Annabel Adams, Ella Barchie, Dayna Bhatti Roberts, Blaire Brown, Michael Bryan, Karli Coskun, Ava Demcher, Perleen Deol, Caroline Erskine, Adelaide Guan, Elizabeth Hample, Maggie Hoffman, Kaila Hu, Mams Jagha, Rae Kazi, Dana Kim, Adelaide Larson, Colette Leto, Fiona McHugh, Aurora Moore, Jerry Morris, Isabella Perrotta, Jamison Quinn, Blakesley Rhett, Emilia Ruiz-Michels, Corey Vitale, Julia Yezukevich
FRESHMAN INTERN
Adelaide Guan
DIGITAL
Megan Radakovich
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Emma Novy
DIGITAL EDITORS: Jaymee Hinz, Alexis Landrini, Ava Lydotes, Madelyn Taylor
DIGITAL WRITERS: Annabel Adams, Lee Bruton, Helena Chernosky, Nina Gugino, Julia Raass, Jack Pasquale, Dayna Roberts, Téa Sklar, Navya Varma, Seth Wimmer, Olivia Woloz
VIDEO DIRECTOR: Mickey Maroulis
VIDEO TEAM: Jackson Barnes, Blaire Brown, Zac Chavez, Chloe Lee, Beckett Painchaud, Alex Resnick, Julia Yezukevich, Avery Wallace
SOCIAL DIRECTOR: Kylie Adedeji
SOCIAL TEAM: Evan Edmiston, Sophia Fotter, John Lakeman, Irene Lekakis, Maude Royce Terwilliger, Navya Varma, Richard Zhou
CONTENT CREATION DIRECTOR: Brenna Desmond
CONTENT CREATION TEAM: Grace DeSimone, Nina Gugino, Jaymee Hinz, Anna Long, Eleri Martin, Beckett Painchaud, Chloe Pusey, Julia Yezukevich
CREATIVE
DESIGN DIRECTOR: Abigail Aggarwala
DESIGNERS: Claire Arveson, Caroline Connerton, Lexie Haupt, Alexa Lakeman, Julia Yezukevich, Ailani Wong
ILLUSTRATORS: Addison Pavone, Alex Youngquest, Audrie Malmstrom, Emmet Kobasa, Esme Jablonsky, Karl Lamb Jr., Khloe Scalise, Marina Lee, Max Weinstein, Meredith Rogers, Sara McConnell, Sophia Chen
PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTORS: Kailyn Peng & Max Dickman
PHOTOGRAPHERS: Shane Grates, Nathaniel Harnedy, Alicia Hoppes, Brynne Hurt, Celeste Jenkins O’Reilly, Christine Kao, Maddie Kim, Karl Lamb Jr, Alexa Lakeman, Molly Mellinger, Olivia Pagel, Chloe Pusey, Alexandra Rice, Brody Shuffler, Collin Snyder, Ailani Wong, Ike Wood
Harriet Brown ADVISOR
Through its content, Jerk is dedicated to enhancing insight through communication by providing an informal platform for the freedom of expression. The writing contained within this publication expresses the opinions of the individual writers. The opinions expressed herein are not those of Syracuse University, the Office of Student Activities, the Student Association, or the student body. Additionally, the ideas presented in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Jerk Editorial Board. Furthermore, Jerk will not be held responsible for the individual opinions expressed within. Submissions, suggestions, and opinions are welcomed and may be printed without contacting the writer. Jerk reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions at the discretion of its editors. Jerk Magazine is published monthly during the Syracuse University academic year. All contents of the publication are copyright 2024 by their respective creators. No content may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the Jerk Editorial Board.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR (OR, A VISIT FROM THE JERK SQUAD)
As I gear up to present you all with my first Jerk issue as Editor in Chief, I find myself thinking of A Visit from the Goon Squad. No, I’m not talking about the relentlessly cheery, orange polo-wearing students who haul all your shit and take your family’s photo on move-in day. I’m talking about Jennifer Egan’s 2010 novel, made up of thirteen overlapping stories that span decades, countries, points of view and modes of storytelling (from a chapter in the form of a powerpoint presentation to a magazine profile, it really is a great read—but that’s neither here nor there).
Bursting at the seams with characters and storylines, the line between cacophony and symphony is thin here. But as the characters weave in and out of one another’s lives, a throughline becomes clear: sporadic, seemingly menial victories in an otherwise unglamorous and largely unsatisfying life. After forming something of a mosaic of failure out of broken marriages, stalling music careers and estranged family members, Egan makes each “win” the “squad” in question earns—be it a conversation between old friends or a tender moment between father and son— feel well-earned.
I’m not trying to be pompous by comparing our little mag to a Pulitzer Prize winning novel or go “aw shucks” by likening us to a group of lovable losers, but I am trying to let you all know that there’s some serious merit in an underdog story—especially one that’s told by a whole chorus of voices.
Our Patchwork Issue—or PatchJERK, if you will— is all about these tiny wins, fleeting moments of humanity and the people and communities that create them. Learn a thing or two about tenacity on pages 15 and 31, where we explain how student groups on and off campus have bounced back after bans and budget cuts. Celebrate D.I.Y culture by reading about tricked out lighters (page 51) and homemade ‘cuse merch (page 49). And get familiar with grassroots organizing
with our pieces on local elections on page 17 and music and food programming on page 39.
As much of mainstream media becomes increasingly homogenized and filtered past the point of accuracy or humanity, we here at Jerk couldn’t be more thrilled to present you with this deeply personal amalgamation of student life right now.
It has been an honor to work with such a talented team on this unabashed exploration of all things kitschy-cool, collaborative and cozy. Excitedly speaking over each other at every pitch, proofs and e-board meeting and taking time to guide our new staffers, the Jerk symphony sounds sweeter and louder than ever before.
Now without further ado, pour yourself a boozy chai (page 14), toss on a playlist made without AI intervention (page 19) and tuck yourself into the big, comfy quilt we’ve spent the last few months stitching for you.
With love,
Sophie Davis Editor in Chief (she/her/hers)
JERK ON THE INTERNET
Jerk Magazine is exploring new ways to compliment our print mag. Find additional content on social media and our website jerkmagazine.net.
Words by Miguel Rodriguez
What we love
ZOOTOPIA 2
NOVEMBER 26
The long-awaited sequel to the 2016 Academy Award winner sees the return of everyone’s favorite—for all the right, totally normal, not-at-all-sexual reasons— anthropomorphic animal detective duo go undercover to work the case. Jerk assures that you won’t look scary sitting alone in a theater full of families.
DANNY BROWN'S STARDUST
NOVEMBER 7
We can’t wait to blast off into the bizarre with Brown as the release date to what he has described as his most “fun” album yet approaches. The lead single Starburst ’s otherworldly visuals and mind-bending singles have us feeling morethan-ready to once again explore the sincerely fucked up landscapes of Brown’s mind.
HALLOWEEN BEING ON A FRIDAY
OCTOBER 31
Anything, and I mean ANYTHING, is possible when Halloween falls on a Friday. You can dress up, die, come to life, change costumes and die again without having to worry about class the next day. God bless the Gregorian Calendar.
YE'S BULLY
NOVEMBER 7
Naming an album after your son kicking a child and calling them “weak” is perfectly fitting for the billionaire rapper who has spent the past year high on nitrous and getting diamond fang implants. Post neurotic, discriminatory X rants, we can safely say that Jerk has zero support for the carcass formerly known as Kanye West.
RUNNING MAN
NOVEMBER 18
This writer has been trying very hard to become a better person. But, every time Glen Powell hones another lead role in a strange pseudo-remake sequel thing, he blacks out with rage and wakes up covered in rashes, surrounded by human-shaped holes in the walls. Hollywood, please stop. Drywall repair specialists are NOT cheap :(.
STRANGER THINGS SEASON 5
NOVEMBER 26
Watching Stranger Things is like trying to fornicate with a vacuum. Initially, it’s amazing, you can’t wait to see what happens next. Then you realize something terrible: the suckage levels are rapidly increasing, and you’re too far to turn back. The only option left is to see it through, finish and live the rest of your life in shame.
What we hate
Mar. 21 - Apr. 19
Aries, Aries, Aries, you’re biting off more than you can chew and you know it. Take things day by day. There’s still time to prevent the crashout of the century.
TAURUS
Apr. 20 - May 20
ARIES GEMINI
May 21 - Jun. 20
It’s time to move on. You’ve been overthinking it, and it’s doing you no good. Protect your peace and start practicing how to let things go.
Gemini, life is about to be on the up. Your hard work is finally paying off, and you’re about to receive everything you’ve been hoping for.
Jun. 21 - Jul. 22
When we heard Minecraft music in the Schine Student Center at 1:13 a.m. on a Tuesday while attempting to take a pee break from studying, we thought of you. Not sure why.
Jul. 23 - Aug. 22
CANCER LEO VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sep. 22
Jerk senses Yik Yak fame in your VERY, VERY near future. Interpret this how you wish. And maybe check your phone right now.
Is it just us, or have things been going too wrong lately? It’s okay, sweet little Virgo. Things are genuinely about to take a 540-degree turn (That’s THREE 180-degrees). Hold on!
LIBRA SCORPIO
Sep. 23 - Oct. 22
If you’re reading this, you might have had a birthday lately. Cake and candle bro <3 This is YOUR year. (It won’t be, but you’ll get through it.)
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
We here at Jerk see a glorious, earth-shattering, transcendent phenomenon of a Halloween costume in your near future. You'd better not disappoint.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
My best friend is a Sagittarius. Therefore, if you are a Sagittarius, we are now best friends by proxy. Congratufuckinglations!
CAPRICORN
Dec. 21 - Jan. 20
We here at Jerk sense that this is about to be your month. Opportunities are going to start opening up for you; don’t let them go to waste.
AQUARIUS PISCES
Jan. 21 - Feb. 18
Aquarius, someone new will enter your life soon. Remember to take things slow. After all, the flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long.
Feb. 19 - Mar. 20
Things may feel like they’re moving fast for you right now. Know that better times are coming your way; just hang in there. There’s nothing you little fishies can’t take.
Words by Laura Lemgruber and Adelaide Guan | Art By Alex Youngquest
HARD PROBLEMS
The issue with turning male insecurity into a marketing strategy
Words by Jerry Morris
Art by Addison Pavone | Designed by Alexa Lakeman
A woman in red stares seductively at the camera in front of her. In her hands, she holds a small jet black package.
“It’s for the men who care, for the men who perform, and the men who succeed.”
BlueChew, along with companies like Hims and Ro, provide medication for men seeking sexual enhancement, which has increased in popularity and sales with the rise in social media advertising. With eased restrictions on telehealth in previous years, startups like BlueChew have increasingly filled the digital ad space, often targeting younger
hyper-masculine tone. This messaging is clearly designed to resonate with younger men by linking sexual performance to status, confidence and desirability, despite the fact that the product is not FDA-approved.
With the continued prevalence of apps like TikTok and Instagram over the past few years, many advertisers have flocked to these apps to promote their products. As these platforms accrue billions of monthly users, it’s only natural that the flow of advertising through short form videos has become an integrated part of the
BlueChew’s most popular product is a chewable tablet filled with Sildenafil, the same active ingredient found in Viagra, a drug used for
By emphasizing swagger and exaggerated effects while offering little to no clarity on who should actually be taking the medication—men diagnosed with ED—BlueChew’s advertising raises serious questions about its morality and potentially predatory nature, especially since experts from places like GoodRx and the Cleveland Clinic explicitly caution that taking ED drugs without a diagnosis is unhealthy.
Steven Lundberg, an advertising professor at Syracuse University with over 25 years of experience, said the phrasing of these ads is strategic.
“It’s all in the language they’re using,” Lundberg said. “It’s so vague. So to me, that was like, there’s something shady going on here.”
Lundberg also commented on how the nature of the ads implicitly targets younger men to purchase the product.
“The classic advertising trope is that if you buy this product, it’ll help you ‘get the girl’ or ‘be more successful.’ So I imagine for young men in particular that desire to be as successful or powerful is there.”
Through their use of targeted language and suggestive symbolism, and given that the product is not intended for men who can already achieve
and make their partner feel good. However, what most young men should do instead of chewing up a gummy is communicate with their sexual partners and talk about what feels right for both people. Whether you’re chewing a gummy or taking a pill, no amount of medication will give you the fictitious gusto that will get your partner screaming for more.
Hopefully the trend of products like BlueChew gets chewed up and spat out sooner rather than later.
ABIGAIL SHIM
Artistry through advocacy, education, and community
Words by Elizabeth Hample | Photos by Ailani Wong
For studio arts major Abigail Shim, art is not about external recognition—it’s a medium of intrinsic expression. Shim’s focus on her personal essence is evident immediately upon taking one look at her studio walls.
“I really am making art for myself, rather than for people who are consuming my art,” Shim said. “I feel like it's important because that's where part of the passion comes from.”
With walls lined with self-portraits and adorned with personal artifacts, it is no surprise that growing up Shim had always been creative. Cramming her curriculum full of art classes in high school fueled Shim’s passion for art and eventually led her to Syracuse University, where she honed in on her chosen medium of acrylic paint while also picking up other skills. She recently learned etching, a process where copper is added to acid, ink adheres to it and the design is printed on paper.
Aside from her work inside the studio, Shim has done a variety of commissions, from tattoo designs to TikTok merch.
“Social media helps,” Shim said. “That’s how she—the Tiktoker who commissioned merch designs—found my account.”
Her commissions allow her to make money on the side to buy materials for her work, because as Shim says, funding for SU's studio art students is a problem.
Poor funding, absence of resources and a lack of food options at the Comstock Art Facility— where Shim takes the majority of her classes— are all issues she is trying to resolve through her creation of a campus organization called the SU Artists Coalition. The coalition, co-founded by student Vivian Baltzer and supported by Professor Joanna Spitzer, is an “informal organization” for students studying visual art at SU.
“It aims to address three things: advocacy, education and community,” Shim said.
In terms of advocacy, Shim notes that students in SU’s School of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) do not have access to essential software such as the Adobe Suite, while students at other home colleges have access to these resources.
“Doing digital work or for any printmaking practice, you’ll use Adobe.” Shim said.
The goal of the SU Artist’s Coalition is to make these resources accessible for VPA students,
HIT ME BABY ONE MORE CHAI
You’ve heard
of
a chai that’s sweet, a chai that’s spicy and a chai that’s dirty. But what about a chai that’s boozy?
Words by Jojo Wertheimer | Photo by Maddie Kim
If you’re tired of pumpkin spice, we feel you, Jerks. This fall, we’re mixing it up with something new—something sweet, something spicy, and most of all, something boozy. Whether you’re heading to a pumpkin patch or a Halloween rager, this chai will keep you buzzing—and not just with caffeine.
INGREDIENTS:
• 1 shot of vanilla vodka (or any vodka of your choice)
• 1 shot of Baileys (or any rum of your choice)
• 1/2 cup (4 oz) of chai concentrate
• Brand is dealer's choice, but we love Rishi or Tazo
• ½ cup (4 oz) of milk
• A handful of ice
• Unless, of course, you’re feeling crazy—and are also blessed with a milk frother in which case you can make a hot chai by steaming the chai and milk together, then adding the rest of the ingredients
• Optional: simple syrup, to taste (only for those of you who like your chai sweet)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake that thang up
2. Most important step: Give it a chai! Best served alongside a dining hall Snickerdoodle (reheated in your microwave)
OH YEAH? NAME FIVE PLAYERS.
SU’s efforts to confront gender inequities fall short across disciplines
Words by Kiran Hubbard
Art by Alex Youngquest | Designed by Lexie Haupt
“BDJ sports guys,” “finance bros” and “frat boys”—anyone who’s spent some time on Syracuse University’s campus (or at any school, for that matter) is probably familiar with these titles. Whether it’s the guy in the group project who can’t stop pitching stories about the Eagles or the onenight stand walking around Whitman in business professional, men adhering to these stereotypes are everywhere in college life.
While they’re usually the butt of the joke—and hey, we’re laughing too—many of these descriptors come from and contribute to places of real issue in male-dominated fields. As much as SU would like us to think it’s tirelessly working toward gender equality in every industry, we’re not quite convinced.
Year after year, men make up the minority of SU’s population—for Fall 2025, male students make up 42% of the first year enrolling class profile. But this distribution is far from consistent across schools. The incoming freshman male proportion peaks at 71% in the School of Information Studies, closely followed by 70% in the College of Engineering & Computer Science and 65% in Falk College of Sport.
While there are programs in place to support women in these fields during and beyond their college years, we see a need for even greater top-down, systemic and meaningful change. From hiring more female professors to investing in marketing to a diverse pool of prospective students, SU has far further to go in the task of balancing representation across its majors.
Sport management and sport analytics (SAL) within Falk are two programs with the starkest disparity in gender representation. Sport analytics’ largest ever cohort of women was nine out of 70
total students in the class of 2028, according to SAL sophomore Rachel Harris.
This makes clubs like Sport Analytics Women (SAW) especially important. SAW helps build connections for members through professional development and networking events.
“It was great just meeting the other girls. It was a good safe space,” Harris, director of outreach for SAW, said. “Definitely feeling that support, knowing we’re all kind of feeling surrounded. And they also connect us with women in the industry and [we] learn from them.”
The faculty advisor for SAW, Professor Keri Rubenstein, was hired last fall as the first female professor in SAL. She works with program coordinator Jackie Dorchester on the club’s trips and events. Beside these two, the faculty in the program are overwhelmingly male, and all of Harris’ classes have been taught by men.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve had negative interactions with any of my professors that I felt have been misogynistic in tone. I also wouldn’t say I’ve even felt direct misogyny from any of my classmates. But there definitely is a boys’ club culture that I think just comes naturally, and I would say some guys are better about it than others,” Harris said.
Harris would like to see greater numbers of women as faculty and students, a goal that is even further out of reach this year: the SAL class of 2029 has only four women out of 62 total. This drop-off happened despite efforts by the Falk dean, Jeremy Jordan, who frequently speaks about supporting women in the field and arranges networking opportunities with groups like Women Leaders in Sports.
But no matter how well-supported the women in the major are by voices like Jordan’s, until their
numbers can stand up to the rest, there will be inherent challenges.
“A lot of times in our classes if there’s a group project, all the girls group together. And then every other group is all guys,” Harris said. “We don’t want to set ourselves out from them as well, because the networking is so crucial to it. And you need to kind of know all the guys. Unfortunately, we need them, because they’re also gonna have jobs.”
Even at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, a female-dominated school, there are spaces where women feel intimidated because of the “BDJ men” idea. Eloise Pearsall, a sophomore studying both television, radio and film sports media and SAL, dealt with imposter syndrome her freshman year in places like the broadcast studio.
While she’s had some very positive experiences with male professors and classmates, that isn’t always the case.
“When referring to athletes or managers, he uses ‘he.’ Once he was referring to lipstick as the opposite of football,” Pearsall said of a sports writing professor. “It’s kind of hard to tune it out, but it happens every class so you just kind of have to ignore that.”
Once again, extracurricular organizations are a critical part of a support system for the women in these majors. Pearsall is the executive producer of Women’s Sports Update on the Orange Television Network and has enjoyed her time working in ACC Network.
“Doing Women’s Sports Update and recruiting was a little intimidating, because it was like: do guys really wanna be talking about women’s sports?” Pearsall said. “But then this year we have a really great group of guys who are passionate about women’s sports, and it makes me really motivated to keep the show going and be surrounded by good people who want to make women’s sports more of a focus.”
Aside from the few who will mansplain women’s sports before admitting they don’t actually watch women’s games, there are plenty of students throughout SU who are excited about them. Faculty in various schools mirror and encourage
this trend and some are doing individual projects on organizations like the WNBA.
But these individual feelings are not reflected in the decisions that SU makes. Instead of touting collegiate and professional women’s teams as opportunities for prospective and current students in management, athletics or communications, it seems like all of the school’s resources and marketing power get poured into football and men’s basketball.
We get that these sports are money-makers for the school, and no one’s expecting the programs to be scaled back. All we’re saying is that other teams (like the 2024 ACC Champion women’s rowing) have the power to attract and retain more students if given more of a spotlight.
Beyond sports, elevating more women into positions of leadership in areas from engineering to investment banking is necessary to create the safe spaces that all students deserve.
Here’s to hoping next year brings more women in underrepresented fields to our campus. For those of you already here: we see you, and we’re rooting for you.
MAKE AMERICA VOTE AGAIN
We are in the midst of a civic engagement crisis and college students can—and need—to take action
Words by Kelly Matlock
Art by Marina Lee | Designed by Ailani Wong
Last year, I walked four blocks from my house to the Spiritual Renewal Center on Lancaster Avenue to vote in the presidential election for the first time. According to national trends, roughly half of the Syracuse University student population did too.
Local elections, however, are a different story. In the 2021 mayoral election, Syracuse had the lowest voter turnout the city has seen in the last 100 years.
It’s not just a problem here—the United States is facing a local civic engagement problem all across the country. We aren’t contacting local representatives or attending public meetings nearly as much as we should. It’s a complex issue, but we at Jerk believe college students are uniquely positioned to make a difference.
For SU senior Kempton Bohn, low voter turnout is a big problem. Bohn is president and
“I remember I had a very awakening moment when I was speaking to one of my best friends I've known since kindergarten,” Bohn said. “She was like, ‘I don't even think I'm going to vote because I'm just so frustrated with everything going on and I feel like my vote doesn't matter.’”
Many young people share that sentiment— they feel as though their votes are unimportant. On campus, a rising number of voices like those at VoteSU are doing their best to change that narrative and spur local civic action.
“If you can say ‘my vote started here’ then I think that that will allow people to actually feel like their voice led to something in the future,” Bohn said.
Local elections happen almost every year in Syracuse. Because students live here for more than 30 days each year, they qualify to register to vote as New York residents—and don’t have to remove registration in their home state. The government only counts votes submitted, not registrations, so as long as you are only voting in one state, you’re
Young people have the power to vote for county executives, city mayors, judicial officials and more, but many students don’t realize how much those local representatives affect their lives.
SU senior Josephine Epolito worked for New York State Assembly Member Pamela Hunter, who represents the 128th district, earlier this year. She said that the community tends to underestimate the importance of their local government, which contributes to low voter turnout.
“The mayor has a lot more power than a lot of people think,” Epolito said. “The
mayor has to okay a lot of the programs in the city—all those concerts they have during the summer—those are through the mayor. So many things that you see on a daily basis, the mayor has a huge impact on.”
The importance of local government isn’t just a student issue. Richard Barton, an assistant teaching professor in the Public Administration and International Affairs Department at SU, teaches three classes on public policy analysis and research.
Barton said that a friend of his who works in the Syracuse City government had a good line to sum up the issues with local politics: “The federal government is where all the money is, the state government is where all the power is, and local government is where all the problems are.”
“When citizens experience problems that are in the real world as opposed to the sensationalized social media world, these are problems that they're experiencing usually at a local level,” Barton said. “If they raise these problems to any authority, it's usually going to be a local government.”
Barton used the example of Syracuse’s recent policy decision to get new lidded recycling bins for the whole city, replacing the old open, uncovered ones. It’s made the city much cleaner as opposed to the old system, Barton said.
“If this were 40 years ago, most residents of the city—and even you transplant undergraduate students here for a few years—would still be picking up a hard copy of the local paper,” Barton said, “which would have had multiple articles about this and so you would know that this was a local government decision.”
Now, he said, people are no longer connecting those dots. With people getting their news online and outlets focusing on national headlines instead of local ones, students probably don’t notice the trash cans, much less think about the fact that they are a result of local city policy.
At the same time, social media facilitates the spread of information unlike ever before. Social media can be a resource for spreading awareness
pre-register to vote before registering for classes in high school. But many other states have no voting education for students.
In Syracuse, even when students are educated on their voting rights, government systems make civic engagement unappealing. To combat those institutions, we have to take action wherever we can.
The Syracuse mayoral election is next month, and the voter registration deadline is in two weeks. This may not be the most exciting race to ever vote in, but it’s a great opportunity to take the first step toward being involved members of the community.
“We have an aspiring dictator as the president who's using the federal government in all sorts of ways to go after enemies,” Barton said. “We should all be developing a newfound appreciation for federalism and the fact that you have state and local governments.”
Barton said state and local governments, while dependent on the federal government in some ways, are more crucial than ever before. They can act as an independent force to check the power of an authoritarian federal government—and voters have a say in who runs them.
As a senior with plans to move to a big city when I graduate, I probably won’t be in Syracuse this time next year for the election cycle. No matter where I am, I know I will be voting and making my voice heard. I started that habit here at Syracuse, and I hope other students do too.
ALGORITHMIC VIBES TUESDAY NIGHT BOTCORE
Hey! You should dump your Spotify algorithm and rebound, immediately
Words by Miguel Rodriguez
Art by Sophia Chen | Designed by Abigail Aggarwala
The largest music streaming platform in the world, with the highest market share in the industry, Spotify is the music lover’s version of a Sex & the City mogul boyfriend. Its charms, ease and sleek appearance are easy to love and hard to look past. The abundance of gifts in the form of personalized mixes, end-of-year “Wrapped” breakdowns of listening activity and an endless library of music convince users that they have no reason to leave.
But, like every toxic relationship, the few extreme highs serve to hide the many poisonous lows. Shoddy business practices, mistreatment of artists and confinement of the user’s musical autonomy are just a few of the reasons we here at Jerk have gone sour on Spotify, and after doing our homework, we’ve found that the issue lies mainly with algorithms.
Until the rise of streaming platforms, the discovery of music was always a deeply social activity that required some modicum of effort. Whether it be taking recommendations from friends, going to the local record store for a browse or reading your favorite music magazine’s review section, discovering music before the age of streaming brought with it emotional investment and connection. True discovery—like going to your local record store and asking the kind but scary-looking man with the soft voice for recommendations—fosters meaningful and longstanding relationships with the artists and the work they pour their hearts into.
Today, with Spotify’s prioritization of algorithmically driven recommendation systems,
this type of relationship with music has become obsolete and inconvenient. Discovery has gone from unique, on an individual-to-individual basis, to repetitive and mechanical. Data takes precedence. While there is no single, definitive Spotify algorithm, the ones used for algorithmic playlists and song suggestions are most likely based on collaborative filtering. Emerson Rounds, a software engineer, broke down the complicated process of these algorithms into simpler terms.
“You’ve got to consider the raw scope of data Spotify has; for each individual user, it has their playlists, their likes, their search and listening history,” said Rounds. “If 100K other users have the same two songs in a playlist, Spotify will assume that you’re probably gonna want to listen to song B after listening to song A.”
As the app learns from your listening habits and attempts to feed you similar music, it can feel like you’re discovering new songs. In reality, these processes box users in over time and leave them unable to explore beyond the boundaries that Spotify’s algorithm has established. Spotify exposes you to the same music, genres and artists to keep listeners on the app for as long as possible, which, as a business, is the best outcome for them. The more time you spend on the app, the more data about you they'll collect. This will then be used to fuel the algorithm, negotiate deals with record labels for streaming rights and increase the company’s market value.
The issues presented by these types of models don’t exclusively befall users. Smaller
artists are also affected, with the algorithm typically favoring larger artists and popular songs, leaving the little guy on the outside looking in when it comes to being discovered by new listeners.
Remember that time last summer when, no matter what kind of music you were listening to, Spotify would always recommend a Sabrina Carpenter song afterward? There are two likely reasons for this. The first one is the structure of recommendation algorithms.
“[The algorithm] can absolutely lead to pigeonholing because songs that are more played generally are going to end up played with more unique songs,” said Rounds, which results in popular songs becoming more favored by the algorithm at the expense of smaller ones by lesserknown artists.
The second reason for the favorability of popular music in the algorithm is Spotify’s Discovery Mode function. In a 2020 article published by the Recording Academy, its authors connect Spotify’s practices to some that have been long outlawed. Payola is the act of paying a radio station to play your songs, which the U.S. Congress made illegal in 1960 to prevent labels from paying to make a song popular.
According to Spotify’s website, “Discovery Mode applies a 30% commission to recording royalties generated from streams in Discovery Mode contexts (Radio and Autoplay), with all other streams remaining commission-free.” This essentially means that artists can pay for the algorithm’s favor by accepting lower royalties on the already practically non-existent income from streams, which is an estimated $0.003 to $0.005 per stream.
opt in to Discovery Mode, the algorithm will see that the popular track put out by the major label is performing well and push it even harder, burying the work of independent artists.
"Spotify's promotional royalty rate is yet another example of how the company avoids paying music creators their fair share," said Daryl Friedman, the Recording Academy’s Chief Advocacy Officer. "With Spotify payouts already so low, I don't see how this experiment will benefit any musicians who are already struggling to earn a living wage."
For the readers who decide they want to split from Spotify after learning of their antics, there are plenty of other fish in the sea who will take better care of you and the artists you love.
Angus Kupinas, an artist who makes experimental hip-hop music under the name kgSev, thinks the best method for musical discovery is the most simple one.
“My favorite method for discovering new music is honestly just talking to people, like just asking people straight up,” said Kupinas. “I have friends from all over the place, and everybody listens to different shit, but I feel like that's a pretty obvious answer."
While major labels can afford to eat the 30% commission to maintain their algorithmic dominance, smaller artists who are already struggling to make a modest income are forced to give up more to have a chance at competing for recommendation space. Even when they do
Whether it be listening to the radio, reading music journalism, talking to your friends, visiting your local concert venues or even following the releases of a record label you like, there are an abundance of ways for listeners to discover music to fall in love with. The preceding run-on sentence not only proves that point but is also just the tip of the iceberg.
THE PROTEIN SNACK DOMINATION
Some of us want to eat regular popcorn
Words by Karli Coskun
Art by Karl Lamb Jr. | Designed by Caroline Connerton
On a busy Tuesday afternoon, you decide to go into Schine to grab a snack. Realizing you have no time to actually eat, you pay $5 for a Core Power chocolate protein shake that will hopefully hold you over for your next two classes.
As you get in line to pay, the bulky athlete in front of you pays for not one, not two, but four Core Power chocolate protein shakes—which have about 42 grams of protein each—mansplaining to the cashier that he needs to drink all of them to “hit his macros” for the day. You think to yourself: ‘Wouldn’t it just be easier to eat a full meal?’
Each trip to the grocery store, we encounter a new snack that somehow has 20 grams of protein. These snacks—popcorn, potato chips, even cereal—are typically protein-less. Your first thought that comes to mind might be: “Wow! My favorite snack now has protein in it, so I can feel less guilty eating it. Hooray!” But what’s really in these snacks that suddenly gives them so much protein?
protein from a powder instead of something real, like chicken, steak or tofu. Terrifying, I know.
These snacks are advertised as convenient and healthy, but they’re honestly just making us more hungry. Eating these little protein bites might make you feel like you’re Bella Hadid, but there are dangerous long-term effects. If we swap out a real, hearty meal for chocolate milk with a scoop of powder, our bodies get an influx of protein chemicals instead of real protein. Delish.
A change in diet like this can also cause an emotional imbalance. If we can’t eat normal Annie’s Mac and Cheese without feeling guilty for not buying Goodles—maybe we just don’t want to support Gal Gadot, jeez—then our mental health is at stake.
And, let’s be real: some of us just don’t want to eat this crap. Some of us want to eat a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup without a scoop of protein in it. Half of these snacks just taste grainy and powdery—I wanted a potato chip, not a chunk
You guessed it! Milk protein isolate—yummy dry dust. Exactly what you’re craving, right?
Once the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognized milk protein isolate as a safe ingredient in 2012, there was no turning back. Mac and cheese, Uncrustables—nothing is safe anymore. As all these protein snacks become more popular, it is more evident that our society prefers to get its
HELP! I FELL IN LOVE WITH MY AI
With Artificial Intelligence on the rise, some users turn to their chat bots for companionship
Words
by Blakesley Rhett
Art by Meredith Rogers | Designed by Julia Yezukevich
When tuning into Flesh and Code, a podcast that shares true stories of humans falling in love with their AI, Upstate Medical University bioethics professor Şerife Tekin was shocked at the retelling of intense human and AI relationships. Hearing the experience of the podcast’s guests, Tekin said she felt sorry for the individuals who thought the only thing they had to turn to was AI.
“You kind of get information about these individuals and their lives and their hardships,” Tekin said. “They don't really have access to a big community, maybe they don't have the financial resources. They really seem isolated and AI and these companion bots are almost like this perfect replacement for what they're missing. That made me really sad.”
With the rise of large language models such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, AI chatbots have become easier than ever to access. This widespread reach has allowed some AI users to develop what is known as AI psychosis, where users rely on AI to give them advice on their lives or provide a listening ear to the thoughts they are too afraid to tell others.
Over the past year, stories have surfaced of people forming “deep” connections with their AI, whether they see chatbots as a shoulder to cry on, a therapist or even a romantic partner. Some of these “relationships” have ended in tragedy—like Sewell Setzer III, a teenage boy who killed himself after a Game of Thrones character AI reportedly encouraged him to.
With similar stories emerging, Dennis Kinsey, a Syracuse University professor of public relations
said he believes people seek relationships with AI to satisfy their desire for someone, or something, to confide in.
“I don't think we're witnessing robots replacing love so much as people outsourcing loneliness,” Kinsey said. “I think these bonds are almost like a mirror in the sense that they tell us what human connections we're not getting.”
Tekin believes people are drawn to AI connections because, unlike real people, AI is always available to talk.
“With AI bots, there's an illusion that you have someone there who is 24/7 or who is very supportive of you,” Tekin said. “It always gives you positive feedback. But that's just not real.”
Another reason people are drawn to forming connections with AI is because it is able to adapt its language, voice and tone to better connect with and relate to the user, Kinsey said. This creates an idea in the user’s mind that their AI actually understands them and relates to them in ways real people may not be able to.
SU media studies director Nick Bowman said AI and human connections are formed when humans begin to project empathy on chatbots and see them as social entities—sort of like how people form connections with their pets.
“We also connect, for example, with animals who can't communicate,” Bowman said. “We can fall in love with our dogs, right? It's not that much of a stretch to go from an animal to an AI, and in fact, AI in many ways is far more human.”
Tekin believes those struggling with mental health issues and younger demographics may be
more susceptible to forming relationships with AI because it is easier to confide in than a real person.
“I think we—especially [Gen Z]—are a lot more open about mental health challenges,” Tekin said. “But research shows that it's still heavily stigmatized. So instead of seeking help or admitting this to yourself that you might need help, it's easier to turn to these kinds of platforms.“
For those without access to insurance or extra amounts of spending money, AI may also seem like a way to access therapy techniques without the costly invoice. The cost of a single session of therapy can range from $100-$200, according to Psychology Today. Even those who have insurance may not have the time or money to spend on seeing a real-life therapist, turning instead to AI as a faster and more affordable solution.
While not all cases of AI and human connection end in suicide, many emotional, social and psychological concerns still arise when someone becomes dependent on their relationship with AI.
“You have an agent on demand that typically is very polite and it's very affirming. Which is not always good,” Bowman said. ”AI will answer every question. It'll never tell you you're wrong, right? It's actually a bit of a problem. We think that in this attempt to make them sound more human, we've actually made them very annoying. Real people are tricky.”
Routine communication and dependency on AI could also lead people to struggle more with social interaction. Tekin noted that learning to build and form relationships is a skill developed over time through interacting with other humans, and these developmental skills could be stunted by relying on AI.
“You learn, you make mistakes, you fail, you fall in love, but all of these things are practiced and you get better at it and you get better at maybe forming connections and opening up to people,” Tekin said.
Tekin suggested those who communicate heavily with AI may begin to resent the human relationships they already have. Those who rely heavily on communication with AI may become used to its affirming tone. When they encounter someone who is not the “yes man” they are used to, they may feel challenged or uncomfortable.
Even with the rising concern of human and AI interaction, the likelihood of AI going away completely is slim. However, many people are calling for policies and guidelines to regulate its use.
“At some point there's going to be more demand for some policy so it just doesn't run rampant,” Kinsey said. “Things like more transparency on what's going on particularly with data privacy and all that.”
Regarding the future of humans forming connections with AI, Bowman believes that the creation of a technology that mimics human life was inevitable.
"It's natural, it doesn't make it less fascinating, it doesn't make it less impactful or concerning, but it's natural,” Bowman said. “Humans are programmed to communicate. We see faces in clouds, we see humanity in potato chips, we hug our dogs, we connect with our phones and we connect with our cars. We don't know how to engage the world in ways that aren't social. So, it's completely unsurprising that we would develop a technology that follows in our image—which is what scares everybody.”
NO MONEY, MO PROBLEMS
SU student organizations find their footing amid budget challenges
Words by Jojo Wertheimer
Art by Sara McConnell | Designed by Abigail Aggarwala
Jam—had been cut significantly. While McKenna didn’t say by how much, she recently told The Daily Orange UU’s budget was nearly cut in half, with some initiatives defunded entirely.
The cuts to UU’s budget are the lasting repercussions of COVID-19 complications on student organization funding.
Each year, the Student Government Association (SGA) Finance Board and Assembly grants all Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) funding amassed by the student activity fee, a $219 expense every Syracuse University student pays to support campus organizations. SGA allocates money through two different processes, according to Anne Lombard, SU’s executive director of student engagement. The
budget ran dry, SGA and student organizations began to feel the effects. SGA allocated almost $291,000 in advanced allocations for Spring 2025, leaving $50,000 available for special programming, according to The NewsHouse. The $50,000 was allocated quickly, and less than a month into the semester, SGA sent an email to all RSOs stating that all funds for the semester had run out.
Now, the budget is back to pre-COVID levels, but RSO student leaders are post-COVID students, many of whom are struggling to adjust to the change. This year, SGA significantly reduced the budget for UU’s performing arts series, despite the series hosting some of UU’s most popular events. Leach said this semester, SGA gave $350,000 in advanced semester allocations to RSOs.
lower relative to UU’s large-scale events.”
While UU, which has historically had a larger budget than other student organizations, felt greatly impacted, other RSOs took hits, and not just from SGA.
altogether and was instead encouraged to use a free campus space.
Since the budget cuts began, maintaining tradition—which is an important part of many student organizations—has been a point of concern for RSOs.
OrangeSeeds, a first-year leadership and community service program, sends about 38 students off-campus every Saturday of the fall semester to volunteer at local organizations like Rescue Mission and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. OrangeSeeds relies on the Shaw Center’s free Saturday transportation service to take them there—or at least they did, until that program was defunded this semester.
Now, OrangeSeeds would have to pay for SUprovided transportation. Depending on how many students attend, one Service Saturday could cost anywhere from $530 to over $900, according to the Parking and Transportation Services transportation request process. Without free busing, OrangeSeeds is struggling to afford one
“With Hendricks Chapel, their mission of serving the community aligns very heavily with ours, so we like to utilize their space for the Big Event to promote community engagement and community service,” Klinger said, noting that starting the Big Event at the Chapel is one of OrangeSeeds’ foremost traditions.
Instead, the event began in a room on the top floor of the Schine Student Center, which is significantly smaller than Hendricks. With limited space, OrangeSeeds struggled to efficiently check in guests, provide catering and host the event the way they hoped. Klinger also noted it was hard for guests to see the speakers and the screen fully.
“I don’t think there was a very big emphasis on us as an organization,” Klinger said. “We were unable to have a space for people to interact, which was kind of a big deal to us because part of the Big Event is going out and doing service as an [SU] community, and there wasn’t a lot of space for people to go around, mingle, talk and learn about why people were there and whatnot.”
First Year Players (FYP), a theater organization for first-year and transfer students, is funded by SGA for costumes, props, set pieces, the rights for the show and booking Goldstein Auditorium— including the costs that come with using sound, lighting and other tech—according to FYP co-producer Mario Esteb.
Last year, FYP members were unprepared when their budget request wasn’t fulfilled, Esteb said. But they quickly got creative, thrifting
that we might get our budget cut,” Esteb said. “Having little events here and there, and us seeing that we can make quite a bit of money from it, is a good thing. It’s honestly allowed us to think more creatively and have more fundraising events that we can control, because we can’t control the budget cuts. Regardless of whether or not it gets cut this year, we’ll be ready.”
Like FYP, in the wake of the budget changes, UU has tapped into its creativity. According to UU’s public relations co-director Lachlan Sartison, it's driven the organization to approach student engagement in new ways. This fall, UU, SGA and Greek Council collaborated on a new event called
SGA has also introduced the lending closet initiative, in which student organizations can add and share supplies, like a photo booth for example, rather than each RSO buying the same materials with SGA funding. Their newest forum, “No Problem Too Small,” allows student organizations
There’s been some positive outcomes, but proper funding for student organizations is critical, Esteb said. He noted student organizations are far more than just extracurriculars, but rather places of expression where students can meet lifelong friends.
“I’ve learned more through the orgs I do on campus than the classes I take here,” Esteb said. “When we are given our budget, it allows us to have a creative outlet for what we want to do. A lot of our budget goes to the show itself, and we just want to give the first years and transfers that are in the show the best possible experience that they can [have]. It’s important as ever, especially for the arts, which we need more of.”
HOUSE SHOWS: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
After Rent from Ben party ban, DIY venues are building new identities
Words by Adelaide Larson and Brenne Sheehan
by Celeste Jenkins-O'Reilly | Illustration by Meredith Rogers
Designed by Abigail Aggarwala and Megan Radakovich
Photography
Since the '90s, Syracuse University students— whether they’re videographers, sound designers or people with nothing more than a passion for dance—have come together at D.I.Y music venues in the University Neighborhood.
D.I.Y venues like Dazed, Crater and The Shipyard were the most recent houses to host shows with student artists last year. The year before that, Redgate, Mudpit and The Harrington hosted shows with their own brands—where each venue saw different genres of music, decor and hosting nights of the week.
These venues near campus threw music shows to support local artists while creating a community out of those in attendance. That was until this summer, when some house shows had to shut down all events.
In June, Rent From Ben, a Syracuse rental agency that owns the former Dazed house on Euclid Avenue, announced that it would ban all parties from its properties in an email to all of its tenants.
When Polly Hoffman and Kieran Romano—the showrunners of Dazed—got word of the ban, they collectively sighed. The ban meant they had to cease all operations, which they would announce on Dazed’s Instagram on Aug. 6.
“We had no idea it was coming. It was totally out of the blue,” Romano said.
“I just wish we had known earlier so we could have done more for our last show,” Hoffman said. “It would have been nice to have one ‘last show ever’ and be able to go all out.”
For Hoffman and Romano, who have been going to house shows since their freshman year,
D.I.Y venues helped fuel their passion for music and brought them closer to others with similar interests in the scene.
However, this does not mean this community will disappear forever.
Hoffman and Romano plan to continue running shows this upcoming year, whether it means organizing with local Syracuse venues or throwing parties in other houses unaffected by the crackdown. Organizations such as the Westcott Theater and an SU fraternity both reached out and offered their spaces as potential venues. The Shipyard, a D.I.Y porch show on Lancaster Avenue, is still hosting smaller shows this year.
“Obviously it sucks that we can't keep doing the shows in the same way that we have done them in the past, but I do think it's fun that we get to do a variety of shows now,” Hoffman said. “We are doing a legitimate venue, but also some underground stuff, and maybe an outdoor show. It really puts an exciting twist on the year.”
The decision to ban house parties came after an expensive lawsuit, where the plaintiff sustained an injury during a party at one of Rent from Ben’s properties last year, Rent from Ben CEO Ben Tupper wrote in an email to Jerk .
The decision wasn’t easy, as Tupper said he has always advocated for a safe Syracuse party scene, and has even tabled and provided free drink testing kits at Dazed and Redgate events.
“For over 25 years, despite lots of party damage and post-party clean ups (I've literally probably picked up a couple thousand used red cups from my front lawns on Sunday mornings in my career), I still defended the rights of students to live their
lives and enjoy their houses as they saw fit, within the law, including parties and D.I.Y musical venues,” Tupper wrote.
Tupper said pressure from his insurance companies ultimately led him to place the sweeping ban, adding that the same tenants who threw the injurious party had also scorched a bedroom with an unattended flame the week prior.
“This stunk because I was put in a position to either have to close my business, or tell students to stop having big parties,” Tupper said. “I can still be an advocate for student life, just without huge raging parties in attics or basements going on in my houses.”
While the lawsuit never reached a settlement because Tupper ultimately wasn’t held liable, he added that his insurance company would likely sue the tenants of the house where the injury occurred.
“We have put a lot of time and effort into not only the shows, but the brand as well. Trying to be something bigger than we are and trying to continue this for all the people who liked it,” Romano said.
The walls inside the Dazed house are decorated with posters from almost every past show. Romano—who designs the posters for every party— fondly refers to them as yet another creative outlet that the process of putting together shows offers.
Mason Manteau and Owen Wernow, members of the jazz and funk local band Gunk, said the closing of their mainstay venues meant they also had to find footing after losing a space to perform off campus.
Hoffman and Romano took over the old Redgate house in fall of 2024 along with two other roommates. While they changed the name of Redgate to Dazed, they kept the tradition of weekly shows featuring local and out-of-town artists.
“From a musician's perspective, this blows,” Manteau said. “Not only is this a good source of income for us, but performing is just the most fun thing that we do.”
Manteau lives in the house that once hosted Crater, another venue that got shut down by Rent from Ben. Now, the house is used as a practice space for him and his four roommates to all play their own music, just without its usual crowd.
Manteau said house shows connected bands like Gunk to musical names who are gaining traction outside of SU, such as LAUNDRY DAY, who played at Redgate in 2023 with Gunk as their opener.
“These shows really were their own bubble music industry. They were perfect practice and it was low stakes so you really get to learn the ropes,” Wernow said. “Because of that, we have a whole network of people and lots of experience that we need in order to move on as musicians.”
The legacy of community built by parties like Dazed and Crater led to the production for Dazed’s first show at the Westcott Theater on Sept. 26. The show featured artists Gunk and Mimicking Mars, who helped with the planning and production required to put on a show in a new location.
While the show can’t replicate the vibes felt at the house shows on Euclid, Dazed still stands for the message they have always put out.
But the culture is changing: hosting shows in larger, more official venues means losing the comfortable feeling that Dazed’s crowded basement once gave. Wernow added the house show scene also allowed student bands to get a feel for paid gigs, equipment setup and bookings in a relaxed atmosphere.
“Everyone is at the same level as you and they treat you like a human, whereas sometimes they treat you more like a kid when we are at bigger venues,” Wernow said.
For Romano and Hoffman, the most important aspect of keeping this music culture alive is to simply “keep on throwing.” As seniors entering their final year, they are making sure the traditions they were introduced to just four years ago stick around for upcoming students.
While the future of Syracuse’s D.I.Y music scene remains uncertain, what Wernow describes as “an essential part of the Syracuse experience,” is here to stay as a new D.I.Y venue called “The Stoplight,” has emerged with their first show slated for Nov. 1.
So, Jerks, will you be back in the basement this semester?
THE RIND THAT BINDS
Orange you glad it’s gameday?
Words by Juliet Seith | Photos by Max Dickman and Brynne Hurt | Assisted by Karl Lamb Jr.
Designed by Megan Radakovich
Since the team’s establishment in 1889, Syracuse University football games have been an honored tradition for the city’s community. When the leaves turn orange, so do the fans, who don their proudest SU attire every Saturday just to watch our precious team lose. For many students, this “rah-rah” spirit was a major factor when deciding to attend SU.
“Getting to be a part of such a welcoming and powerful community has been such a blessing,” said SU sophomore Sienna Montanari.
Montanari has a long family history of school spirit, with much of her extended family attending the University of Connecticut. But while they rally for their basketball team in the winter months, the stadium is often half-empty in the fall.
“For them it’s all about basketball, but I wanted to get the football experience, too,” Montanari said. “Game days on Syracuse’s campus are a completely different vibe...we just have the best tight-knit community.”
Montanari considers these games an important aspect of her social life on campus, often attending games with friends she may not see otherwise during the week.
This tradition goes far beyond SU students and staff. Considering the nearest NFL stadium is more than two hours away, many Syracuse residents flock to the JMA Wireless Dome for weekend entertainment.
85-year-old Thelma Taylor has lived in Syracuse since college, and although she did not attend SU, one can find her in her season ticket seat whenever the Orange play at home.
“There’s never been a lot to do in Syracuse, especially when the air’s cold,” Taylor said. “But there’s always been football.”
Taylor looks forward to football games more and more as she’s grown older and she has even formed a small friend group with some of her seat neighbors. Her concerns are less with the quality of the team, which has rarely been very good, and more with the social experience that the games provide.
Wandering the quad before a football game, one will undoubtedly come across football fans from all walks of life. From young children who may have never been to a game before to SU alumni who are reliving their college days, spectators form a unified community as anticipation builds before kickoff.
Regardless of why they attend games, they all share a common love for our very own Syracuse Orange. This year especially, they have come together to mourn Kyle McCord and the tiny bit of hope he gave the fanbase of an otherwise underwhelming team. Despite the often lackluster performance on the field, the energy in the Dome is electric, primarily thanks to the special community formed and shared on gameday.
As Montanari says: “There’s no spirit like SU spirit, and I’m so proud to be forever Orange.”
CROSSROADS TURN INTO NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Bridging the gap between SU and the local community
Words by Fei Chan | Photo by Shane Grates
What started as Syracuse University alumna Samantha Parrish’s senior capstone project turned into a service-based organization, carrying on her legacy and goal of connecting students with the local Syracuse community. The name, “Crossroads Collective,” was born out of that aspiration.
Miles Scherer, an SU junior, currently serves as the club’s president after having been a part of the organization since its founding.
“We found that we can serve as a student organization, as that intersection, as that crossroads between the community and the campus, and additionally, we're a collective,” Scherer said. “It's a collective of people, and it wouldn't be possible without the really incredible team.”
Crossroads Collective bridges the gap between students and the local community by coordinating service and fundraising efforts that go directly toward helping Syracuse-based organizations, such as Meals on Wheels and Vera House, through events that combine music and food with helping hands.
In April 2024, the organization fundraised alongside Food Bank of Central New York to raise $5,000 for Food Access Healthy Neighborhoods Now—a result of collaborating with Bruce Springsteen for his concert at the JMA Wireless Dome. In September, Crossroads Collective collaborated with BareRoots Musical Festival to help promote the event to students and encourage them to engage with the community at an event just walking distance from campus in Thornden Park.
Even though Crossroads Collective has its roots in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public
Communications’ Bandier Program for Music Industry—Parrish’s alma mater—Scherer is an Environment, Sustainability and Policy and International Relations major, proving that music and food together can be a “universal language.”
“You can listen to good music from any language, not knowing a single word, and be like, ‘I really like this,’ and it's kind of the same with food,” Scherer said. “You'll find food from different cultures and try something new, and a whole new mindset opens up.”
Scherer, a South Florida native, grew up with a community-based background, which is just one part of what led him to join. Scherer emphasizes the physical space needed to bring people together when working towards a common goal.
“My main thing has always just been community organizing, community building, finding community spaces where people can connect, because ultimately, it's really great to talk about,” Scherer said. “But if there isn't the physical space to actually synergize and make music and listen to good music and to eat good food and to just enjoy good company, it becomes a lot harder.”
Jerks can look out for an upcoming potluck and acoustic night this fall, but Crossroads Collective has even more to come.
“If this has been remotely interesting to you, reach out in some way, in an email, on our Instagram, liking and commenting—whatever it is—reach out, let us know that you're here,” Scherer said. “We want you, the reader, to really be a part of this organization, as much as anyone else.”
A VEGAN HAVEN IN DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE
Strong Hearts Cafe offers comfort food with a conscience
Words by Caroline Erskine | Photo by Christine Kao
Tucked away on Irving Avenue, just off the beaten path of Syracuse's bustling downtown, Strong Hearts Cafe serves up more than just plant-based comfort food. Since 2008, this fastcasual eatery has been a sanctuary for vegans, vegetarians and anyone with dietary restrictions.
“I tried the food, and I have loved going back ever since,” said Hannah Thibodeau, a Syracuse University senior with an egg allergy. “It's kind of been a comfort place in Syracuse given the fact that I know I can eat whatever is on the menu.”
The restaurant offers variety that extends beyond typical vegan options. From plantbased chicken wings to vegan quesadillas, there are options that appeal to a variety of palates. Longtime Strong Hearts frequenter and vegetarian Jack Martel said his favorite menu item is the chicken parmesan sandwich.
After struggling with limited options in SU’s dining halls freshman year, Martel found Strong Hearts to be a revelation. Now, he and his friends do what they call 'Strong Heart Saturdays,' where they introduce a new friend to the restaurant every week. Strong Hearts is very popular with his friends, he said, even the ones without dietary restrictions.
Co-owner Nicholas Ryan said that's exactly the point. He and his business partner Joel Capolongo started Strong Hearts as an extension of their animal activism, to take a different approach from typical vegan advocacy.
"We believe in largely the same things as a group like PETA, but we approach it in a way where
we want you to enjoy the food, and if you're so inclined, look into what's beyond that," Ryan said.
The extensive menu reflects Ryan's understanding that vegans often face limited options when dining out. But the restaurant's philosophy is food-first rather than sanctimonious.
"We wanted to open a place that was accessible to everyone, that was consistent in hours of operation and just offered delicious food that happened to be vegan," Ryan said.
The restaurant's vibe matches its vegan mission, Thibodeau said.
"It is very much hippie and what you would expect walking into a vegan restaurant," Thibodeau said. "It feels very earthy and the staff is very welcoming and kind. It has a very good energy."
For students navigating dietary restrictions on campus, Strong Hearts fills a gap that dining halls can't always address. While Thibodeau said SU dining staff are communicative about allergens, the restaurant offers something different: a space where she doesn't have to ask questions or worry about cross-contamination.
"I've just always found it to be a really easy option compared to a lot of other restaurants that exist within Syracuse because I don't have to worry about anything," Thibodeau said.
For students like Martel and Thibodeau, Strong Hearts is more than just a dining option. It's a weekly ritual, a safe space and proof that dietary restrictions don't have to mean limited choices in a college town.
Bride's Last
Last Ride!
Photos by Alicia Hoppes and Alexandra Rice
Assisted by Joelle de Poto and Juliet Seith
Designed by Ailani Wong
GETTING CRAFTY
A look at the SU students making their own game-day merch
Words by Daisy Polowetzky
Art by Addison Pavone | Designed by Abigail Aggarwala
Syracuse University students are known for their school spirit. Games in the JMA Wireless Dome are swarmed with a sea of orange and blue merchandise that was probably bought from the campus store. However, all of this school spirit comes with a hefty price tag. The average price of Syracuse merch is way out of most college students’ budgets. One of the most popular items in the official Syracuse Orange store—a women’s navy crewneck—is priced at $44.99 without a discount code and $35.99 with one. A men’s football jersey costs $129 without a code, and a unisex basketball jersey costs $62.39 with a code. Not wanting to drain their wallets on overpriced jerseys and shirts, many SU students are making their own merch.
Catherine Farrell, or @catherineontour on TikTok, is a freshman at SU and an avid merch maker. In a TikTok from this past February, Farrell showed off a D.I.Y embroidered navy crewneck. Using orange and white fabric scraps and white lace, Farrell effortlessly sewed a “44,” “Cuse” pennant, and hearts onto the sweater with orange and white thread. The caption of the TikTok reads, “i love her sm i’m gonna make another.”
Other students flex their D.I.Y muscles for SU themed room decor. Grace Vickner is a sophomore with a TikTok following of over 130,000 people, and mainly makes content focused on college life and fashion. Before moving into her dorm, Vickner painstakingly bedazzled a photo of a Sonny Angel with the word “Syracuse” written underneath to use as wall art.
While D.I.Y clothing projects like merch may seem like just a simple way to spice up an otherwise boring item of clothing, the history of D.I.Y fashion goes all the way back to the 1970s punk movement. Originating in the United Kingdom, punk was an anti-establishment movement in response to institutional classism. According to the European Fashion Heritage Association, punks wore purposely torn or ripped clothes and pierced them together with safety pins to differentiate themselves from the middle class. Designers, such as Vivienne Westwood later capitalized on this style and brought punk fashion to the runway. With young people at the forefront, the punk movement embodied the spirit of D.I.Y.
SU even has on-campus resources for students to create game day-worthy merch. The Information Technology Services MakerSpace in Marshall Square Mall is a space where SU students, faculty and staff can use technology like 3D printers and laser engravers to bring any idea to life for free. Students can take advantage of embroidery and sewing machines, as well as a direct-to-garment printer to customize textiles they bring in.
D.I.Y clothing is also more environmentally friendly. Upcycling—the process of altering already made clothes to improve upon them or make a new item—prevents old clothing from ending up in landfills. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, over 11 million tons of textiles were landfilled in 2018—and that’s just in the U.S. Upcycling clothing to make merch is one way to cut down on textile waste.
Merch prices aren’t becoming more affordable any time soon. So, the next time you go into the campus bookstore, check the price of a T-shirt and let out a sigh of defeat, grab the Welcome Week shirt you got freshman year that is two sizes too big, a pair of scissors and get creative.
FORM AND FUNCTION: How to dress like...
A BLASÉ BLOODSUCKER
Jerk’s guide fanging nonchalance
Words by Colette Leto
Photo by Collin Snyder
Unamused. Unabashed. Undead? The nonchalant vampire takes a modern twist on the traditional aesthetic of vampirism, transforming it into the embodiment of cool, sexy and intimidating without trying too hard. Give these style suggestions a try and embrace the dark side this fall season.
GOLD JEWELRY:
Silver’s a little too pure, so it’s safer to stick with gold. Really brings out your teeth, don’t you think?
CARDIGANS: The times, they are a-changing. So, capes are out. That’s fine. You do cardigans now, but not quite like a mortal high school English teacher.
COMFORTABLE SHOES: Life is too long for uncomfortable shoes. Wear those clogs, those sneakers, those flip-flops, even. After centuries of roaming the earth, comfort is king.
AIR-DRIED HAIR: Is that Jane Birkin? Oh wait that’s just you and your bed head. You didn't even have to try. Well, actually, most vampires live in remote castles with bad plumbing and no water softener, so that helps.
THIN
RIMMED SUNGLASSES:
So everyone knows you’re the coolest in the room. Oh, and also it’s a throwback to the Victorian style sunglasses Gary Oldman wore in the 1992 film Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
DENTAL FLOSS:
Nothing ruins a mysterious persona faster than having food in your teeth. Always carry dental floss, because you never know when you’re gonna need to bear your fangs.
DISCO PARTY IN YOUR POCKET
How some students are adding a creative touch to their lighters
Words by Laura Lemgruber | Photos by Liv Pagel and Nate Harnedy
When walking through Syracuse University senior Polly Hoffman’s house, her friends may encounter an unusual piece of décor—a comically large martini glass filled with over 60 lighters, each with a unique design. Hoffman spotted the first lighter in her collection a couple of years ago, while browsing through a gas station, when a lighter with a peculiar design caught her eye. Since then, Hoffman has searched every convenience store for a new addition.
“I've come to find the best funky lighters come from the randomest gas stations you'd ever go into,” Hoffman said.
One of Hoffman’s personal favorites is one she designed herself. Inspired by her love for the ‘70s disco aesthetic, she decided to glue tiny pieces of glass to a lighter to create something like a “little disco party in your pocket,” as she described it.
For SU sophomore Morgan Magats, lighters are reminders of cherished snippets of her life. They mark special moments, from lighting
candles on a birthday cake to filling a room with the scent of a seasonal candle. Inspired by clay lighter cases that popped up on her social media feeds, Magats began decorating her own lighters last spring. Instead of clay, she uses extra beads from previous craft projects. According to Magats, the majority of the lighters are based on her friends’ personalities and they often become gifts for the people who inspired them.
“It’s like a little homage to them,” she said.
Lilia Steel, an SU senior, was searching for a fun arts and crafts activity to do with her roommates and neighbors when she thought of making D.I.Y clay lighter cases. She enjoys creating casings as an outlet that allows her to show off her work on a silly canvas.
Steel loves picking out a lighter to match her jewelry and outfits. She said they are a fun addition that brings some whimsy to her everyday looks.
“Having a more eccentric accessory that you can pull out when you're smoking definitely is fun,” Steel said.
POETRY IN VERSE: MEET THE SALON
How The Salon at Syracuse University became a space for underrepresented voices on campus
Words by Dana Kim
Photos by Max Dickman | Designed by Abigail Aggarwala
The air is warm inside the cramped living room at 415 Euclid Avenue as poetry lovers begin to gather inside the home. Sangria and cookies greet visitors as guests and readers quiet down to prepare for a night of poetry. It feels like a warm Thanksgiving party without much of the chaos that usually surrounds the holiday. Then, the room falls into silence.
“Oh I could drink a case of you,” Haiden Nourse says looking into the crowd at the first meeting of The Salon in 2025.
Nourse is reading “A Case of You” by Joni Mitchell to open up the night of poetry at The Salon. As one of ten readers for the night, Nourse sets the mood for the rest. All the attention is on Nourse now; it’s a trend that will continue for the remainder of the night.
“The vibe was unparalleled,” Del Hendricks, a first-time reader at The Salon, said.
The Salon at Syracuse University is a monthly meeting of poets, authors and creatives that aims to create a space for writers who feel unheard in society. The Salon isn’t funded or sponsored by SU—it functions as an independent, student-run space.
The Salon began when Audrey Weisburd, an SU alumna, started organizing readings including Haiden Nourse and Dayna Bhatti Roberts. Weisburd had always been “fascinated” with the idea of a salon at SU that mirrored the literary salons of Paris in the 1920s.
“Poetry is such a beautiful and powerful vehicle to connect people, and it can be such a fresh form of self expression when read aloud,” Weisburd said. “I wanted to give people that platform. I wanted to create a space where interesting and deep conversations open up naturally.”
Once Weisburd graduated, Nourse and Roberts wanted to keep The Salon alive.
“I thought [The Salon] was cool, and I wanted to continue to hold a space on campus where writers feel comfortable sharing their work, and where people were actually listening to them,” Roberts said.
A meeting at The Salon starts before the actual day of the event. Nourse and Roberts create a lineup based on a group of poets or artists that they know can bring the message of The Salon alive. Then, they pick other readers based on Instagram DMs and an interest form. Nourse and Roberts want to ensure that everyone who is interested in reading for The Salon is able to present creative works.
Nourse and Roberts ask the chosen presenters to pick one original poem and one reading from a notable or published poet. Based on the number of presenters and the theme of the night, Nourse limits the amount of work readers can share due to time constraints.
“I think each night is really cool because it’s all very different, even though it’s created from a similar format,” Nourse said.
However, presenters have individual discretion when it comes to choosing their pieces for each reading.
“I chose my first piece because it was about a long-term relationship ending,” Hendricks said. “And I felt that after a long-term relationship ends, you discover yourself in a whole new light, like you have to learn how to reacknowledge who you are without the context of another human being.”
Roberts picked her poems based on appeal to readers.
“I wanted to pick something that would resonate with people,” Roberts said. “I think another important thing about The Salon is sharing work that you think people will resonate with because you want them to resonate with it.”
Aliyah Baynard, a first-time reader at The Salon, chose her poem in order to express her emotions.
“You use the same medium to talk about your pain or your happiness,” Baynard said.
Most guests attending The Salon have to RSVP via Instagram in order to enter the space, which is limited to 48 guests per night. This makes nights at The Salon a very intimate experience, with poetry filling every square inch of the tight, cramped room.
Nights at The Salon can consist of poetry nights, short story nights, or open mics presenting work from SU or SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry students who want to participate in the activity. Usually, there are 10 to 12 speakers each night who come to share their work.
The majority of speakers at The Salon are queer and female. At the first Salon of the year, poems discussed personal identity and sexuality, as well as relationships with the ideas of home and family.
“It’s a space that welcomes all, but also centers women’s voices, and what they want to say, and queer voices and people of color’s voices,” Nourse
said. “And then being able to share that in a room is so powerful.”
Hendricks agrees.
“If you don’t get poets talking about injustice, about liberation, about struggles of different minority groups, I don’t think we’re exploring poetry at all,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks, who initially found out about The Salon last year, wasn’t involved until this year, when they finally got the opportunity to present their poetry.
“I think there’s something really special about being surrounded by other writers, especially other writers whose genres and ways of writing are very diverse,” Hendricks said. “Like all the people that read are very, very different.”
Nourse and Roberts open and close the night with original poetry and readings, which they do to ease the pressure on readers for The Salon.
The works presented in The Salon’s lineup are
usually deeply personal, leaving both guests and readers to experience an intimate relationship with each work.
“My favorite part about The Salon is that each night there’s different people, and so you get to hear about different people’s lives,” Nourse said.
“And there’s obviously some people I recognized, but I met a lot of new people through The Salon and have gotten to know a lot of people really deeply through their work.”
Even as The Salon maintains its space outside of SU, Nourse and Roberts want to leave a legacy on campus that will keep The Salon alive after they’ve graduated as a place for poetry.
“The Salon is very important to me because I think it’s vital to have a place for poetry, especially right now, as art is being pushed aside and just deemed meaningless,” Roberts said. “So I think it’s important to have a space like The Salon to foster creativity and community.”
BOOB POLITICS
Or should we say "politits"?
Words by Rae Kazi
Art by Max Weinstein | Designed by Megan Radakovich
Your tits don't have to start a revolution, but the correlation between sociopolitical ideology, breast trends and standards is undeniable.
Almost every social movement or era that includes women can be tied to a major beauty standard relating to breasts. Case in point: women chose to go braless during the era of secondwave feminism in the early 1960s and the sexual revolution of the 1980s.
Don’t get the two movements confused— they’re not the same. Women of the sexual revolution wanted to be seen sexually on their own terms. Second-wave feminism embraced sexpositivity by advocating for women’s pleasure and safety in sex, but criticized the sexual revolution for serving male desires and giving men greater access to women’s bodies.
The ‘80s saw the introduction of neoliberalism under the Reagan administration, and its core pillars persist today. Neoliberalism promotes solving sociocultural problems with market solutions, namely, private businesses and consumerism. To put this in the perspective of breasts, if you felt insecure about the appearance of your breasts, this ideology would tell you to consider augmentation since it’s a paid service from a private business.
The root problem at hand is unrealistic beauty standards. One's choices are to either spend money to fix the “problem” or live without
conforming to the beauty standard. This whole conundrum reeks of choice feminism, which posits that if a woman makes a choice freely, that choice is feminist. Therefore, if a woman chooses to change her appearance through surgery, then plastic surgery is feminist.
The continual fight for gender rights is a doubleedged sword. There are many accomplishments to be proud of, such as Title VII and Title IX, which outlawed workplace and education discrimination respectively. However, women’s bodies are unfortunately a pivotal part of political discourse in this country.
Unlike the past when women’s “delicate constitutions” needed to be sheltered, their bodies are now an open forum to all kinds of debate. The discussion is no longer just political, it’s cultural too. This heightened visibility cultivated harsher beauty standards. Once women’s sources of income and barriers to entry in male-dominated fields could no longer be controlled, people moved on to controlling their looks.
Moving right along on our great American boob tour, the ‘90s saw a sharp increase in saline implants after silicone implants were banned by the Food and Drug Administration in 1992. This happens to be the same year that Pamela Anderson and her two-year-old boob job joined the cast of the sexy beach drama, Baywatch . It’s important to note that during the ‘90s Anderson was a living beauty standard for women.
Another style that peaked during the same time period was heroin chic. Calvin Klein and his sultry, provocative work were criticized for promoting child pornography, using Kate Moss’ youthful
figure as an art medium throughout the decade. Picture stripper tits on a pre-pubescent girl. how unrealistic beauty standards are.
A similar juxtaposition was created in more recent times due to the growth of social media platforms. While big, fake boobs in tiny triangle bikinis are pushed out to anyone possible, regardless even of age, women’s nipples are conveniently never seen online. In the midst of this erasure, men’s nipples are broadcast in romcoms, photoshoots and runways regularly. Turning a part of many women’s anatomy into something forbidden only stands to hypersexualize breasts further.
Even with all this talk of progress, the crazy thing is that we’ve regressed as a society when it comes to boobs. Female breasts were very normal to see in mass media from the ’60s to ‘80s. From couldn’t escape them. That being said, this era was problematic in its own way. While good example of nudity being normalized during this time period, Brooke Shields, the actress who went nude for the film, was 14 years old.
Breasts have been the battlegrounds for so many political causes over the years, it makes us at if it’ll ever stop. But seeing how political ideologies have warped breast trends and standards over time is the first step to understanding that the policing of women’s bodies and the never-ending trend cycle that surrounds them has been about beauty. It’s about power and control.
TRYING TO LATCH ON
Breastfeeding’s common misconceptions, disparities and local resources
Words by Brenne Sheehan
Art by Esme Jablonsky | Designed by Julia Yezukevich
As Jerk dives into the world of boobs, it’s important to acknowledge these beautiful organs' primary function—milk!
Breastfeeding, more recently referred to as “chestfeeding,” is the natural process of creating milk in the mammary glands.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls breastfeeding the “best source of nutrition for most infants,” adding that it can reduce the risk of asthma, type 1 diabetes and tummy problems. Nationwide, about 25% of infants exclusively breastfeed—meaning they don’t drink formula until they are at least six months old.
About 56% of Onondaga County infants exclusively breastfed in the hospital in 2019, according to the most recent Onondaga County health assessment and improvement plan released in 2023.
While this number is well above the national rate, it varies starkly for local Black and Hispanic infants. Only 33% of Black families and 46% of
families reported plans to exclusively breastfeed in the delivery room, according to the report.
And this isn’t just a problem in central New York—it mirrors a national trend of a breastfeeding divide for women of color. Syracuse breastfeeding and community experts attribute this disparity to a multitude of factors, from systemic racism to a lack of access to breastfeeding education, which bar women of color from this historical and natural process that has benefits for both parent and child.
Syracuse’s branch of La Leche League (LLL), a nationwide nonprofit providing breastfeeding support for new parents, hosts monthly meetings at local libraries and an open phone line for those who want to learn more about breastfeeding.
“It's less education and more like, ‘this is normal, and you will get through it,’” Andrea Haskins, a lead lactation consultant at LLL Syracuse, said. “You want to know that you're not crazy, and that it's perfectly normal for your baby to not want to be put down and be on your breast all day.”
Onondaga County is also working to educate more people—specifically marginalized groups
like new Hispanic parents—about healthy breastfeeding, explained Laura Vazquez, an Onondaga County community health councilor. The council also collaborates with local hospitals to provide more accessible information about breastfeeding for those who need it.
Vasquez, who works on the breastfeeding/ chestfeeding lactation friendly (BFF) program, said educational and language barriers can often inadvertently prevent Hispanic parents from breastfeeding, which led the council to start its Spanish-speaking Milk Bonds in September.
"It's just really important for families to have the information to make that informed decision of breastfeeding for themselves,” Vasquez said. “A lot of times maybe they're not given the opportunity, think they're too young, think they're not going to breastfeed—there are different scenarios.”
Sankofa Reproductive Health & Healing Center—located on Syracuse’s South Side— provides breastfeeding resources specialized for Black women, who face higher infant mortality rates and discrimination in the healthcare system.
Haskins added that Black women are nine times more likely to be offered formula in the hospital, which can offset lactation if done routinely early in motherhood. While she said LLL groups can be predominately white, which may put further barriers up for accessing breastfeeding resources, the group is doing what it can to extend to all communities.
“I work with a lot of women who are trying to kind of take back breastfeeding as far as claiming a better Black breastfeeding culture, because it all has just gotten messed up,” Haskins said.
In the future, Vasquez said more maternity leave in the workplace go hand in hand with breastfeeding education. And for Haskins, a better breastfeeding culture will only come with the dissolution of a consumerist and capitalist culture—where babies are pressured to become independent.
“The way breastfeeding works is lots and lots of frequent time at the breast and skin-toskin contact while holding your baby, which just doesn't mix for modern motherhood,” Haskins said. “Especially if you have to go back to work and you need to sleep.”
Whether you call it breastfeeding, chestfeeding, or just feeding your kid, remember: it’s not just natural, it’s revolutionary. Now that’s something to “milk” for all it’s worth.
ME AND MY BOOBS
Boobs aren’t just about gender—they carry a range of meanings and experiences for different people
Words by Hannah Peters
by Khloe Scalise | Designed by Abigail Aggarwala and Alexa Lakeman
Art
"Do I want to wear my boobs today?"
That's the question Noir Goldberg, a nonbinary sophomore at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), asks themselves most mornings while getting dressed. “If the outfit calls for boobs, I have boobs,” they explain, as casually as someone might describe choosing between sneakers and boots.
This might sound strange. Breasts are supposed to be one of the most straightforward markers of femininity—a female-only body part, strictly in the feminine category. But conversations with students reveal something different: people's relationships with their breasts are far more complex than cultural assumptions suggest, and these body parts don't belong exclusively to any single gender or identity.
“As little kids, we don't think about our bodies that much, but as we get older, we do," Phoebe Shay, a junior at Syracuse University, said. Society teaches people to see breasts as markers of womanhood and femininity, but Shay's experience complicates that simple equation.
"Like anyone with body or gender dysmorphia, I've of course had thoughts about concealing my boobs," Shay said. "There are days where I feel like top surgery feels pretty awesome, then sometimes I'm like wait, my boobs are lit. I love being a woman."
Her feelings fluctuate day to day, but what remains constant is her understanding that breasts don't define her gender.
“It would honestly feel very liberating to have no boobs. I'm sure I would feel even more like a woman. Femininity is not about the body, but the person,” Shay said.
Charlie Raibman, a transgender man and sophomore at SU, experienced this disconnect between body and identity from a different angle. To him, breasts represented “the ultimate factor” in how people perceive gender.
“You can cut your hair short, wear different clothing, that stuff is pretty easy, but if you have boobs, people will still likely gender you as a woman,” Raibman said.
Raibman began his transition around age 13. Because he started young, his chest was never very large and wasn't particularly noticeable under clothing. Yet visibility wasn't the issue.
“Even though it wasn't extremely noticeable to people in public, it was still something internally that I was very dysphoric about,” Raibman said. “I was really not interested in having boobs despite people not being able to tell. I didn't want any trace of femininity.”
Raibman's experience reveals something crucial: external pressures don't always determine internal experience. His chest was barely visible, yet just knowing that he had any breasts at all caused dysphoria. The problem wasn't how others perceived him—it was the disconnect between his body and his sense of self.
For Goldberg, their journey with their boobs led somewhere different entirely. Rather than working through dysphoria or making peace with femininity, they achieved something more radical: degendering their breasts altogether.
“I went from viewing them as strictly feminine to just another part of my body, without that gendered connotation,” Goldberg said.
The breakthrough came from a shift in perspective.
"When I started to appreciate my body for what it can do for me instead of how it looks, I was able to change my perspective on my boobs," Goldberg said.
Now, breasts are simply an option to Goldberg— something to emphasize or minimize depending on how they want to present.
"I can be masculine and also have boobs," Goldberg said. It's not a contradiction to resolve, just a fact about their body.
The idea that breasts always equal femininity might seem titillating, but for the people living in these bodies, it's just exhausting. Boobs can mean whatever a person needs them to—or nothing at all.
TO BRA OR NOT TO BRA
The search for bra-litical correctness
Words by Kelly Matlock
Art by Max Weinstein | Designed by Lexie Haupt
Before the invention of silk, paper money, the number zero and gunpowder, one important human innovation was already old news: the bra.
In 2025, some people consider bras a thing of the past, or a restriction imposed by a sexist society. Others use them as a tool to find gender euphoria or feel comfortable during a workout. With movements like Free the Nipple and pop culture moments like Kim Kardashian’s Skims Nipple Bra—a bra with fake nipples attached to it— bras are a controversial topic.
For Syracuse University senior Alaina Keipert, a self-proclaimed “annoyingly big feminist,” bras are not worth the hassle. She stopped wearing bras at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and never started wearing them again.
“They should just be a tool. It should just be a clothing item, like, ‘oh, I'm more comfortable when I wear this’ versus when I don’t,” Keipert said. “Or an accessory like a belt. Like, ‘today I want to wear a belt because it matches my outfit.’”
Keipert said bras make sense as a useful way for plus-size women to feel comfortable, or for women with large breasts to work out in peace, but she described the expectation to wear bras as a symptom of the patriarchy. Men, even men with large chests, can go shirtless in public, while women can’t.
“We should stop forcing it into people's heads,” Keipert said, “that you have to wear a bra and that you can't go in public without one.”
However, bras aren’t all bad. Beyond functionality, some people make wearing them fun—a creative, sexy way to express their personal style or take charge of their sexuality.
For SU senior Jada Williams, bras are both a tool and an expression of femininity. As the president of
the Syracuse Fashion and Design Society (FADS), and as an intern with fashion designer Elena Velez, she worked on designs that use bras in new, creative ways.
Fashion designers use mannequins called “forms” to fit their pieces to specific models’ bodies. Oftentimes, when a model’s body does not match the form, they adhere bras to the form and stuff them to create a more accurate shape. This summer, Williams used this technique for a wedding dress design with Velez.
Williams said Mean Girls was the first idea that came to mind when she thought of bras as personal style. The scene where the main characters cut holes out of their shirts and showed their bras— while meant to be funny—expressed femininity and female power, Williams said.
“People are getting so creative with bras,” Williams said. “I mean, skirts out of bras, I've seen a bra skirt before, people cutting up bras and putting the padding in a corset, I've seen that before. It's so many different things that people are doing with bras.”
Williams said bras don’t need to be scary. They can be a symbol of modernity and show that women have the power to defy the patriarchy through style experimentation. As bras continue to evolve, they take on new roles and significance. Some transmasculine people wear sports bras as makeshift binders to make their chests flatter, and new items like push-up pasties go viral online every week.
The beauty of bras in the 21st century is that we can take them or leave them. Whether you’ve never bought a bra in your life or you have an extensive lingerie collection, there is no wrong way to be a bra-abiding citizen.
FEELING YOURSELF
How to perform a self examination this Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Words by Blaire Brown
Art by Audrie Malmstrom | Designed by Caroline Connerton
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed among women in the United States. Yet, everyone is susceptible to breast cancer. Due to growing breast cancer awareness campaigns and funding for breast cancer research, survival rates have increased, according to the Mayo Clinic.
One common way people can detect early signs of breast cancer is through breast self exams (BSE). These exams are designed to help recognize when there is an abnormality in the breast. Understanding how your breasts typically look and feel is essential, and can be life-saving, if a change does occur.
According to the Mayo Clinic, signs and symptoms of breast cancer may include:
• A breast lump or thickened area of skin that feels different from the surrounding tissue
• A nipple that appears flattened or turned inward
• Changes in the color of the breast skin
• Change in size, shape or appearance of the breast
• Changes to the skin over the breast
• Peeling, scaling, flaking or crusting of the skin on the breast
A BSE is to be conducted both visually and physically. For a visual examination, begin in front of a mirror with your shirt off. Raise your arms, scanning for visual differences like changes in breast shape or swelling. Next, do the same thing with your arms down. Finally, place your hands on
your hips and squeeze your chest muscles to watch for changes.
For a physical examination, begin by removing your shirt. Use your hand to examine each breast individually. With the pads of your three middle fingers, apply pressure on each part of your breast. Start with light, then medium, then firm pressure. Move your fingers in a circular pattern, so all areas are assessed.
There are numerous ways to go about a BSE. You can even conduct one lying down to even out breast tissue. This makes it easier to detect changes in the breast. For this test, take a pillow and place it under your shoulder. Place your arm behind your head from the same side as your shoulder. With the pads of your three middle fingers, apply pressure on each part of your breast. Start with light, then medium, then firm pressure. Make sure to check all areas, especially around the areola. Switch sides and repeat the process.
It’s important to note that not all lumps are bad lumps. Some individuals naturally have uneven breast tissue, so there isn't always a cause to panic if lumps are detected. For this reason, it’s important to be aware of the normal state of your breasts.
BSEs should be completed once a month, but they’re not the beginning and end of breast cancer awareness. BSEs are not an absolute method to detect breast cancer. It’s still crucial to attend regular breast exams with a primary care provider and screening tests like mammograms. Report abnormalities as soon as possible. Don't wait.
ANTHONY MARTINELLI
The sophomore singer-songwriter stepping into SU’s spotlight
Words by Adelaide Guan | Photo by Chloe Pusey
Jerk Magazine: Can you give us some background on your music?
Anthony Martinelli: I try to create music that people can relate to. I love the beach, so I have a summery aspect in a lot of my music, but I'm kind of all over the place—some happy songs, some sad songs. I love to put it all together in a way that my audience can resonate with.
JM: How did you get into music?
AM: Both my parents were in bands when they were younger, and when [they] got married, they ended up being in a band together. They were a huge inspiration; my dad gave me my first guitar for my birthday when I was five years old.
JM: You recently played your first show at SU. How did it go?
AM: My first Syracuse gig was The Shipyard in September. It's an acoustic place, and I did mainly covers and threw an original in there too. It was great just being able to vibe with everyone. A lot of people came out to support and loved it!
JM: Do you have a release that you're most proud of?
AM: The first song I released was called “Late July” and I didn't really think too much of it, but I was really happy to be releasing my first song. But more recently, that song ended up with me landing a sync deal with Campbell's Soup. They have a division of their company called Late July. The company found the song, and was like, “can we use this in our ads?” That was huge.
JM: Do you have anything cooking right now?
AM: I filmed two music videos within the past year, and as soon as the new year starts I have four to five singles that I'll be releasing roughly once a month!
Sounds Like: Aidan Bissett, Rex Orange County, John Mayer, The Beatles Jerks to: Oasis, Djo, Electric Light Orchestra, The Backseat Lovers
WHO LIVES? WHO DIES? WHO TELLS AMERICA’S STORY?
After a decade on Broadway, Hamilton’s legacy isn’t just about what’s on stage, but how it rewired how we talk about power and politics
Words by Camden Cyr
When former vice president Mike Pence attended Hamilton in 2016, he got called out from the stage. At the end of the show, actor Brandon Victor Dixon, who played Aaron Burr in the production, directly addressed Pence, urging the new administration to uphold America’s promise of diversity. The moment captured the paradox of a production celebrated for inclusion performed for a mostly affluent and white Broadway audience.
Ten years after its debut, Hamilton still reverberates as more than a Broadway musical. By telling the story of the nation’s founders through hip-hop with a racially diverse cast, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical reshaped how we talk about identity, power and belonging.
For all its radical energy, it was harder for Hamilton to be enjoyed by those who could not afford to be in the room (where it happens, if you will). Even with lotteries and student discounts, tickets ranged from about $150 to $849, and resale prices often hit the thousands, according to The New York Times, leaving Broadway’s most revolutionary musical out of reach for many.
The genius of the show lies in its claim about who really belongs in America’s story. Instead of painting the founders as flawless heroes, Hamilton shows them as ambitious, flawed and deeply human.
“In textbooks, we talk about the founders as these kinds of geniuses who created this perfect country,” said Shana Kushner Gadarian,
associate dean of research at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. “I think [in Hamilton] you see that the founding itself was very contentious, and it’s full of rivalries across the parties and within parties and these are real people who have flaws that sometimes undercut their own political ambitions.”
For young audiences, that matters. Politics has always been messy; leaders care, scheme and screw up. Hamilton makes messiness accessible and even fun. Its boldest move isn’t just its sound, but its insistence that politics have always been multiracial.
Still, hindsight brings clarity. The musical that reimagined history’s heroes also turned slave owners into lyrical icons performing for crowds. Even great art can mirror the inequities it aims to critique.
The musical’s reach extends far beyond Broadway. Its songs live in classrooms, social media and everyday conversation. For better or worse, we here at Jerk can’t hear the word “nonstop” without wanting to breathlessly try to nail ten different character’s harmonies in the explosive act I finale. And songs like “The Room Where It Happens” become tools to explore coalitionbuilding, showing that politics can happen in unexpected places, sometimes even in a chorus.
A decade on stage, Hamilton reminds us that the nation’s story isn’t just in textbooks or Congress—it’s alive, messy and still being written.
