Smilin’ at the ‘Pink Hippo Club!’
In memory of Wilmani Castillo
By Sophia Oppedisano Editor-in-Chief
The Framingham State community was notified about the tragic passing of student Wilmani Josiah Castillo in an email from President Nancy Niemi on Feb. 9.
Castillo, a 22-year-old junior business management major, was killed in a car accident in the early hours of the morning on Feb. 9.
Niemi wrote that Castillo was a first-generation student who resided on campus during his time at Framingham State.
She said, “He was a valued member of our campus community, and his loss is deeply felt by all who knew him - his family, friends, classmates, faculty, and staff.”
Castillo was known on campus as warm-hearted and humorous - always with a kind word and an offer of support for those who knew him.
An outpouring of love and support was shared on social media for Castillo on Monday
evening, with students expressing how much he made them laugh or the times he made their days just by saying hello.
In a video reposted across social media by students, Castillo tells the camera, “If you tell yourself that you can achieveyou will achieve. You will attract people around you who want to achieve. If you tell yourself that you can’t - you will not. This life is what you make it.”
His uplifting spirit is an enduring thread in the fabric of the Framingham State community.
Castillo’s life will be celebrated on campus in the coming weeks. Vice President for Student Affairs Meg Nowak Borrego said the Dean of Students Office is planning to “work with his friends and family to plan a memorial opportunity for his family to hear from his FSU friends,” but nothing has been officially planned at this time.
Nowak Borrego encourages friends of Castillo’s to reach out with ideas for honoring his memory on campus.
Visiting hours for Castillo are at the Brady & Fallon Funeral Home in Jamaica Plain on Thursday, Feb. 19, from 5-8 p.m.
Students can attend a moment of silence for Castillo at the men’s basketball game in the Logan Gymnasium at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14. No student should shoulder their grief alone. The Counseling Center, Residence Life staff, and the Dean of Students Office
McCarthy Center Dining Facility Inspection Report cites 10 violations
By Bella Grimaldi News Editor
The Fall 2025 Food Establishment Inspection Report of Sodexo at the FSU McCarthy Center stated 10 health code violations.
This report was released to The Gatepost by the Framingham Public Health Department.
The inspection was conducted on October 16, 2025 by Inspector Rivera, Inspector Oram, Inspector Westerlind, and Inspector Hobbs.
Rivera said multiple inspectors conduct the inspection. “We kind of split up, and then a couple managers or chefs might follow another inspector, and then we divide and conquer.”
According to Rivera, all of the health and safety inspections conducted at Framingham State are unannounced.
The violations cited in the report were: one case of food being improperly separated and protected, two cases of food-contact surfaces; not cleaned and sanitized, one case of improper date marking and disposition, two cases of physical facilities not installed, maintained, and clean, two cases of adequate handwashing sinks not supplied and accessible, one case of proper cooling methods not used; adequate equipment for temperature control, and one case inadequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas being used.
According to Rivera, each vi-
olation falls into a category depending on the time frame it needs to be resolved.
He said the order of violation types is “priority, priority foundation, and core.” Priority is the violation category that allows the shortest amount of time to be corrected.
According to the 2013 FDA Food Code, priority violations must be corrected within 72 hours, priority foundation violations must be corrected within 10 days, and core violations must be corrected no later than 90 days after the inspection.
Rivera said, “Everything we do is based on the FDA Food Code” and the Massachusetts amendments to the 2013 FDA
are available for students struggling with the loss of Castillo, according to Niemi and Nowak Borrego.
Niemi wrote in her email, “As a community, we mourn together and hold Wilmani’s loved ones in our thoughts during this impossibly difficult time. I ask that we take care of one another, extend compassion, and lean on the support systems available to us.”
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Ashley LaCivita and Zoe Holland with their new stuffed animals at FSAB’s annual Stuff-A-Bear event on Feb. 12.
Gatepost Archives
Wilmani Castillo posing for Campus Conversations in Oct. 2024.
E ditorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Sophia Oppedisano
Associate Editors
Adrien Gobin
Dylan Pichnarcik
Multimedia Editor
Antonio Machado
Interim Copy Editor
Cole Johnson
News Editor
Bella Grimaldi
Interim Asst. News Editor
Avery Slavin
Opinions Editor
Izayah Morgan
Sports Editor
Izabela Gage
Asst. Sports Editor
Taylor Kimmell
Arts & Features Editor
Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez
Interim Arts & Features Editor
Sarah Daponde
Photos & Design Editor
Alexis Schlesinger
Interim Asst.
Photos & Design Editors
Christy Howland
Onyx Lovely
Illustrations Editors
Marcus Falcão
Staff Illustrators
Rileigh Kelley
Tobias Cotton-Selman
Staff Writers
Zaynab Ahmed
Jesse Burchill
Kristel Erguiza
Julien Fernandez
Paul Harrington
Cole Johnson
Dan Lima
Kate Norrish
Wenchell Pierre
Nathan Piette
Andrew Ramirez
Staff Photographer
Dylan Sibley
Advisor
Desmond McCarthy
Asst. Advisor
Elizabeth Banks
Graduate
Emma Lyons
Gatepost Interview Kira James
Framingham State Activities Board President
By Dylan Pichnarcik Associate Editor
What inspired you to join the Framingham State Activities Board?
All of my friends were here. I was also not doing enough, so I really wanted to start doing more things. I was begged by Bella [Omar, Class of ’25]. When I was asked to join as an eBoard member, I started immediately. It was the day of Fall Fest in 2024, so I went down to help [FSAB], and then they were like, “Can you start actually helping with the event?” And I was like, “Sure!” So it was very exciting and very interesting, and also quick.
What is your favorite part of student life at FSU?
Being a part of the community - making friends. A lot of people that I know tell me that I’m very well known, and I like that. I like knowing a lot of people. I like being friendly to a lot of people. So talking to people and having this community is awesome.
What do you want people to know about the Framingham State Activities Board?
We love hosting fun events. And we love having people at our events, and we want everyone to have fun. So we want to do the most for everybody - all the students - as much as possible.
What events are you most looking forward to this semester?
I am so excited for our Black History Month BINGO! It’s next week, actually, and we have really good prizes - like we have tickets to a concert. I’m also really looking forward to Sandbox. Sandbox is always really fun, and we’re doing much more than we’ve done last year and previous years. So, very excited for both of those events.
CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
Monday Feb. 9 12:59 Safety Escort, Union Avenue Parking Lot Wednesday, Feb. 11 11:30 K9 Community Outreach, O’Connor Hall Wednesday, Feb. 11 10:12 Medical Emergency, Foster Hall Tuesday, Feb. 10 12:00 Alarm,Fire Miles Bibb Hall
Courtesy of Kira James
SGA allocates $371,663 for FY27
By Bella Grimaldi News Editor
By Avery Slavin Interim Asst. News Editor
SGA allocated $371,663 to student organizations for Fiscal Year 2027 at their Feb. 10 “Big Budget” meeting.
The starting fund for FY27 before allocation was $419,480, and was dispersed across the 33 clubs that receive funding from the Student Activities Trust Fund (SATF).
The Group 1 organizations present a yearly budget in order to receive funding at the “Big Budget” meeting. These organizations are FSAB, The Gatepost, WDJM, and SGA.
Group 2 through Group 5 do not present a budget proposal and every organization within their funding group receives an equal amount of funds. Group 6 student organizations are not funded.
At the end of the meeting, $47,817 remained unallocated for FY27.
FSAB
The Framingham State Activities Board budget proposal for FY27 was presented by President Kira James, Treasurer Aubrianna Oullette, and Social Media Coordinator Aleks Rocha.
They requested a budget of $130,200, an $8,800 increase from FY26.
The first category presented was their on-campus events, for which they said they would like to increase their BINGO budget line to $15,000 from $8,000 to accommodate Drag BINGO, a “really big event” hosted with SGA, according to James.
She said the club spent about $2,500 more on Casino Night this year than they did last year, and had to reallocate from other areas to accommodate.
James said they adjusted a few more budget lines for on-campus events such as adding a line for Fall Fest, asking for less for Homecoming, and reallocating unused money to Sandbox.
“Sandbox is one of our biggest events on campus. We shut down State Street, so that costs money for Framingham Police. A lot of students are asking for a lot more, and we want to give to the students because it’s such a campus-wide event,” said James.
In terms of off-campus events, FSAB spent over $24,000 for their overnight trip to New York City to cover hotel and bus costs, reallocating some money from the Amusement Park budget line.
For their marketing category, they didn’t request any budget increase for office supplies, but requested $500 more for event promotions.
After opening the floor to questions, SGA President César Matos asked if FSAB had been able to host Sandbox in years prior without the $2,000 allocation.
James responded by saying that they have been “functioning” by pulling from other budget lines.
Matos then asked whether there have been “instances in the past where [they] simply do not have enough funds to handle Sandbox.”
James said they’ve had a lot of different ideas, but they were not able to be funded.
She added they are looking
to have different types of merchandise and more tables with activities this year.
James said this year, from reallocating from other budget lines, they have a “bit more funds to do what [they] want.” However, they are asking for more so they can continue funding students’ proposals in the future.
The motion to approve FSAB’s requested budget for $130,200 passed unanimously.
The Gatepost
The Gatepost’s FY27 budget proposal was presented by Editor-in-Chief Sophia Oppedisano and Associate Editors Adrien Gobin and Dylan Pichnarcik.
This year, the requested budget for The Gatepost is $46,851. This is a $13,981, or a 34.36% increase, from the FY26 allocation.
The club’s proposed increases were in the categories of Newspaper Administration and Promotional Items & Recruitment Events in their requested budget.
The request for the Newspaper Administration line item this year is $26,528, which is a $7,528, or 39.62% increase, due to the tariffed cost of printing materials.
Of the requested funds for this line item, $24,500 will be used to cover the cost of paper, $5,500 more than the last fiscal year.
The Gatepost will also be printing double the amount of the usual press run for the 95th anniversary edition of the paper next year. Two thousand twenty-eight dollars of this line item will be used to cover the onetime cost of printing the additional papers.
The Licensing, Memberships & Awards and Office Supplies & Equipment categories both showed a decreased allocation request for FY27.
The budget proposal for the Licensing, Memberships & Awards category was $2,895. This is $347 less than what was allocated for FY26.
Oppedisano said this decrease is due to the removal of unused subscriptions and moving The Gatepost’s ePaper to a new online publication platform.
The budget request for the Office Supplies & Equipment line item was $3,200. This is $200 less than what was allocated for the 2026 fiscal year.
According to Oppedisano, this decrease is because The
Gatepost’s photocopier is broken and will no longer be in use.
The Printing and Photocopying charges to The Gatepost Account line item showed a decrease from $600 to $300 for FY27.
The Cameras and Computers line item was increased from $400 in FY26. The total requested for FY27 in this line item is $2,400.
Oppedisano said this increase is for the replacement of The Gatepost’s older computers so they can run the most recent version of Adobe InDesign.
A motion to approve The Gatepost’s FY27 requested budget passed 15-0-1.
WDJM
President Alexis Schlesinger and Treasurer Antonio Machado presented WDJM’s budget request for FY27.
They requested $18,812, a $3,050 increase from FY26.
For station events, they requested $6,000, a $3,000 increase. Schlesinger said that money would be put toward “live music events in an attempt to get more students involved with [the] club.”
They also plan on hosting more events throughout the year, such as open mics and karaoke, for which they’d like to provide food. This has its own budget line of $300.
For promotional items, they asked for $800, a $500 increase from FY26, to go toward T-shirts for RamFest.
WDJM was able to remove a $350 budget line for Station Administration, as they do not require a station inspection during FY27.
Schlesinger said over the past two years, WDJM’s equipment has gone through some “major updates” as well as maintenance.
The antenna on the roof cost $12,000, according to Schlesinger, and the club had to take money from two separate years of their budget to pay the cost in its entirety.
The tower maintenance was $6,000.
Schlesinger was asked if, since WDJM appears to still have a “large portion of the budget on hand,” they’d be able to offset any of the costs for next year using the money they have left from this year.
Schlesinger said it’s impossible to tell how much they will have to spend on potential maintenance, as something
could break within the last few weeks of the year that they’d need to repair.
Machado said there are currently some issues that they are experiencing, and the costs will not be known until the repairs are finished.
Matos said the clubs in Groups 1 and 2 are able to ask for more money in the spring semester if they need.
“There is always the potential to have Group 1 come to [Finance Committee] in case of any expenditures which may be superseding what you may have in your budget,” Matos said.
After a question about lowering the budget, Schlesinger said they cannot afford to just “come get money when [they] need it” because if the equipment isn’t functioning for a certain amount of time, they could be fined well over the entire WDJM budget.
Machado said the funds are “time sensitive” and that the club could face major legal issues if something affects their broadcasting. If they get fined, WDJM “ceases to exist.”
A motion to approve WDJM’s total budget request of $18,812 was passed unanimously.
SGA
SATF Treasurer Khoa Bùi presented SGA’s proposed budget for a total of $58,900. This is a $8,825 increase from the FY26 allocation.
SGA’s proposed FY27 budget showed an increase in the General, Operations, and Training categories.
The General section of the SGA proposed budget reflected a $7,700 increase, for a total of $20,200.
In this category, the Election Materials, SGA Outreach Programs, Co-Sponsored Events, and SGA Socials line items showed an increase.
Election Materials had a $700 increase for a total of $1,000.
The SGA Outreach Programs had a $3,000 increase for a total of $5,000.
The Co-Sponsored Events line item showed a request for $7,000, which is a $4,000 increase from last fiscal year.
The line item for SGA Socials stated a request for $1,500. According to the proposed budget, this is a new line item added for social activities.
In the Operations category, there is a $375 increase for the RamLink line item. The total for this line item is $8,500.
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST
(Left) César Matos, Shubham Valand, and Khoa Bùi talking during SGA’s Big Budget meeting for FY2027 on Feb. 10.
Big Budget
Continued from Page 3
The SGA Training Budget section stated a total request of $7,750. This is a 138% increase from last year’s allocation for this category.
The increase is a result of the addition of the American Student Government Association Conference line item that shows a request for $4,500. According to the budget proposal, these funds would allow “two members and two staff to attend.”
The SGA Banquet category of the budget showed a decrease from $7,000 to $3,500.
According to Bùi, this is due to the banquet being moved from an off-campus to on-campus location.
Senator Nathan Piette asked what the thought process was behind moving the banquet to an on-campus event.
Matos said, “EXP noted that there was a significant decrease in the number of students that went to last year’s banquet, and one of the friction points was the fact that it was off-campus.”
SGA then voted on the approval of the proposed FY27 budget, which passed unanimously.
Allocation Groups
Following the allocation of $254,763 to the budgets of the Group 1 student organizations, SGA then reviewed the funding group reassignments of 15 student organizations and the allocation adjustments to Groups 2-5.
Outside of the 15 student organizations that were reassigned, History Club and M.I.S.S. were deactivated.
Ski and Snowboard Club was moved from Group 3 to Group 6. According to Matos, this is because the club is not “abiding by officer compliance, meaning that they either don’t have a president or a treasurer, so they’re effectively not really functioning.”
The vote to move the Ski and Snowboard club to Group 6 passed unanimously.
SGA then reviewed the reassignment of student organizations to Group 5.
B2B, Education Club, Green Initiative, and Wildlife Club were moved down to Group 5 from higher allocation levels.
The Pokémon Club, Politi-
Dining Commons
Food Code known as the Massachusetts Merged Food Code.
Of the 10 violations named, two were indicated as repeated violations.
The first case of food-contact surfaces; not cleaned and sanitized, was cited as a repeated and priority foundation violation in the Showcase section of the dining commons.
The report said the inspector “observed [the] food contact surface of [a] can opener with debris and soil residue.”
According to the report, “this violation must be corrected within 10 days.”
The first case of physical facilities not installed, maintained, and clean were cited as a repeated core violation in the Showcase section.
According to the report, the inspector “observed ceiling lights above [the] Showcase area in disrepair.” This violation must be corrected within 90 days.
Of the other eight violations named, two were indicated as priority violations, two as priority foundation violations, and four as core violations.
The first priority violation is food not being separated and protected. The report stated that raw animal foods were not separated from ready to eat (RTE) foods and indicated this violation as an allergen issue.
The report states the inspector “observed raw beef stored above leafy greens.”
This violates the code that states “food shall be protected from cross-contamination by: (1) separating raw animal foods during storage preparation, holding and display from: (a) Raw RTE food including other raw animal food such as fish for sushi or molluscan shellfish or other raw RTE food such as fruits and vegetables, and (b) cooked RTE food.”
cal Science Club, Volunteers of FSU, and Criminology Club were moved up to Group 5 from Group 6.
The motion to reassign these clubs passed 8-0-5.
Six clubs were proposed to be reassigned to Group 4. The Onyx was the only organization to be moved down to this group. ASL Club, Aspiring Health Professionals, Dungeons & Dragons Club, LUNA, and Psychology Club were moved up to Group 4. These reassignments passed 13-0-1.
Art Club and Model U.N. were the only student organizations moved to Group 3. The vote to assign these clubs passed 11-02.
After approving the reassignments of student organizations to new allocation groups, SGA reviewed the readjustment of the allocations to each group.
Group 2’s allocation was raised so each club’s funds would be raised from $13,500 to $14,500. The vote on this adjustment passed unanimously.
The allocated funds to each club in Group 3 was lowered from $6,000 to $5,000. This
passed unanimously.
The allocated funds to each club in Group 4 was adjusted from $1,700 to $1,200. The motion to approve this proposal passed unanimously.
The allocated funds for Group 5 stayed at $400 for each club. The overall funds for the allocation group was adjusted to $3,600. This passed unanimously.
[ Editor’s Note: Sophia Oppedisano is the Editor-in-Chief, Adrien Gobin and Dylan Pichnarcik are Associate Editors, Antonio Machado is the Multimedia Editor, Alexis Schlesinger is the Photos & Design Editor, and Nathan Piette is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost. ]
CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu
CONNECT WITH AVERY SLAVIN aslavin1@student.framingham.edu
spector observed the sanitizer at the Rams Den Grille had too low of a concentration.
According to the report, the person in charge (PIC) from Sodexo said the sanitizer dispenser had a clogged filter and should be serviced.
The report stated both of these violations had to be corrected within 72 hours.
The first violation in the priority foundation category was improper date marking and disposition.
According to the report, the inspector observed RTE food with the expiration date marked Oct. 15. The food was prepped on campus in the Dining Commons Kitchen.
The report stated Sodexo employees should “ensure date marking procedures are followed.”
The second priority foundation violation stated is proper cooling methods not used.
The report stated the inspector “observed multiple items in the cooling process covered during cooling.”
This violates the code which states, “When placed in cooling or cold holding equipment, food containers in which food is being cooled shall be: arranged in the equipment to provide maximum heat transfer through the container walls; and loosely covered, or uncovered if protected from overhead contamination during the cooling period to facilitate heat transfer from the surface of the food.”
These violations must be corrected within 10 days, according to the report.
One of the core violations stated in the report is physical facilities not installed, maintained, and clean in the Showcase section.
ed states facilities should be cleaned as often as necessary when the least amount of food is exposed.
Two of the core violations stated are the cases of adequate handwashing sinks not supplied and accessible.
The report stated there were sinks in the Dunkin’ Donuts and Showcase areas without handwashing signs displayed.
The code that was violated states, “A sign or poster that notifies food employees to wash their hands shall be provided at all handwashing lavatories used by food employees and shall be clearly visible to food employees.”
The last core violation is inadequate ventilation and lighting; designated areas being used.
The report stated the inspector “observed employee beverage on shelf in back food prep area.
Ensure employee items are stored in designated area away from food preparation.”
The report stated these violations must be corrected within 90 days.
In the positive notes section of the report, the inspectors stated proper food safety practices in the kitchen were excellent.
Rivera said “FSU is really good about correcting these violations.”
He added FSU is able to correct any of the violations onsite if possible.
“We like to look at something called active managerial control. … So an active managerial control would be if a person in charge reminds their employee to remove wrist jewelry while they’re onsite. That would be something that is a corrective action,” said Rivera.
Continued from Page 1 CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu
Rivera said this helps the staff in case there is further training based on what is stated in the report.
He said infractions such as the case of food being improperly separated and protected can be resolved through training or by having a chart of the correct storage procedures posted in the freezer or cooler.
Rivera said that specific violation “in certain places, could be a common violation depending on storage.”
Michael Newmark, director of Dining Services said, “We have an excellent relationship with the Framingham Board of Health, and we appreciate their support, guidance and oversight as we work together to ensure the highest level of health and food safety standards at all our dining locations on campus.”
A Sodexo spokesperson said, “The safety and wellbeing of the campus community is the highest priority for Sodexo as the university’s dining operator. We take seriously the trust placed in us by the students, faculty, staff and guests who eat on campus - from how food is prepared to the standards we uphold. We quickly addressed the items identified in a recent inspection, resolving any items with the public health inspector on site, and we are proud to report no violations. The inspector noted an overall great job on the inspection and no follow up was required.
The second case of food-contact surfaces; not cleaned and sanitized, stated that the in-
The violation stated the inspector “observed food debris on the floor of the food preparation area” and this violation was corrected onsite when the PIC had an employee from another station clean up the debris.
The code that was violat-
He said the inspection report is sent to the “best email” provided by the managers or chefs who are present for the inspection and then the report is distributed to the Sodexo employees from the person who receives the report.
Food safety has always been central to how we operate, and inspections regularly reinforce our expectations with our team. Reports are shared with the onsite management team and the university, and we are diligent in upholding the highest expectations for safety and cleanliness,” said the spokesperson.
OP/ED
THE
GATEPOST EDITORIAL
Love matters more than ever
As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is at the forefront of people’s minds. The holiday symbolizes an occasion to celebrate the connections you hold close to your heart.
Even though this holiday provides many of us with joy, there are so many reasons why demonstrations of love should not stop after Feb. 14.
Fostering community, kindness, care, and love for one another is a year-round effort.
Day-to-day acts of love are how we can spread happiness, connect ourselves to one another, and strengthen our campus community. Especially during a time that has proved so difficult for people around us, we still need to come together and promote kindness.
In an era when it is increasingly common for people to keep to themselves or their devices, face-to-face connection is more important than ever.
It is easy for us to keep our heads down and ignore each other simply to stay in our comfort zones, but practicing these small acts of kindness is crucial for us to uplift our peers and look after each other.
We are all creatures of habit. We often talk to the same people every day and sit in the same seats in class, eat in the same parts of the Dining Commons, and stay in our rooms.
It requires a conscious effort to break the mold of seclusion and connect with people outside of our normal circles, but it’s an effort that’s worth it.
“ILoveYou,Jojo!Yousurprise
meeverydaywithhowdriven
youarewithanythingyouput yourheartinto!Theworldis notREADYforwhatyouhavetobring!” -ChaseForehand
“To my best friend, favorite reviewer, and copy-editing partner in crime. Beyond grateful for your humor and hot takes!” - Dylan
“Adrien, the joy and laughter you bring to my everyday is just one example of the kindness you shower the world around you with. Whenever I get a chance to see you, I am always prompted to smile because your aura simply elicits happiness from those around you.”
- Tony
“I’msoproudofallthework youputintoyourpassions.I loveyouandI'msoexcitedto
seewhatthefutureholds foryou,Izzy.” -NolaPatty
There is no one way to practice being open and spreading love.
This could be something as simple as holding the door open for someone, smiling at someone you don’t know in the Dunkin’ line, complimenting a peer’s outfit, or starting a small conversation in the elevator.
For those who struggle with loneliness or isolation, these small acts of kindness can mean all the difference between a bad day and a hopeful one.
While this may seem out of your comfort zone, give it a try - you may be surprised at how good making someone smile feels.
There is no way to tell what someone is going through, and you never know what your daily interactions might mean to someone else.
Be the person who brightens the days of others.
Our campus is filled with caring people - all it takes is one conversation to get to know the people who surround you.
Framingham State is a community built on sharing. We share spaces, ideas, and experiences. The people you see all the time - the ones you always recognize but have never talked to - could quickly become your close friends if you take the initiative to reach out.
You don’t know how much a quick hello can do.
Valentine’s Day is a great time to show love, but why wait for one day a year to do it?
Take the time to share some love.
“Mywonderfulfriendsand
amazingboyfriend(who doesn’tevengoherebut that’sOK),youmake myheartso fulloflove.”
“HappyValentine'sDay,David!Ilove yousomuch.”
“Wilmani Josiah Castillo was one of a few who, when I saw him, my whole mood shifted to a positive lens. He made sure to always include me in anything he was doing. Every time he saw me distancing myself from an event, he made sure to pull me in. He was one of the first to notice my change physically, mentally, and spiritually. He always took notice of the small things. A pure joy to know.”
- Izayah Morgan
“Sophia, you’ve pierced my soul. I wish that you could see yourself through my point of view. Your resilience and beauty shine brighter than the moonlight in our sleepless nights, and I hope you never let anyone cause that light to dim.” - Ant
“To my favorite girl on either side of the ocean, counting the seconds ’til I see you again! Elle, be my-Valentine?” Dylan
got“IzzyGage,lookingatyou
You’remethinkingnonsense. literallythebestever. Can’twaittoDhallagain.” -TeddyConnors
“I love you, Nate. I can't believe we've been together for six years now (since we were 13). We've gone through so much together, and I'm glad you've stuck by my side forever. I will always be your girl, and you'll always have me here for you. <3” - Ruby Snyder
“Now that I’ve met you, Dylan, I wish I had done everything on Earth with you. If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. You’ve made every moment I’ve spent here a better one, and I can’t imagine a world without you in it.”
- Antonio
“Happy Valentine's Day, my love. I love you so much, and I hope to make so many more memories with you, Dheralth.”
“I love The Gatepost!” - Sophia Harris
remain“Soph-IhopeyouknowthatI impressedincrediblyproudofyouand byyourdrive,resilience, and attitude. You are an incrediblewoman,andIamthankfulevery daythatyouareinmy maylife.Iloveyouand you continue to dogreatthings.”
Campus Conversations
“How can we show more love on campus?”
By Izayah Morgan, Opinions Editor and Alexis Schlesinger, Editorial Staff
“I think we can give more compliments and try to be nicer about holding the door.”
- Nat Natarajan, freshman
“I feel like people need to go up and say ‘hi’ to each other more and just be like, ‘Yo, like, how’s your day?’
- Derek Santiago, freshman
“Have more events directed toward what people like, such as Caribbean culture dinners. But make everybody feel included and that they could show up.”
- Wali Pierre, freshman
“We could create more events that are more inclusive. I know the CIE host a lot. But sometimes that structure of an event focused on one individual group ostracizes another.”
- Sancharley Pierre, junior
“ More events like the tables we do have at McCarthy. Those are awesome.”
- Jaiden Ruiz, freshman
“ More flyers, posters, and banners in the dining hall because that’s where everybody goes.”
- Nolan Wosterbarth, freshman
By Izabela Gage Sports Editor
By Avery Slavin Editorial Staff
Following a tie early in the second half, the Framingham State Rams ran away with the lead in the fourth quarter to secure a 7757 conference win against the Salem State Vikings Feb. 7.
This win brings their conference record to 8-2 and their overall record to 12-9.
The Vikings missed three layups before putting the first points on the board off a jump shot.
Senior Kiara Cerruti was fouled on the next play, and she made the awarded free throw to bring the score to 2-1.
After two uneventful possessions by both teams, Captain Abigail Martin, a senior, made a defensive rebound and junior Ava Mckeon scored on a layup, assisted by sophomore Jacqueline Schels.
Salem attempted to score on their next drive, but Schels snagged the rebound and sophomore Faith Greene made the 3-pointer to earn the team a 6-2 lead.
Martin stole the ball on the next Salem possession, and Schels scored with a layup.
The next minute and a half was scoreless for both teams before the Vikings made a layup to shrink the gap to 8-4.
Greene took control of the next drive after stealing the ball and scored on the subsequent layup before being fouled by Salem. She then made the free throw to take a 7-point lead for Framingham.
The next two possessions were unsuccessful for each team, but Greene was fouled again and scored on both free throw shots to bring the score to 13-4.
The Vikings broke the stalemate with a jump shot less than 20 seconds later.
Martin made a steal for the Rams, and shortly after, the Vikings fouled Cerruti, who sank one of her two free throws, putting Framingham in the lead 146.
Each team turned over the ball before Schels drained a 3-point jump shot, assisted by freshman Zaria Anderson.
The Rams fouled the Vikings, giving them two free throw shots, but they could only sink one to bring the score to 17-7.
After a missed 3-pointer from both Anderson and Salem’s Shakera Fullenwilder, Captain Kelsey Yelle, a senior, was fouled, and she converted both free throw shots to points for Framingham.
The Vikings scored on a buzzer-beater jump shot to end the first quarter with a score of 19-9 in favor of the Rams.
Just 12 seconds into the second quarter, Salem made a layup and then earned a free throw following a foul by Framingham, which was successful, bringing the score to 19-12.
Another foul by the Rams gave Fullenwilder two free throw shots, but she could only score on one.
On the Rams’ next play, Greene made a layup, assisted by Anderson, giving Framingham
SP RTS
Women’s basketball conquers the Vikings
an 8-point lead, 21-13.
Salem missed two layups on their following possession, and Schels made a defensive rebound before Cerruti sank a jump shot for the Rams, assisted by Martin.
The Vikings scored on a layup and a free throw, but freshman Evi Higgins didn’t let it go unanswered, making a layup of her own.
Just 15 seconds later, Fullenwilder made a layup, but the Rams maintained their lead, 2518.
After two unsuccessful drives for each team, Greene committed a foul, but Salem’s Ernidia Golcalves could only make one of the two earned free throws.
Less than 10 seconds later, the Vikings’ defense fouled Yelle, and she sank one of the two free throws to bring the score to 2619.
Salem’s Maria Orfanos was awarded two free throws after a foul by the Rams, but she made only one.
The next 2 minutes were uneventful, with both teams strong on defense, making important blocks and steals.
Cerruti was fouled by Fullenwilder, and she was able to sink the two free throws to put Framingham up by 8 points.
The Vikings put two more points on the board on free throws after a foul by sophomore Shaelagh Green.
Salem worked to close the gap before halftime with a layup, but under a minute and a half later, Yelle responded with one of her own, assisted by Higgins.
With 16 seconds remaining in the first half, the Vikings made one last layup, and the score stood at 30-26, with the Rams in the lead.
Salem started the second half with a layup and a jump shot, tying the score.
After another layup from the Vikings, Mckeon helped Martin
bounce back with one of her own, ensuring Salem didn’t get ahead.
Martin scored points on both of the free throws she earned from the Vikings’ foul, pushing Framingham past Salem on the scoreboard by two points.
Cerruti helped the Rams keep their lead and sank two 3-pointers, both assisted by Mckeon, and brought the score to 40-34.
The Vikings missed the two free throws they earned from a foul by Cerruti.
After a missed jump shot from Greene, Salem fouled, and the Rams scored on their two free throws.
The Vikings got another chance to score on their free throws after their last attempt, but were only able to make one, keeping them 7 points behind Framingham.
Salem made a layup, but the Rams’ strong defense kept the Vikings on their toes as Framingham stole possession of the ball and made a jump shot.
When Salem regained possession, they missed two layups and fouled the ball, passing it back to the Rams, allowing Yelle to score on a free throw.
The score didn’t change until the Vikings fouled yet again, and Schels sank both her free throws, giving the Rams a 10-point lead.
Closing out the third quarter, the Rams made two more layups and a jump shot, leaving Salem struggling to keep up.
Within the first minute of the last quarter, the Vikings committed a foul, allowing Schels to score on free throws, sinking them both.
Cerruti made a layup, and Salem answered with one of their own.
A technical foul from Salem gave Framingham two more points on free throws, courtesy of Greene’s accuracy.
Greene made one more after a dead-ball rebound, and the Rams
continued leading the game with a score of 60-39.
Schels scored on a layup shortly after, which was answered by a layup from Salem.
The Vikings regained possession of the ball and started getting aggressive, but continued to struggle putting points on the board.
Both teams fouled and scored two points each on free throws, but Salem still couldn’t catch up to the Rams, who had maintained their 21-point lead.
Framingham stayed aggressive and scored 5 more points, forcing the Vikings to work harder to get their hands on the ball.
Following a 3-point jump shot from Schels, Salem was able to start catching up, scoring 7 points until they fouled, allowing Mckeon to put two points on the scoreboard with free throws.
Yelle made the last two shots of the game, scoring Framingham 3 more points before Salem scored the last layup as the buzzer sounded, ending the game with a score of 77-57 in favor of the Rams.
Yelle said after losing to the Vikings 72-65 on Jan. 14, “Nobody on the team was happy. … So we had to use it as fuel to keep going and to keep pushing ourselves. Salem is a good team, but deep down, we know we can be better, and the performance from last time was not our best and does not define us.
“In practice, we try to keep high energy so it can be translated to the games. Not every day is perfect, so Abby and I have to push everyone to be their best selves,” she added.
Most recently, the Rams traveled to Worcester State and defeated the Lancers 71-53 in a conference contest on Feb. 11. This win brings their conference record to 9-2 and their overall record to 13-9.
The Rams will face the MCLA Trailblazers on their home court in another conference game on Feb. 14.
Yelle said with only three games left in the regular season, “Everyone on the team is looking forward to the playoffs, but we have to remember to take one game at a time. Focus on the game we are playing next.”
She added, “Each day, the plan is to always make ourselves better, and I still feel like we are improving each and every day. We are a team, and we will face all the challenges together. We must just remember to bring each other up and remind each other to keep fighting.”
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Kelsey Yelle going for a rebound in win against Salem State on Feb. 7.
Men’s basketball falls to Salem State
By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor
After an unsuccessful second half, the Framingham State Rams fell to the Salem State Vikings 84-76 in a conference matchup Feb. 7.
This loss brings the Rams’ conference record to 5-5 and their overall record to 12-9.
The first minute of the game was slow, with no scoring from either team. Then, after the Vikings committed a foul, junior Joshua Saint Jean scored on a free throw.
SSU pulled ahead on their next possession with a 3-pointer.
Senior Vondre Chase tied the game with a layup 40 seconds later.
Another 30 seconds passed before Salem broke the tie with a 3-point jump shot.
Framingham committed a foul and allowed the Vikings an opportunity to score on two foul shots and a jump shot. FSU graduate student AJ Thompson answered with a layup.
Chase scored once again on a layup for the Rams, but the Vikings scored one of their own.
On Framingham’s next possession, Thompson made another layup, followed by a dunk from Saint Jean on the following play.
Fouled by SSU, Thompson scored on two free throws, taking the lead for FSU.
Ten seconds later, the Vikings pulled ahead 15-13 with a 3-pointer.
Saint Jean took back the lead for the Rams with a layup and a successful free throw, but Salem quickly regained the advantage with two free throws.
The lead swapped twice more in the following minute, when, following a 3-pointer by junior Lorenzo Washington, Salem made a layup and a free throw.
Another two layups and a free throw increased SSU’s lead before junior Fallou Koite put points on the board for the Rams with a 3-point jump shot.
A layup by junior Domonick Victor brought Framingham
within a point of the lead, but the Vikings widened the gap on their next few drives, scoring on a layup and a free throw.
Victor made another layup just 20 seconds later, then sank a free throw to bring the score to 28-27 with SSU just a point ahead.
After a layup by the Vikings, Victor sank another shot to avoid falling behind.
After Salem fouled Saint Jean, he made two foul shots, claiming a 31-30 lead for the Rams.
Saint Jean made another free throw on FSU’s next drive.
Following a Framingham timeout, Salem returned to the court with increased energy, scoring on a layup and a 3-pointer while Saint Jean made a layup.
At the two-minute mark, Salem scored again on a layup, and on FSU’s next drive, Saint Jean made a free throw.
A 3-pointer by the Vikings brought the score to 43-35, but a dunk by Chase brought the Rams closer to the lead as the half came to a close.
A Koite jump shot started off the second half, quickly followed by a layup from Victor.
On the Rams’ next drive, Koite’s layup brought the score to an even 43-43, but the Vikings quickly capitalized on the ensuing turnover, sinking a 3-pointer.
Roughly a minute later, SSU sent in another shot from behind the 3-point line, successfully netting it.
The Vikings’ next drive resulted in a layup and a foul by FSU, allowing Salem to score on a free throw.
After five unsuccessful possessions, SSU drove to the net for a layup, then a free throw following another foul by the Rams.
Five minutes in, junior Korbin Gann scored a 3-pointer for FSU. Salem battled back with two jump shots about 40 seconds apart.
SSU scored a 3-pointer on their next drive, quickly followed by one from junior Ja’Quin Taylor.
A jump shot and a layup in the next 30 seconds increased the Vikings’ lead to 66-49.
Fouled by Salem on the next
play, Koite stepped to the foul line, netting both of his free throw shots with ease.
After another layup by SSU, Koite made the most of FSU’s next three possessions, scoring four more free throws and a jump shot.
Salem quickly found their footing, sending up another layup.
Junior Makyle Hayes was fouled by a Salem defender, scoring a point on a free throw.
Salem took control of the court in the following minute, scoring on a layup and two free throws.
The Rams’ next few possessions proved unsuccessful as they struggled to break through Salem’s tough defense.
Head Coach Donald Morris Jr. said, “Salem plays a very specific type of zone. … You must run specific things against it.”
A full 3 minutes passed before the Rams broke through with a layup from Thompson.
Salem’s next possession allowed the team to score a layup, but overly rough defensive plays against the Rams gave FSU two foul shots. Koite netted both.
Salem scored on a layup at the 4-minute mark, and a free throw by Thompson, a jump shot by Hayes, and a layup by Victor brought the Rams within 11 points of the lead.
Two free throws each from SSU and Koite brought the score to 80-69, with Framingham still at a deficit.
Action ramped up during the final minute and a half of the match, kick-started by a free throw by Salem and two by Washington.
Salem tallied two more foul shots on their next possession, and Koite followed with three.
Despite a layup by Thompson with 6 seconds left, the Rams were still behind as the clock ran out, ending the match with a score of 84-76.
Morris said the team worked hard, but Salem’s three guards made it difficult to have the press FSU wished for earlier in the game.
Injuries have also played a notable part in Framingham’s recent struggle, Morris noted. He added the team has “done a great job playing as a unit when healthy.
“All the games are winnable. We will need others to step up due to injuries, but I think we have some guys that can meet that challenge,” he added.
Junior Dyree Rogers, recently injured but typically a starter and a top-scorer for FSU, said the Rams “have been identified as a defensive team this year, and we have built on that game by game.”
Rogers said the Rams’ defense has been a strength against tough opponents, and a point of pride for the team.
He said, “Our defense leads to offense, and it makes the game that much easier.”
Rogers said, “We are a team, and I like to remind us to never get too low or too high and to stay the course.”
The Rams’ recent 84-70 loss against the Worcester State Lancers on Feb. 11 brought their conference record to 5-6 and their overall record to 12-10.
Morris said as the Rams face their final games, they have their sights set on a playoff game on home court, “if possible.
“Once the playoffs start, the regular season doesn’t matter, and we feel as if we can beat any team. We have been up in all games, so now it’s about being able to hold those leads and finish out games. If we can do that, we just have to make a run,” he added.
The Rams host the MCLA Trailblazers on Feb. 14 for a conference matchup.
Rogers said the goal for the team is “a MASCAC championship. I feel we’ve got the tools, the chemistry, and the pieces to make that run this year. God willing, everyone plays their part, and we will be cutting those nets in March!”
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Joshua Saint Jean going for the opening tip in loss against Salem State on Feb. 7.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
(Right) Domonick Victor attempting a layup in loss against Salem State on Feb. 7.
HEARTS & FEATURES
‘Taste of Culture’ celebrates and educates about Black History Month
By Sarah Daponde Asst. Arts & Features Editor
The Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) hosted a ‘Taste of Culture’ event for Black History Month on Feb. 10.
The event celebrated Black history and community by featuring authentic Jamaican, Haitian, Ghanaian, and Soul cuisine. Among the dishes offered were sweet potatoes, plantains, beef patties, chicken, and a Jamaican hibiscus-flavored drink called Sorrel.
Jerome Burke, director of the CIE, kickstarted the event with a brief record of Black History Month.
Burke said there was only a “Black History Week,” before Carter G. Woodson officially established Black History Month.
“Black History Month was really dedicated to educating people about Black people in America,” he added.
Burke did a short presentation on the history of Jamaica in specific. “There are so many countries that we can reflect on if we’re thinking about Black History Month.”
Jamaica was nicknamed, “The Land of Wood and Water,” said Burke, as a nod to the beautiful landscape.
Spanish explorers came to Jamaica in 1494, followed by English explorers in 1655, which created a fight between the two nations over ownership of Jamaica, said Burke. During this time, a large number of enslaved people started
By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff
Throughout my college experience, I have rarely had classes on Fridays.
Normally, it’s something I sort of take for granted.
On Friday, Feb. 6, having no classes was a miracle.
Ashleigh Wulf - otherwise known as “Wulfer” - released “I Love My TV,” her first fulllength album, on Feb. 6.
The album’s release was celebrated with a show at 8 p.m. that night.
In New York.
I drove four hours to New York to see this show, and I’ll never forget it.
This show was nothing short of life-altering.
Ashleigh Wulf is an incredible and rare talent who needs to be celebrated.
I’ve been a Wulfer fan since I first saw her perform at one of
their own families and communities.
He said even though Jamaica’s population is only around 3 million people, the country continues to be a “global force,” and urged everyone to learn more about it.
“As we think about Black History Month, find a country
Worcester.
Vibez said, “I am truly honored as an African American woman. I am proud to be here.”
She began her performance by singing a rendition of the song “Back Water Blues” by Bessie Smith with a modern twist.
Vibez said she is working
or two that you would like to go to for a vacation, a country or two you enjoy a product or food or anything from - if you can just learn a little bit more about the people and culture and their history,” said Burke.
Burke introduced Fanta Vibez, a West African singer and songwriter based out of
my favorite house venues. That show also changed the trajectory of my life in so many ways, but that’s another long story.
Wulfer was local to Boston for quite some time before moving down to New York. I fell in love with her music after hearing her self-titled EP “Wulfer” live for the first time.
Her frequent use of guitar and vocal effects is slightly reminiscent of the Boston scene’s abundance of shoegaze music, but her music is taken in a completely different direction than most artists within that genre.
Her songs are soft, nostalgic, and thoughtful. Swelling emo tion is sewn into every word and every note.
Knowing this, I decided not to listen to “I Love My TV” the morning it came out, but to save the listening experience for the live show.
The Stone Circle Theatre was a fantastic choice of venue for this release show. The theatre space is inside a small church, tucked away in a neighborhood in Ridgewood, New York.
on a project in school, which involves looking through “old school” music, and this song stuck out to her.
She said Bessie Smith was an African American musician in the 1920s. “She was able to tell the story of what was happening within the Black community. … ‘Back Water Blues’ is basi-
Each short video was unique, and reflected the storytelling of its respective track.
The show was opened by solo artists “People I love” and “Retail Drugs.” I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Jake Brooks, of Retail Drugs, was also a band member of “Laveda,” a band whose set I had seen in the summer.
Following the two opening sets, Wulfer played through the entire album, joined by Aaron Fitgerald on electric guitar, and Mia Timson, who played a shruti box.
The three musicians
The room was dimly lit with soft blue lighting, and a projection of T.V. static behind the stage. There was plenty of seating for attendees in the pews.
The serene setting perfectly matched Wulfer’s album, and every song that played got its own visualizer played from the projector.
cally about this great flood that happened in Cumberland River in Nashville.”
Next, she sang two original songs, “Good Life” and “Put it in a Song,” followed by “Young, Gifted, and Black” by Nina Simone.
Vibez said “Put it in A Song” is about people telling her to simply write her thoughts down when she is feeling strong emotions, which doesn’t always work.
“Certain things you write it out, talk it out - but some things you just have to feel out,” said Vibez.
Vibez said she got in contact with Burke through an affiliate she has with “Queer the Scene,” an organization that supports the LGBTQ community in Worcester.
“I am happy to be here to share this moment with you guys. It’s a lovely school,” added Vibez.
Burke asked the audience to continue to dedicate the rest of the month, and year, to learning more about Black history.
Burke said, “As we think about Black History Month, let it not just be something that we see on Instagram or TikTok, but let it be an opportunity for us to really dig deeper and learn more about these countries and the people that are from these countries.”
CONNECT WITH SARAH DAPONDE sdaponde@student.framingham.edu
spite the album being played out of order.
When listening to music, I am always most impacted by lyrics. This set had me in awe - and in tears - the entire time.
Of the whole set, my favorite song by far is “I Saw Her Glowing.”
This song is yearning on steroids. It’s everything you want to say to someone you love deeply who you don’t have anymore. It’s poetry, it’s a love letter, it’s a flame.
“You were on fire. I’d been tired, so I burned, and I burned, and I burned in your burning arms.”
I’ve had the whole album on repeat since its release, but “I Saw Her Glowing” has really taken over my headphones.
Another song that particularly captured me was “Thought of You.”
This was one of three songs released as singles prior to the full album release, so I had heard it before the show.
This song is already sure to pull at your heart, but hearing it live adds an extra rawness to the lyrics.
track of the album, though not in its original release order.
After streaming the album after the show, it’s hard to say which order I would’ve preferred. Regardless, this is a noskip album.
The 17-track album took about 40 minutes to play through with almost no breaks. Transitions were smooth, de-
Wulfer sings earnestly in the beginning, “It’s the thought of you, that’s sticking to my room, and my clothes,” but adds later on, “I think that I was in love with you, but I don’t really know.”
Me though? I can confidently say, with 100% certainty - “I Love My TV.”
CONNECT WITH ALEXIS SCHLESINGER aschlesinger@student.framingham.edu
Onyx Lovely / THE GATEPOST Fanta Vibez performing at “Taste of Culture” on Feb. 10.
The Lexicon: I Saw Wulfer Glowing
Tobias Cotton-Selman / THE GATEPOST
The life of a billionaire
By Antonio Machado Multimedia Editor
“I’m immortal now,” Taylor Swift sings on the titular track of her newest studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
She’s not gloating - that is an absolute fact. After releasing nine albums this decade alone, including rerecordings and brand new studio albums, as well as having the highest-grossing tour of all time - it’s indisputable she is one of the biggest musicians of all time.
That begs the questionwhy? Because the music she’s making certainly doesn’t warrant this status.
“The Life of a Showgirl” is a departure from the melancholy Swift has so desperately clung to in her past few records. Instead, Swift pairs up with the writer of over 25 Billboard Hot 100 number one singles and her “1989” collaborator, Max Martin, to produce something unlike anything he has done over his 40 years in the music industry - something unremarkable.
This record is the opposite of what was expected from it. The vivacious electricity of “1989” replaced by misty acoustics and synths, and the cutting, youthful vocal delivery exchanged for breathy backing vocals and very questionably placed vocal gymnastics.
Most importantly, aside from a few incredibly rare moments, the record is strikingly devoid of catchy choruses or outstanding melodies to fill it out.
“The Fate of Ophelia” tries its hardest to sound like Lana Del Rey if she tried making pop music, but without any of the lyrical teeth that give Lana her biting sound.
The Jackson 5’s “I Want You
Back” is heard very astutely in “Wood” despite the fact they are not credited as a sample or even receive a nod for being interpolated. The song, given the influence, is incredibly groovy, but that’s no thanks to Swift’s failed attempt at tongue-incheek that reads more like tongue-in-knots.
Swift is often referred to as one of the premier songwriters of this generation - jokingly referred to as music’s Shakespeare - but how is that possible when the genius she’s putting out is “His love was the key that opened my thighs?”
There are moments where her pen is on fire - namely “Father Figure” - but the rustic cabin in “Folklore” has long since burned down, and we’ve been left with the ashes of creative genius - a genius that Swift clearly still views herself as, which causes a glaring incongruency with who she actually is.
The showgirl has historically been a working-class woman who’s being taken advantage of by capitalist men in power, and when depicted in art, like in Paul Verhoeven’s “Showgirls,” they are tragic figures used to criticize consumerism and the commercialization of a woman’s body.
How, then, can Swift relate to “The Life of a Showgirl” as a billionaire who has never at any point in her life struggled financially or had to show skin to have her music succeed?
A few times in this record, she portrays herself as a victim of the music industry, but the days where she was the innocent girl on stage with no industry power or pull are nothing more than a hazy memory, and nobody can sympathize with the actual struggles she faces because her fame is stratospheric.
“Actually Romantic,” a thinly veiled diss track in response to Charli XCX’s “Sympathy is a Knife,” would win the music equivalent of a “Razzie Award” if such a thing existed. The song stands out as not only one of the worst in her career, but also as a key example of her lack of reading comprehension skills and empathy.
“CANCELLED!” tries to pervert the term into a compliment, but the cringy hubris present throughout the track reads and sounds like Disney Channel villain music. She acts as though knowing what the internet says about her is a funny “Gotcha!” moment, but it lacks the self-awareness to be satirical - it just seems like a grown woman throwing a tantrum.
However, the album is, unfortunately, about her relationship with Travis Kelce, and the songs about him have the worst thing any musician could do - an undeserved key change on the bridge.
“Wi$h Li$T” is a sappy love song wherein Swift renounces material possessions and says all she wants is a nuclear family in an American neighbor-
hood, but the message falls flat when you consider the material luxuries she talks about are less than commodities for her - they’re spare change. She gets closest to making an actual song on the titular track, but that’s not because of her. The credit all goes to Sabrina Carpenter, whose voice makes Swift pale in comparison. The track is only listenable whenever Carpenter is the sole vocalist.
“The Life of a Showgirl” is just one in a long list of albums that Taylor Swift has released wherein she deeply misunderstands who she is and why people actually like her. As she said herself, “You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe / and you’re never, ever gonna.”
Rating: D ChatGPT write me a Taylor Swift album
CONNECT WITH ANTONIO MACHADO amachado4@student.framingham.edu
Final Fantasy VII Intergrade is “Finally” here
By Paul Harrington Staff Writer
When I initially got my Nintendo Switch 2, I was dreaming of all the AAA games that could be ported.
For years, gamers have dealt with console exclusives and have obviously felt left out. It’s like when you get grounded and see your friend group outside.
Surely, Nintendo hasn’t been left out on all the good games, but some AAA ports just felt awful to play on the Nintendo Switch.
In 2020, word broke that Final Fantasy VII would finally be getting a remake after 20 years. As excited as I was for one of the greatest JRPGS of all time to get a remake, I knew that the Switch couldn’t run it at all.
But here we are in 2026!
Part one of the Final Fantasy VII Remake launched on the Nintendo Switch 2 at the beginning of 2026.
Now yes, the first part dropped in 2020, but not everyone has access to consoles that can run the game.
The first part of this trilogy takes you all the way up to the end of the original game’s (FFVII) first section.
To make things easy, think of it like the hero’s journey. The
step the game ends at is the “departure.”
Cloud Strife, a former firstclass SOLDIER, is now a part of an eco-terrorist group known as AVALANCHE.
Their group aims to save the world from corporate greed and stop big companies from polluting their earth.
The remakes take an interesting route with the source material. Parts of the game are meant to be a one-to-one recreation, but other parts are meant to strengthen the game’s narrative.
It’s refreshing to see a remake that doesn’t go off-script of the source material, but rather uses the source material to expand upon the characters of the remake.
The original FFVII felt tedious to play at times, especially with its turn-based combat system.
The transition to an active combat system feels like a fresh breath of air. The game rewards switching between characters in the middle of combat, and it’s satisfying to see your team kick ass.
When I initially received my copy of the game, I was wary about the fact it was on a game key card (GKC).
A game key card is defined by Nintendo’s support page as
“Your ‘key’ to download the full game to your system via the internet. After it’s downloaded, you can play the game by inserting the game-key card into your system and starting it up like a standard physical game card.”
Now I can see why people would be turned off by this decision from a consumer standpoint. You don’t really own the game, you just own access to play the game.
But from a realistic standpoint, some games just cannot run naturally on the Nintendo Switch 2 without the utilization of a key card.
On other platforms, you are looking at around 100 gigabytes of storage to download FFVII onto your hard drive.
The Nintendo Switch 2 has 256 gigabytes, with some of it reserved for system updates. If you didn’t have game-key cards, the remake would be virtually impossible to port onto the Switch 2.
For me, this is a case of cutting my losses, and taking advantage of external storage.
To be able to play this game practically wherever is a game-changer.
In handheld mode, the graphics are around 30 frames per second.. I think that even being able to get up to 30 with
no frame drops is an impressive feat.
Regardless of what console you’re playing, this is a game that you are going to want to take your time with, and savor every moment.
In the case of the Switch 2, the second part of the trilogy is already on the horizon with a June 5 launch date.
If you only have access to the Switch 2, just know you’re still in good hands.
Marcus Falcão / THE GATEPOST
Spreading Love on Campus
(Left) Jillian Dimo and Lia Currie making Valentine’s Day cards at Art Club’s Card Making event Feb. 12.
Jayjay Johnson with a stuffed animal and card at Art Club’s Card Making event Feb. 12.
(Left) Alix Ayoub and Merlin Clive at Valentine’s Day themed dinner in the Dining Hall Feb. 12.
Two students crafting at Art Club’s Card Making event Feb. 12.
Students in line at “Stuff A Bear” hosted by FSAB Feb. 12.
Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST
Onyx Lovely / THE GATEPOST
Onyx Lovely / THE GATEPOST
Spread by Interim Assistant Photo and Design Editor Onyx Lovely