlight the average student here gets, fruit is especially essential. The cramped conditions of dorm living and Collegetown housing are ideal breeding grounds for the spread of disease, and one of the few tangible ways that Cornell can boost our immune systems is by providing more fruit on campus. I know countless students who are perfectly healthy that come to Cornell and are chronically ill while here. It’s a common practice among parents, mine included, to send their kids to Cornell with packets of vitamin C powder, knowing that we cannot depend on our $7,000 annual meal plan to provide us with adequate nutrition to keep us healthy. All the tasty pizza and ice cream made me corpulent and jolly, but now I just want my nose to stop running.

The crowning irony of this phenomenon is that Cornell has our own research Orchards on campus, and we’re arguably the greatest school for agriculture in the world. How come our fruit selection is so appalling? Why is Appel Dining Hall, during peak apple season, in the middle of upstate New York, using year-old apples from Washington state as their fruit offering? As a former intern of the Cornell Orchards, I launched an investigation into the reasoning behind our reality. Talking with one of my former Orchard bosses, Professor Dr. Gregory Peck, he explained that historically Cornell Orchards has in fact been able to meet demands for apples in our dining halls. However, a recent blight of an apple tree disease called fireblight, followed by an unusual frost last May, has devastated both research and yields for the past two years.

Still, upstate New York is known for its apple orchards. Talking with local apple orchard owners, they explained that although they were harmed by the frost, they were still able to produce limited yields. This variance in damage of these orchards by frost, despite being so close geographically, can be explained in part by differences in elevation, air currents, timing of blossoming, and proximity to the lake effect. The decreased yields experienced statewide force our local farmers to increase prices, making them lose out to farmers in far away parts of the country unharmed by frost, such as Washington state. In their determination to get the cheapest possible products, Cornell is hurting both our planet and our local

economy by not buying from the local supply. If buying local in our community’s time of need is beyond the budget of Cornell Dining, the University has the full capabilities to produce the necessary funds to support our farmers and feed our students better.

Dr. Margaret Smith, Associate Dean and Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station, also said that Cornell Dining buying bulk apples from one supplier eases the logistical process. It’s simple to order large amounts of fruit from one massive supplier far away, rather than placing multiple orders from multiple suppliers locally. The result is our current abysmal selection, which in no way meets the needs of students. With a little bit of extra coordination and effort, and perhaps an increased budget, I believe that stocking our dining halls with fresh, local apples this fall is entirely possible.

Beyond just apples and our Orchards, Cornell can fund more commercial-scale student efforts to grow fruit on and for our campus. Smith College, in Northampton, MA, has a special fruit endowment program specially devoted to providing their students with ample supplies of fresh fruit. Cornell has an incredible opportunity right under its nose. In the spirit that Smith College has endowed fruit for their students, Cornell can do that too. In fact, they can do it with considerably greater ease, given we have a massive student population studying agriculture that would be enthusiastic to pitch in the labor to grow the fruit, receiving additional education in the process and cutting carbon emissions. If sustainability is so important to Cornell that they are digging a two mile hole on campus, why can’t they shell out a bit more to promote both sustainability for the planet and their students’ immune systems?

For fruit expenses that go beyond Cornell Dining’s budget, and to help navigate seasonality, Cornell can endow further fruit offerings, even if they don’t come from the orchards. Fruit is so rare here that the appearance of grapes, which I’ve only ever seen in two dining halls, creates a frenzy among students. “Grape pickers,” is a wellknown slang term for students who barrel forward with their reusable containers when they see grapes and carefully sift through the otherwise undesirable fruit salad for every last grape for optimal hoarding. This kind of desperation is ridiculous, but accurately portrays the severity of this situation.

May I remind Cornell administration that even though it’s not the most exciting or eye-catching use of funds, nourishing your students is still a worthwhile pursuit. The lack of fruit in dining halls is a problem other campuses face, but they are able to overcome it. This is something Cornell has yet to do. Using the Orchards is not the only advantage that Cornell has available to them. They can collaborate with local farms and orchards to acquire regionally grown, higher quality fruit, and they can harness our existing human resources to grow more of our own. Beyond these efforts, Cornell can still contribute funds to ensure that this issue is fully resolved. These funds will be allocated and coordinated when Cornell determines this issue is a priority. Fruit is important to students’ diets and Cornell is important to the fruit industry. But are students’ diets important to Cornell?

Sundoku

Fill in the empty cells, one number in each, so that each column, row, and region contains the numbers 1-9 exactly once. Each number in the solution therefore occurs only once in each of the three “directions,” hence the “single numbers” implied by the puzzle’s name. (Rules from wikipedia.org/wiki/ Sudoku)

Puzzle 6024

SAUCE

CLASSIFIED AD RATES

Ads are accepted at Te Sun’s ofce at 139 W. State Street downtown, by phone or e-mail. Deadline: 2:30 p.m. at Te Sun’s ofce on the day preceding publication. Monday’s deadine: Friday, 2:30 p.m. at Te Sun’s ofce.

Standard Rate: $3.95 per day for the frst 15 words, 39 cents per day per word thereafer. Five or more consecutive insertions, $3.70 per day for the frst 15 words, 37 cents per day per word thereafer.

Commercial Rate: $5.95 per day for frst

15 words, 40 cents per day per word thereafer. Five or more consecutive insertions, $5.75 per day for the frst 15 words, 38 cents per day per word thereafer.

Te Sun is responsible for only one day make-good on ads.

Bear with me

273-3606 classifeds@cornellsun.com

26 APARTMENT FOR RENT

************************

Strings Attached by Ali Solomon ’01

Mr. Gnu by Travis Dandro

Mr. Gnu by Travis Dandro

Red Upsets Defending Ivy Champs Yale

By GRAYSON RUHL Sun Sports Editor

Faced with a 4th and 13 from the Yale 20, football had an opportunity to pull off an unprecedented upset. Taking on the defending Ivy League champion Yale, the Red (2-0, 1-0 Ivy) had fallen behind 14-0 early, before fighting back in the second half to take a 20-14 lead.

A late Yale touchdown put Cornell’s comeback in jeopardy, and down by one, senior punter/kicker Jackson Kennedy stepped up for a 38-yard field goal attempt with two seconds remaining. The snap was good, and Kennedy drilled it down the middle, putting Cornell on top, 23-21. It was the Red’s first win against Yale since 2016, and sends an early message to the rest of the Ivy League that this is a team to be

The Bulldogs eventually stalled just inside Cornell territory, and with the wet conditions on the field, was forced to punt. With the Red’s punt returner getting out of the way, Yale was able to down the ball at the Cornell 1.

Backed up against its own end zone, the Red was not able to move the ball, going three-and-out. A short punt gave the Bulldogs excellent field position, at the Cornell 40.

Cornell’s defense, which was stout all of last week, made some key mistakes in the first. Two penalties — a roughing the passer and a pass interference, set up Yale with a goal-to-go opportunity at the two yard line, despite having just nine yards of actual offense on the drive. Running back Tre Peterson hammered it up the middle into the end zone, and the Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead.

The Red looked to respond on its second drive, starting with more favorable field position at its own 26. Cornell had no trouble moving the ball, getting to the Yale 21 in just five plays. Sophomore running back Gannon Carothers had the big spark with a 29-yard rush up the middle.

its lead. Grooms opened up the drive with a 27 yard pass over the middle. Working at midfield, the Bulldog offense pulled off a flea flicker, and Grooms found receiver Chase Nenad wide open over the middle behind the Red’s defense. Nenad took it into the end zone untouched for a 47-yard score, and Yale quickly led, 14-0. The second quarter was a defensive grind, as both teams were forced to adapt to the wet conditions. Cornell was able to drive into Yale territory once again following the Bulldogs’ second score, but a second down sack stalled the drive, and the Red was forced to punt.

Cornell forced a three-and-out, and got the ball back with favorable field position at the 50. Nevertheless, faced with a 4th and 5 after three plays, the Red opted to go for it. Wang’s pass went incomplete, and the Bulldogs took over at its own 45.

With a chance to make it a three possession game, Yale drove into Cornell territory. The Bulldogs stalled on the Cornell 28, and despite the rain, chose to attempt the field goal. The kick was wide right, and Cornell got the ball back.

points before the half. After picking up two first downs, Grooms was picked off over the middle by senior linebacker Connor Henderson. The Red went into the locker room trailing, 14-3.

Coming back from halftime, Cornell’s offense began to heat up. The Red had thus far stalled in Yale territory, but on its opening drive of the third quarter, Cornell marched right down the field.

The 12-play, 70-yard drive was highlighted by a 12-yard pass from Wang to senior wide receiver Nicholas Laboy on a 4th and 4 from the Yale 29. Wang capped off the drive with a one yard quarterback sneak into the end zone, and the Red quickly cut the deficit to 14-10.

Riding the momentum shift, the Cornell defense, which held Grooms to just 95 yards passing in the first half, forced a three-and-out from Yale. After a short punt, the Red had the ball at the Yale 40 with a chance to take the lead for the first time in the game.

taken seriously.

The Bulldogs (0-2, 0-1 Ivy) got the ball to start the game, and quarterback Nolan Grooms showed his dual-threat ability immediately. Grooms rushed for 18 yards on the first snap to kick start Yale’s drive.

Faced with a 3rd and 4 at Yale’s 21, junior quarterback Jameson Wang found sophomore wide receiver Davon Kiser. The sophomore turned to run upfield, but took a big hit from a Yale defender, losing the football in the process. The Bulldogs pounced on it, and the Red came away with no points once again.

It took just two plays for Yale to double

Needing points before halftime, the Red once again was able to move the ball into Yale territory, mixing the rush and the pass to set up a goal-to-go opportunity. Faced with a chance to make it a one score game, Cornell went backwards on all three goalto-go plays, and had to settle for a field goal, cutting Yale’s lead to 14-3.

Having used its timeouts, the Bulldogs ran its two minute offense, looking to steal

The Red worked methodically in the third quarter, taking what the Bulldog defense gave it. Cornell worked the ball into the red zone before being faced with a 4th and 6 from the Yale 18. Continuing to show up in clutch situations, Wang picked up six on the ground to extend the drive.

Four plays later, Cornell took the lead on a three-yard pass from Wang to Laboy.

To read the rest of this story, please visit www.cornellsun.com.

Grayson Ruhl can be reached at gruhl@cornellsun.com

Sun Staf Football Picks — Week Tree