10.27.21 by Reflector Editor

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2021

HOMECOMING KING: SMITH LYON

HOMECOMING QUEEN: HAYDEN TUCKER

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"Hayden represents everything that (Mississippi State University) stands for — she embraces differences, is eager to grow and willing to serve. She embodies the type of kindness that we should all strive for," said Kylie Forrester, director of orientation and events at MSU, in an email to the Reflector. A servant leader with a passionate heart and funny personality is how many people define Hayden Tucker, Mississippi State University's 2021 homecoming queen. Senior biochemistry major Tucker grew up in Brandon, Mississippi. While Tucker said she initially had challenges getting involved on MSU's campus her

freshman year, the homecoming queen found her passions later that year, which carried her through the rest of her time at the university. "I think I got more out of college than I ever expected to, and I'm not ready to leave," Tucker said with a laugh. Tucker pledged Delta Gamma her freshman year; then, sophomore year, she served as a Gamma Chi and an orientation leader and participated in Dance Marathon. In her junior year, Tucker joined Dance Marathon's executive board and Maroon VIP. Tucker reflected on her time as a Gamma Chi and emphasized the connections she made that year with the girls she counseled and the other Gamma Chi leaders.

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"I suspect Reese is a good candidate for these types of awards because he has a great attitude about what he does, and he does everything to a level that people want to emulate," said Matthew Priddy, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Mississippi State University. Mr. MSU 2021, Reese Dunne, is a senior mechanical engineering student native to Starkville and has his hands in a multitude of activities outside of the classroom. He is a student athlete on the crosscountry and track teams, a member of the State Singers, and former president, junior advisor and current U.S. National Representative of the Lambda Sigma Honor Society at MSU.

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Those who know Smith Lyon, the 2021 Mississippi State University homecoming king, describe him as the embodiment of compassion. Lyon is from Greenwood, Mississippi, and is a senior marketing and political science major. His decision to enroll at MSU was natural due to his family's consistent and pleasant trips to Starkville. "I actually have been coming to Mississippi State my entire life, so I did not apply anywhere else," Lyon said. He said he was genuinely surprised by his positive experience at MSU and was relieved to find his college experience has exceeded his expectations through the warm interactions Lyon has had on campus

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welcomed and make people feel important. Just to serve others — I feel like that's what Miss MSU is. It's a representation of Mississippi State and all the best parts of Mississippi State. And that's why I feel so honored to have it," Kelli Hixson said. Hixson said she was inspired to apply for the position by Reagan Moak, a previous Miss MSU. "I was a junior homecoming maid and my year Reagan Moak was Miss MSU and she was just everything that you could want to be; she was just really incredible. I feel like seeing her made me even think of the position and I never in a million years thought I would ever get it because I held her to such high standards," Kelli Hixson said.

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"I'm married to the woman. And I couldn't even tell you every extracurricular activity that she does, but regardless of how strung out she is and how tired she is, she is perpetually concerned with the condition of others and how she can go out and help others," said Cade Hixson of his wife Kelli Gill Hixson, this year's Miss MSU. For Kelli Hixson, the honor of being chosen as Miss MSU is not about the glory, it is about representing the university in a person — and that means being welcoming, supportive and kind to all. "All the reasons that I came to Mississippi State, I want to embody that and those characteristics and just make people feel

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MISS MSU: KELLI GILL HIXSON

"It is difficult to balance everything. I am so passionate about everything that I do, so I don't want to drop anything," Dunne said. "So, the way I balance it is to adapt and build on my time management skills. I'm way more efficient with my time now than I was in high school." Dunne also spoke about the research he conducts with Priddy on medical imaging, specifically magnesium implant degradation. "I love using my mechanical engineering skills for this research because, in the medical field, it is so nice knowing that all the work you're putting in coding at a computer is going to contribute to something so much bigger than yourself," Dunne said. "Research in the medical field can save many lives."

THURSDAY

and within clubs. "The way that I love Mississippi State now is different from what I expected," Lyon said. Highly involved on campus, Lyon has participated in a variety of MSU organizations throughout his tenure. He has been a New Maroon Camp counselor and programming staff member and served as marketing coordinator for the Brickfire Mentoring Program. Lyon was an orientation leader and is currently a Roadrunner. In addition, the homecoming king has exemplified his work across Student Association within the Freshman Forum committee as the director of outreach. After four years of joyous connections, it was important to Lyon to finish his time at MSU by doing something out of the ordinary.

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MR. MSU: REESE DUNNE

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137TH YEAR | ISSUE 7

FORECAST: It is time to get your warm hoodies and jackets out of storage, Bulldogs! Fall weather continues to sweep through the state as a cold front moves down south. Expect cooler, rainy days this week and a partly sunny and chilly weekend. The homecoming game will be overcast and temperatures will drop into the 40s.

Courtesy of National Weather Service

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MR. MSU

Priddy has been advising Dunne's research since last fall and said it was impressive watching him work on the magnesium degradation project. He also spoke to his abilities as a scholar and a student. "He's always upbeat. He asks excellent questions when you chat with him, and he is intent on having a conversation with you without distractions," Priddy said. "The conversations are always engaging and interesting. He also knows how to stay grounded and not get overwhelmed with the activities he is a part of and

the research he conducts. He seems to do a great job of managing that." Another important figure in Dunne's career at MSU has been Amy Fountain, an advisor for the Lambda Sigma Honor Society. Fountain described Dunne's student leadership style. "Reese is an incredible student leader, and he leads with humility. Everything he does, he considers the effect his actions have on other people. I think it's worth noting that very few students achieve the success in one area that

Reese has achieved in a number of areas. It's extremely impressive, and he does it all with character," Fountain said. Fountain also detailed the qualities that helped Dunne become this year's Mr. MSU. "His resume and accomplishments likely made him in the elite pool of applicants that were considered. I think it was his character that was a defining factor," Fountain said. "He's a gracious, humble, kind and selfless person. He is going to represent MSU in a way that will make all members

of our community very proud." After graduation, Dunne hopes to attend a graduate program and figure out his career from there. "I'm still figuring it out and hoping to use grad school as a way to find out what I want to do. I could see myself getting my Ph.D. and working in academia. That's what my dad did, and he inspires me in so many ways. It's tough to know for sure, and I'm always figuring things out," Dunne said. Agreeing with Dunne, Priddy said that, in his eyes,

Dunne could attend any graduate program he sets his mind to. "Hopefully, he is able to choose a research lab that is interesting to him. I think that whatever he wants to do after that, he'll be capable in that field," Priddy said. "He's spoken to me about pursuing a career in academia, and I could see him excelling at that and more. Whether that is doing research and development for a national lab or starting his own startup company and using the technology he developed in grad school, he can excel."

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Hixson said, laughing. Kelli and Cade Hixson met in the ninth grade and were able to connect over shared past experiences of troubled home lives. Kelli Hixson lived in a single-father household and was partly raised by her grandfather, a man who had a tremendous impact on her life until he passed away from cancer. Because of her youth, Kelli Hixson feels she can connect with students from a variety of home lives and backgrounds. "I've just lived a very diverse life because I've seen poverty, and I've seen wearing the same clothes to school every

day, but I've also been really blessed," Kelli Hixson said. Going into college, Kelli Hixson knew she wanted to work in the science field. As a senior biological sciences major on the pre-dental track, she is planning on general dentistry as a way to be able to give back to i m p o v e r i s h e d communities in the future. "I kind of debated on if I wanted to specialize or not, but I think general dentistry, I could do a lot with. Something that I really want to do is help put on days or events where you can help the less fortunate, and I feel like that's

something I could do as a general dentist. It'd be hard to put braces on someone and then never see them again. And I could help family. I just feel like it's really versatile," Kelli Hixson said. Hixson is a member of the Tri Delta sorority and served as a Gammi Chi for the past recruitment. She has been involved in a number of student groups, including Maroon VIP, Dance Marathon and Honors College, but her favorites are the Pre-Dental Club and being a S u p p l e m e n t a l Instruction leader. Chelsey Vincent, an instructor and

coordinator at MSU's Learning Center, oversees Kelli Hixson in her supplemental instruction work, a program where students who have completed difficult classes hold tutoring sessions for the next students taking those classes. Vincent said Kelli Hixson's choice to be an SI leader demonstrates her commitment to helping others. "In her position as SI leader, she made it through, she could have not looked back, but she chose to just apply for this and help students figure out that difficult course as a freshman," Vincent said.

QUEEN Although the pandemic affected her time as a Gamma Chi, Tucker said she was able to build more personal relationships with the women she met that year despite the initial challenges. Because of her time as an orientation leader, Tucker said the experience opened many doors for her future involvement at the university. "I never knew that I would be able to love MSU as much as I was able to until I was an orientation leader, because I got to learn about the history and the traditions in a deeper sense than you would get by just participating in New Maroon Camp or being on campus," she said. Tucker's easy-going nature led her to develop friendships with both people involved in the same organizations as her and people outside those organizations alike. One of the reasons she enjoyed being an orientation leader was due to the connections she made with unique people who she would not have met otherwise,

Vincent also pointed out that Kelli Hixson's authenticity sets her apart. She is willing to be honest about her triumphs as well as her struggles. "She shares her ups and her downs; some people just share the highlights. But Kelly has talked about, 'You know, I didn't get this position, but I just applied again or applied for something else.' And I just think her ability to and willingness to share that, is to me, that's what Miss MSU should be, just helping other people and sharing the ups and downs that you've experienced," Vincent said. CONTINUED FROM 1

Tucker said. Beth Ann Young, a senior human development and family science major, is a close friend of Tucker's and a fellow Delta Gamma. She initially met Tucker because they lived in the same residence hall and pledged the same sorority. Young said Tucker was easy to befriend because of her infectious laugh and relatable personality. "She's just so silly and easy to get along with," Young said with a smile as she recalled the pair's years of friendship. Director of Orientation Forrester first met Tucker when the student applied for an orientation leader position in fall 2019. During their time together, Forrester noted the servant heart Tucker exhibited as an orientation leader. "I think Hayden was an excellent orientation leader because she truly wanted to serve," Forrester wrote. "She didn't become an orientation leader for the title; she became an orientation leader because she was willing to work really hard to

serve this university and our incoming students, even when people weren't watching or when no one noticed." Tucker's love for the organizations she is involved with is apparent in each position she has held, according to Young and Forrester. When Tucker initially contemplated running for homecoming queen, she said she wavered on the decision because she was unsure if she was truly interested in competing. However, once Tucker realized she could run a service-based campaign for a philanthropy of her choice, she cemented her decision and ran for election. "Win or lose, I think the campaigning process would be so worth it," Tucker said. Furthering her love of service, Tucker dedicated her philanthropy to the Diabetes Association of Mississippi and encouraged students to participate in Mississippi's Walk for Diabetes-Golden Triangle in Columbus, Mississippi. Tucker has Type 1 diabetes, so her charity hits close to

home. Young noted Tucker's compassion for those in need and said Tucker genuinely cares about advocating for people with diabetes. Additionally, Tucker is a Montgomery Leadership Program fellow at MSU, where she mentors freshmen Day One participants and volunteers for the Girls Scouts of Mississippi. Working with the Girl Scouts, Tucker said she learned patience and became a better leader because of uncertain circumstances presented throughout her time as an MLP fellow. Though Tucker is a social butterfly, she is also studious and devotes much of her time to her biochemistry major and applying to medical schools. Because of her diabetes diagnosis, Tucker wants to dedicate her future medical career to garnering support and outreach for those with the condition. "Everything she's in she really pours her heart into, and she's passionate about her major and has big plans for the future," Young said. "She loves every second on this campus."

One of Tucker's favorite activities is attending concerts, and she and Young have attended many together throughout their friendship. Tucker said one of the ways she likes to reach out to people is through music, and said she uses music to form relationships and launch conversations. Additionally, Tucker enjoys walking with friends, both new and old, around downtown Starkville, the Cotton District and MSU's campus. She said she uses these walks to get to know her peers and often invites new acquaintances to walk with her to build stronger relationships. Tucker never meets a stranger, according to Young and Tucker. She is intentional in her interactions and always greets new acquaintances with excitement and a smile. "She is one of the most genuine people I have ever met, and people are drawn to her because of it," Forrester said. Young said Tucker eases awkward situations with humor and uses catchphrases from

KING "I had always thought about running for homecoming king and decided that I was going to do it. I am not someone who typically enjoys being in the spotlight, but I decided to overcome that. I really just did it because I love everything about Mississippi State," Lyon said. Lyon said he wanted his role as homecoming king to create a path for individualism, service and kindness. "I try to be a role model for students who are coming here and who are in my shoes," Lyon said. "I just like to be completely who I am and show them that whoever you are, you can be you.

Dunne spoke of his years at Mississippi State University and explained the qualities he found valuable for representing Mr. MSU. " E v e r y o n e ' s experience is so different, so I had no idea they'd select me. One of the things I love about my experience is that I am involved in a breadth of activities. I love being wellrounded, and I don't like to focus on one thing," Dunne said. "That's one thing I love about MSU, how I am able to do things in athletics, musicianship and research."

TikTok to make others laugh. "I'm just not shy at all, so I'll just talk to anyone," Tucker said, agreeing with Young. While Tucker has a silly, laid-back personality, the homecoming queen understands the importance of representing MSU and displays a genuine love and respect for her university. Tucker noted the importance of leadership throughout her time on campus and said she wants her role as homecoming queen to serve as a reminder of what a leader at Mississippi State University represents. "I think a good leader is someone who is passionate about what they're leading, but they're also not so passionate that they're overlooking everyone or everyone's opinion," Tucker said. "I think a good leader is someone who cares enough that they can take a step back and recognize that what they want to do might not always be the best way and really value the opinion of the team."

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I think, at my core, I'm a person who just loves people. I very rarely ever dislike someone. I tend to see the good in people." During this year's homecoming election cycle, candidates could support philanthropies throughout their campaign to highlight causes they are passionate about. "I tried to raise awareness for food insecurity. It's a lot bigger problem on campus and in the state of Mississippi than a lot of people realize. Through that, we decided to raise money for Bully's Closet and Pantry. We actually went out and were able to

raise over $600 from over 45 donors," Lyon said. Julia Love Lyon, Smith Lyon's sister and a freshman nutrition major at MSU, explained that Lyon's kindness has comforted her throughout their lives. "He loves to help people. He will go out of his way to help anyone. When we were growing up, I knew I could always count on him. You could give him a call, and he would drop anything for anyone," Lyon said. Julia Lyon felt like her older brother was a stellar selection for homecoming king due to his excellent work ethic and humble presence. Additionally, she

explained how her brother's love for MSU developed over time because of the fond memories their family collected here. "Our grandmother used to live here, so we came to Starkville a lot. Our best memories were baseball games at Dudy Noble on Sunday afternoons with our grandmother. It was always so relaxing, and we loved coming here on the weekends," Lyon said. Hope Lee, the campaign manager of Smith Lyon and a s e n i o r communication major at MSU, described her initial interactions with Lyon and how his work

ethic blossomed throughout their friendship. "I met Smith through New Maroon Camp during sophomore year when I was on executive, and he was on staff. I got to know him a little better when he became a director of Freshmen Forum. At the time, I was deputy chief of staff. When he applied for the position, I knew he was going to switch things up a little bit. I was so excited to have him kind of join the team because I knew he would put a fresh perspective on things," Lee said. Lee described Lyon as a magnetic and loving individual who enjoys building friendships

with everyone he meets. "In social settings, I see how people are just drawn to Smith. He can and will never turn anybody away. He truly wants to be friends with everybody," Lee said. The magnetism and originality Smith Lyon displays stood out to Lee, and she persuaded Lyon to campaign for homecoming king. "When I think of Mississippi State, I think inclusivity. I think people who make this home. I think of people who will never turn anybody away. I think of Smith. He is just the embodiment of everything that I love about Mississippi State," Lee said.

SPORTS

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MISS MSU

Kelli Hixson hails from Batesville High School in Arkansas, where she was also a homecoming maid her junior year and Miss Batesville High her senior year. It is also where she met her high school sweetheart and now-husband, Cade Hixson, who is also a senior at MSU. About being married in college, Kelli Hixson said it is a privilege, as well as a balancing act. "Some people are like, are you going to be Miss MSU or M-R-S MSU? I've heard that multiple times and I'm like I don't think they would change it just for me, but it's funny," Kelli

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Kickin’ up a surf: MSU Wake is here to stay Tanner marlar sporTs ediTor

"SHRED IT BROOOOO!" Nathan Williams posted a video of him screaming those exact words, reading the logo of a passing Shred-it truck on YouTube. The video has gone viral, with over 1.3 million views on YouTube, and several of those views, undoubtedly, have come from the Mississippi State University Wake Club. "It's kind of become our thing. It doesn't matter if someone falls or hits a sick flip, we just tell them to 'Shred it bro!'" said MSU Wake Club President Doc Branscome, a senior building and construction science major. Branscome has been a member of the MSU Wake club here on campus since he was a freshman, but for the past two years, COVID19 has riddled the team in terms of membership, participation and even events to compete in. All of that changed, however, when earlier this year, the MSU Wake Club was able to compete in their first complete tournament in years. On Oct. 9, the team competed in the Red Bull Wake Rivals wakeboard tournament in Orlando, Florida, at the Orlando Watersports Complex.

In this particular tournament, skiers and boarders are pulled from obstacle to obstacle via a system of cables, making it easier not only on the boarders and skiers themselves, but also the water around them. "Everything you do is slowed down because the cable sits so far above your head, even your landing is a little bit softer," said MSU Wake Club Treasurer Graydon McCool, a junior business management major. This opens up the door for the boarders to really max out their arsenal of skills in competitions such as a long jump, tricks and many more. The team performed well in their first event together. For the club's executive board, however, this tournament was much more. It was the culmination of hours upon hours of hard work, long nights and perseverance. "We had the team together, but we weren't able to actually do anything for about two years ... we would meet up and go out occasionally but it wasn't as organized or official," said MSU Wake Secretary Alyssa Bangit, a junior education leadership and communication major. "It was more like a friend group, and now, two years later, it's starting to look more like a team," Branscome said.

Now that the team is together and competing again, there are several tournaments this year that fans will likely be able to see the Bulldogs compete in, from Valdosta, Georgia, all the way to Waco, Texas, in November. These are all due to the amount of work put into the program by the executive board itself, along with the perseverance of the

members towards making sure that this team stays together, no matter the challenge. Branscome spoke to the Reflector about what his goals are as president before he leaves the team. "The exit goal is when we're done, I want someone to step in and do better, like have a better chance to do an even better job than we did ... because I've had a

great time, and we started with not a lot, and I think if we give them a leg up maybe the next board will be better than we were ... but as of now, I just want to do as much as we can, go out and ride all the time and bring a crowd," Branscome said. If anyone is interested in joining the MSU Wake Club, it is about as simple of a process as one can hope

for. No riding experience is required, and they are easily found on Cowbell Connect. Dues are $60, and for the amount of travel that encompasses, some would say that's a bargain. The wake team can be found on Instagram at @msuwakedawgs. Feel free to message them if you are interested in "shredding it" with the MSU Wake Club.

Bryan Snoderlind| Courtesy of MSU Wake

Junior kinesiology major and MSU Wake Club member Brooks Hull catches some air in the team’s recent competiton in Orlando, Florida.

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An In-Class Distraction Across 1 Dutch cheese 6 Prevent 9 One of the Ringling Brothers 13 Improvise 14 Amazement 15 Wild and untamed 17 Copier need 18 Part of a blizzard 20 Epoch 21 Texas oil city 23 Actress Bonet 24 Catches some rays 25 Yeats or Keats 27 Land on Lake Victoria 30 Transportation mode 34 Huff and puff 35 Feed the kitty 36 Brazilian hot spot 37 Wordplay 38 Former German coin 41 CIA forerunner 42 Conceit 43 Hazard 44 Stubborn beast 45 American Revolution soldiers 47 Dangerous situations 49 Auto pioneer 50 Potato 51 Audition tape 53 Informal 56 Chop down 59 Athenian philosopher 61 Avoid 63 Underground worker 64 Gym item 65 In昀exible 66 Urban center 67 Secret agent

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

Students are ' Tongue-Tied ' in anticipation of Grouplove's homecoming concert Katie rainWater Staff Writer

FACE-OFF: Is “The Nightmare Before Christmas” a Halloween or Christmas movie? Payton Brown is a junior majoring in philosophy and French. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a multi-seasonal cult classic including whimsical spooks, quirks and laughs. It simultaneously scares and warms the heart through both the Halloween and Christmas settings present. However, it is commonly wondered which holiday category this film should fall under. It presents itself with stereotypical characters found within decorations in both seasons but does not draw a definite line upon where this movie belongs. The appearance of Christmas in the title should not automatically sway one to lean towards the winter season in this debate. While the movie does include elements like Santa Claus and colder weather in its plot line, the main characters and main setting are what determine the seasonal genre for this film. Jack Skellington does obsess over

the idea of Christmas Town, but again, it is important to remember the skeletal and dark nature of this character. Patrick Cremona of RadioTimes.com outlines the importance of the spooky style of Sally, a blue, tattered rag doll, and Jack Skellington as well as their hometown of Halloweentown to further justify why this movie belongs in the fall. The large portion of Halloween imagery allows the scary tone to completely overlap the possible warm, fuzzy winter vibe one might get from seeing Christmas Town and snow. Cremona mentions the recurrent Jack and Sally Halloween costumes that appear each year to further instill proof of a Halloween victory. The film was released on Oct. 29 and was created by a man known for his dark, amusing masterpieces. It is just another one of Tim Burton's spooky and creepy pieces with the addition of Christmas spirit to maintain its relevance twice a year. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" portrays itself in a similar reflection to Burton's other frightening films such as "Corpse Bride," "Beetlejuice" and "Edward Scissorhands." According to Dana Rose Falcone of Entertainment Weekly, Henry Selick, the di-

rector of the film, proclaimed "The Nightmare Before Christmas" to be a Halloween film. If the director expressing the true genre of this film is not convincing, then what else could be? Let us remember that the director is the person who essentially leads the production and crew towards the overall creative vision, so Selick's admission further defined his own creative lead toward the Halloween genre. Patrick Ryan of USA Today shows that along with the director, composer and voice of Jack Skellington, Danny Elfman, also felt this movie belonged within the Halloween category. Elfman agreed that the movie was about Christmas, but he felt that his own personal experiences and feelings towards the Halloween season allowed him to lean towards the spookier position. The argument for "The Nightmare Before Christmas" to be classified as a Halloween movie has proved itself to be verifiably strong. Ignoring the plot line and Yuletide presence, the spooky characters, setting and conclusion of the film reveal itself to be a great choice for the fall season and possibly even a great influence for a Halloween costume this year.

Luke Copley is a junior majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

"Die Hard" is not a Christmas movie, and that is an essential precedent. Bruce Willis said so himself during a Comedy Central roast in 2018. A movie does not belong to whatever holiday it takes place during; my argument is bigger than just "well the movie is a countdown to Christmas, ergo it is a Christmas movie." Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a Christmas movie by the metric of message alone. Before we talk about basic plots and the true meaning of Christmas, we should cover what should be obvious: even if it is not a Christmas movie, it is certainly not a Halloween movie. Sure, it is thematically Halloween-ish, but the night of Halloween is only given one song in the movie, and the song's plot purpose is to establish that

Jack is no longer wooed by the holiday. According to Danny Elfman in an interview for Netflix's "The Movies That Made Us," the script was written around the songs, meaning the Halloween to Christmas song ratio (4:1 by my count) was intentional. Beyond that, Jack spends the bulk of the movie trying to make people ignore the holiday entirely. During the town hall meeting where Jack is attempting to explain the idea of Christmas and the Halloween Land townsfolk are trying to find the horror in Christmas, Jack shouts about how they are missing the point if they are thinking about Halloween. At the end of the film, when Jack has been shot out of the sky, his Santa costume falls off in flames, revealing his true self, the opposite of what Halloween encourages. Of course, it is not a Halloween movie, that is the point of the film. According to Christopher Booker in his 2004 novel, "The Seven Basic Plots," all stories can be slimmed down to their barest essence and fit into seven archetypal categories. Fantasy movies tend to be quests, while romance movies tend to be comedies.

Halloween classics like "Halloween," "Scream" and "Halloweentown" fall under the "overcoming the monster" category, in which the protagonist battles a specific outside force. Christmas movies, for the most part are rebirth stories, in which an event causes a protagonist to change for the better. The Grinch has no real rival, only himself. Nor does George Bailey in "It's a Wonderful Life," or Charlie Brown in "Peanut's Christmas." Generally, their ultimate goal is figuring out the true meaning of Christmas. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is just a different take on the same problem. Jack Skellington, pragmatist, reasonable, tries to find what Christmas means. I know that feeling. When I was young, I was excited to the point of convulsion on Christmas Eve, and now I am older, putting on silly sweaters with reindeer weaving, trying to figure out what Christmas means if it is not about gifts. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a Christmas movie because Jack is trying to answer that immortal question. Personally, I just watch it in November, but go figure.

Differences between MSU men’s and women’s basketball ticket prices are representative of a deeper inequality issue

George Huff is a senior majoring in psychology. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu

The diversity found in today's athletics is worlds ahead of what it once was, but there are still some apparent inequalities found between men's and women's sports. For example, the price for general admission season basketball tickets at Mississippi State University is only $85 for the women's team, while they are $155 for the men's team. This is close to double the price of the women's basketball tickets. Furthermore, reserved season tickets for women's basketball are $150, which is still lower than general admission for the men. In a society which preaches equality, how are ticket prices like these still so polarized? The unfortunate truth is ticket prices are a surface-level example of the deep-rooted inequality between the sexes. A simple fix to this problem would seemingly be to make the ticket

from a more complex issue. Discrimination based off of sex is still very apparent in many aspects of life. Sports is only one example. Olivia Abrams of Forbes writes on the severe wage gap between the toppaid men and women athletes. She explains this wage gap is created from the primary focus of the media and general public on men's sports. Ultimately, lower revenue, wages and ticket prices stem from society's overall attitude towards women's sports. The price difference in MSU basketball tickets is only one specific example of a widespread issue that exists in athletics and beyond. Claiming this is unfair is valid, but something to Adam Sullivan | The Reflector remember is ticket prices The Humphrey Coliseum, nicknamed “The Hump,” hosts both men's and women's basketball at Mississippi State University. It first opened for the 1975-1976 basketball season. only reflect the demand from the public. Society as a whole will have to supprices the same. This match the men's sports contrast in the emphasis on team was not paid accord- port women's sports more method, however, is not a would only lower the women's and men's sports ingly because they are not for the financial side of fix-all due to general busi- number of buyers. Match- by using the example of the marketed or covered by the things become balanced. ness and economic princi- ing the prices will not fix 2015 World Cup. Even media the same as the The general public plays a pals. Robbie Butler of The the problem of inequality. though the U.S women's men's team. This affects large role in the inequality Economics of Sport claims One main issue in this national soccer team was not only ticket prices of the found so frequently across ticket prices to be a reflec- disparity arises from the the overall winner, team events but also the overall the U.S. Fortunately, the tion of the demand for ad- fact women's sports do not members' pay was a frac- salaries of the players. The same people responsible mission. If the prices were generate as much money as tion of their male counter- lack of emphasis on for this problem are the raised too high, the de- men's sports. Anya Alvarez parts' even despite the women's sports leads to a ones who can fix it. Inmand for them would de- of The Guardian claims men's team never having greater gap in both admis- equality is a pervasive crease. For various rea- this is partially due to the won a World Cup in its his- sion prices and wages. issue, but with time, appreThe lower ticket prices ciation and investment, sosons, ticket prices are marketing and media cov- tory of existence. Regardvalued less for women's erage of women's sports. less of their superior per- and lessened interest in ciety can help to change sports. Raising the price to She highlights the stark formance, the women's women's sports stems this for the better.

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Music Makers Productions (MMP) will host alternative-rock band Grouplove at 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Mississippi State University Amphitheater. Grouplove has been present in the music scene since 2009. They have released five albums and a few EPs, but are most wellknown for their 2011 hit single "TongueTied." Mollie Brothers, a junior fine arts illustration major from Chicago, Illinois, currently serves as the public relations coordinator for MMP. She explained how the organization chose the band for this year's homecoming show and the time it took to bring it all together. "We look at what is best for our student body based on genre, location, date and time and other events circulating the university and the Starkville community," Brothers said. "We want to provide the best experience for all of our students, community members and show attendees!" The homecoming show has been in the works since late August. Brothers said Grouplove is looking forward to playing in Starkville since the return of live music following the peak of the

COVID-19 pandemic. "Grouplove is excited to perform for us in a capacity that is safe for all attendees as well as themselves and their team," Brothers said. "The music industry has had a variety of changes since the pandemic, and reopening the gates for live music is a wonderful thing if handled with care." The show is part of a series of events to celebrate MSU's homecoming week. Rachel Carpenter, a junior business administration and political science double major from Corinth, Mississippi, is director of marketing for Student Association Executive Council. She explained that the Grouplove show will foster togetherness, which is what MSU's homecoming is really about. "I think Grouplove is going to be great in giving students a livemusic experience to celebrate the 2021 homecoming and a chance to spend time together as MSU students, which is really what homecoming is all about," Carpenter said. Since MMP announced the show on their Instagram, the community has responded in an overall positive way as live music makes its longanticipated return. For one MSU student in particular, Grouplove's visit to Starkville will

remind her of the "good ole days." Alex Hegman is a junior animal and dairy sciences major at MSU and has been a longtime Grouplove fan. She says the band's most recognizable song brings back fond memories spent with family. "My three brothers and I always play the song 'Tongue-Tied' when we're hanging out and acting crazy," Hegman said. "Since one of my brothers is in the army and I'm here at State, that song is one way we can connect even though we're apart". She says that she looks forward to attending the homecoming show to re-live those memories. "That song has so many good memories attached to it and I am so excited to remember all of those when I see the band live," Hegman said. Brothers said the Music Makers are ready to continue bringing music back to MSU and the Starkville community. "Live music is something to be celebrated, and we are happy to work hard to make sure that all can celebrate," Brothers said. The show is free for students, faculty and all members of the Starkville community. The Amphitheater opens at 7 p.m and Grouplove will begin playing at 8 p.m.

Adopt-A-Family faces various challenges in aiding Catherine Street victims Kerrigan ClarK Staff Writer

Starkville Strong originated their Adopt-AFamily initiative as a way for members of the community to get together at Christmas time and provide gifts for families in need. Host families would ask the adopted families for their interests and provide them with gifts. However, in the wake of the Catherine Street Apartment evictions, the need for the Adopt-A-Family initiative sprouted into more than a Christmas giving event. The mission of Adopt-A-Family adapted to provide the evicted Catherine Street Apartment residents with the help and support they needed during the time of the evictions. Members have helped tenants find new apartments while also learning more about their rights and paperwork that is involved during the process. Handling the Catherine Street Apartment evictions proved to be an overwhelming task for Starkville Strong, so they enlisted the help of other organizations within the community. Organizations such as Loving Our Community Sufficiently (L.O.C.S), a grassroots organization that developed to meet the needs of the underserved in the community, and the Oktibbeha County Chapter of the NAACP both stepped up to the plate to help provide the evicted tenants with support. But even with the help of these organizations, the group still faced many obstacles they had to overcome. One of these obstacles was the guidelines and expectations for the host. The partnership between the host and the

evicted family is not a financial adoption. Rather, the host acts as a person who is willing to answer questions, do research and explain things that the evicted family might not understand about the process. Any financial assistance is solely through Starkville Strong and the other host organizations. At first, L.O.C.S was told they would receive donations from local churches to provide their family with new furniture. But when no donations came, L.O.C.S. had to rely on their own network of donors to receive enough donations to provide their host family with new furniture. Judge Williams, president of L.O.C.S, discussed what they contributed per

their guidelines and expectations. "At first, Starkville Strong reached out and said they might need some help and asked if we would be interested in adopting a family," Williams said. "So they did a lot of the paperwork and we stepped in and assisted with finding the family somewhere to stay and getting them into a better living condition." Another obstacle the groups faced was availability issues. There are still multiple people from the evictions that are unable to find homes, and that is where involvement with the community took a steep incline. The group realized just how bad the affordable housing crisis has affected a city like Starkville, and just how

terrible the conditions of section eight housing conditions are. Many of the tenants lived in conditions conducive to water damage, mold and bugs. As a result, the group began speaking at Board of Alderman meetings and to the mayor to make sure the public knew about what was going on with the eviction process. Yulanda Haddix, president of the Oktibbeha County Chapter of the NAACP, discussed the issues they have been having. "There is an abundance of resources in the Starkville community, but underserved communities have never been seen as important," Haddix explained. "It's not that we lack housing, because there are people who say they

want the underserved in their communities. The issue is that we live in a college town where underserved communities are not welcome. These communities end up being forgotten and the people end up in dilapidated environments." The most significant obstacle the group faced was getting the victims of the evictions to trust the members from the different organizations. With the tenants already in very vulnerable positions, it was crucial to provide them with a trustworthy support system to rely on. Brandi Herrington, the executive director of Starkville Strong, spoke on the difficulty of building trust. "If they know about Starkville Strong and our reputation or if

they've ever talked to anybody that Starkville Strong has helped, that's important. If they haven't, I try to manage that into that direction. I have a Facebook group chat where I talk to about 80 of our clients, where I post jobs, ask them how they're doing and talk about other stuff, and I try to put them in touch with someone from the group," Herrington said. "It's just like with the students I used to teach, they didn't trust me for about the first week of having them and I just try to set an example and be consistent with my behavior." Providing the tenants with trustworthy organization members proved to work out in their favor as they have been able to help 25 evicted tenants. One tenant expressed her gratitude for the organizations. "They were very helpful to me," a former resident of Catherine Street Apartments said. "They really did come through for us, for all of the people over there. They stood by me and they beared with me until I found somewhere to stay." However, other tenants have not been so lucky. Haddix also discussed how previous tenants have reached out to her because they had nowhere else to go. Many were sleeping on park benches or in laundromats. It brings into question the 12-million dollar streetscape project that the Board of Alderman approved earlier this year. With Starkville citizens sleeping in parks and laundromats, some are questioning whether the resources could be better allocated to combat the injustices the Catherine Street tenants are facing.

THE REFLECTOR | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2021 | @REFLECTORONLINE

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