Thursday, February 2, 2023 Vol. 132, No. 19

THE 16 TH PRESIDENT COVERILLUSTRATIONBYBRIAN

FOR AMY PARSONS, IT’S ALL ABOUT COLORADO STATE PAGE 3

STORY BY PIPER RUSSELL & ALLIE SEIBEL

PEÑA

TOP STORIES TOP STORIES

NEWS: What will CSU’s most used building become? PAGE 4

LIFE: Black History Month shows the ‘Blackprint’ for American culture PAGE 8

CANNABIS: Cannabis can be a game changer for those with chronic pain PAGE 9

OPINION: Eckburg: We shouldn’t have to justify absences PAGE 18

SPORTS: Rams basketball seeks needed wins in doubleheader PAGE 19

ARTS: ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’: A view of fear, love, loss PAGE 20

PHOTO: X Games Aspen 2023: Breaking records, barriers PAGES 14 & 15

FOCO EVENTS FOCO EVENTS

Live Ice Carving in Old Town Square

5 p.m. Feb. 3-4

Valentine’s Day Makers Market at Mythmaker Brewing

12-5 p.m. Feb. 5

FOCO Rhythm Rally at the Northside Aztlan Community Center

1-3 p.m. Feb. 5

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Letters to the Editor reflect the view of a member of the campus community and are submitted to the publication for approval. Readers may submit letters to letters@collegian.com. Please follow the guidelines listed at collegian.com before submitting.

Lory Student Center, Suite 118 Fort Collins, CO 80523

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CLASSIFIEDS 970-538-1183

ADVERTISING 970-538-7186

This publication is not an official publication of Colorado State University, but is published by an independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. Approximately 59% of Rocky Mountain Student Media Corp’s income is provided by the Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU) for the purpose of fostering student careers post-college and greater campus awareness and engagement. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is a 4,000-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum and is printed on paper made of 30% post-consumer waste. It publishes every Thursday during the regular fall and spring semesters. The Collegian publishes online Monday through Thursday. Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page two. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free. Additional copies are 25 cents each.

CORRECTIONS

Everybody makes mistakes, including us. If you encounter something in the paper you believe to be an error, please contact us at: copy@collegian.com.

Serena Bettis | Editor in Chief editor@collegian.com

Taylor Paumen | Content Managing Editor managingeditor@collegian.com

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Adah McMillan | Copy Chief copy@collegian.com

Chloe Leline | Print Editor design@collegian.com

EDITORIAL STAFF

Trin Bonner | Illustration Editor design@collegian.com

Tri Duong | Photo Director photo@collegian.com

Lucy Morantz | Photo Director photo@collegian.com

Piper Russell | News Director news@collegian.com

Allie Seibel | News Director news@collegian.com

Ivy Secrest | L&C Director life@collegian.com

Bella Eckburg | Opinion Director letters@collegian.com

Karsyn Lane | Sports Director sports@collegian.com

Braidon Nourse | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com

Alex Hasenkamp | A&E Director entertainment@collegian.com

Alex Wilson | Social Media Coordinator socialmedia@collegian.com

Peter Gracyalny, owner of Frontier Gallery, displays an 1897 Winchester rifle Jan. 24. “I’m an eclectic collector of small firearms from the Revolutionary War up until about the Korean War,” Gracyalny said. “You won’t find black guns here. It’s just not my cup of tea. Not that I’m anti-black guns; I own a couple. I used to compete with them, but they’re boring to me. They’re just not exciting.”

PHOTO BY REUEL INDURKAR THE COLLEGIAN

Amy Parsons to focus on access, initiative as CSU president

By Piper Russell and Allie Seibel @csucollegian

Colorado State University

alumna and longtime legal and administrative employee Amy Parsons took office as the 16th president of CSU Feb. 1 after being confirmed as president Dec. 16, 2022.

Parsons was born in Loveland, Colorado, before moving to and growing up in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

“I always wanted to come back to Colorado to go to (college) and

While at CSU, Parsons was a student in the College of Liberal Arts studying political science. She was involved in the Associated Students of CSU and gave campus tours to prospective students with the Office of Admissions. She also worked an hourly job in the Lory Student Center.

“I really loved my experience at CSU,” Parsons said. “And it really sparked a lifelong love of the university and wanting to be part of the university community.”

Following her graduation, Parsons attended law school at the

University of Colorado Boulder, which sparked her interest in a profession as a higher education attorney focusing on civil rights, employment laws and legal aspects pertaining to a university.  Parsons interned with CSU’s legal office, and following some experience as a litigator in Denver, she was offered a position on the campus legal counsel in 2004. While serving as an attorney at the General Counsel’s Office, Parsons also co-taught classes with Blanche Hughes, vice president for Student Affairs, in higher education administration.

time, and my whole family got really involved with the life of the university.”

Parsons will now leave her job as CEO of global e-commerce company Mozzafiato to step into the role of CSU’s new president.

“CSU’s been part of my life for nearly my entire life, and I think that there is no place on earth more special than Colorado State University,” Parsons said. “I love the community of CSU. I always have. … For me, it is not about being a university president somewhere. For me, it is solely about CSU and being part of this community.”

in the critical importance of the faculty member and the role that they serve, not just for individual students but in society as a whole, and I fiercely advocate on their behalf.”

For Parsons, this role is the pinnacle of all her professional and emotional connections with CSU and the only one that could have enticed her to leave her most recent job as CEO of a private international company.

“This job is a dream come true,” Parsons said. “For me, there’s nothing I would rather do than serve the community of Colorado State University. It’s meaningful to me professionally because I have two decades of work in various executive leadership positions across the university that I think make me uniquely qualified for this position at this time. But it’s also deeply personally meaningful to me given that I’m a student, ... a donor, a fan and alumni.”

While reflecting on the history of CSU as a land-grant institution that is more than 150 years old, Parsons intends to continue to champion efforts surrounding accessibility.

While coming into the role of president, Parsons spoke about how she’ll listen and learn from the community right now and address concerns regarding salaries and the cost of living in Fort Collins. She’ll also recruit faculty and staff and work on ways to continue to make CSU an inclusive community.

Parsons’ top priority will be to launch a national search for a provost, which will include meetings with deans and department heads to learn about what they’re looking for in the provost as well as creating a search committee. The future provost will serve as chief academic officer for the university.

Parsons said she spent the majority of her professional life supporting the academic and research enterprise at CSU.

“The president in many ways really is a supporting role,” Parsons said. “The job is really about ensuring that our students and faculty and staff have those resources that they need (and) the facilities, the funding, the environment, the opportunities to be their very best. And you can’t do that unless you really believe

“That’s a unique mission that no other university in the state has, and I think that that really permeates everything that we do at the university in a really special way,” Parsons said. “When we talk about access at CSU, it’s both ensuring that students around the state and around the country, no matter what their background is, have access to come and be students at CSU. But it also works in reverse, and ... we want to make sure that we’re taking out our expertise and research all around the state to the communities that need it, even if they can never come to Fort Collins, so that they have access to it as well.”

Looking to the future, Parsons intends to continue to advance the university experience for all current and future students.

“I believe that we have an incredible experience to offer, especially for our undergraduate students on campus,” Parsons said. “I think our campus is beautiful. I think it’s one of the most beautiful college campuses in the country. I think Fort Collins is an incredible college town, and I think that we provide a welcoming, inclusive place for students to grow, thrive and achieve their dreams. That had a transformational effect on me as a student at CSU, and I believe that it can have that effect on every student who enters the doors at CSU.”

Reach Piper Russell and Allie Seibel at news@collegian.com.

“The job is really about ensuring that our students and faculty and staff have those resources that they need (and) the facilities, the funding, the environment, the opportunities to be their very best.”

AMY PARSONS 16TH CSU PRESIDENT

What will CSU’s most used building become?

By Ivy Secrest @ivysecrest

The committee behind the renovation of the Andrew G. Clark Building is getting feedback from students for its upcoming renovations, which brings Colorado State University that much closer to the new-andimproved Clark.

According to the College of Liberal Arts, roughly 99% of students at Colorado State University have at least one class in Clark at some point, making it a representation of campus life and the learning environment at CSU. As such, it has become more and more in need of renovations every year.

“What we want out of this project is a building that all CSU students can be proud of,” said Benjamin Withers, the College of Liberal Arts dean. “That’s a symbol of the academic excellence of the university as a whole.”

Clark has not always been the center of Barstool Sports memes and campus jokes as the modern student knows it to be. It was formerly a staple example of ‘60s new formalism architecture and has been studied by CSU graduate students for its rich history.

It was, however, built to be more functional than beautiful, and while there are some attractive aspects, it was

built to be a workhorse, according to Bruce Ronda, former associate dean.

“It’s a building that’s constantly used,” Ronda said. “It’s also a building that, because of that use, is a drain on facilities to keep up. It’s just like the building is constantly in motion.”

“We had to close Clark here over the winter break after the cold weather because some of the pipes froze,” Withers said. “That just highlights the importance of making sure that we address the issues in Clark to provide an environment that’s truly going to be reflective of that academic excellence.”

Beyond repaired pipes, students and faculty have great hopes for the revitalized Clark. They want the departments housed in Clark to be showcased and the students who enter to feel a desire to stick around.

“Right now we think of Clark as a transactional building,” Ronda said. “There’s a sense in other buildings, like (the Behavioral Sciences Building), for example, where people will actually do all those things but also come and gather and drink coffee and hang out and have conversations.”

installments from the state. Private funds of $11 million to $12 million will also be invested in the new Clark.

Completely demolishing Clark and fully rebuilding it isn’t feasible, budget or sustainability wise. It would require a lot of resources and waste the concrete blocks that give Clark such a stable structure.

“That’s why we called it revitalization,” Ronda said. “We want to keep what we have but renew it both inside and outside, give them both a different face and then build around it and also revitalize the spaces within it.”

This is in part why the process of renewing Clark has been an ongoing process since roughly 2016. There are many parties involved that must be considered even if the revitalization is widely supported at the legislative level.

This is a part of the programming verification stage during which, for the next three months, the team will gather information to go forward with the project. According to Tracey Abel, supervisor of capital construction, this will be an ongoing process including the input of multiple parties.

“Students can expect to see opportunities for engagement this spring as the team moves into schematic design,” Abel wrote in email correspondence. “In March the design-build team will be putting out a schedule for additional engagement opportunities coming this spring into the summer.”

Over the years, Clark has morphed from an impressive architectural giant to a punchline. Students are often concerned about the quality of the building and how it is holding up. Instances like the pipes that froze over winter break don’t help that perception.

Departments like anthropology, history and journalism and media communications want to be showcased to the community. They want a space that is open, accessible, welcoming and even eco-friendly.

“All our dreams and all our hopes and ambitions have to be grounded in the funds that are available and in the costs,” Ronda said.

The new project has received $38 million from the state legislature to be used for the renovations. This is expected to be only the first of a few

“It’s been remarkable (seeing) the amount of support that we’ve had across all units and across all colleges for this renovation,” Withers said.

Clark is essential to creating a strong learning environment on campus, and the recognition of this importance is in part what has garnered so much support, Withers said.

Building that culture has even been taken to the student level with emails inviting students to collaborate with the design and build firm and share their ideas for what Clark needs.

Abel said utilities in the A and C wings will be reviewed with Facilities Management, and an investigation will be necessary to inform the project and budget. This will be a part of the information gathering period, which will inform the budget and what hopes and dreams can reasonably be accomplished.

“It’s time for the building itself to speak a message ... of what goes on here (and) of how education can be transformative,” Ronda said. “So I think in that sense, we can move from it being a workhorse to being a show horse.”

Reach Ivy Secrest at news @collegian.com.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE LELINE THE COLLEGIAN

“Clark is essential to creating a strong learning environment on campus, and the recognition of this importance is in part what has garnered so much support.”

BENJAMIN WITHERS COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS DEAN

TUTORING SCEDULE

ASCSU’s blood drive events focus on awareness, giving back

By Allie Seibel @allie_seibel_

The Associated Students of Colorado State University organizes blood drive events throughout the academic year for students and faculty to donate and help with the global blood shortage.

“With COVID, no one was wanting to see anybody, especially in as intimate (of a) setting as a blood drive — where there’s people all around you testing your blood, taking your blood, making sure you’re not going to faint,” ASCSU Director of Health and Wellness Alex Silverhart said. “So with COVID, those kind of disappeared on campus. And I feel like with the campus of 30,000 students, there’s a real need for having blood drives.”

ASCSU held a special vampirethemed Halloween blood drive Oct. 31 and another Jan. 31, both of which garnered around 30 donors and 24 pints of blood, according to ASCSU Supreme Court Associate Justice Amber Wright, who is in charge of donor outreach and communication.

“(The blood drives) try to benefit patients in Colorado because all the blood that is donated goes to local hospitals, which is a great way of being able to help people because it takes about an hour to donate blood from check-in to when you’re able to leave the snack area,” Wright said. “And within an hour, your blood can possibly go to and help three different people.”

ASCSU partners with Vitalant for the events, and Silverhart said his future goals for the blood drives include continuing to increase accessibility for students on campus to donate.

“I’ve looked and seen what’s in Fort Collins, and there isn’t a blood center around or in the city,” Silverhart said. “I know UCHealth has one, kind of, but it’s not accessible to students on campus. Students want things close by and easy to do. Providing that for students, I think, is huge.”

According to Wright, donating blood for the first time is a common source of anxiety, but she said most students are pleasantly surprised by how minimally disruptive the donation process is.

“I know that some people are nervous about donating blood, which is certainly a valid fear; it can be a scary process for some people,” Wright said. “So to the people who are a bit nervous about donating blood, I would say, one, it’s worth it. And two, it’s not nearly as scary as it seems. I just say, ‘Just a quick 10 minutes in the chair,’ and you’ve helped up to three people.”

Wright also said students enjoy finding out their blood type and other health information while donating blood.

“(Donors) get to find out their blood type, iron level, cholesterol level and various health information like that,” Wright said. “A lot of people don’t know their blood type, so donating (at) one of our blood drives is a great way to find out.”

Silverhart said that his experience with donating blood is enhanced and changed by the regulations surrounding blood donation in the LGBTQ+ community.

“Identifying as a member of the LGBT community, there are certain restrictions placed on donors for a

ton of different reasons,” Silverhart said. “There’s restrictions based on travel, there’s restrictions based upon the drug usage and things like that. But there’s also a restriction placed on MSM — men who have sex with men. And if a man has had sex with another man in the past three months, they cannot donate their blood.”

Silverhart said that since the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, regulations have prevented sexually active gay men from donating blood within 12 months of having sex. Following the blood shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that limit was decreased to three months. Donated blood, regardless of the sexual orientation of the donator, is tested for HIV, syphilis and other bloodborne diseases.

“A part of the reason why I organize blood drives is because I can’t donate blood anymore,” Silverhart said. “And I remember that moment in high school, where it was like I was planning my last blood drive, and I (have) kind of gotten a little more understanding of what this deferral meant for people like me, for people in the LGBT community, and it made me extremely sad because I

was like, ‘I’m out here and planning these drives and giving it all I got.’ And in the end, I can’t even donate blood because of this kind of homophobic restriction.”

Silverhart said ASCSU hopes to present a resolution statement on the standing of the blood donation regulations. He hopes the resolution will be sent to the Food and Drug Administration, encouraging them to publish a study they are conducting that could potentially overturn the three month regulation.

“Gay blood is not bad blood,” Silverhart said. “And I think people have a hard time breaking away from the stigma, especially when it comes towards things like the HIV epidemic.”

ASCSU is planning two more blood drives this academic year: one March 27 and one May 3.

“I would say that it’s an excellent and low-effort way of helping the community,” Wright said. “I encourage everyone to donate if they can.”

Reach Allie Seibel at news @collegian.com.

Alex Silverhart, ASCSU Director of Health and Wellness, and Amber Wright, a member of the ASCSU Supreme Court, sit ready to check blood donors in at the blood drive they helped to organize in collaboration with the Premedica Club at the Lory Student Center Theater Jan. 31.

PHOTO BY SARA SHAVER THE COLLEGIAN

New food truck brings Nepalese staples to Fort Collins

By Rebekah Barry @csucollegian

A well-balanced combination of meat and spices is stuffed inside a delicately wrapped dough for the perfect bite. Momos’ dumplings are a must-try.

On Jan. 28 Sulav Magar hosted the grand opening of his food truck: Momos. His menu focuses on authentic Nepalese dumplings — filled with chicken, pork or vegetables. The food truck is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday with a 10% discount for veterans and active-duty military.

Magar and his family immigrated to the United States when he was only 11 years old. He joined the Marines at the age of 17, and during that time, he took up an interest in cooking, crediting his mother with teaching him the basics of the topic.

“Growing up, I never really cooked, but my interest really kicked off at 17,” Magar said. “I left home to go to the Marines, and then I kind of had to cook by myself.”

According to momomo.kitchen, the history of momos dates back to around 15th century Tibet and Nepal. In Newari, “mome” means cooking by steaming. The Chinese word “mo” (馍) refers to any food related to flour. However, momos themselves are native to Tibet and Nepal and spread to other countries like China and India.

“Dumplings are like a staple for Nepal,” Magar said. “It’s kind of like pizza and burgers here. Fort Collins is such a booming town, and I just feel like I’d like to bring more ethnic food into the town.”    Magar’s dumplings are served with two types of sauces: a blend of sesame and tomato and a peanutbased sauce. The cold sauces give a tasty contrast to the hot dumplings served straight from his food truck.   “Mm! They’re so good,” said Josephine Lim, a fourth-year biological science undergraduate, after tasting a pork dumpling. “This is the first thing I’ve eaten today, too. I’m definitely coming back again.”  Magar came up with the idea to open an eatery around 2019, but due to the pandemic, he had to postpone his plans. Now Magar has signed a contract with a landowner. A vacant building is located at 1901 E. Prospect Road with the food truck in the parking lot. It was formerly called “Insulated Component Structures - Rocky Mountain, Inc.” Magar hopes to renovate the vacant building and have his own restaurant of the same name up and running in the next few years.

The food truck is run by Magar, his brother, his mother and another employee. Momos also provides catering, so while the food truck is run in the parking lot, they are also working to establish an expansive aspect to their business for a variety of people to experience authentic Nepalese dumplings.

“The first year we’re going to be stationary,” Magar said. “Just

from this one place. And as things improve, then we’re going to hit up breweries and anywhere that will take us.”

While the parking lot is his main location for now, Magar hopes to renovate the old ICS building so even more customers can enjoy his dumplings.

Reach Rebekah Barry at news @collegian.com.

“Dumplings is like a staple for Nepal. It’s kind of like pizza and burgers here. Fort Collins is such a booming town, and I just feel like I’d like to bring more ethnic food into the town.”

SULAV MAGA MOMOS OWNER

Sulav Magar checks order tickets while Kelly Gonynor takes customer orders during the grand opening of Momos Jan. 28.

PHOTO BY REILEY COSTA THE COLLEGIAN

Black History Month shows the ‘Blackprint’ for American culture

By Ivy Secrest @ivysecrest

As Black History Month approaches, the Black/African American Cultural Center at Colorado State University prepares for a series of events that will celebrate students and their heritage.

Guided by the theme “Blackprint: The Original Blueprint,” this year’s unique set of events will bring student identity to the forefront.

The theme is meant to point out the influence Black and African culture has on American culture, including fashion, music, pop culture and monumental moments in American history.

Students like Jocelyn Lapham, peer coordinator at B/AACC, and Andrew Brown, peer coordinator and executive member of the United Men of Color student organization, have worked tirelessly to make sure this year’s events reflect those cultural influences.

“Black History Month, first and foremost, is a celebration,” Lapham said. “So as much educating as we’re doing, we’re also trying to really just celebrate our roots and where our students come from, wherever that is.”

From the Black History Kickoff on Feb. 1 to the Ghetto Visionary Fashion Fridays hosted by the United Men of Color (date and location to be announced), there’s a lot of celebrating to participate in. Even more serious events, such as a talk from keynote speaker Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale, will offer students places to learn, express themselves and celebrate whether they’re a part of the Black community or not.

“Most people probably don’t even know Bobby Seale is still alive,” Brown said. “It’s just super exciting for us. I think it’s super educational but then also extremely motivating and inspirational.”

Though all students are welcome to participate, prejudiced actions will not be tolerated at events. In previous years, both Brown and Lapham recalled “Zoom bombings” where students would crash Black History Month B/AACC Zoom meetings to yell slurs or type racist things in the chat.

“These acts of aggression aren’t uncommon,” Lapham said. “Instances like this are harder to get away with in person.” Lapham and fellow coordinators have spent a lot of time discussing how to protect students in the event something does happen.

“I really care about protecting students as much as I care about representing them and giving them opportunities to express themselves,” Lapham said. “With Bobby Seale, it’s really nerve wracking for me under the surface. I think with someone associated with the Black Panther Party but then also the civil rights era, sometimes that comes with unwanted attention.”

Fort Collins is a predominately white area, and while it is important for non-Black people to educate themselves, it is also important that the Black and African members of the Fort Collins community feel supported.

“We all come together to celebrate Black History Month, just like any other like heritage month,” Brown said. “So that’s what I’m hoping other students will be able to do this month and just kind of show up and show support for our celebration.”

While Seale may attract some unwanted attention because of his association with the Black Panther Party, he also has an important perspective on American culture and history. Seale’s impact on American society did not come without adversity. The opportunity to listen to his experiences will be an incredible one for the entire CSU community.

“Bobby Seale was a Black Panther in the time of violence and all kinds of awful things,” Lapham said. “He might have a way about him that is helpful to Black students of, ‘How do you respond to racism when it’s in your face?’”

While the keynote speaker and Real Talks offer a deeper look at Black culture and identity, this month also includes fun events for students to relax and socialize at.

“One of the most exciting things we’re doing is the Ghetto Visionary, which is like a dress event,” Brown said. “We’re going to redefine the word ghetto and take it to a more ... creative place to where it’s more like ghetto fabulous, where we’re combining our Blackness and our fashion choices and just creating There is also a taco night, trivia, a hair show, a “sex for chocolate” event and many other fun events meant to showcase the blueprint Black culture has been for so much of Whether students are drawn in by the Kick-off, want to engage in the Real Talks, hear Seale speak or attend the Ghetto Visionary, this year’s Black History Month has an Reach Ivy Secrest at life

“I really care about protecting students as much as I care about representing them and giving them opportunities to express themselves.”

JOCELYN LAPHAM PEER COORDINATOR AT CSU’S BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER

Cannabis can be a game changer for those with chronic pain

By Bella Eckburg @yaycolor

Cannabis has a variety of effects that we can benefit from, even if we would not consider ourselves of the stoner variety.

I first became interested in cannabis after hearing about how it helps individuals with chronic pain. I have severe scoliosis, with two major curves, so my spine looks like a backward capital S, and I received corrective surgery in 2015 to lessen the curvature at the bottom.

Scoliosis is a genetic disability that affects less than 4% of the entire population. It’s mostly an invisible disability unless you look closely, and the varying ways it can affect one’s body make it hard to get a clear consensus on the effects and, therefore, treatment. Some would even argue it doesn’t count as a disability at all.

Some people will go decades without ever knowing their spine curves, and it’s not uncommon to not have a perfectly straight spine for a variety of reasons.

I wore a full-body brace for

three years, trying to force my spine into a space where it couldn’t continue to curve. At the time, I lived in Illinois, and anything cannabis- or hemp-related was illegal, including for medical uses.

The pain was debilitating at times but always present, and if I had known I could use something to manage it aside from relying on fistfuls of Advil, and if it was legal, this story would be different. Even if, due to my age at the time, I would’ve only had access to something like CBD lotion.

As my spine curved and compressed my nerves, I would often lose feeling in my legs or be unable to breathe because of the severe muscle imbalance my body created to work against the curve.

Even now, years later and fully healed from an anterior spinal fusion of seven vertebrae, I still have these symptoms. They’re arguably less debilitating, but some days are worse than others. The pain is chronic, and it likely will be this way for the rest of my life.

Cannabis products can be used for pain management, and there

are a variety of ways you can use them, including balms and lotions, eating edibles, smoking and more.

Indica-centered strains can help with pain management, especially if they’re also heavy in CBD. A body high can relieve tension while keeping you clearheaded.

Specific strain recommendations for chronic pain management are unknown, but based on consumer response, cannabis companies can usually give you a good picture of what the high is like. Leafly recommends choosing hybrid strains that are equal in THC and CBD for pain due to the need for body relaxation and getting your mind less focused on the pain.

Personally, my chronic pain can flare up without warning, so I don’t want to wait an extended amount of time before I feel the effects of cannabis. I prefer to use a pen, and I love Bonanza’s Blue Dream Cartridge. I would recommend anyone wanting to specifically smoke cannabis for pain relief use a vaporizing method — you don’t need it to creep up on you because the focus is to get the pain to ease up.

Blue Dream is THC dominant and sativa dominant, but it gives a balanced vibe, and I can work without pain radiating through my legs and spine.

Leafly is a great source for checking out strains, and it has a lot of pain-relief-focused strains it recommends. Jager is another strain that uses Blue Dream in its combination if you’re looking for some indica, THCdominant bud.

Budtenders at Fort Collins dispensaries are very helpful in answering questions about strain choices and pain relief, nausea relief, appetite increase and more.

Using cannabis to ease my chronic pain has genuinely changed my life. I do not dread getting out of bed knowing I’ll come home with muscle spasms and tightness in my chest because when I’m home, I can actually relax and function as an employee, friend, family member and person without chronic pain coloring my world.

Reach Bella Eckburg at cannabis@collegian.com.

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“Using cannabis to ease my chronic pain has genuinely changed my life. I do not dread getting out of bed knowing I’ll come home with muscle spasms and tightness in my chest because when I’m home, I can actually relax and function as an employee, friend, family member and person without chronic pain coloring my world.”

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TRI DUONG THE COLLEGIAN

COLORFUL RESEARCH

Stoner studies: The connection between creativity, weed

By Miles Buchan @buchanmiles

For decades, stoners and scientists alike have pondered the question, “Can weed cause one to be more creative?”

Whether you’re a cannabis user who is convinced of the link between the two or a straightedge skeptic looking for an honest answer, I will give you my objective findings based on research instead of experience. Without building suspense, the answer is maybe not surprising: It’s complicated.

To answer this question, it is important to establish a few specifics. Let’s start with what is meant by creativity. Britannica defines creativity as, “The ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device or a new artistic object or form.”

It is also worth noting the studies discussed in this article differentiate divergent creativity, which is the thinking of many different answers or solutions, and convergent creativity, which is thinking of one fixed answer or solution.

It is indisputable that many positive, nonmedicinal effects of

BECAUSE I GOT HIGH

using cannabis have been reported and observed; however, these experiences have been subjective and mostly unmeasurable. Included in these reported effects are states of euphoria, relaxation, mental insight, improved thought processes and enhanced creativity.

designed to test one’s objective creative abilities and subjective creative experiences in comparison to individuals who had hardly ever consumed cannabis.

The conclusion of this study states the correlation between cannabis use and creativity is tenuous, and this perceived link could be distorted by the user’s bias perception and memories of creative undertakings. However, this same study points out the potential but unsubstantiated link between consuming cannabis and a rise in dopamine levels. If this connection were more defined, then this could be the biological association between cannabis and creativity, as dopamine is released in the same area of the brain that hosts creative thought.

In studies made to test the relationship between cannabis and creativity, the outcomes and conclusions are mixed. In one study published in 2017 that examined the correlation between cannabis, mood and creativity, researchers explored the effects of being high and participating in a series of activities

Another study published in “Consciousness and Cognition” explored this relationship through various means. 721 participants were included in this study, both cannabis users and nonusers. Intended to build upon previous research, this study asked participants to engage with different tests that measured aspects of creativity.

Results from these tests show cannabis users scored similarly in divergent thinking but

outperformed the group of nonusers in convergent thinking.

This is an interesting outcome as it conflicts with the previous studies reported, which found cannabis users had higher rates of divergent thinking and slightly lower rates of convergent thinking. This study concludes creativity and creative ability are likely attributable to differences in personality rather than cannabis use.

It was observed in this study that most cannabis-using participants

had personality differences from nonusers such as on average being more extroverted, significantly more open to new experiences and significantly lower in conscientiousness. That is to say, it’s not been proven that cannabis itself fosters creativity, but instead, it is more likely associated with individual characteristics and personality types. Reach Miles Buchan at cannabis @collegian.com.

The best friend scaries, ganja ghosts

at my bestie’s apartment, and her roommate’s boyfriend brought out a blunt for all of us to share. My best friend and I were going round after round of puff-puffpass when I got very high. I could feel my anxiety getting the best of me, so I casually stepped out and hid in the kitchen. Less than 30 seconds later, my best friend entered the kitchen, and we both just started laughing like we got busted for leaving the smoke sesh. But then we both started to realize how uncomfortable we were making each other. I said, “Dude, I’m sorry, but you’re even making me nervous,” and we both ended up in her room with a massive pillow barricade to separate ourselves and make it feel like we were alone until we were ready to talk to each other again.

Plasma low, brain high

to the ground, unable to see, and I literally became incoherent. I had to crawl to the fridge to get some sustenance, and my roommates finished cooking my raviolis for me. I couldn’t tell anything that was going on, and when I eventually made it to bed, I ended up sleeping for 14 hours — and it was my 21st. Moral of the story: Wait the recommended two hours after donating plasma to smoke, and make sure it’s not on an empty stomach.

Ganja ghosts

By Guest Author @csucollegian

Editor’s Note: “Because I Got High” content consists of community story submissions and does not represent the views of The Collegian or its

editorial board. The Collegian does not promote underage or excessive substance use or impairment for the purpose of creating a submission.

The best friend scaries

Long ago, I used to get so anxious after smoking weed that

I refused to smoke with anyone. The only exception, aside from indulging alone, was if I could smoke with my best friend, and she was the same way. We couldn’t smoke with anyone else if it wasn’t with each other. So one day I was

I took a dab after donating plasma when I am typically a flower-only type of girl. On top of that, I did it while my dinner was cooking before I ate it. Immediately, I knew I had to lie down but got up shortly after to finish cooking dinner, only to fall

One time I got so high, I ended up ghost hunting in a cemetery with my best friend. After hotboxing the whip and smoking a variety of Mary Jane, we found ourselves in a spooky situation. Now, my friend was all about ghost hunting, but not me. Paranoia kicked in as an eerie feeling creeped among the shadows. Despite not catching any spirits, we were ghosting the ganja.

To submit stories, email cannabis @collegian.com or fill out our Google Form, which is linked alongside guidelines in our Letter from the Editor.

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE LELINE THE COLLEGIAN

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

“This could be the biological association between cannabis and creativity, as dopamine is released in the same area of the brain that hosts creative thought.”

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1. A crowd gathers at the base of the X Games

Aspen Monster Energy Men’s Ski SuperPipe for finals Jan. 29.

2. Megan Oldham embraces her brother Bruce Oldham after making history as the first woman to land a triple cork in competition during the X Games Aspen Women’s Ski Big Air Jan. 27. Oldman won gold with a score of 91 out of a possible 100, achieving a perfect score for her triple cork.

3. Birk Ruud flying high during the Men’s Ski Big Air event at X Games Aspen Jan. 29.

4. Zeb Powell prepares to drop into the Chipotle Snowboard Knuckle Huck at X Games Aspen Jan. 27. In addition to pushing the limits of snowboarding, Powell advocates for a more inclusive environment within snow sports. He partnered with an organization called Hoods to Woods, helping bring inner-city kids outdoors.

5. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott holds up a silver medal after placing second in the X Games Aspen Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air Jan. 27. SadowskiSynnott achieved the medal with a switchback 1080 on her last run.

6. Halldor Helgason places second at the X Games Aspen Chipotle Snowboard Knuckle Huck Jan. 29. Helgason came out of retirement to compete in this year’s events.

7. Mark McMorris celebrates his 22nd X Games medal, achieving gold in the Jeep Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle Jan. 29.

8.

Mac Forehand and

Ruud on the podium of the

Ski Big Air at X Games Aspen Jan. 29. Forehand landed his first perfect 2160 in a competition, ultimately earning him the gold medal.

FRAME BY FRAME

PHOTO BY MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN

PHOTO BY GARRETT MOGEL THE COLLEGIAN

Teal Harle,

Birk

Men’s

PHOTO BY MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

9. Yuto Totsuka during the Monster Energy Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe at X Games Aspen Jan. 27.

PHOTO BY MILO GLADSTEIN THE COLLEGIAN

X GAMES ASPEN 2023: Breaking records, barriers

The 22nd annual X Games competition, hosted in Aspen, Colorado, concluded with multiple historic moments throughout the three days of competition. Kicking off the weekend, Megan Oldham landed the first triple cork in women’s snow sports. Gaon Choi became the youngest woman to win the snowboard halfpipe at 14 years old, taking the record from her mentor, Chloe Kim. Mark McMorris won his 22nd X Games medal, which makes him the most decorated X Games competitor.

PHOTOS BY MILO GLADSTEIN AND GARRETT MOGEL

We deserve more transparency from the university, CSU System

By Serena Bettis @serenaroseb

Editor’s Note: All letters from the editor reflect the views of the editor only and do not represent a stance taken by The Collegian.

As Colorado State University’s 16th president, Amy Parsons, begins her tenure this month, a sense of unfinished business lingers on the Fort Collins campus.

That unfinished business is CSU’s 15th president, Joyce McConnell, and her million-dollar departure last June.

When  The Collegian broke the news of McConnell’s separation from the university, we were shocked — but not all that surprised. McConnell’s three years in the president’s office were tumultuous to say the least, and she was not a popular figure among many in the community.

Yet this was the person chosen to replace the well-known Tony Frank. The person who received the honor of being the first woman to hold the position. The person who led us through the pandemic. McConnell signed up to be our university president for at least

five years and was gone before the undergraduate class of 2023 could finish their degrees.

More than that, McConnell’s separation from the university marks the third time since 2019 that CSU has paid one of its most visible employees to leave. Alongside student debt and cost of living increases, the community has seen CSU announce contract buyouts of $1.5 million to McConnell, $1.8 million to former head football coach Mike Bobo and $3 million to former head football coach Steve Addazio.

The way CSU has managed its budgets and made these decisions means the university community isn’t directly paying for all of this, but those are big numbers to see at face value. Without full transparency and explanation from the university, anyone who doesn’t understand financial contracts or know the full history of the university’s budget — which is a lot of us — is left feeling cheated.

My perspective may not be reflective of the entire community, but as the editor of  The Collegian, a former employee of the university and a longtime Fort Collins resident,

my disappointment in CSU reflects my love for it; I am certain I’m not alone in that.

The campus community deserves answers, and more transparency in general, from the university and the CSU System. The lack of information we have around the circumstances of McConnell’s departure leaves us unsettled and provides too much room for speculation.

I would be remiss to leave out one of the most significant aspects of McConnell’s departure, which is that we can’t say for certain if it was her choice or not. The language provided to us in June, in which the Board of Governors and McConnell said they “decided to part ways” indicates that it was not McConnell’s sole decision, but all we can really do is postulate.

Further, McConnell was not known to be brief, and her campus emails remain the butt of student jokes. However, her June 9, 2022, message to the community was about 150 words. In comparison, Frank’s 2018 announcement that he would step down as university president was more than 1,500 words. Frank left his position to

ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

become CSU System chancellor, but the differences in messaging still stand out.

Then when there was maybe some hope that the community could take part in the process of finding a new president, the Board of Governors largely restricted access.

After a few listening sessions conducted at the start of the fall semester and a survey that closed in August, there was very little information willingly released by the board until they announced Parsons as the sole finalist in December. When The Collegian reported on the search process, we were only allowed to speak to one person — who also happens to be on the Board of Governors — on the 31-person search committee.

The university is bound by privacy laws, employment contracts and nondisclosure agreements to not speak on matters like this. But we’re not talking about a professor or a dining employee, we’re talking about the people in charge, whose decisions ultimately impact our entire futures.

Once in an interview, someone said to me that CSU is like its own small city of roughly 30,000 people.

In that city, the university president is like the mayor — just one we don’t get to elect. Shouldn’t we, the people, be privy to why the mayor is being replaced?

Without those who make up the university, there would not be a university to benefit the people in power. Are we not owed at least some semblance of respect in the form of transparency?

I would like to think the CSU System, the Board of Governors and the university administration care enough about the students, faculty and staff to consider being open with us. I would like to think we can have a campus where we connect with everyone, where an appearance from the president doesn’t feel like a PR display but a celebration of Colorado State.

No matter anyone’s intentions, we cannot have that true spirit of community without transparency. The university system and administration make it much harder than it should be to be proud to be a CSU Ram.

Serena Bettis, Editor in chief Reach Serena Bettis at editor @collegian.com.

GRAPHIC

SERIOUSLY

Students love winter biking, dentists love fixing their teeth

By Callum Burke @burkec062

Editor’s Note: This is a satire piece from The Collegian’s opinion section. Real names and the events surrounding them may be used in fictitious/semi-fictitious ways. Those who do not read the editor’s notes are subject to being offended.

Fort Collins and riding a bike go together like CAM the Ram and game day — they simply do not exist without each other.

In fact, the popularity of biking is so prevalent that the League of American Bicyclists named Colorado State University as one of eight schools in America to obtain a Platinum Bicycle Friendly University designation.

What is most interesting, perhaps, is the fact that students and locals continue biking well into the harsh Colorado winter season. Conditions that would otherwise sideline a dedicated bicyclist for the foreseeable future seem to have an opposite effect around these parts.

Fort Collins bicyclists embrace shitty roads and poor weather conditions wholeheartedly just to feel the polar vortex wind blowing through their hair and hopefully get that bikers’ high everyone knows and loves.

That’s right: No matter the time of day during the winter, CSU students are sure to stumble across a dedicated bicyclist attempting to trudge their way through ice and snow getting to and from class.

I have seen these psychopaths out there firsthand as late as 7 p.m. rocking a dim, useless light on the front of their handlebars in hopes of offering some sort of visual aid as they face the blizzard-like conditions. Not to mention, they are always wearing ill-fitting clothing for their arctic endeavors.

Do not get me started on some of the choices in bike frames. No selfaware individual could possibly think a one-speed city bike is cut out for a 2-mile ride across town in 4 inches of accumulated snowfall and black ice. Yet it occurs often.

But hey, if you want to test the laws of physics and risk your life, by all means, go for it, boss.

Most surprising of all, though, is the recent uptick in students showing up to campus with missing teeth, seemingly as a result of students ignoring poor biking conditions.

One unlucky lad on campus fell off his bike so hard, his front teeth popped out

and froze to the ground upon impact. Rumor has it his teeth may still be on campus, stuck to the concrete of The Plaza.

Witnesses did not seem concerned either. They allegedly clapped and cheered as he gathered his mangled bike and walked on about his morning.

Now, there is no way these two circumstances are just a coincidence, yet no one seems to be talking about it.

As the cold Colorado winter days pass by, more and more students are arriving on campus looking like exprofessional hockey players. Even worse, they’re acting like nothing is wrong.

Victims of winter bike wipeouts don’t seem disheartened in the slightest by the temporary gaps in their smiles, and best of all, they’re not the only ones.

It is said that local dentists are making an absolute killing from these dedicated riders busting up their teeth just to feel something.

One dentist even went on the record saying she outright supported the winter riders and that this year’s surge in dental repairs has completely paid off her upcoming spring break family vacation to Cancun, Mexico.

Clearly, there is a direct correlation between the number of bikers riding through the winter months and missing teeth. Unfortunately, all parties involved have no remorse for their actions.

As a result, it is probably best for witnesses and bystanders to stay to the side and strictly admire these riders’ dumb bravery while we remain warm, safe and in possession of all our teeth.

Like it or not, these hard-asses aren’t quitting for snow, ice or broken teeth, so they’re definitely not stopping at our request. Ride on, lunatics.

Reach Callum Burke at letters @collegian.com.

Sadness.

Class speeches in week three.

Nausea.

Flooded basements.

Tomato soup.

Home-cooked food.

Redecorating.

Pepto Bismol.

New Broncos coach.

“As the cold Colorado winter days pass by, more and more students are arriving on campus looking like ex-professional hockey players. Even worse, they’re acting like nothing is wrong.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA SIROKMAN THE COLLEGIAN

Not having your wallet in the drive-thru.

We shouldn’t have to justify absences

By Bella Eckburg @yaycolor

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

College life can act as a bridge to your adulthood and career: You take specialized classes, often while working or maintaining an internship, and that can be a lot of stress. Sometimes college life can make you feel like your brain is melting.

So when those days pop up and you’ve realized it’s midweek and you have not had a single day that was not dedicated to working a full shift or attending a full course load — or both — and your brain melt is fully initiated, it’s OK to skip class.

Now, I’m not recommending you skip class regularly. It’s a costly choice, literally. Also, if you’re not getting the notes from a friend or your professor refuses to work with Canvas despite it being the main

network for scheduling, there is a chance you can fall behind.

You shouldn’t make a habit of it, but needing time to do things outside of your robotic routine is nothing to feel shame over. Sometimes you just need to turn on a trash TV show and zone out.

The main issue that might affect your decision of whether to push through the exhaustion and show up to your 8 a.m. or sleep through it is how the professor feels about absences. Colorado State University professors, at least in my experience, have been pretty lenient when you communicate with them about missing class.

However, there are a few who refuse to excuse you from class without a doctor’s note or some other documentation. I had a professor say that if your car spins out on the road and you get in an accident, that would not count as an excused absence, and your grade will drop as a result.

First, asking for a doctor’s note is classist. I grew up only going to the doctor when I really needed it, and

that certainly was not when I had something as benign as a fever.

If I feel like I’m nauseated and clearly ill, I’m not going to show up to your class, sorry. There is no reason for a student to have to leave their house, sick, and go all the way to the CSU Health and Medical Center to be told they have a fever.

I personally struggle with agoraphobia, which makes leaving the house, especially alone, impossible at times. This is a legitimate mental health condition, and it definitely affects my schedule, but I understand how it sounds silly to someone unfamiliar with how it affects your mindset.

I’m on top of note taking or asking other classmates for their notes when I miss class, but with some professors, I still have to either make myself violently uncomfortable and panicked or be punished with a point deduction. It’s a lose-lose.

It just seems stupid to force your students to prove to you why they’re going to be absent, especially if they are active in class when they are there. Colorado State University is home to students of different backgrounds

and circumstances. If someone has to decide between attending their class and picking up a shift so they can afford their rent for the month, they should not be punished for choosing the latter.

When you write to a professor to inform them of an absence, it’s not asking for permission. It’s informing them that you will not be there. Why is it up to them to determine how much an event, injury, mental health situation or unforeseen obstacle affects their student and whether it’s an excused absence?

If someone repeatedly misses class to the point of legitimately never being there, then let them take a bad grade. But for those who show up as much as they can and communicate when they will miss class, even if the excuse is not what the professor or instructor considers valid, why deduct points from their grade because they were honest?

Reach Bella Eckburg at letters @collegian.com.

“When you write to a professor to inform them of an absence, it’s not asking for permission. It’s informing them that you will not be there. Why is it up to them to determine how much an event, injury, mental health situation or unforeseen obstacle affects their student and whether it’s an excused absence?”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY FALYN SEBASTIAN THE COLLEGIAN

Rams basketball seeks needed wins in doubleheader

By Braidon Nourse @braidonnourse

Colorado State University is home to two basketball teams in need of wins against Mountain West Conference competition: the women’s team, who are jockeying for a top-four spot in the conference, and the men’s team, who are struggling to find wins against any opponent as of late. Luckily, both teams will have an opportunity to find what they’re looking for in the Feb. 4 hoops doubleheader.

First on the docket is the Rams women’s team, who will host the University of Wyoming Cowgirls for this season’s first Border War on the women’s side.

There are some real stakes to the rivalry game. At 7-3 in conference play, Wyoming sits alone at third in the conference standings. The Rams, coming off of a three-game losing streak, are 6-4 in conference play and tied with the United States Air Force Academy for fourth place.

Wyoming and CSU will play against San Jose State University and

Utah State University, respectively, before they match up against each other. Both the Spartans and Aggies are tied for last in the conference at 1-9 each.

Wyoming in the conference standings with a win in the Border War. In that case, both teams would have an 8-4 record, meaning the back-to-back win would give CSU the tiebreaker.

The last time the women’s team played at home was Jan. 21 against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which at the time was a battle for the Mountain West’s top spot. UNLV won the game 63-58 despite the Rams’ late comeback efforts. The Rams have not won a game since, suffering disappointing losses to the University of New Mexico and Air Force.

Later on in the doubleheader, the CSU men’s basketball team is set to face off against Utah State for the first time this season. The Rams will be representing Fight Like a Ram, wearing jerseys featuring cancer warriors.

of 2-8 in Mountain West play, which puts them dead last in the conference standings.

In a situation where both Wyoming and CSU win their matchups before going headto-head, CSU could overtake

The men’s team has been inconsistent for much of their conference schedule and left many scratching their heads at the performance of a team that is only 10 months removed from a NCAA tournament bid. The Rams hold a conference record

There aren’t as many stakes for the Utah State matchup, but the Rams are in desperate need of something positive. CSU is currently on a four-game losing streak, with an inconsistency of performance as the culprit of the skid, a recurring pattern of this season for the Rams.

Utah State has won three of their last four games, with their only loss in that span being by 10 points to No. 22 San Diego State University. The Aggies are 6-3 in conference play and sit at No. 5 in the Mountain West. Reach Braidon Nourse at sports @collegian.com.

AWAY PREVIEW

CSU diving looks forward to Air Force Academy Invitational

By Emma Askren @emma_askren

The Colorado State University women’s diving team is preparing for their first diving-only invitational of the season. CSU will travel to the United States Air Force Academy Feb. 2, where they will compete for three days.

This is the Rams’ first and only invitational for diving this season. Most swim and dive meets are combined, with diving occurring halfway through the meet. However, during this competition, the entire meet will consist of diving.

During previous swim and dive meets, some of CSU’s divers have consistently placed in the top 10. In CSU’s last dual meet against Air Force, CSU divers placed fourth, sixth and eighth in the women’s 3-meter dive.

The diving invitational will be held at the Air Force Academy’s Cadet Natatorium, which provides the facilities to have more events than just the 1-meter platform and springboard. The Air Force Academy’s diving facilities house two 1-meter and 3-meter springboards and 1-, 5-, 7.5- and 10-meter platforms.

CSU’s Moby Arena pool only has a 1-meter springboard and platform as well as a 3-meter springboard. This means the Rams will most likely only be competing in those events.

While the Rams have one of the smallest dive rosters in the Mountain West with only four divers, they have held their own during meets. Senior Jessica Albanna is CSU’s most experienced diver, and it shows during meets. Albanna typically places the highest on average during dive meets for CSU.

While the Rams have the skills to become a competitive dive team, they are unable to due to the small number of divers on the team. This will be a huge disadvantage for the Rams during the Air Force Invitational.

With the absence of Lindsay Gizzi, who just last season set the record for the 1-meter springboard as a freshman at Colorado State, the Rams may find themselves struggling during this meet. Gizzi transferred to the University of Louisville to further her athletic and academic career.

Following the Air Force Diving Invitational, the Rams have one last meet before the Mountain West Conference Championships. Their last dual meet of the regular season will be at the University of Denver at the Denver First Chance Invitational Feb. 10-11.

Reach Emma Askren at sports @collegian.com.

The Rams won 185.5-113.5. PHOTO BY TRI DUONG THE COLLEGIAN

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY SOPHIA SIROKMAN THE COLLEGIAN

“The men’s team has been inconsistent for much of their conference schedule and has left many scratching their heads at the performance of a team that is only 10 months removed from an NCAA tournament bid.”

CAMPUS CRITICS

‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’: A view of fear, love, loss

By DJ Vicente @deejmako

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is DreamWorks Animation’s newest addition to their catalogue of animated features and the direct sequel to “Puss in Boots” from 2011. The story wonderfully tells another tale of the titular feline while also depicting surprisingly grounded lessons about life, death and purpose.

The film takes place within DreamWorks’ own “Shrek” universe, indicated by the movie’s dry, witty humor, its consistent comical cynicism in the portrayal of fairy tale characters and a story that mirrors universal struggles of the human experience.

The film centers around the endearingly extravagant Puss in Boots’ (Antonio Banderas) quest in finding the eponymous “Last Wish.”

Puss himself sets off on his quest after realizing he has depleted eight of his nine lives due to his daring and often reckless escapades. While initially dismissive, a cat-and-wolf chase of mortality ensues from Puss’ very literal fear of death, brought to life by a vicious, red-eyed white wolf voiced by Wagner Moura.

The film’s portrayal of death as a looming, ever-present trauma to Puss is effective in its grounded depiction of someone dealing with their own mortality. Puss’ fear of death leaves him unable to see the value of his current life and the relationships he formed along the way.

The shockingly sweet and well-realized lesson in the value of life is carried by the other two tritagonists: an orphaned dog named Perrito (Harvey Guillén) as well as rival and old flame Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek). The two bounce off Puss in humorous and surprisingly emotional banter as the three talk about their own wishes, their pasts and the fondness they grow for each other.

One strikingly touching moment arrives at the halfway

point when Puss has a panic attack after a short run-in with the wolf. Perrito comforts Puss in a moment of vulnerability, unheard of from a character like Puss.

One subplot involves the interpersonal relationships between the antagonists of the Three Bears Crime Family: Goldilocks, voiced by Florence Pugh, and the three bears in her company: Papa Bear (Ray Winstone), Mama Bear (Olivia Colman) and Baby Bear (Samson Kayo).

The subplot deals with the ties of found family, portraying the character of Goldilocks as an orphan daughter to the three bears. It effectively weaves itself into Puss’ own conflict with a heavy emphasis on connection and family presence throughout the movie.

John Mulaney’s inclusion as Jack Horner is presented as a fun yet pureevil villain whose character offsets his peers’ sympathetic backstories.

A main draw of “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is its newfound animation style, drawing viewers in with a more stylized painting-like approach in visuals that spruces up every frame. The characters are painted with beautiful brushstrokes, especially in wildly kinetic scenes, such as the movie’s introductory fight.

The industry-wide push to aim for more two-dimensional, computer-generated animation is largely in thanks to Sony Pictures Animation’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” from 2018, with its critical success owing much to its comic book-like visual style.

The movie score, which was composed by Heitor Pereira, is another one of the film’s most notable qualities. Orchestral sweeps mixed with flamenco-style guitar and electronic beats make for an energetic and heartfelt soundtrack.

A persistent musical motif performed by Banderas is present

throughout the film, beginning from the opening musical number and carrying itself throughout the movie in different moods and moments to create an emotional timeline for Puss’ growth.

Through it all, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” makes the landing with catlike precision through its dry humor, fairy tale cynicism and powerful emotional beats, giving this film a striking modern identity that harkens back to its universe’s roots. Reach DJ Vicente at entertainment @collegian.com.

LOCAL SPOTS

Spilling the tea about the 5 best chais in FoCo

By Ivy Secrest @ivysecrest

The cold of January has fully set in, and while some may turn to coffee or hot cocoa, chai offers a depth of spice and warmth that coffee and hot cocoa cannot compete with.

Unfortunately, with chai, you are taking a much bigger risk in ordering it. After all, your $5 treat to yourself could end up tasting like lukewarm water with a cinnamon stick thrown in for aesthetic.

To avoid this devastating blunder, educating yourself on the superior chai spots in town is essential. And while it might not be as satisfying as the home-brewed chai that may be dominating your TikTok feed, it will bring you comfort in a time of icecold winds and first study sessions.

1. Alley Cat Coffeehouse

The Alley Cat chai is thick and flavorful, inherently sweet and best served hot or blended. Obviously, Alley Cat is a beloved local coffee shop, but for tea lovers, it’s even more sacred. Chai is the perfect warm drink for this frigid weather, and Alley Cat has the perfect

blend for those with a bit of a sweet tooth.

2.

Momo Lolo offers a chai experience similar to Alley Cat’s: sweet with fullbodied flavors. The staff is kind and just as warm as their chai. If you’re not a chai drinker, their alternative beverages are also delicious. Just avoid getting your chai with almond milk

because it definitely changes the flavor profile, unless you’re super into the creamy nutty thing — then go for it!

3.

Mugs has a variety of chais for those who like to switch things up. Sweet, spicy and matcha are all delicious, though the ginger base flavors of the Bhakti Chai are always a favorite. This is the concentrate

you can buy at the store, but there’s something special about drinking it in a true coffee shop.

4.

Lima is best known for their coffee, but don’t sleep on the chai, best iced for the crazy people who enjoy cold drinks with cold weather. Classically flavorful and comforting, it will satisfy. And though it may not

be chai, the turmeric latte gives the same satisfaction that comes with the spice blend of chai.

5. Little Bird Bakeshop

Little Bird Bakeshop is a cute nook in Old Town that certainly has its pros and cons. The coffee is quite possibly the most bitter, burnt-to-bits dirt water to ever be served, but the chai makes up for it. With great pastries to accompany it, the chai elevates the whole dining experience, but don’t bring any coffee fans.

Coffee isn’t for everyone, and as chai becomes more and more popular, it’s always handy to know where to get the best of it. It also lends itself to the vegan diet much more readily than coffee has been able to without changing the base flavor profile too drastically.

Whether you brew your own or brave the cold to grab a chai in town, these little staples of the Fort Collins community will absolutely help carry you through the freezing temperatures and the stress of the spring semester.

Reach Ivy Secrest at entertainment @collegian.com.

Momo Lolo Coffee Shop

Mugs Fort Collins

Lima Coffee Roasters

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY MADELYN HENDRICKS THE COLLEGIAN

“Puss’ fear of death leaves him unable to see the value of his current life and the relationships he formed with those along the way.”

GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY TRIN BONNER THE COLLEGIAN

Dear stars,

Last Thursday, Pisces swam into our lovely planet Venus just in time for February. There is a chance love will resurface back into people’s lives. Strong, soul-level connections will be prevalent. The No. 1 thing to watch out for in the next coming weeks is finances, as you may want to spend more money than usual. Beside that, the Gemini moon that happened Jan. 30 is going to bring us jumpy energy that will spring us back to action. You may feel more extroverted and communicative this week, so try to embrace being out of your comfort zone. You just may surprise yourself!

Yours truly,

A Sagittarius Moon

WEEKLY HOROSCOPE

By Abby Flores

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (02/02/23)

ARIES (MARCH 21 - APRIL 19)

You are excited to embark on a new adventure. Whether you are traveling far or going to a place you haven’t seen in a while, you will have spiritual revelations that will bring you closer to your highest self.

TAURUS (APRIL 20 - MAY 20)

As the weather drops in temperature this week, you will find yourself cozying up at home and practicing self-care. The Aquarius energy in the air may make you want to invite some extra friends over to socialize.

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUNE 20)

Sometimes you feel guilty for enjoying life, especially because there has been more work to do lately. Balance is key, and you deserve to feel your best. Getting exercise whenever you can will be

a good stress reliever for the next couple weeks.

CANCER (JUNE 21 - JULY 22)

You carry a lot of love in your heart, Cancer. Remember to reciprocate that energy back to yourself because others may take it for granted. You will find the most abundance this week by creating art that speaks your truth.

LEO (JULY 23 - AUG. 22)

You may have had to leave a job or situation that was draining your mental health. You are now thriving in your own light, and people are recognizing your strength. This confirms that you are on the right path because you are following your heart.

VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEPT. 22)

There may be secret admirers surrounding your energy at this time. Your aura is hard to miss, and people are drawn to your confidence and the way you present yourself. You will celebrate completing a project you

have been working on this week.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23 - OCT. 22)

There are times when you get into modes of daydreaming, but this week calls for heavy focus in work and what you need to get done. Sitting down at coffee shops or setting up study dates with friends will help boost your productivity.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)

You are the sign of transformation, and you have been feeling a sense of peace after letting go of people that no longer vibe with your energy. You are on a new frequency, so it is time to celebrate new beginnings.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21)

Life has been a little chaotic lately, and sometimes it feels as if you don’t have enough time to do everything. Fear not because this week, you will have the motivation to get your work out of the way. Take some deep breaths, and try to find mindfulness when you can.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)

You have been valuing your relationships more than ever lately and enjoying the present moment. This is a step toward getting to know yourself even better so you can develop a balanced routine.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)

If you haven’t noticed already, you are quite a popular person, Aquarius. Everyone wants to be in your energy field because you spread positivity and share your light. You may be in the process of working on boundary setting so work does not interfere with your vibrant social life.

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MARCH 20)

You spread spiritual wisdom wherever you go, and your friends appreciate how open and willing you are when discussing philosophy. You know how to make people think, and there is something about you that can heal others. Continue to open up because it’s going to help you appreciate all perspectives in life.

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