10.26.22

On Oct. 29, the Cube Cor ner will host Cowbell Cubing 2022 in the Foster Ballroom of the Colvard Student Union.

Cowbell Cubing 2022 is a speed-cubing competition hosted by Mississippi State University’s cube-solving club, The Cube Corner. The competition consists of var ious timed puzzle-solving events in which competitors face off to see who can solve each puzzle the fastest. David Heaton, the Cube Corner’s president and founder, said the competition begins at 8 a.m. with a tutorial for firsttime competitors.

T.K. Martin Ambassadors host

Oct. 22, the T.K. Martin Center Ambassadors hosted their annual Trick or Trot T.K. Martin Fun Run at the T.K. Martin Center.

The T.K. Martin Center is the Center for Technology and Disability on Mississippi State University’s campus. The center’s purpose is to provide services such as physical therapy, speech pathology and behavior therapy for individuals and children with special needs.

The center has a preschool called Project Impact that provides children with both education and the specific services they need.

The center also gives college students the chance to intern and shadow. The ambassador program has assisted the T.K. Martin Center in planning and organizing events.

run

senior majoring in educational psychology, is the secretary of the ambassador program. She shared the experiences that she has encountered throughout her time in the program.

Starkville is spending ARPA funds on Main Street, Highway 182

HEATHER HARRISON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Starkville is using its $6.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act Funds to improve sewer, water and stormwater infrastructure on Highway 182, Main Street and Lampkin Street.

In September, the city applied for matching funds from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s Mississippi Municipality and County Water Infrastructure (MCWI) grant. Additionally, Highway 182 qualified for a $12.5 million Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant through the Mississippi Department of

Transportation in 2019.

MDOT estimated the construction cost of the Highway 182 project at $19 million in September, according to associate city engineer Chris Williams. The total cost is estimated to be $26 million, including design plans. The BUILD grant will cover sewer, water and stormwater

Number of

According to Mississippi State University, nearly 30% of college students experience food insecurity nationwide.

Sara Mae Brodnax, a senior majoring in political science, said 33% of those enrolled at MSU contribute to this national percentage.

Kai Bali, co-director of Health and Wellness for MSU’s Student Association, shed light on the reasons that students suffer from food insecurity. He said some students simply do not have the finances to afford food.

Bali pointed to the Block by Block donation drives as a source for students in need. This is an initiative that allows students to donate their block meals from their meal plans to other

replacements, sidewalk improvements and broadband expansion. Starkville spent $2.5 million on the project to receive matching funds from the grant. ARPA and MCWI funds will cover the additional costs of the sewer and stormwater expansions.

Williams explained the Highway 182 project.

"The intersection of Jackson (Street) and

students

(Highway) 182, they have flooding issues and heavy rain," Williams said. "So, it’s re-doing drainage all through the whole project and also then aging infrastructure on the water and the sewer that runs in that area."

The project is set to begin construction in spring 2023 and could be completed by spring 2025, Williams said. It will stretch 1.4 miles

by

from North Long Streetto Old West Point Road.

The city will also add and update sidewalks and wheelchair accessibility along the highway in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Mayor Lynn Spruill said the new water, sewer and stormwater lines will be installed from City Hall on Main Street though Montgomery Street and

East Lampkin Street to Washington Street. These changes will be made before the sidewalk and road refurbishments begin on Main Street, associate engineer Williams said.

The street renovations will run from City Hall to Montgomery Street and could take up to two years to complete after the city finalizes design and funding plans.

The city will remove turning lanes, expand sidewalks and repave the roads downtown. Ward

5 Alderman Hamp Beatty disagreed with the decision.

"I’m not a supporter of the downtown project … I don’t think it’s a good idea to squeeze our streets and take out our turn lanes and, you know, make it hard for people to get out of parking spaces," Beatty said.

insecurity rises

number of students requiring assistance during the pandemic were extremely high.

Abby Ezell, secretary of the ambassador program, shed light on the types of students that rely on Bully’s Closet and Pantry for help.

"Most of the students that come into the pantry are international students," Ezell said.

The food pantry typically offers items such as bread, ramen and canned foods. This makes for a lack of culturally diverse selection, so international students are unable to receive familiar foods to their cultures.

students who may not have the means to afford food.

He explained how MSU will provide students with food and other resources at no

cost through Bully’s Pantry and Closet. Brodnax is the president of the ambassador program that promotes Bully’s Closet and Pantry at

MSU. This organization sees the majority of students in need on campus.

The pantry opened its doors in January 2020 — only months before the

COVID-19 pandemic occurred.

"We didn’t know it, but we were opening the most needed resource at the time," Brodnax said.

She added that the

Brodnax expressed understanding for the hardship that international students face when attending college in a foreign country. These students might be unfamiliar with the currency and grocery system in the U.S., she said.

HANNAH RAE KENNEDY STAFF WRITER

Hosted on Oct. 29, Cowbell Cubing 2022 is a speed-cubing competition for students.

Samuel Hughes | The Reflector

In the Colvard Student Union, students wait in line to grab food from Chick-fil-A. Students can pay for meals with block meals, flex dollars or a credit or debit card.

Jayce Freeman | The Reflector

CUBE, 2

Mary Grace Davis, a

Francesco Botto | The Reflector FUN RUN, 2

GRACE SULLIVAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CALEB BOWMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Participants ran and walked with their children at this year’s T.K. Martin Fun Run.

Starkville’s ARPA funds will be used to improve the sewer and water infrastructure.

Heather Harrison | The Reflector Ward 2 Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk. Courtesy Photo | City of Starkville

Starkville Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty.

Courtesy Photo | City of Starkville

According to Brodnax, the university is currently working to increase the amount of international foods in the pantry.

While Bully’s Closet and Pantry is looking to improve its food selection, Bali claimed that the student government can only do so much regarding access to more affordable food on campus.

"There is only so much that the student government can do because a lot of the food is managed by Aramark," Bali said.

Aramark provides MSU with food services, but beyond that role, they have no other obligations to the university.

Besides international students, graduate students are disproportionately vulnerable to becoming food insecure.

Ezell said many of the students who come to Bully’s Closet and Pantry are obtaining their graduate degree.

Similarly, Brodnax shared that the majority of those experiencing food insecurity are working students on scholarships.

"Most college students experience food insecurity when their scholarships may only cover so much, and they have to pay for the rest of their tuition," Brodnax said.

She added that those on a scholarships rely heavily on their financial

aid to make ends meet, but they need additional assistance to be able to afford food. Even further, many of the students who experience food insecurity work jobs while also attending school.

"Most of the students that we see come through the pantry are living paycheck to paycheck," Brodnax said.

Bali said the recent rise of inflation has affected the number of students who are food insecure. He showed the most concern with the block meal equivalency rate, since the amount of food that a block meal covered a year ago has decreased significantly.

"A block meal is very wide, and it does not cover what it used to

cover a year ago," Bali said.

Brodnax added that they have seen a small influx in the numbers of students that require assistance in getting food since the rise of inflation.

"The recent uptake has not hit us as hard as we had prepared for," Brodnax said.

Ezell attributed the influx to the advertising that the ambassadors have done for Bully’s Pantry.

Brodnax said that the conversation surrounding food insecurity should not be taboo.

"If you are in a room with 10 people, 3 of them are experiencing food insecurity," Brodnax said.

Highway 182 and Main Street are not equally splitting ARPA funds for water and sewer infrastructure.

"The bulk of the ARPA money would go toward the BUILD (182) grant," Ward 2 Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk said. "It’s a much bigger project — it’s a $26 million project. The Main Street project is a $10 million project."

Starkville will not use ARPA funds to cover sidewalk and street renovations on Main Street and Highway 182. Mississippi House Bill 1353 designated $1.25 million for Main Street’s road refurbishment. Spruill said numerous sources also contributed to the project, including the Mississippi Main Street Association, state, federal and local agencies.

Beatty said Starkville

increased property taxes to help pay for its part of the highway project, and the BUILD grant supplied funds for sidewalk accessibility.

After all the grants are applied, Starkville will have to pay additional costs for Highway 182 and Main Street by issuing debt. Sistrunk said both projects will be phased out, depending on how much money the city has at each point.

Parks not included in final ARPA plans

Initially, the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Spruill planned to allocate funds for the police and fire departments and to make improvements to parks in the city. However, the MCWI grant specified that water and sewer infrastructure projects

would receive matching funds. The city decided to backtrack and focus on agendas MDEQ would approve.

"We could use our ARPA money for parks and other projects as we had originally thought about doing," Sistrunk said, "or we could potentially double our money and use them for these other projects, the BUILD grant and the downtown projects."

Parks will receive up to $15 million from 1% of the 3% food, drink and tourism tax Starkville issues. The Starkville Sportsplex will receive funding through 2027. Cornerstone Sports Park’s maintenance and construction are funded for 30 years through the additional 1% sales tax, Beatty said. Mississippi State University and Oktibbeha

County also receive part of the tax revenue.

Beatty said Starkville has several water and sewer infrastructure issues. He disagreed with the board’s original plans to use ARPA money for parks, saying the city needed to take full advantage of these one-time monies.

Sistrunk said projects receiving ARPA funds should be transformational.

"These are one-time monies," Sistrunk said, "and I know Lt. Gov. (Delbert) Hosemann … talks about using these monies for transformational-type projects, and I think both of these fit that category, and they’ll also address infrastructure needs that were going to have to be dealt with at some point in the future anyway."

"I have been a part of the T.K. family for a little over a year now. I started out as a student worker and through that, I got to become an ambassador and I’ve really, really enjoyed my time there," Davis said.

The Trick or Trot Fun Run event was open to the public, so anyone was allowed to register, participate or watch. Participants had to register online either as an individual for $15 or as a family for $30. They could go to the center to register for the event as well.

There were cheer stations set up around the course to encourage everyone on their walk or run. The course started at the T.K. Martin Center and went around campus

to make it a one-mile course.

Smith Wolford, a senior majoring in educational psychology, is the president of the T.K. Martin Center Ambassadors. She stated how excited she was for the event and what the ambassadors wanted from the event.

"It’s a great day where they can come and just have fun. They don’t have to focus on anything else," Wolford said. "The center just wants as much support as possible.

The T.K. Martin Center works really hard every year to put on this event to raise money and awareness."

The ambassadors spent the last several weeks promoting the event. Davis explained all

Following the tutorial’s conclusion, the cubing events will begin and continue until the award ceremony at 6:30 p.m.

Heaton said there are six different puzzles for competitors to solve including the 2x2 cube, 3x3 cube, 4x4 cube, 7x7 cube, Megaminx and Square-1. According to Heaton, he expects 48 competitors to participate in the competition.

Competitors can win cowbells for placing in the top three in 3x3 cube or by placing first in the other events.

Cowbell Cubing 2022 is Cube Corner’s second competition to host.

While the competition is not a part of a larger cubing season, the times that competitors post at the competition will contribute to their overall ranking.

CubingUSA will support the event, and the

World Cube Association will delegate and officiate the competition.

In 2018, Dylan Miller, afreshman communications major at LSU, was ranked in the top ten internationally in the 3x3 category. Miller said he is looking to make good time in the Megaminx contest.

"I’m really looking forward to the Megaminx," Miller said. "I’m hoping for like under 40 seconds, maybe like 38. That’s my big goal."

Heaton said it is not uncommon for world records to be broken at cubing competitions.

Heaton said he believes there is a very good chance a world record could be broken at Cowbell Cubing 2022, particularly in the Megaminx contest.

"There is a person who I believe is second in the world at Megaminx coming to this competition," Heaton

the work put into place to promote the run, including a tabling event on Oct. 19 on the Drill Field.

said. He averages around 30 seconds, and, if you know anything about Megaminx, two minutes 30 seconds is about the average Mexaminx solver time. So, 30 seconds is just absolutely insane."

Heaton said each event at Cowbell Cubing 2022 has a different format.

The 3x3 cubing event has three rounds. The first two rounds will eliminate half of the remaining competitors until twelve competitors remain for the third and final round. The top three competitors in the final round win cowbells.

There are two rounds for the 2x2 cube competition. The top 12 competitors advance from the first round to the final round.

There are three rounds for the 4x4 cube and Megaminx competitions. The top 75% advance to the second round. The top 12

"We have a code online through all of our social media programs, Facebook, Instagram, all that fun stuff," Davis

advance to the final round.

There is only one round for the 7x7 cube competition.

Jared Tobin is a sophomore biomedical engineering major at MSU from Derby, Connecticut. Cowbell Cubing 2022 will be Tobin’s first time to compete in an official cubing competition.

Tobin said he is not putting too much pressure on himself because he is more interested in enjoying the experience.

Heaton said cubing competitions are social gatherings. Building community with fellow cube-solvers is a big part of the competition experience for participants.

A competitor seating area will be set up during the competition for participants to use when they are not competing in a round. Downtime between rounds gives

said. "We’re making posts about it constantly, and we also have a few posters and banners hung around campus with the

QR code to register and everything on there."

The ambassadors were anticipating a moderately-sized crowd for the event regarding both participants and supporters at the cheer stations. Katherine Nause, social media director for T.K. Martin Ambassadors, shared her feelings about the attendance prior to the event.

"I want to see as many people there as possible because I know that everyone’s gonna have a great time," Nause said. "I just think it’s gonna be a super fun event and everyone’s gonna enjoy it."

This is the tenth year that the ambassadors have hosted this event for the T.K. Martin Center.

competitors the opportunity to work puzzles together and to get to know one another.

Tobin said community is what cubing competitions are all about.

"Yeah, people set the world records," Tobin said. "That’s a bonus to the experience you get to enjoy by going and being around all the people that share the same interests as you."

The public is welcome to attend Cowbell Cubing 2022 and watch the competition. Heaton said there will be plenty of seats available for spectators.

Heaton said Cowbell Cubing 2022 will be an enjoyable event, and he encouraged anyone who might be interested to come watch the competition.

Samuel Hughes | The Reflector

There will be six different puzzles for competitors at the Cowbell Cubing competition.

The Trick or Trot Fun Run event was open to the public with individual prices of $15 and group prices of $30 to support the center.

Francesco Botto | The Reflector

Ivy Rose Ball | The Reflector

Bully’s Pantry and Closet offers food products like bread, ramen and canned foods.

Heather Harrison | The Reflector Highway 182 is receiving sewer, water, stormwater and sidewalk renovations.

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Tuesday, October 18, 2022

A student reported her blue jean jacket was mis sing and was last seen on 10/13/22 in Bowen Hall. Hot girl autumn will have to wait.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

A student was arrested in Starkville by the OCSO for felony malicious mis chief.

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Two students were issued referrals for involvement in removing signage near Magruder and Famous Maroon Band Street.

A student reported his scooter stolen from Fresh Food Cafeteria on 10/19/22. Another stu dent was arrested for petit larceny.

Friday, October 21, 2022

A student was arrested in the Kappa Sigma parking lot for public drunkenness and false information.

Sunday, October 22, 2022

A student’s vehicle was burglarized while parked at College View Apart ments.

Another student’s vehicle was burglarized while parked at College View Apartments.

Taylor’s Version is better

In recent years, Taylor Swift has been rerecording some of her old albums, and the differ ences between the rereleases and the originals are striking. The new recordings bring a new spin on old favorites.

Swift’s rerecordings came following issues with her old record label management and have essentially changed the un derlying narrative of each of her old versions of albums.

Yes, I did love her original "Fearless" and "Red" albums, but the rerecords have become my favorite versions, as they fea ture new songs (From the Vault tracks) and a fresh take on the originals.

When Swift released "Fear less (Taylor’s Version)" in April 2021, it truly felt like everything had gone back in time, and it was 2008 again. Though it sounds similar to the original, the rere corded version of her decadeold songs were vastly superior, as Swift’s voice has aged well.

Hearing Swift’s 30-year-old voice singing "Fifteen" is something I never knew I needed until I heard it.

In November 2021, "Red (Taylor’s Version)" was re leased just in time for everyone to break up with their toxic part ners. The punch of emotions that swirled drove people to go into their "Red era," which en tailed red scarves, flannels and "sad girl fall" energy.

Included in "Fearless (Tay lor’s Version)" and "Red (Tay lor’s Version)" were previously unreleased music from her "Vault." Swift did not mention bonus tracks when she origi nally announced that she would be rerecording albums, but these bonus tracks were a spar kling addition to the albums. As I listened to the rerecorded al bums with their bonus tracks, the albums sounded complete as if Swift had intended to re lease them with her original al bums but was unable to.

Along with these rerecorded albums, Swift has also rere leased "This Love (Taylor’s Version)" on May 6, 2022, and "Wildest Dreams ("Taylor’s Version") on Sept. 17, 2021 from her "1989" album.

When I first listened to "This Love (Taylor’s Ver sion)," my jaw dropped. I lis tened to the song on repeat for days, and it never lost its luster. After listening to the original "This Love" following the rere lease, it did not have same effect on me as rerecorded version did.

Fans are still in store for more gems, as Swift has yet to release four albums that she has plans to rerecord. If they are anything like her other rere cords, I will not be disap pointed.

Inevitably, after hearing Swift’s rerecorded albums, I do not know how I could ever go back to her originals.

True crime genrepresents glaring moral conundrum

Dahmer's 1992 trial.

In September, Netflix released a limited series about the infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer ti tled "DAHMER — Mon ster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," and it has left ev eryone with a lot to say.

Simultaneously, it also has quickly become one of the platform's most pop ular shows they have ever released. According to BreAnna Bell and Selome Hailu with Variety, the show has already become Netflix’s ninth mostwatched English language series since its September release.

I know that many people have that car crash compulsion where you cannot, or perhaps just do not, look away from a dis aster. I have found myself getting sucked into true crime to a certain extent.

Why, though, do we keep seeing so many shows, documentaries and movies made about some of the worst people in so ciety? The market has be come oversaturated.

Yes, there are nonfic tional depictions of true crime, as in "Dahmer," but there is also Netflix’s "You," another show about a serial killer, only this one is fictional. Penn Badgley plays Joe, the main character, and he also played Dan on "Gos sip Girl." The show is centered around a serial killer fixating on women and, eventually (usually), murdering them. Dan from "Gossip Girl" is kind of hot, even when you know he is a serial killer, and I believe that is what Netflix thinks is part of the point.

The slow glamorization and romanticization of murderers, real or fic

tional, clouds judgment between reality and fic tion. If you can watch "You" and side with Dan from "Gossip Girl" play ing a serial killer, why couldn't you side with the fake Dahmer? That is a dangerous line to blur.

Zac Efron killing people as Ted Bundy in Netflix’s "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" does not result in actual death; we know that. But what does it mean that the filmmakers chose an actor that was so desirable? This highlights some hard to articulate but objectively obvious moral rub.

Serena Smith of Dazed said, "It’s neither novel or groundbreaking to say that romanticizing and glamourising [sic] serial killers is bad." She is ab solutely correct. Everyone knows it is bad, but they do it anyway because that

is what the genre is. That is the hard truth at the center of the true crime debate: these topics should not be fun to watch. To make a true story like this watchable, let alone to make it the ninth most-watched show in Netflix’s history, you have to change it. You have to package it.

When these types of shows, movies and doc umentaries are made, the main focus is money, of course. The harsh truth is that ethical true crime serves first to bring awareness back to the vic tims, and, if they are alive, must be built around re specting their life story.

Rita Isbell is one of these victims. Her brother Errol Lindsey was one of Dahmer’s victims whose story was used in the show, including an eerie recreation of an emotional testimony Isbell gave at

In a recent article with Insider, Isbell said, "I feel like Netflix should’ve asked if we mind or how we felt about making it. They didn’t ask me any thing. They just did it."

These movies and shows will never stop being made, but hope fully, the purpose behind creating them can be changed. They should contact the families who have suffered from these tragedies first before going ahead on a project. They should put them selves in the mindset of the victims’ families and stop glamorizing horrific people. The public needs to use these projects to educate themselves. They should be used to help us understand and guide us in this world so we, hope fully, never find ourselves in the position of the vic tims.

Playing truant: Mandatory class attendance fails to mandate learning

professors have turned to posting their lectures, notes, quizzes and even their tests online. With all of these resources available to us, going to class feels cosmetic.

I can read the same PowerPoint from my laptop that my professor discusses in the classroom, and I can have the same understanding of the material as the rest of the students. If students can earn an A on their own, professors should not punish them for utilizing the resources that they provide to the entire class.

many students pay their own rent and cost of living as well. For these students, it may sometimes be a choice between attending class and affording this month’s rent.

In a professor's 8 a.m. lecture class, there are about 30 open seats. 11 students scatter themselves into the plentiful supply of empty desks, open their laptops and begin listening attentively to the professor read from his PowerPoint.

The other 19 students are home, consuming the same material from the comfort of their warm, inviting beds. The difference? There is none. This scene is about choice, something that students deserve to have over the attendance policies at Mississippi State University.

For many students,

the primary motivation for attending class is simply that they are forced to do so. Fearful of getting knocked down a full letter grade for four missed classes, students will show up to class begrudgingly. However, these students are, oftentimes, less engaged with the material and are less likely to participate in class and pay attention.

No one understands better than a professor what it is like to have a room full of disinterested students. Lecturer and Ph.D. student in MSU’s Department of Sociology, Megan Phillips, shared her opinion on why mandatory attendance is not always the best option. “I think that

mandatory attendance, especially in big classes like mine, is kind of pointless," Phillips said. “I understand that we’re trying to encourage people to come to class, but if they’re just coming and not paying attention, especially in big lecture halls where everyone cannot be seen or participate equally, they’re not getting as much out of it."

In some cases, going to class really does make a difference. In-class participation and discussion can help to deepen students’ understanding of course material. However, not all professors utilize the inclass dynamic. With an increasing reliance on technology, many

Some students may skip class because they just do not want to go, and there is no shame in admitting that. In my experience, students often have a good reason for missing class, such as employment or mental health.

While some students are afforded the privilege of experiencing college without needing to work, others are not so lucky.

The Annual College Avenue Student Loan Survey, conducted by Barnes & Noble College Insights found that as of 2022, 45% of students attending a four-year university use their own income and savings to afford tuition. In addition to affording an education,

College gives students the opportunity to take control of their lives and grow into selfsufficient, independent adults. While this is the case when it comes to paying our own rent, bills and a higher-level education that may cost thousands of dollars to pursue, it is not the case when it comes to deciding whether to attend a class.

Gavin Adams, a communication major from Canton, Georgia, shared his insight on mandatory attendance in college.

"You are an adult choosing and paying to be here daily. As an adult, life gets real, and you shouldn’t be hindered by needing excuses when things get in the way," Adams said. "You are in control of your success at that point."

As adults, the responsibility for attending class should fall on our own shoulders, much like everything else in our lives. If we choose not to attend classes, our grades will reflect that choice, but that is what it should be: a choice.

EDITORIAL POLICY CORRECTIONS

The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff.

contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.

The Reflector staff strives to main tain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest re porting. If we publish an error, we will correct it. To report an error, email editor@reflector.msstate.edu or call 325-7905.

holly harrison staff Writer

Many students have become frustrated with mandatory attendance policies after having none during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Samuel Hughes | The Reflector

graCe sullivan ContriButing Writer

CaDenCe harvey ContriButing Writer

Dontae Ball

Dontae Ball

Dance Marathon fosters community between MSU and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital

among MSU students.

The campus wide fundrais ing movement Dance Mara thon, also known as State DM, strives to make the world a better place through its philan thropy and awareness educa tion.

In previous years, the club hosted an annual spring event called Dance Marathon. The event brings MSU students and families of patients at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, to gether to have fun, raise money and spread awareness.

This year, the club has de cided to take a different ap proach and host various events throughout the year to get its name and cause broadcast

Breelyn Davenport, a senior anthropology major and Dance Marathon president, describes herself as "the glue that holds everybody to gether." Davenport said she wanted to inform the campus of the many opportunities available through Dance Mara thon and the wide range of member duties, such as teach ing a dance class and fundrais ing.

"If you want to get involved, there are different aspects, and we can find something that you’re interested in," Daven port said.

While Dance Marathon rais es money for children and fam ilies at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, the club ultimately raises awareness and forms

deep connections between the university and families.

Davenport said the club continues to inspire her be cause of her commitment to the cause.

"It has made me realize I don’t need to take anything for granted," Davenport said.

"Taking in small moments and realizing those moments mean 1,000 words."

On Oct. 3, State DM hosted a Child Health Day Carnival in the Junction. Lucy Mellen, a sophomore geoscience major, attended the event with a few friends. Even though she is not

a part of Dance Marathon, Mellen said she thinks the club's cause is meaningful.

"It gets the club more in volved with people and draws attention of the campus to par ticipate of charity events made fun," Mellen said.

Hartley Charlton, a junior psychology major, has been in volved with Dance Marathon for the past three years. Charl ton not only believes in the cause Dance Marathon stands for but has experienced it first hand.

At a young age, Charlton was a patient at Le Bonheur. She said she made it through that experience with the help of hospital staff and various or ganizations, like Dance Mara thon.

"Families shouldn’t have to

pay for their child that they’re worrying about. I get to see how it really helps the commu nity and see the impact that you have on people," Charlton said.

Davenport said she hopes the group’s efforts this se mester have raised awareness, interest and encouragement in the club.

"Any help we could get is welcome. Become aware and get to know us because we would love to share," Daven port said.

Dance Marathon’s commu nity events will continue Nov. 13 with Bully’s Turkey Trot, a 5K and one mile fun run around Chadwick Lake. The registration fee will cost $5 with all proceeds going to Le Bonheur.

Album Review: Taylor Swift gets dark in "Midnights"

HeatHer Harrison eDitor-in-CHieF

Taylor Swift returns to her dark pop roots in "Mid nights," her tenth studio album that she released Fri day.

"Midnights" depicts "13 sleepless nights" Swift en countered during her 16 years in the limelight. The produc tion is reminiscent of her "reputation" album because of its heavy synthetic pop beats.

The second I heard "Lav ender Haze," I knew this album would be different from her most recent pieces. Using a vocal synthesizer and elec tronic beats, Swift begins by saying, "meet me at mid night," a phrase she has used continuously while promoting the album. "Lavender Haze" is about being in the moment with the one you love and ig

noring the scrutiny from the outside world.

Track two, "Maroon," ce mented its place as one of the best tracks on the album.

With a pulsing beat and an eerie buzzing effect, Swift ref erences dancing barefoot in New York with her lover while his wine stains her shirt bur gundy. Throughout her dis cography, Swift references roses and New York, as Swift uses them in several other songs from "Lover," "Red" and "1989." She mentions carnations that her lover thought were roses in "Ma roon" and says the misnomer is representative of their rela tionship.

"It’s me, hi, I’m the prob lem, it’s me," sings Swift in the lead single "Anti-Hero." Using electronic-pop sounds to carry the tune, Swift depicts herself as an problematic out cast in society. Similarly, in

track eight, "Vigilante S—-" Swift schemes to get even with those who have wronged her, saying she is "dressing for re venge."

"Snow On The Beach (feat. Lana Del Rey)" floats in with a whimsical melody as Swift sings about falling in love with someone at the same time they fell in love with her.

Despite being featured, Lana Del Rey barely graced the song. She harmonizes dur ing the chorus, but Swift carries the song and leaves Del Rey without a verse. Ho wever, the song is undeniably catchy — I have found myself humming it under my breath absentmindedly.

"You’re On Your Own, Kid" is about Swift growing up in the music industry and having people take advantage of her. The lyrics are dark, tell ing how Swift "starved (her) body" and "hosted parties"

to fit in during her "1989" era.

Opening with a vocal distor tion of the chorus, "Midnight Rain" compares Swift to "midnight rain" and her lover to "sunshine." He wanted one thing, and Swift wanted something else, so the rela tionship failed. The track is my least favorite on the album; the production was overdone, and the lyrics were not strong enough to balance it.

On "Question…?" Swift uses rhyming lyrical patterns and her own vocal alterations to round the track, painting a picture of her and her lover splitting up and the ex-lover moving on to another woman.

"Labyrinth" depicts the bounce-back of falling love after a heartbreak. The song casts a dizzying spell on the lis tener that almost feels otherworldly.

Track nine, "Bejeweled," is

shiny and rich, like a disco ball reflecting on a dance floor. The track is pure pop with up lifting lyrics and a fun ca dence.

Also using bright pop ele ments, track 11, "Karma," could be a sister song of "Be

jeweled." Swift says karma is her boyfriend, a god and even "a cat purring on (her) lap ‘cause it loves (her)." Those who have wronged Swift are now facing the consequences, and she is watching it unfold.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. —

The Mississippi State University football team dropped their third conference road game of the season on Saturday, as the University of Alabama rolled to a 30-6 victory.

The Bulldogs attempted to establish the ground game early with junior running back Woody Marks, but Bryant-Denny Stadium was roaring and the Crimson Tide forced the Bulldogs to punt on their first drive. The Bulldogs defense followed that by forcing a three-and-out against junior quarterback Bryce Young and the Crimson Tide offense.

Junior quarterback Will Rogers drove the MSU offense downfield on the Tide defense with authority on the second drive of the game. However, the momentum was short-lived, as the Crimson Tide forced a turnover-on-downs.

The MSU defense allowed Alabama signal caller and Heisman Trophy winner Young an extensive amount of time in the pocket and could not find ways to put pressure on the talented gunslinger. This resulted in a 31-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wideout JoJo Earle on the Tide's second drive of the game. From that point forward, Alabama's offense found ways to create explosive plays due in-part to the performance from the Crimson Tide's offensive line.

After Saturday night's loss to the Tide, Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach

gave his evaluation of the team's performance.

"I didn't think we played well at all," Leach said. "We've got some guys that are afraid of the jersey that says Alabama. We spent a lot of time frightened of their jerseys."

MSU's kicking woes continued against the Tide via a missed 43-yard field goal from graduate senior kicker Massimo Biscardi. The Bulldogs defense struggled to apply pressure on Young in the first half, which allowed him time to find his targets. Young finished the first half with 15 of 20

for 175 passing yards and two passing touchdowns.

MSU could not slow down the Crimson Tide's offense, and the Bulldogs' offense let the early success slip away. Alabama's secondary found ways to force incompletions and apply pressure on Rogers. The Crimson Tide held Rogers to a 41% completion in the first half. Rogers' completion percentage was also due to a plethora of dropped passes from the wide receiving corps.

In the postgame presser, graduate senior Austin Williams discussed the problems MSU faced

on the offensive side.

"We have a standard level of execution we expect from everybody, myself included," Williams said. "We just didn't do what we needed to do."

Penalties also haunted the Bulldogs, especially on defense. The Bulldogs were penalized five times in the first half — four of which were on the defense.

The Crimson Tide defense refused to let up pressure on Rogers in the second half. MSU's offense had an opportunity to score, but junior wideout Tulu

Griffin dropped a wideopen touchdown pass. One play later, the Bulldogs turned the ball over on downs again.

One improvement for MSU in the second half was the pressure applied to Young. The Bulldogs defense came up with two huge sacks in the third quarter, which put the offense back on the field and gave them another opportunity to score their first points of the game.

Overall, the Bulldogs played better in the second half — holding Alabama to only six points. The MSU offense found their way into the

end zone as time expired via a rushing touchdown from Marks.

In the end, the moment was too big for the MSU Bulldogs. The No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide rolled to their seventh win of the season and will head into their bye week 7-1 (4-1) before playing at Louisiana State University Nov. 5.

For the Bulldogs, the team is headed into a much-needed bye week with a record of 5-3 (2-3). After the week of rest, MSU will be back in Starkville to face the Auburn University Tigers Nov. 5.

Hailey Jenkins

Photographed: Braxton Warren, Katelyn Skelton, Breelyn Davenport, Ari Collazo and JJ Olguin.

Courtesy Photo | Dance Marathon

Taylor Swift released her tenth studio album, “Midnights,” Oct. 21 to widespread acclaim.

Courtesy Photo | Republic Records

Dylan Flippo staFF Writer

The Bulldogs dropped to 5-3 (2-3) with the loss to Alabama on Saturday, placing them at fourth in the SEC West. The 30-6 defeat marked the 15th straight loss in the series for Mississippi State.

MIDNIGHTS

With a youthful and lullaby-like production, Swift sings of a onesided relationship using references to nursery rhymes in "Sweet Nothing."

"Mastermind" closes the regular version of the "Midnights" album.

Swift says in this song that she has carefully strategized a plan to make her partner fall in love with her.

At 3 a.m., in a mastermind plan, Swift surprised fans with six bonus tracks when she released "Midnights (3 am Edition)."

Bonus track one, "The Great War," references bloodshed and crimson like "Maroon." Swift and her lover are together forever because they survived the scrutiny.

Swift sings of loss in

"Bigger Than The Whole Sky." The toned-down production gives room for Swift’s mature vocals to shine.

She sings, "I’m never gonna meet what could’ve been, should’ve been, what would’ve been you."

Swift’s strong lyricism

tugged at my heartstrings.

"Paris" has a true pop catchiness, reminiscent of Swift’s "Lover" album. Instead of New York, Swift and her lover were "somewhere else" "in Paris."

Swift’s vocals and

storytelling on "High Infidelity" remind me of her "evermore" album — she uses her deeper vocal range and strong lyrics to carry the track. "High Infidelity" keeps some of the electronic elements, but the production does not overpower the singer’s

beautiful vocals.

"Glitch" reminds me of a Billie Eilish song because of its synth-pop sound. The song is about Swift falling in love with her boyfriend Joe Alwyn, an actor who befriended her before they started dating, saying there was a

"glitch" because they were not supposed to fall in love.

Swift reflects on her past relationships and wishes she could get her girlhood back in "Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve." She says she "never should’ve danced with the devil at 19," which could reference her tumultuous 2009 relationship with singer John Mayer, who was 32 at the time.

Closing the 3 a.m. version on a slower note, "Dear Reader" tells the listener not to take advice from people who are "falling apart."

Swift is far from the end of her career, and "Midnights" proves she still has more to show us. While it is not my favorite album of hers, "Midnights" shows the depth of Swift as an artist.

WMSV Sports Director Cody Blaszczak and Reflector Managing Editor Tanner Marlar bring you the latest on everything MSU sports from the gridiron to the diamond.

New episodes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Courtesy Photo | Republic Records

Courtesy Photo | Republic Records

Taylor Swift wrote and produced the lead single, “Anti-Hero” with Jack Antonoff. “Bejeweled” was released as a digital promotional single Oct. 25 by Taylor Swift.