Dec. 2, 2022

Have yourself a thrifty Christmas

THE WICHITAN STAFF

Christmas and Christ mas shopping are right around the cor ner, but for college students, money can be tight this time of year. Seniors may be pre paring to graduate and pay ing for robes, photos and more. Meanwhile the rest of the student body deals with expenses like food, holiday

EN ESPAÑOL

La Navidad y las com pras de Navidad están a la vuelta de la esqui na, pero para los estudiantes universitarios, el dinero puede ser apretado durante esta temporada. Los estudi antes del último año se es tán preparando para gradu arse y pagar para las batas, fotos y más, mientras que el resto del alumnado se ocupa de gastos como comida, vi

travel or even activities to unwind during finals week. Finding money in alreadystrained wallets for Christ mas gifts can be difficult, but proper management of the holiday season budget can make for a happy, suc cessful Christmas day.

The process starts with identifying what matters to each person on your Christ

ajes de vacaciones o incluso actividades para relajarse durante la semana de los exámenes finales. Encontrar el dinero en carteras que ya están tensas para los regalos de Navidad puede ser difícil, pero el manejo adecuado del presupuesto de la tempora da festiva puede hacer para una Navidad feliz y exitoso. El proceso comienza con la identificación de lo que importa a cada persona en

mas shopping list. If your relationship with someone goes back away, consider printing a photo of a be loved memory, picking up a discount frame and gift ing that. If the person loves food, a cheap basket from a crafts store and a taste fully arranged selection of chocolate with a touch of decoration comes across as

su lista de compras para la Navidad. Si su relación con alguien ha durado muchos años, considere la impresión de una foto de una memoria amada, cogiendo un marco de descuento y dar eso de regalo. Si a la persona le encanta la comida, una ca nasta barata de una tienda de artesanía y una selección de chocolate arreglado con buen gusto con un toque de decoración le resultará muy

heartfelt without being too wallet-felt.  As long as you know each person you’re shopping for, you can bank on that oft-repeated but still true adage: it’s the thought that counts.

As long as you work to find them something that meshes with their person ality, and maybe has a nod toward a shared memory

sentida sin sentirlo demasi ado en la cartera. Con tal de que conozca a cada persona para quien está comprando, puedes contar con ese ada gio tan repetido pero aún cierto: es el pensamiento lo que cuenta.

Mientras trabajas para encontrarles algo que con corde con su personalidad, y tal vez tenga un asintió ha cia un recuerdo compartido de tu pasado, estás captur

Editor in Chief: Stephanie Robledo

Managing Editor: Anne Akpabio

Design Editor: Omar Combie

Photography Editor: Colin Stevenson

from your past, you’re cap turing the Christmas spirit. Remember that, for the most part, these people like you; as long as your gift has meaning, the actual dollars spent won’t mean as much. Holidays can be stressful, but with the right mindset, budgeting for gifts shouldn’t have to be.

BRIEFS

Commencement around the corner

As graduation approaches, this fall Senior Walk will take place Friday, Dec. 9 at 3:30 p.m. The Senior Walk gives graduating seniors an opportunity to be acknowledged and enjoy at least one more walkthrough of campus. College deans have details for each college’s participation and plans for the Walk.

Unidos Commencement

The Unidos Commencement Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Sikes Lake Center. The ceremony honors graduating Latinx seniors and shows appreciation for their work.

Black Graduation Ceremony

The Black Graduation Ceremony is slated for Friday, Dec. 9 from 6-8:30 p.m. in Don Flatt Gym. The ceremony celebrates African, African American and Black students who are graduating with the bestowing of Kente stoles.

Mass communication seniors prepare to screen their documentaries

ando el espíritu navideño. Recuerde que, por una parte mayor, le gustas a estas personas; mientras su re galo tenga significado, los dólares realmente gastados no significarán tanto. Los días festivos pueden ser es tresantes, pero con la men talidad correcta, no debería ser presupuestar para los regalos.

As part of their senior production class, mass communication seniors will be screening their documentaries in the Fain Theatre on Friday Dec. 9. Mass communication seniors are required to produce a 12-15 minute documentary as part of their degree. The screening is open to everyone.

Copyright ©2022.

First copy free. Additional copies $1.00 each.

The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication.

Vol. 87 | No. 7

Midwestern State University

Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room D201 3410 Taft Blvd. | Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704

wichitan@msutexas.edu | thewichitan.com @wichitanonline

Spanish Editor: Lizbeth Jaimes

Business Manager: Tiffany Haggard

Social Media Manager: Rebekah Gardner

Section Editors: Cecil Witherspoon, Thalía Doe, Joey Arthur

Issue Staff: Paige Crockett, A. Defore, Tyler Martin, Donovan Jackson, Abigail Jones, Gabriel Villadiego

Advisor: Jonathon Quam

Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University.

The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include an email address, telephone number and address.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY

According to Gallup, U.S. adults polled Oct. 3-20 estimate they will spend an average $932 on gifts for the 2022 Christmas season.

Goodbyes from graduating Wichitan staff

Omar Combie Design Editor

After designing hun dreds of newspaper pages, my time at The Wichitan is almost at an end.

My three and a half years with this organization have been filled with successes, laughs, struggles and plenty of lessons learned. Even in my final semester, I am still learning new tricks and tips.

A part of me wishes this wasn’t the end, but in my heart of hearts, I know I got to move on to the next en deavor. To any fellow graph ic designers on campus, I hope you consider joining The Wichitan. Newspaper design may not be your pas sion, but the discipline and organizational skills that it teaches you are invaluable. When I first joined, I just

wanted a place to hone my graphic design skills. The Wichitan gave me that and more: friends who I’ve made incredible memories with, opportunities to represent the university on the statewide level and skills, both technical and soft, that I can apply to the workplace. It’s been a blast. All the best to the next generation of Wich itan staff!

Thalía Doe Feature Editor

To the MSU mass com munication depart ment, to the Wichitan, to my editors and to my fel low readers, thank you for allowing me to share the past two years with you. I’ve felt honored to be able to share and have students voices be heard for the com munity. I’m grateful for ev

ery experience The Wichi tan has given me, it was here when I found my love to write again; Where I was able to be on the front lines of many games, events and have one on one experienc es with so many students. Where I was able to express my opinions freely. And last ly, but most importantly for me, to shine the light on the Latino community and Latin

artists, and help our campus become more integrated. Thank you for all your love and support; and if I’ve in terviewed you, thank you for allowing me to share your life and your story with the world.

Stephanie Robledo Editor-in-Chief

Ijoined The Wichitan during the second week of my freshman year. I didn’t think anything about it, I just knew that I wanted to write. As the years went on I got more involved. I went from reporter to editorin-chief.

When I first stepped into the newsroom I never thought I would spend most

of my time there. From office hours to late productions, you can almost always find me there. The Wichitan has been such a big part of my college life, it’s odd to think that in a week I will be pack ing up my desk.

I have enjoyed my time at The Wichitan and I’m so glad to have become a part of it my freshman year. As cliche as it is to say, The Wichitan did help me grow and step

out of my comfort zone. I’m thankful for all the oppor tunities The Wichitan has given me from participating in TIPA to having a Spanish section. I’m not a sentimen tal person but I would be ly ing if I said I won’t miss The Wichitan and all the people I have met through it. I wish everyone the best and I know they will continue making The Wichitan great.

A. Defore Graphic Designer

Thank you to Cecil With erspoon for drawing a turtle on every white board in the mass commu nication building. Thank you to Bradley Wilson for always erasing all the tur tles and saying “they must have walked away.” Thank you to the person who stole one of Stephanie Robledo’s tamales on the last night of

production. PSA, you don’t eat the husk, you should go see a doctor and maybe a psychiatrist. Thank you to Omar Combie for being my gossip buddy and listening to all my rants and raves. Thank you to Jim Sernoe for proving to me that I never want to go into law no mat ter how much I like to argue.

As my time here comes to a close I acknowledge those who have made an impact

on my time here. The Wichi tan has given me skills that I will take forward into grad school for publishing. Even though I will be across the country in Portland, Oregon, I will always remember my time here.

PHOTO COURTESY OF A. DEFORE English senior A. Defore.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THAILA DOE Mass communication and Spanish senior Thalía Doe.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OMAR COMBIE Mass communication senior Omar Combie.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE ROBLEDO Mass communication and English senior Stephanie Robledo.

“What’s your why?” is the key question for educators

Being an education major, the main question everyone asks me is, “Why?” They want to know why I am choosing to go into a field plagued by terrible pay, potentially dangerous working conditions and a rough worklife balance. I always have the same answer: I want to end my career knowing that I have made a difference in someone’s life, that I have impacted our youth in a way that they will always remember. A pay stub or an easy nine to five job is not my goal - I want to make a positive influence in this world, no matter how big or small.

When I first came to MSU, I was eager to go straight to Dillard and become the most suc cessful entrepreneur to come through the uni versity. However I soon realized that business was not the place for me, and nothing against those at Dillard, but yearning to become a wealthy individual clouded my judgement on where my heart was truly leading me. I came to the conclusion that I was unhappy because my happiness comes from helping others in a heartfelt way, not from building a business and giving to charity one day. Therefore, my heart led me to the West College of Education, my home for the next couple of years here at MSU.

Today on the golf course I was lucky enough to see my previous teacher and golf coach, and

while catching up he asked me what I was going to college for. After telling him about my hopes to become a teacher, he looked at me and said, “Tyler, are you sure that’s what you want to do? I’ve been doing this for a long time, and it only gets harder every year.” I gave him my usual response as stated previ ously, and I could tell that in that moment he was so proud of me. Oddly enough, he was one of the few teachers I had that made me want to pursue this career. He taught me about his tory and government and coached me to be the decent golfer I am, but he also taught me how to be a man, he was a second father to me and above all else, he was the guy I came to with everything. Without him, I don’t know how I would’ve turned out after high school.

Although teaching does come with belowaverage pay rates and, as sad as it is, the worry of having an active shooter in your classroom, it is also one of the most rewarding profes sions out there. As an educator, you are with your students more than your own family most of the time what other job puts you in a posi tion that allows you to have such an impact on someone? That’s what I am passionate about: knowing that I can pour into my future stu dent’s hearts and help them through their dif ficulties, just like my coach did for me. Those downsides are just an unfortunate aspect of the career, and thankfully many politicians on the state and national level are fighting for those things to change. However, I refuse to let

According to Zippia, 79% of students say they’ve been encouraged to follow their dreams by a teacher.

money or the risk of my own safety get in the way of educating, mentoring and giving my life to help the lives of our youth!

In shorter words, I’m trying to say that it is important not to lose yourself in your career choice. It’s okay to not know what you want

to do, it’s a huge decision, but make sure that your heart is in it. Ask yourself, “What’s my why?” That one question will tell you mostly everything you need to know. Leading a happy life starts by doing something you love, but first you must find what you cherish doing.

Tyler Martin

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS

According to Zippia, the average teacher will impact more than 3,000 students throughout the course of their career.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS

Finals Frenzy: winter around the world

ANNE AKPABIO MANAGING EDITOR

On Thursday, Dec. 1, MSU’s University Programming Board hosted a Christmasthemed event called “Winter Around the World” for the 2022 Fall Finals Frenzy. UPB hosted the event in the Clark Student Center at 5 p.m. and dedicated it to representing the celebration of Christmas around the world. The event entailed various or ganizations interpreting the theme based on what a regular Christmas would be for them and the sects they represent.

UPB co-coordinator Adrianna Brown described the event as an av enue for the recognition of various cultures around the world how they celebrate Christmas.

“This year me and Osiel Alvarado went to study abroad and you know we were so hyped when we came back and you know obviously we want to go back but then we started looking around and said like “Why don’t a lot of our events showcase other cultures?”... what we really wanted to do with this final frenzy is showcase what other cultures do around the world because we understand that not everyone has Christmas, not everyone celebrates Christmas, they do different things and so we really wanted this finals frenzy to put emphasis on that,” Brown said.

Brown stated that this year’s theme and its expres sion within the event was solely dependent on the orga nizations involved and their desired interpretations.

“We really gave them the freedom to choose what they wanted to do we just said... ‘honestly just do something that you normally do around this time of year.’”

In honor of the theme, the Residence and Housing As sociation hosted a Christmas ornament-making session.

“So with the theme being Winter Around the World, we decided to go with a tra ditional Christmas theme of a Christmas ornament making... it’s traditional but it’s probably something that a lot of the students would have done maybe in 3rd grade or kindergarten,” Hunter Moore , RHA presi dent and business management ju nior said.

RHA’s interpretation of the theme allowed students to make use of their creativity and the various supplies at their disposal to make the Christmas ornaments.

“They just take the fillable orna ment and they decorate how they want and then they can leave them

themselves a note for five years in the future and then they can open it five years from now or 10 years from now to see something to reflect back on this year,” Moore said.

Moore spoke of the significance of the ornament making session to him and his team at the RHA.

“I feel like it primarily came on nostalgia because a lot of my team and myself did this in kindergarten

so I actually had one of these and I couldn’t open it until I graduated from high school, and when I opened it I got to look back on my second-grade self and what I wanted to do.

And I ironically wanted to be a turkey hunter and now I defi nitely don’t want to do that, but it was fun and it just gave me a piece of mind see how it was, you know, like 10 to 12 years in the past. And so this is just, it’s not that far along and but it’s something you know, when they start their career, they could look back and see how their undergraduate was and they can reflect on that to help them like going for ward in the career,” Moore said.

The Global Education Of fice was also represented at the event and presented an expression of the theme via the countries available with in the study abroad program.

“For our inspiration behind the design of the table, we chose all of our study abroad locations and did trivia behind each of those, just to one bring international trivia to the table, but also make students aware of the countries that they could go and study in as an MSU student. And then we also wanted to include

some snacks because we know stu dents love snacks and so we have international snacks as far as little coconut international cookies, Bra zilian candies and Italian cookies,” Rhiannon Barnett, assistant direc tor of student immigration of the Global Education Office, said.

At the event there were multiple forms of entertainment present for students. There was a bouncy house, a 360 photo booth, a mechanical bull, a live drawing booth and a ta ble of free exam materials. The event was centered on relaxation during the final period.

“This is the heat of finals frenzy right now, final season, and honest ly how we promote this is, “You’re stressed, I’m stressed, everyone’s stressed, but it’s always good to just take a moment and just enjoy your last few weeks here at college,” you know? Some are graduating, and for some this is their first semester, and we want to make sure that you know you don’t only just come for academ ics. You also make sure you make memories and these last few weeks are going to come by or have flown by because everyone’s preparing for finals, and so we want to put this little event on so that everyone has a chance to either destress, debrief, just be able to breathe for a second and not just think about finals,” Brown said.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN Biology freshman Ethan Kelley falls off the mechanical bull at the Fall 2022 Finals Frenzy, Dec. 1.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Computer science freshman Jadyn Dangerfield, business administration freshman Rosie Reyes Perez and nursing freshman Alissa Monsibais show off their painted pieces, Dec. 1.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN Pre-medical junior Shea Jarvis and nursing senior Taniqua Pennerman try out a revolving camera at the Fall 2022 Finals Frenzy, Dec. 1.

Wichitan staff share their

ADRIAN ROBLEDO’S PICK:

“El Burrito Sabanero” by La Rondallita

“‘El Burrito Sabanero’ is my favorite Christmas song because it was one of the songs I sang with my family during posadas.”

OMAR COMBIE’S PICK:

by for KING & COUNTRY

“It’s one of the Christmas songs I grew up with. It reminds me of what Christmas is truly about.”

“Christmas Song” by Phoebe Bridgers

“It’s a sadder twist on Christmas, but I love how earnest the lyrics are.”

JOEY ARTHUR’S PICK: “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Tyler the Creator

“The first time I heard this song, it perfectly reminded me why I love The Grinch and Christmas.”

“White Winter Hymnal”

“Fleet Foxes is my favorite group, and I love how they turned a winter vibe into something fresh.”

ABBY JONES’ PICK:

by Fleet Foxes

REBEKAH GARDNER’S PICK:

their favorite holiday songs

TIFFANY HAGGARD’S PICK: “Carol of the Bells” by Trap City

“It is the best Christmas song of all time. It is a great combination of a classic and straight fire.”

“Christmas Eve (Sarajevo)” by Savatage

“This is my favorite Christmas song because it doesn’t have annoying Christmas lyrics.”

COLIN STEVENSON’S PICK: “The Pie Carols: VI. Rhubarb Pie” by The Texas Boys Choir

“I was in the Texas Boys Choir and it was one of the few Christmas songs we would often perform that didn’t get old quickly.”

STEPHANIE ROBLEDO’S PICK: “Hoy Vi a Santa Claus Besar a Mamá” by Los Mier

“This song is the Spanish ver sion of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” This is the version I grew up listening to. I like it because it’s nostalgic.”

THALÍA DOE’S PICK: “Pa’ La gente Panameña” by Cheo Feliciano

“This is my favorite Christmas songs because it brings me memories of my country and my family when I’m away from them.”

A. DEFORE’S PICK: “Utae Jingle Bell” by One Piece

“For all those anime fans out there, or those who are sick of the same old Christmas music. This one’s for you.”

CECIL WITHERSPOON’S PICK:

¿Sobrevivir o morir? La reseña de “El Hoyo”

Villadiego

¿Qué harías si te pusieran en una posición donde necesitarás tomar las decisiones más duras para sobrevi vir? ¿Podrías tomar las o morirías? “El hoyo” es una pelícu la original de Netf lix que salió en 2019. Es una película sangrienta, dirigida por Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, esta fue su prim era gran película. Él dirigió otras películas pequeñas antes, pero esas nunca avanzaron como esta pelícu la. La primera vez que ví el avance, instantáneamente oí la música y la voz ronca, yo tenía la piel de gallina. La puse en ese momento y la dis fruté de principio a fin. La película hizo un buen trabajo de mantenerte alerta de lo que iba a pasar después, mientras te mostraba las escenas es pantosas.

La historia es oscura y espantosa con una trama simple pero también única. El protagonista es un hombre que se llama Goreng, quien se des pertó en una celda en una prisión con un compañero de celda, que se llama Trimagasi. La prisión tiene la forma de una torre. En cada celda

de la prisión hay hoyos en los pisos por los que pasa una plataforma que va de arriba a abajo. Esta platafor ma tiene una cantidad limitada de comida. Todos comparten esta plata forma con los pisos arriba y abajo de ellos. Cada mes se despi erta en un piso diferente. Todo está bien cuando se está en los pisos de arriba, pero cuando se está en los pisos de abajo, no tiene mucha comida y a veces no hay nada. Esto causa que la gente de abajo tome decisiones duras para so brevivir.

Un actor que se llama Ivan Massagué representó al protagonista, Goreng, en “El Hoyo”. Él es más famoso por el papel peque ño “El Tarta” en “Pan ‘s Labyrinth”, una película muy aclamada de 2006. “El Hoyo” es la primera película en la que Ivan es el protagonista y él lo re trató increíblemente. Pu sieron a Goreng en una prisión con un compa ñero de celda que nunca había conocido antes.

Como cualquier persona a quien le pase esto, Goreng se enfrenta a muchos miedos y dudas de confiar en el otro. El actor Zorion Eguileor representó a Trimagasi, el compañe ro de la celda. Trimagasi es un viejo

escalofriante con una voz ronca que ha estado allí por mucho tiempo y ha vivido en muchos pisos en muchos niveles diferentes. Cuando se ve, se puede sentir la tensión entre los dos como si estuviera allí. Se puede sen tir el humor del pro tagonista, la soledad y la ansiedad.

La producción de esta película es fan tástica. Está llena de suspenso y muestra este con la música in quietante y los ruidos aterradores en cada escena. El director, Galder, retrató el sus penso de la película perfectamente con colores oscuros, una poca iluminación, y con los movimientos rápidos de las cáma ras. Él te hace sobre saltar cada vez con los sobresaltos durante toda la película. Los efectos especiales de la sangre y las heri das parece que son re ales, esto es diferente de las otras películas

de miedo. Galder hizo el marco de la película bien, las celdas parece que están frías y solitarias. Se puede no tar que ellos pasaron mucho tiempo pensando e intentando muchas co sas diferentes para crear esta pelícu la maravillosa.

Galder hizo un buen trabajo en retratar el concepto de “El Hoyo”. La película representa a la sociedad en la vida real. La gente en los pisos de arriba no tiene preocupaciones de nada, puede comer lo que quiere y la cantidad que quiere sin preocuparse de esos abajo. Mientras la gente de abajo se está enfrentando todos los días para sobrevivir. En la vida, la gente común lucha día a día para sobrevivir mientras los ricos pueden hacer lo que quieren sin consecuen cias y sin importarles la gente de abajo.

Esta película demuestra cómo es difícil tomar decisiones cuando se está presionado al límite. El director hizo esto perfectamente con una his toria que es tan oscura y sangrienta que no se puede olvidar. Tiene in creíbles habilidades de producción, sabe cómo crear los escalofríos por tu espalda. Y con la ayuda de los ac tores, la película salió perfecta. Por eso “El Hoyo” es una favorita mía.

FOTO CORTESÍA DE BASQUE FILMS

El actor principal, Ivan Massagué, interpreta a Goreng, un prisionero atrapado en el escenario de la película, 2019. Foto cortesía de Basque Films.

FOTO CORTESÍA DE BASQUE FILMS

Los actores Emilio Buale e Ivan Massagué interpretan a Baharat y Goreng en “El Hoyo”, 2019.

Gabriel

El humor, el romance y los detectives ¿Qué más podrías desear?

La serie “Brook lyn 99” es una serie de co media que sigue al personaje Jake Per alta, interpretado por Andy Samberg, y sus compañeros de trabajo. Todos los personajes son únicos en su manera cómica. Cuándo quieres ver la tele visión, ¿qué te gusta ver en la pan talla? Si tú piensas que quieres algo cómico, con detectives y eventos desafortunados, y al mismo tiempo estar entretenido entonces te puede gustar “Brooklyn 99”. Descubrí que “Brooklyn 99” tiene humor y det alles más allá de mis expectativas. Yo tengo muchas razones por las que me gusta y pocas que no me gustan.

Paige Crockett

“Brooklyn 99” es sobre nueve personajes principales y lo que su cede en sus vidas, ambas, en la ofi cina y en el campo. Los escritores hicieron un trabajo excelente con los detalles de los personajes porque todos ellos tuvieron sus propios de fectos y cualidades especiales. Me gusta mucho cuando los programas de televisión expresan la individu alidad de los personajes. Yo siento que muchas veces todos los person ajes en la televisión tienen person alidades similares. El programa de la televisión tiene un contenido con sistente. El espectador ve cambios a lo largo de la serie en las vidas de los personajes desde eventos de vida mayor, hasta encuentros tontos que tienen. Creo que el trabajo de los de tectives es muy interesante, así me gusta cuando Jake y sus compañeros van al campo. El programa de tele visión tiene ocho temporadas desde 2013 hasta el 2021. También tiene episodios cortos lo cual es perfecto para la estudiante ocupada como yo. Creo que los programas con episodi os cortos son mejores porque man tienen la atención del espectador. Personalmente, me aburro cuando los episodios son largos porque creo que son más lentos.

Yo dije anteriormente que no me gustan algunas cosas. Por ejemplo, no me gusta el personaje de Charles Boyle. La perversión del personaje Charles Boyle y los comentarios

que hace a sus compañeros de tra bajo me hicieron encogerme. Otra cosa que no me gusta es como los personajes Scully y Hitchcock les falta inteligencia. Sus personajes son extremadamente asquerosos y muestran poco conocimiento sobre lo que están haciendo. Yo no sé cuál es la razón porque los personajes es tán en el programa porque los per sonajes sólo están por un periodo de tiempo. Cuando los veo actuar as querosos, voy a la siguiente escena. Algunas cosas me hicieron hablar con la pantalla de la televisión

porque no podía creer mis ojos. El programa puede ser demasiado grá fico y extraño cuando es innecesario

para la trama.

El programa de la televisión es diferente de otros que he visto. Creo que los escritores y los actores ponen sus corazones y almas al hacer el programa y lo aprecio. Con demasi ada frecuencia, parece que los acto res no hacen más. Otra cosa que les falta a los programas de televisión es que no tiene diversidad. Brooklyn 99 tiene mucha diversidad. Tiene dife rentes etnias en el programa que el espectador puede ver. Por ejemplo, el capitán es un hombre negro, tam bién el sargento del precincto 99.

“Brooklyn 99” es un programa de televisión que creo que tú podrías ver. Tiene todos los elementos nece sarios para crear un programa ex celente. Fue tan cómico que me reí hasta que no pude respirar algunas veces. Creo que todos los personajes que participaron en la fabricación del programa lo hicieron muy bien y le ponen su tiempo. Espero que más directores y escritores lo hagan. No tiene muchas cosas que cambiaría, pero tiene muchas cosas que me en cantaron y creo que también te en cantarían.

“El programa de la televisión es diferente de otros que he visto.”

PAIGE CROCKETT

FOTO CORTESÍA DE FREMULON

Los actores Terry Crews y Andy Samberg interpretan a Terry Jeffords y Jake Peralta en un episodio del Cinco de Mayo en “Brooklyn 99”, 2019.

Michael French: shooting for more

Sport and leisure senior Michael

French’s main aim was to become a personal trainer after college. Now, his aim has been di rected to the sport of pool, where he trav els across the country to compete against the best for cash prizes while building his brand.  French started out playing pool for fun, as he would go to bowling alleys and skating rinks to casually play with his friends. French’s intro duction to competitive play started on his second day on campus. After French saw people playing pool, he joined them and started playing. He heard there was a tournament com ing up in the next two weeks and chose the play in it. French said the tournament was, “12 players. 1 game, single elimination,” which French described as “pretty brutal for a tournament.” Despite the challenge, French won the tournament.

Soon after his first tournament, French gained a second tournament win. But this one came with some added adversity

“I broke my pinky knuckle in my right hand, which is my backhand. And a second tournament came up. I had a wrap around my hand before I had my cast on and I played in that second tournament with the wrap

on and I got first in that one too. So I just figured I had a pretty good head start as far as a natural talent for the game and that is all she wrote I just became obsessed with getting bet ter,” French said.

At this point, French figured out he had a head start and a natural talent for the game. French would spend hours and hours on You Tube and online learning about the game. After participating in local tournaments, French flew out to South Carolina to compete in the Diamond Open which featured 128 players and some of the best pool players in the world.

“I didn’t do quite as well as I wanted to in that tournament, but I got a ton of experience. I got to get a lot of great advice from a bunch of different pros from all around the world. So it was honestly a really great experience overall,” French said.

French has had opportunities to travel to various locations to play pool. French has gone to Hous ton, San Antonio, South Carolina, Oklahoma City and even Las Vegas to play pool for eight consecutive days. His best experience playing pool was during a local tournament in Wichita Falls at Fast Eddy’s pool hall. The tournament is named Ad dy’s Avengers.

wants to do long term. French origi nally planned to do personal train ing until he realized it wasn’t really what he thought it was going to be.

Now French has aspirations to teach

or coach a billiards team for a D1 or D2 college.

“It’s something I want to do for the rest of my life,” French said. “It kind of shifted my focus to potential ly teaching or coaching a billiards team for a D1 or D2 college and I looked into it. There’s quite a few D1 colleges that have billiards teams and I would love to coach one so we compete against other colleges and stuff. And I think that would be a re ally awesome story,” French said.

French also has a social media dedicated to the sport, where he cre ates pool content for all kinds of au diences.

“I’m gonna continue with my so cial media and continue putting pool content out there. Whether that’s for beginners or all kinds of audiences out there that love pool,” French said.

With balancing school and par ticipating in tournaments, French makes it a priority to get all of his school work done before he heads out to a big tournament, which could last up to 15 hours.

BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Pool player Michael French stands at a pool table with a cue ball and his custom cue, Nov. 30. French has hopes to one day coach a college billiards team.

“It is a fundraising tournament for a little girl named Addy and she has cystic fibrosis so all the money gets raised at that pool tournament gets given to her and her family to help Addy,” French said.

French is dedicated to the game of pool and said it’s something he

Sport and leisure senior Michael French sends the cue ball towards a yellow striped ball, Nov. 30.

French utilizes social media and tournaments to grow his brand as a pool player.

As soon as French enters a pool hall, he said he tries to find the best player to play so that he can measure his game to them. If they are better than him. French asks them for ad vice and if French is better he gives them advice.

“It’s always fun, it’s always a good time,” said French.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN Sport and leisure senior Michael French plays billiards regularly to stay sharp, Nov. 30. While he doesn’t have any real challengers on campus, he keeps an eye out for students who are interested in the game.

PHOTO

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN

Donovan Jackson

“Wednesday” is the series Netflix needs to save its streaming service

It is not news to anyone that Net flix has been fail ing as a streaming service. From their discontinuation of “Julie and the Phan toms,” an extremely popular show that brought them very much needed revenue and viewer ship, to them having to raise their streaming prices and having ads for their lowest price plan. Netflix’s doom has been looming but with the release of “Wednesday” it looks like they are taking steps to the salva tion of their streaming service.

Released Nov. 23 on Netflix, “Wednesday” is a coming-of-age series that follows the titular char acter, Wednesday Addams as she navigates her life at a new board ing school all while trying to solve a series of monster-related murders and master her newly found psychic abilities. Directed by Tim Burton, “Wednesday” is an eight-episode supernatural horror comedy that serves as a sequel to the 1991 movie, “The Addams Family.” Much like

previous Addams Family works, “Wednesday” has received a lot of good reviews from critics and Netf lix viewers.

A week after its debut, Netf lix reported that the series broke the record for most viewed TV se ries with 341.23 million hours in a week, a record previously held by one of Netflix’s most popular se ries, “Stranger Things.” With this, “Wednesday” sits as Netflix’s most viewed TV series, a position that is totally deserved. I have had the pleasure of watching the show and it is a fantastic addition to Netflix’s series category. As stated earlier, it is a show that follows Wednesday Addams and the new adventure she embarks on. It begins with her moving to a Nevermore Academy at the request of her parents after her expulsion from her previous high school. Almost immediately after her admittance, she is pulled into a murder mystery while trying to master her new psychic abilities. The series is great for a number of reasons. It is a perfect sequel to the 1991 movie because it doesn’t just give an origin story to Wednesday

but also Gomez and Morti cia Addams. The series also explains the ancestry of the Addams family. The series also perfectly depicts the familial relationship be tween Wednesday and her parents. The series empha sizes the tense relationship she has with her mother, Morticia and the trust lack ing relationship she shares with her father, Gomez, but despite all that, we also see how very protective she is of her parents and they of her. Finally, the series does a great job of illustrating the issues between differ ent social groups and the definition of self-identity.

Casting for the series began May 2021 and I would like to note that Netflix did an amazing job with the main, recurring and guest casts for the series. Jenna Ortega plays our protagonist, Wednesday Addams. Wednesday is a 16-year-old goth girl who is extremely anti-so cial and loves to cause mischief and

mayhem normally to protect her family and friends. Ortega’s portray al of the character is one to remem ber and, in my opinion, deserving of an Oscar. Ortega tells us in eight ep

isodes just how smart, powerful and independent but nurturing and fun Wednesday Addams can be. Ortega also make history as she is the first Latina to portray the character. Hunter Doohan plays Tyler Galpin, a troubled but nice barista at a cof fee shop. Doohan portrayed Tyler Galpin better than people give him credit for, and I can’t wait to see him in future projects. Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones portray Go mez and Morticia Addams, parents of Wednesday Addams. Guzmán’s and Zeta-Jones’ on-screen chemis try is one for the record books. They perfectly captured the intense but extremely romantic relationship between Gomez and Morticia. Every cast member gave their very best to the characters they portrayed, and their hard work showed.

From the mind of Tim Burton, “Wednesday” is a dark but comedic coming of age tale. It is a multilayered series that hits on various key themes like societal differences, self-identity, familial relationships, parental expectations, indepen dence and the importance of staying true to oneself. It is also a murder mystery that forces its audience to utilize their brainpower to solve the mystery alongside Wednesday. But most importantly, “Wednesday” is an eight episodic series about Wednesday Addams.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Emma Mayers plays Enid Sinclair, a werewolf friend of Wednesday, 2022.

Joey Arthur

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Lead actress Jenna Ortega portrays the eccentric Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s new show, “Wednesday,” 2022.

Therapy dogs lift students’ spirits

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN Students pet Koda to help deal with the stress of finals, Nov. 29.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN Organismal biology freshman Grace Pfaffle pets Misha the borzoi to help with upcoming finals, Nov. 29.

PHOTO BY A. DEFORE | THE WICHITAN Chemistry freshman Abigail Simbana takes a break from studying in the library with therapy dog Woodrow.

PHOTO BY COLIN STEVENSON | THE WICHITAN Jasper the corgi helps comfort students before finals, Nov. 29.

PHOTO BY A. DEFORE | THE WICHITAN Visitor Tanner Willis pets therapy dog Ian, a border collie who has won many ribbons in agility competitions across Oklahoma and Texas.