Last week, The Observer polled students with the question, “In which area would you most like to see change from CWU?” Dining was the majority answer, with 31.8% of the responses.
Dining at CWU is always changing, and at the start of the 20242025 school year, it underwent major changes impacting students and staff alike. From the conversion of Holmes into an “all you care to enjoy” buffet, to operational hour changes across campus and price increases at all locations, just about every aspect of on-campus dining was tweaked or altered in some way.
There are a couple of major changes coming to the financial side of Dining in the 2025-2026 academic year, according to Dean Masuccio, director of Dining Services. First is the introduction of a returning resident meal plan, a new, more affordable tier for any returning on-campus residents. Second is a change in quarter to quarter housing and meal plan rates. Instead of having variable rates quarter to quarter, both housing and meal plan rates will be consistent across all quarters, Masuccio said.
In The Observer’s survey, students took issue with lack of healthy food on campus, portion sizes, hours and menus. Across social media, including the student social media platform Fizz CWU, dining photos are frequently featured by students, showcasing inconsistencies and alleging quality issues with food across campus.
Masuccio sat down with The Observer, together with Joe Ritchie, campus executive chef, and Dustin Atkinson, assistant director of Dining Services, to discuss changes in Dining’s past, present and future.
Holmes Dining Room
At the start of the CWU 20242025 academic year, Holmes Dining underwent a major change, shifting from a retail location to an “all you care to enjoy” buffet-style operation. This change brought a new menu, new prices and new hours.
CWU student reactions to the change were mixed, with many of those surveyed stating that they enjoy the new menu, and many stating that they miss the old dining space. One survey respondent stated, “I like the new Holmes, I like the food, I just wish it wasn’t so expensive, but I get it. I’m still going to eat there.”
Dean Masuccio spoke about this new model. “One of the things that we launched this current academic year was the reimagining of Holmes Dining into a more traditional dining hall that would be experienced on a university campus,” Masuccio said. “One of the deliverables from the Holmes project was to elevate the quality of product, service, variety, etc.”
Holmes has seen an increase in both traffic and revenue this year, a change Masuccio called “intentional.” One of the ways they increased traffic to Holmes was by limiting hours of other locations, he said.
“Some limiting had to happen because we only have x amount of participation for dinner service. And we have many opportunities across campus from The Village to Northside Commons to this building here,” Masuccio said. “We had to do something. Because if we’re trying to get participation in the [Holmes] area and have everything else available, then it’s not going to be realized.”
Masuccio addressed a few of the other challenges they faced when redesigning the Holmes model. “With Holmes, in order to meet the objectives that we had for the reimagined service model, we had to double down on the efforts for that space,” Masuccio said. “That [Holmes] took up a lot of energy. We won’t deny that. That was one of our biggest initiatives for this year … it’s the recipe creation process, the creation of menus, a four-week cycle for lunch and dinner so that there’s not the same meal served every week or every other week.”
One student responded to the survey with complaints about dining on campus. “As a student here, it is quite annoying when I want bigger portion sizes and actual food,” they said. “However, through the weekdays, my dinner options in Central Marketplace are Lion’s Rock and Fresh Bar. Especially if dinner at Holmes doesn’t seem appetizing that night.”
The Holmes Dining Room also contains a large seating area that was previously open to the public but was limited in entry at the start
of this current academic year to Holmes customers only.
Masuccio said that while they have heard student complaints about the lack of accessibility to the space, the solution is not as simple as students might believe.
“It’s an ongoing conversation. We would love it if someone had a better idea than we have right now about how to permit access without creating risk,” such as theft, Masuccio said. “We won’t convert back the food side at all. We believe that’s been received very positively. Students that have participated see the variety, see the quality, see the opportunity to taste many different things … But the seating area is the one that there’s still more to be determined there. So if there’s any student feedback as far as ideas, we’d be happy to hear them.”
When looking at where to focus their efforts, Masuccio stated that they typically look into the areas of Dining that are not performing well and focus a majority of their efforts into those areas.
“That was kind of the one of the drivers behind the Holmes changes,” Masuccio said. “So it’s been good to see that increased participation.”
Photo courtesy of Pexels.
Sayonara Seniors
CWU says goodbye to three tenured Wildcats
Jackson Roberts & Hudson Moore
Co-Editor-In-Chief, Staff Reporter
With another regular season in the books, the spotlight shines on the women’s basketball seniors as they prepare to make a push for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship before they depart. Forward Shelby Blodgett and guards Malia Smith and Sunny Huerta were the three seniors to be honored on senior night.
Huerta is the starting point guard of the team with the offense primarily running through her. She has been a consistent bucket getter for this Wildcat roster as she has recorded three straight seasons of 18 points per game, making her the all-time leading scorer in CWU women’s basketball history. Huerta’s play this season earned her GNAC women’s basketball Player of the Year honors.
Blodgett has been a consistent all-around player for the ‘Cats, providing a little scoring, rebounding and defense. Her averages this season looked like 4.3 points per game and 4 rebounds per game. Found herself on the Academic All-GNAC team.
Smith, another member of the Academic All-GNAC team, has been a flamethrower for this team whether it is from the bench or starting lineup, meaning she can shoot it from range knocking down 37% of her threepoint shots over the past three seasons.
Reminiscing over her time at CWU, she explained the growth she has seen in herself and the help she has received to be where she is now. “I have grown so much during my time here at Central as a player but also a person,” Blodgett said. “This environment and our program have allowed me to fully invest in myself and my team and have taught me so many life lessons.
This program can be super challenging sometimes, but it’s the reason why so many strong women come out of here and that is truly all thanks to [Coach] Randi.”
Smith also praised the team, thanking them for pushing her to her limits. “I think being a part of this program is so special, I feel like it takes a certain person to be a part of this program. It’s taught me toughness, how to overcome challenges and not being ok with just being average. It’s taught me to love challenges and love being challenged on and off the court. It’s also taught me how to hold myself to a higher standard on and off the court too … I wouldn’t be the person or player I am without [Coach] Randi.”
With all three spending plenty of time on the court, they are always able to watch each other’s skill sets improve., Blodgett described how they canare able to sharpen each other’s games. “I believe we are all very different players and people. Those differences allow us to fit and work together really well. When I am lacking in a certain area, I know I can go to [Malia] or Sunny and they will have my back.”
New players are coming in and the seniors are on their way out the door, with that process happening during the offseason, Smith touched on how important it is to her to be a leader to the younger girls. “My junior and senior year I’ve taken big steps in my leadership and just tried to be the best role model possible for the underclassmen who are just trying to learn the system and how things go with all of our standards.”
The team finished with a 14-4 conference record, earning them the three seed in the GNAC championship tournament. They will travel to Lacey, Wash, where the men’s and womens tournament will be held on the Saint Martin’s University (SMU) home court. The ‘Cats will take on the hosts of the tournament in the number six seed SMU Saints where they look to advance to the semifinals vs Montana State University Billings.
Sunny Huerta (bottom) receiving flowers and gifts. (Photos courtesy of Nathan Herde)
Dracula, a Feminist Revenge Fantasy,
Dracula, a Feminist Revenge Fantasy,
When Dracula Meets Revenge When Dracula Meets Revenge
Asia Long Staff Reporter
The curtains slowly opened and there stood the cast of “Dracula, A feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really.” The crowd cheered and clapped as the lights dimmed and the actors got into place. On Mar. 2, the Milo Smith Tower Theater held the play that put a modern twist on the familiar old tale “Dracula.” The play explored themes of feminism, toxic masculinity and power dynamics. With the new twist on this legend’s story, audience members were eager to give their opinions on what they had watched.
“It really centered around women being controlled and all of that, and trying to get out of that control from a bad person,” Jacqueline Arroyo, a third-year student majoring in the wine studies program, said. “I would absolutely love to see something like this again in the future.”
The theater was quiet as the actors put on their performance, passion and dreams filling the theater room. Ella Downs, a sopho-
more majoring in English and minoring in theater, sat down to give their thoughts on the play and its themes.
“Feeling like we’re powerless against men, even though we’re not, but feeling like we are and feeling like we’re scared of men, and feeling like they’re dangerous, really resonated, especially right now,” said Downs. They also shared if the play changed their outlook on feminism or power. “Not really.
I kind of agree with everything.”
Going behind the scenes, Neo Klosterman, a student with the theater department, who played the character Dracula in the production, shared their inspiration for showcasing the play and described what they hoped the audience took away from the show.
“The whole vibe or essence of this season was feminism and women-centered stories, so that’s why we decided to pick this particular story to go with, and also because it has accents and that’s fun for actors to do,”
said Klosterman. “I think right now in our world, there’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of fear and a lot of unknown, and the real message of the story is about empowerment and how we can really have agency within the systems that are opposed to us…I’m hoping that is the message that people are left with after the show is done.”
They also shined light into if we will be seeing more plays like this any time soon.
“I’m not sure we’ll see any more monster stories, at least not yet. I’m not entirely sure what the next season will hold, but I know next quarter we are doing another woman focused story because that’s the whole point of our season … you probably won’t see Frankenstein and you definitely won’t see Dracula anytime soon, but you’ll definitely get the same kind of messages and empowerment from the shows that are upcoming for sure.”
“In our world, there’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of fear...the real message of the story is about empowerment and how we can really have agency within the systems that are opposed to us.”
“In our world, there’s a lot of uncertainty and a lot of fear...the real message of the story is about empowerment and how we can really have agency within the systems that are opposed to us.”
Photo Courtesy of Pexels.
Nash Fung
The Magic of Being an Empathetic Leader
Brandon Mattesich Co-Editor-In-Chief
Nash Fung is a public speaker, magician and CWU alum who came to speak and perform at CWU’s leadership conference on Saturday. From his time on the Seattle Crisis Line to speaking at TEDx, Fung’s journey has been full of twists, turns and tricks along the way.
Fung grew up in Hong Kong, eventually moving to the US as a teenager. In the early 2000’s he found himself in a campus leadership role early in his CWU tenure.
“I took on a small leadership role when I was an Resident Assistant (RA) at Hitchcock & Davies Hall. RAs can have bad reps sometimes, people think we are out there to police them,” Fung said. “But for me, I only cared about them having an amazing firstyear experience on campus. Perhaps that’s where I learned to be a leader, you must genuinely care about the people you serve.”
After graduating from CWU in 2005, he pursued a joint career in public speaking and magic, combining his skills as a leader with his passion for magic. Now, Fung has spoken on various TV shows, and most notably, he had his TEDx talk selected as the “top pick” by the TED editors.
Fung credited his time on the Seattle Crisis line, a hotline for people seeking emotional support, as a leading example where empathetic leadership was at the forefront of his education. “I believe an empathetic leader is
someone who genuinely wants to empower others so they can all thrive together,” Fung said. “From my time serving on the Crisis Line, I have had many amazing supervisors who are empathetic leaders. They don’t micromanage. They always encourage you. They are always candid about sharing areas where you can improve because they want you to improve. And by doing so, they help you become better at serving the people in need to further their shared mission.”
Being a leader isn’t just about being empathic, as Fung attributes part of his craft to having good instructions in both aspects of his career. “Having clear instructions is equally important in magic as it is in leadership,” Fung said. “Oftentimes, the success or failure of a trick depends on how well your volunteer follows the instructions. Have you ever worked a job where you failed because you weren’t clear on what your role is? Being clear in guiding my audience on stage taught me that it’s equally important in leading a team.”
From Hong Kong to CWU, Fung’s life has taken him around the world and across many different stages. His success is hard sought, and he shared his advice for others who want to follow their passions as he has. “Step one, look for people who have achieved what you are looking for,” Fung said. “Step two, ask if they can mentor you, if not, put your thinking cap on, analyze
what made them successful and try to deconstruct their steps to success. Step three, no matter if you are given the advice from your mentor or if you have deconstructed what the first step might be, take action immediately. The faster you try, the faster you’ll fail. The faster you fail, the faster you’ll learn. The faster you learn, the faster you achieve your goals.
Fung shared one final piece of advice for the students of CWU, looking back on the connections he made during his time at Central. “The relationships you foster in your college years will be some of the strongest, most fulfilling relationships you’ll ever create in your lifetime. Be kind, be uplifting, be a value added to others,” Fung said.
“The faster you try, the faster you’ll fail. The faster you fail, the faster you’ll learn. The faster you learn, the faster you achieve your goals.”
Photo Courtesy of Nash Fung & @alantephotography.
The 2024-2025 academic year Dining changes were met with pushback from some students and, according to The Observer’s polling, have led to a “want” for change. When The Observer went to the SURC for a follow-up on the survey, a majority of the students that were asked about Dining expressed “disappointment” with their current options. Masuccio spoke about this pushback and how Dining Services approaches making changes.
“We continuously are looking at ways to change and evolve with the needs of our campus,” Masuccio said. “Making mistakes is okay. That’s what we tell our students all the time … I’m not saying we’ve made a mistake. We made mistakes in the past. I don’t think Holmes is one of them.”
“Whenever you make changes, there’s always going to be some pushback,” Masuccio said. “And so we always look to receive feedback and take that into consideration.”
Training, Consistency, and Turnover
Consistency across all of CWU’s dining options is something that Ritchie, campus executive chef, described as “ongoing.” According to Ritchie, CWU has a very diverse workforce, and part of finding consistency is looking at its policies and training methods.
Ritchie also claimed that consistency is not an issue exclusive to CWU. “Food quality and inconsistency and stuff, those are things that I’ve worked with or struggled with over my entire career that I’ve had at any location from a fine dining restaurant to a luxury hotel to a large-scale dining operation like this,” Ritchie said. “So it’s always a challenge no matter where you’re at. And I think the training that we put in place is the biggest thing that we can do to help mitigate that.”
“One of our deliberate policies is that we’ll hire any student who applies and we’ll give them a chance,” Ritchie said. “And not everybody is
successful. Not everybody wants to work in food and beverage, but we give them the opportunity.”
One Dining worker, who was granted anonymity for job security, talked about their experience working in Dining Services. “Some days it’s nice, calm and I’ll even say fun. Other days, there aren’t enough people, equipment isn’t working, despite the malfunction being reported months ago, and you’re forced to do the work of three people for the pay of one,” the Dining employee said. “The reasons most of us are still there are convenience, since they’ll hire anyone, the job is on campus and the personnel, as we’ve made friends with a lot of the coworkers.”
Ritchie stated that there are around 300 current student employees working in Dining and that for the first time, there are over 100 applicants waiting to be accepted. Because of the nature of student employment, turnover is something that Dining is constantly facing across campus.
“In the past, we’ve seen a ton of turnover, especially in fall quarter as students get a job and then realize, ‘Hey, I can’t balance a job and school’ or ‘I don’t wanna work for food service’ or whatever it is,” Ritchie said. “But right now, we have over 100 students on our waiting list just to get jobs … which never was the case before.”
The anonymous Dining employee asserted, “The turnover rate is the highest of the on-campus jobs, and it shows. There have been many people I’ve trained and worked with for maybe less than a week, and then I never see them again. I had a trainee ask me on his second day at Dining Services, ‘Hey, how do I quit?’”
They also discussed the training methods used by Dining Services and the inconsistencies they’ve experienced. “The training will vary. They leave the responsibility of training new employees onto the student coordinators, who themselves might not have been taught how to do certain things. Not only
that, but the student coordinators may give that responsibility to a student worker since they’re too busy. Also, there are no set instructions on how to train people. I’ve taught somebody one way and watched someone else tell them to do that task differently,” the Dining employee said.
Prices and Profitability
Dining prices have seen consistent yearly increases since school was brought back in person after the pandemic, something that Masuccio said is nearly universal across college campuses. However, Masuccio also stated that Dining’s prices have not increased at the same rate as inflation, stating that they only go up around “3% or so” each year.
Masuccio spoke about the process of determining prices each year. “We review the prices we pay for our products and goods that we receive. And we look at all other expenses that are associated with building a model to determine what the total cost is,” Masuccio said. “Typically, most within this environment practice setting prices in the fall because you want to ensure that you’re not introducing surprises throughout the year.”
“Even though we might experience price increases throughout the year, we stay steady,” Masuccio said. “Typically, we follow the consumer price index for food away from home. It’s been very unstable in the past five, six years.”
Masuccio also spoke about the cyclical funding model of Dining Services and how profits have decreased significantly since COVID-19. To combat lower profits, Dining Services has had to focus on profitability, something that they have done successfully, according to Masuccio.
“As far as profitability overall, it goes back to reserves,” Masuccio said. “We are not able to contribute to the reserves as we did in 2020 and before. So, the financial status is much different than it was preCOVID. We are much more prof-
itable per se, but not to the levels that would really help us make major changes to our program.”
Changes to come
One major change that was shared by Masuccio was that, “Our meal plan structure and housing structure is changing so that it’s the same rate quarter over quarter. This current year, and how it has been for I don’t know how many years prior, fall rates are different than winter rates and different than spring rates, and that’s the overhead structure. Moving forward, that overhead amount is going to be the same. So it’s the same amount for the fall quarter as for the spring quarter, etc.”
Masuccio continued to speak about some of the potential changes and ideas Dining Services is looking to implement in the coming academic year, not only to help combat some of the student complaints but also to introduce entirely new aspects of Dining on campus.
“I think one thing that we’ve continuously talked about that we’re talking about now is, is there a third concept that maybe should be open? Can that kind of offset some of the desires or the inquiries we’re getting about more variety at night? Is one more concept going to impact participation at homes?”
Dining is also looking at new ideas for the coming fall quarter, including both adding a freshmade sushi location and introducing delivery to the campus. “We’re looking at ways that we can continue to refine Holmes and the campus so that we’re not complacent,” Masuccio said.
A portion size of cod at Holmes Dining. (Photo by Robin MacArthur)
A strawberry from Holmes with bugs eggs. (Photo courtesy of Fizz CWU)
Holmes Dining Chicken Parmesan.
(Photo by Jackson Roberts)
Fly in Salad.
(Photo Courtesy of Lizeth Valdes)
Multiple students complained that the Holmes chicken and waffles were stale. (Photo courtesy of Fizz CWU)
A burnt pizza.
(Photo courtesy of Fizz CWU)
coming to america
Dr. Fang Wang’s immigration to the US
Astor Powell-Pedersen Copy Desk Editor
In the sixth volume of the running series, Dr. Fang Wang shares her experience growing up in China, and her story of coming to the United States.
Fang Wang (王芳)
Dr. Fang Wang is a professor of finance at CWU’s Lynnwood campus, having worked for CWU since 2007. Wang grew up in Nanjing (南 京), China.
“I was born and grew up in Nanjing, China. Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu Province and has a rich history that spans over 2,500 years,” Wang said. “Nanjing is also a vibrant educational and economic hub, and home to several prestigious universities and a growing technology sector. It has beautiful landscapes with a unique blend of modernity and tradition. I love my hometown and I lived there until I moved to the U.S. when I was 25 years old.”
Growing up in Nanjing was pleasant and surrounded by family for Wang, “My childhood was joyful and carefree. Although I’m an only child, I grew up alongside my cousins since both my father’s and mother’s extended families lived in the same city. We shared many adventures in summer and winter breaks, celebrating traditional holidays like Chinese New Year, and Mid-Autumn Festival that were meaningful in our culture,” Wang said. “Like many Asian parents, my parents had high expectations for my academic performance, but they also nurtured my curiosity and gave me the freedom to explore my interests.” In her youth, Wang was encouraged to travel and participate in extracurriculars such as music art and music.
Wang earned her bachelor’s degree in finance at Southeast University (东南大学) in Nanjing. “After graduating from college, I spent three years working as a financial analyst during China’s rapid growth period. As a young adult, I was eager to explore the world beyond my home country and pursue graduate studies in my field. These experiences shaped my values and aspirations, motivating me to seek opportunities abroad.”
Wang moved to the United States in 2001 to pursue her master in applied economics at Eastern Carolina University. “I was interested in exploring graduate study in the Western world because many foundation knowledge and theories I learned in my undergraduate study are from the West,” Wang said. “Upon arriving, like many international students, I encountered challenges such as cultural shocks, language barriers, and the need to find community support. At that time, our small Chinese student community was a vital source of support, helping with everyday tasks like grocery shopping. The faculty and friends at the university were incredibly kind and offered significant assistance. We were welcomed into American homes for Thanksgiving dinner and other events, which deepened our understanding of U.S. culture.”
After finishing her masters, Wang moved to West Virginia where she earned her PhD in financial economics at West Virginia University. Wang then moved to the west coast, and has worked for CWU Lynnwood location since 2007.
Coming from China, Wang spoke on the differences between the two countries, “Both China and the U.S. are vast countries with significant regional variations,” Wang said. “The Chinese population is less diverse than that of the U.S. In the U.S., particularly along the coasts and in universities, there is a rich tapestry of diversity, with individuals from various countries and regions speaking different languages and representing a wide array of cultures. Additionally, most Chinese cities are densely populated, whereas in the U.S., population density is lower outside major cities like New York and Los Angeles.”
Along with environmental differences, and the difference in weather and history, there were social differences that Wang noticed as well, “In the U.S., social interactions seem to be generally more informal, and hierarchy and authority do not play a big role in school or at work. In China, interactions can be more formal, especially with seniors or authority figures.” There was also the way that individualism is emphasized in the US, whereas Wang says that in China, collectivism is more valued.
“My experience as an immigrant in the U.S. has been smooth and pleasant,” Wang said. “I came here to pursue graduate studies with a scholarship and a teaching assistantship, which have allowed me to be financially independent and sustainable. My Master’s and Ph.D. advisors have been incredibly kind and supportive, providing me with valuable guidance both academically and personally. My classmates come from diverse backgrounds, representing various countries around the world,
and they are open-minded, intelligent, and friendly. My colleagues at the College of Business are hardworking, creative, and inspiring, and I’ve learned a great deal from many of them. The Seattle region is rapidly growing and has a vibrant immigrant population, creating a wonderful blend of cultures.”
“The U.S. is a nation of immigrants, and each person brings diverse perspectives and skills that enrich the community—whether through cultural festivals, culinary diversity, or innovations in various fields. The strength of the U.S. comes from its openness, which creates numerous opportunities for talented individuals who are willing to work hard,” Wang said. “I believe it’s essential for people to engage with immigrant communities, attend cultural events, or simply have conversations to learn about our experiences. By sharing our stories and listening to one another, we can forge stronger connections and support each other.”
Photos courtesy of Fang Wang.
SOUND BITE YUM!
COLUMN
THIS WEEK IN MUSIC
Brandon Mattesich Columnist
Why ‘Lord of the Rings’
is better than ‘Star
Wars’
As someone who grew up watching The Lord of the Rings and the Star Wars series, I believe “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien is superior. This series was crafted by a classically educated English professor who specialized in linguistics and had a deep fascination with Northern European mythology and history. While there aren’t many female characters in his stories, those that exist are not sexualized. Instead, they symbolize strength and power, with Galadriel and Éowyn serving as perfect examples. The biggest female character in the original series of Star Wars was shown in a bikini and the crowd went wild.
These female characters in LOTR (The Lord of the Rings) show bravery and wisdom, comparing well to the brutal male characters in the series. Eowyn plays a part in the final battle in Gondor, fighting alongside the men despite being the sister to the man next in line to the throne. She decided that fighting for her people was more important and growing up, this was an amazing depiction of a strong female character defying social norms.
The LOTR and The Hobbit were written during World War II. Many say Tolkien drew inspiration from industrialization, using Mordor as an example of the destruction of nature to further Sauron’s ambitions. This theme plays a significant role in the final book, “Return of the King”, illustrating the sacrifice of life for the greater good as people unite in the realm. His dedication to research, helping drive his story, is deeply inspiring. Tolkien approved the creation of the movies but felt that they would not follow his vision as close -
ly as he would’ve liked. As someone working on their book, I understand this. He died before the first movie was released and many fans agree that he would have been disappointed with what came out. Especially “The Hobbit”, a distinct example of scriptwriters throwing accuracy away and writing in new scenes and plot points to gain attention. This is a bold opinion, and I personally love both the book and the movies, but if someone made my story into a movie and added things I purposely didn’t write, I’d be rolling in my grave. LOTR is a beautifully written and compelling story. There should have been no changes, especially with The Hobbit as well.
I also think the characters in LOTR are more compelling, Sam Wise is the sweetest side character that brings loyalty and comedic relief to most scenes. His relationship with Frodo shows every side of bromance, and for fucks sake if it wasn’t shunned back then I’m sure Tolkien might have written in some gay characters. I would have hoped it would be those two, but who knows? Aragorn and Legolas are unbelievably badass characters, with sick lore and amazing examples for male figures in a series like this. Gandalf is an entity I could spend hours discussing with someone who knows more about the lore than me. I will say I have done this already at least eight times and still don’t understand him. Overall, while I grew up with both Star Wars and LOTR, the latter is so much more interesting and in-depth, especially with the reflection on the real world.
Welcome back to Sound Bite! This is a very special issue to me, as it officially marks the halfway point in what I consider to be Sound Bite’s ultimate journey. When I started this column, it was mainly an excuse to cover the Kendrick and Drake beef that happened just about a year ago, but now it’s become so much more.
But for now, and for this extra special 25th issue, I am going to be doing a comprehensive look back at every Sound Bite of the past and ranking the top 5 albums Sound Bite has ever reviewed.
Starting with number five, we have “WE DONT TRUST YOU” by Future and Metro Boomin To put it simply, there would be no Sound Bite without this album, there would be no Kendrick Lamar halftime show without this album, there would be no “Not Like Us” without this album and Drake would be way happier without this album. It holds up, it has great hits, and its impact cannot be understated.
At number four, we have “KING OF THE MISCHIEVOUS SOUTH” by Denzel Curry . This album is amazing. Denzel Curry is able to master any flow he ever tries to take over and on this album, he captured that grungy SoundCloud era of rap in a way I just haven’t heard anyone able to do in so long. This album has practically zero misses, and if you haven’t had a chance to listen to it, I could not recommend it higher.
Next up, we are going to have “Chromakopia” by Tyler, The Creator . It’s hard to talk about modern hip-hop without hearing the name Tyler, The Creator thrown somewhere into the conversation. Now, my hot take about this album is that it’s actually his best work yet. From his lyrics to his production, everything about this project works together to create a comprehensive piece of art that we rarely get to see nowadays, and I love every second of it.
In second place, we have “GNX” by Kendrick Lamar . Now, to be fully transparent, I was actually fairly torn between whether to give “GNX” or “Chromakopia” the second place slot just due to personal taste, and while I do think “Chromakopia” serves as a more artistic album, “GNX”’s cultural impact cannot be understated. From “squabble up” to “tv off” this album is jam-packed with hits and you’d be hard-pressed to find a single station not currently talking about Kendrick Lamar.
And in first place, the best album Sound Bite has ever had the privilege of reviewing is “Cowboy Carter” by none other than Beyoncé herself. This album is a country masterclass, and there’s a reason it won the Grammy. I have not stopped listening to this album since it came out, and the vocal/ emotional prowess Beyoncé showcases on this project is unlike anything I’ve heard before. Please give it a chance if you haven’t listened to it yet, I promise you will not regret it.
Photo and Design by Brandon Mattesich
Photos courtesy of Adobe Stock.
Katherine Lewis Columnist
Sudoku
Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 3 by 3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.
CWU
CWU Dining Word
CWU Dining Word Search
CWU Dining Word Search
WILDCAT WORDS
Divined by Z Morris
Aries (March 21 - April 19): Grab what you want, but don’t squeeze it too hard. Unless it’s something that’ll make a loud sound in the SURC. Because, that’s just funny, and everyone else will think so too. Tip of the day: Lays are great chips :).
Taurus (April 20 - May 20): You might be waiting for someone to make the first move, but it’s up to you! Don’t be afraid, be brave! Tip of the day: night would be the best time to strike.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20): Don’t be so tense, incorporate spontaneity into your life! I recommend sky diving…wait no like rock climbing…or unde rwater basket weaving? I’m not so sure anymore. Tip of the day: just chill.
Cancer (June 21 - July 22): People might be lost without you, so take leadership! Say what’s on your mind, and get others on board. Make them listen to you, love you and become devoted to you. Tip of the day: robes are cheap on Amazon.
Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22): People cannot read minds like you can. So PLEASE stop telling people about my nightmare where Wellington bites my arm off. I DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT!! Tip of the day: keep to yourself.
Virgo (Aug. 23 - Sep. 22): You might be creating a scenario with no basis in reality. But who cares? Whimsy is important in anyone’s life! Chase those little floaters in your eyes! Tip of the day: I’ve named mine Gary!
Libra (Sep. 23 - Oct. 22): If people are asking for help, be unhelpful in small ways. Help on a project? Untie their shoes. Asking for directions? Untie their shoes. Does a family member need a kidney? Untie their shoes Tip of the day?: check your shoes.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21): Don’t feel like you need to make concrete decisions. The road workers know what they are doing. You do NOT need to steal the concrete from them. Tip of the day: And no asphalt either, you freak.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21): An opportunity for hot cash is coming your way. I hope you get it safely, discreetly and without any hiccups. Tip of the day: we meet at 12:00 a.m, in the parking lot, ski masks on.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan.19): Your cup is not half full, or half empty, just full! Overflowing! Like bubbling over, and BOILING. IT’S EVERYWHERE, OH MY GOD IT’S ON THE FLOOR! Tip of the day: Gurgle.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb.18): Bring your creative side to the spotlight. I recommend experimental performance art. Anything can be art if you call it art! Tip of the day: … Anything :).
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20): It’s your season, and you bring the spice to the function. Like, a lot of it. You’ve been on a DUNE kick for far too long and it’s concerning me. Tip of the day: I know that’s not spice.
