12 November 2021
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CMS Women’s Volleyball:
The Road to Set-cess and Kill-er Friendships
Photo Courtesy of CMS Volleyball
By Jihae Oh CMC ’24 and Belen Yudess ’25 Staff Writers
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he 2021 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's volleyball team had some big shoes to fill this season. After being named the 2017 NCAA DIII champions and the 2019 SCIAC champions, the team had a legacy to live up to. With a 16-0 league record, 26-1 overall record, and a 2021 SCIAC championship under their belt, this year’s Athenas are exceeding expectations. How does a team become so successful, especially after returning to the court following a year in quarantine? According to the three Scripps students on the team, it all goes back to chemistry and perseverance. “We hold each other to high expectations, and we make each other better. We improve as individual players and as a team,” said Setter Izzy Stolzoff ’25. “Everything we do is a collective effort, and we play together as a team. We always support each other.” Libero/Defensive Specialist Ashley Murashige ’25, shared this sentiment. “We all share the same motivated mindset which contributes to a great environment to play and practice in,” said Murashige. “Our captains and all the upperclassmen and returners did a really good job of creating a team culture where everyone felt welcome and included.” Evidently, this team’s success did not happen overnight. It took a strong bond and lots of positive energy to navigate adversity. The pandemic was one such challenge. Instead of blaming quarantine for
any setbacks or postponing the team’s development, Murashige reveals that there was an upside to this break. “The year off made me realize that I took volleyball for granted and I was itching to get back on the court again,” she said. “Although this past year was extremely difficult, I think it also helped us in a way because everyone came back with a rejuvenated sense of drive and excitement since we all felt so lucky to be playing again.” Furthermore, being a part of the CMS Volleyball team helped with the transition back onto campus after a year of online learning. “We came to campus a few weeks early for preseason and during that time I met the girls on the team and found my way around campus,” said Stolzoff. “By the time school started, we were all friends and had adjusted to living on campus.” The Athenas’ first preseason game was on Sept. 3 against UC Santa Cruz. The Athenas beat the Banana Slugs 3-1, which ‘set’ off their pre-season winning streak. The team played their first league game on Sept. 21 against Whittier College, defeating the Poets 3-0. The team continued their winning streak despite upcoming challenges, such as the loss of Starting Libero Makenna Fall CMC ’22 due to an injury. After bringing in Libero Dede Carranza CMC ’25, the Athenas continued to dominate their league and secured 3-0 victories over several teams, such as University of La Verne, Occidental College, and most recently, Pomona-Pitzer. During a mid-season tournament at Calvin University, the Athenas met their match and lost to Calvin University, 1-3. “The most challenging game this sea-
son has been … our away game against Calvin University,” said Libero/Defensive Specialist Emma Thompson ’23. “With a combination of frustrating ref calls, a loud atmosphere, and playing the highest level of competition we had this year, it was the hardest.” This game definitely left an impression on the Athenas and reminded them of their ability to surpass any upcoming obstacles. “The most challenging game has definitely been Calvin,” said Murashige. “Even though we ended up losing that game, it gave us the opportunity to [play] against an-
passion, and commitment to the game. This is the first year the Athenas have gone undefeated in league. Each player is also dominating another game: academics. “We have busy schedules, and we make sure to stay on top of schoolwork and manage our time well,” said Stolzoff. Thompson said, “Time management is everything … But also giving myself time to watch a movie or recuperate helps me maintain my focus other times.” The CMS women’s volleyball team took the next step to a 10th SCIAC championship when they defeated CalLutheran 3-0 on Nov. 4. The Athenas secured their title as SCIAC champions on Nov. 6 after a thrilling five set match against Chapman University, with a final kill by Team Captain Jackie Jones CMC ’23. The CMS women’s volleyball team is now headed to Nationals to try and repeat their victory from 2017. Although winning SCIAC was an incredible addition to an already remarkable season, the Athenas have also won something much more priceless: life-long friendships. “My favorite part of being on the CMS volleyball team has been meeting my lifelong best friends and having them be there for the most important things in my life,” said Thompson. Thompson is not alone in believing that the bond these players have is the
Photo Courtesy of CMS Volleyball
other high level team in a completely different environment. We also came back from a ten point deficit in one of the sets which was super exciting and I think it proved our resilience and grit in the face of adversity.” The next day, the Athenas came back from this loss and beat Ohio Northern University 3-0, proving their dedication,
best part of this team. “My favorite part of being on the team is definitely the friendships I’ve made,” said Murashige. “Even though I have only known everyone for a few months now, we are all so close and I genuinely love them so much. I already have so many fun memories with these girls, and I can’t wait for the next few years.”
IN THIS ISSUE Scripps Olive Harvest Brings Campus Community Together
Fallcappella Brings the A Cappella Community Together
Scripps Students Reflect on Their Fall Celebrations
Climbing Team Has Overwhelming Interest, Funding Concerns
1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 839 | scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XXX | Issue Two
2 • News Scripps Olive Harvest Brings Campus Community Together, Supports Sustainability Efforts By Kendall Lowery ‘22 Editor-in-Chief
encing severe drought. “Sometimes there are things like the heat that are hard for us to avoid, but we always try to do the best for every tree,” said Groundskeeper Ramon Estrada. “In years before, I remember that we picked almost all day long…this year, I think there’s probably not even half of what we usually pick…I’ve been here 18 years already, since we had the first harvest — some years are better than others.” As students returned to campus this year, so have the fruits of our olive trees. However, many of us return to California with renewed questions about our campus’s impact on local resources, scarce wa-
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fter a two year hiatus, the Scripps Olive Harvest has returned in full force. On Nov. 5, students, professors, and administrators gathered together in the Humanities Courtyard to rustle through the olive branches, collecting the fruits that will eventually be pressed into the college’s awardwinning olive oil. Scripps College students have studied under the shade of olive trees since the school’s founding in 1926. When a campus grove faced destruction during construction in 1968, students protested, refusing to let the trees be cut down. However, even though the trees have shaped the campus landscape since its inception, they didn’t actually produce olives until 2012. “When there is something tangible that results from it, I think it does bring people together.” Professor Nancy Neiman In the early aughts, students began investigating whether the plants could provide more than a shaded place to sit before classes. “They quickly found out some interesting things,” said Politics Professor Nancy Neiman. “None of the trees were actually fruiting because we had sprayed them so that they wouldn’t drop olives…because the priority was of course the aesthetics of the campus.” Four years after the first group of students tried to initiate the olive harvest, a new group of students, Neiman, and Head of Grounds Lola Traficanti were able to secure funding after convincing the Board of Trustees to allow the trees to bear fruit. By November of 2012, the Claremont community came together to harvest olives from the 85-yearold trees. Over 1,500 pounds of fruit were pressed in Ojai, creating the first batch of Scripps olive oil. “There’s a huge commitment from the groundskeepers. It’s the fruits of their labor.” - Landscape Operations Manager Joya Sanlas On a whim, Traficanti drove a couple of bottles over to the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition held at the Fairplex in Pomona, California. “It turns out that that olive oil competition is one of the five big olive oil competitions, and it just happened to be right around the corner,” said Neiman. “We entered thinking why not? And we won! We beat out the Italian olive oils, we beat out the Greek olive oils, it was really kind of cool.” In the following years, the Scripps oil continued to medal at the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition and the revenue created from selling the bottles funded grants for student-led sus-
tainability projects. And despite the Board of Trustees’s concerns with campus aesthetics, by the time mid-October rolls around, the pathways around campus are covered in black splotches. As the temperature drops, so do the olives, making it nearly impossible to avoid the squelch of sole against seed. Aside from accolades, grant funding, and the squashed seasonal signal that fall has arrived, the olive harvest has also produced a way for students to connect with professors, administrators, and facilities staff outside of work and academics. “I feel like we’re too in our brains on this campus,” said Sophie Perry ter, and the safety of ourselves and our neighbors. Now that we’re back in Claremont, the very least that we can do is to use our resources to foster community and fund sustainable practices. “One of the ways that people really find meaning in life and connection with others is to be involved in something where you can see you’re all contributing to the same worthwhile end,” said Neiman. “When there is something tangible that results from it, I think it does bring people together.” Scripps Olive Oil will be available for purchase in early December and more information about the student ’22. “It’s really important to still feel connected to both external community and the landscape outside of your body.” Olive trees are resistant to drought, disease, and fire, making them some of the hardiest plants around. However, in order for the olives to survive in Claremont’s arid climate, they still require plenty of supplemental water and attentive care from our facilities staff. “It’s really important to still feel connected to both external community and the landscape outside your body.” - Sophie Perry ‘22 “There’s a huge commitment from the groundskeepers,” said Landscape Operations Manager Joya Salas. “It’s the fruits of their labor.”
The statewide drought that has persisted since the summer of 2020 has made caring for the trees particularly challenging this year. As of Nov. 2 2021, the US Drought Monitor reported that 93.81 percent of Californian landmass was experi-
Photos by Scripps College
sustainability grants will be available by the end of the semester. You can get involved with the Scripps Student Garden by messaging @ scrippsstudentgarden on Instagram or by attending their weekly Friday meetings from 9 to 10 a.m.
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
News • 3
Fallcappella Brings the A Cappella Community Together to Celebrate Groups’ Hard Work By Ellen Hu ’24, Alyssa Wend ‘24 Copy Editor, Copy Editor Intern
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he A Cappella groups of the 5Cs joined together on Nov. 6 to show off their vocals and semesterlong work in a performance at Pomona’s Sontag Theater. Held outdoors under dimmed stage lights, the event drew a large audience, with students from all of the undergraduate Claremont Colleges crowded in the space to watch. This event, known as Fallcappella, was arranged in place of the annual SCAMfest due to the regular events’ last-minute cancellation from COVID-19 safety concerns. SCAMfest is a large on-campus A Cappella event held at Pomona where groups from the 5Cs as well as nearby universities come together to perform, complete with their own choreography. In the past, A Cappella groups from schools including USC and UCLA have also attended. A s s o o n a s S C A M fe s t w a s cancelled, Claremont Shades VicePresident Jay Scott PO ’21 started planning Fallcappella to replace it. Due to the outdoor nature of the concert, the COVID-19 logistics were considered “a lot easier to organize COVID-wise,” Scott said.
“I was just surprised by the sheer number of people who came.” - The Claremont Shades Vice-President Jay Scott PO ‘21 While Fallcappella was not as large as SCAMfest, A Cappella members across the 5Cs were very excited for the opportunity to share their work. “It’s been a busy few months and we haven’t really interacted with the other groups since auditions, so to see where they are now will be a cool experience,” Mood Swing Music Director Jay Pier PO ’21 said. “I think it was also nice because the groups have been working really, really hard this fall on the repertoire,” Scott said. “So it was just nice to have somewhere to perform those songs they’ve been working so hard on.”
SCAMfest in size and type of performance. With a smaller event space, fewer audience members were expected. Additionally, while the groups usually choreograph their songs, many did not for this semester’s event. “We decided not to use the choreography because, one, it’s a little less of a tradition to have it in a new place, and also without a microphone it didn’t make sense to have the choreography,” Pier said. However, while the organizers and performers did not expect to have very many people attend, they received what Scott described as a “huge turnout.” Audience members Photo courtesy of Blue and White
comedic twists. “While groups didn’t really do choreography, The Hooligans did a fun little skit,” Scott said. Some last-minute technical issues arose due to the outdoor space: the lack of hand-held microphones or the ability to do sound checks before each performance. Nonetheless, the A Cappella groups quickly adapted to their new circumstances. Making sure that a place for the Claremont College A Cappella groups to gather, share their work, and build community was very important for Scott. “I’m a senior, but when I joined freshman year, my poured over the seats and across the grass. “I was just surprised by the sheer number of people who came,” Scott said. “It was super encouraging and definitely fun for all of the performers to know that everyone was out to see them.”
Photo courtesy of Mood Swing A Cappella
“Members of my group were some of my first friends on campus.” -Jay Scott PO ‘21 Not only was there a large turnout, the crowd was incredibly lively, cheering loudly for their friends and during impressive moments of the show. This energy Photo courtesy of The Ninth Street Hooligans- Camila Mejia ‘22
members of my group were some of my first friends on campus,” they said. Participating in the A Cappella community on campus also played a large role in helping them make friends across the other Claremont Colleges.
“It was super encouraging and definitely fun for all of the performers.” -Jay Scott PO ‘21 For some groups, song selection carried over from previous years that had been cut short due to COVID-19 restrictions and shutdowns. “Because of the nature of this semester, we actually chose songs that we were going to sing for the spring semester of 2020, so before COVID,” Pier said. “We are singing ‘Wave’ by Megan Trainor and ‘Breakeven’ by The Script.” Fallcappella differed from
“To see where [other groups] are now will be a good experience.” -Mood Swing Music Director Jay Pier PO ‘21
transferred to the performers, and even with the lack of practiced choreo, some dancing broke out in the middle of their sets.
Photo by Alyssa Wend ‘24
One of the standout performances was from the Ninth Street Hooligans, known for their
While the event was not the original A Cappella show that was expected at the beginning of the semester, hope for SCAMfest to be held in the spring of 2022 was given in an exciting preshow announcement by Scott at Fallcappella.
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
4 • Opinion
I Saw “Dune” and All I Got Was This Sandworm
By Aanji Sin ‘24 Copy Editor [contains spoilers for “Dune”]
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ere’s the gist of my opinion on “Dune”: it has an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is how I know for sure that Rotten Tomatoes is full of shit. Even from my first viewing of the trailer, “Dune” was not a movie that I felt particularly inclined to watch, mostly because it looked exactly like the kind of pretentious science fiction endeavor that shows up in that notorious category of a film bro’s Letterbox top 10. Still, the text that I received a few weekends ago from my best friend on the other side of the country — “I just saw Dune and I think you would hate it vehemently” — was nothing short of an attention grabber. So, I borrowed my friend’s HBOMax subscription, grabbed a few vegan chocolate chip cookies from Malott, and tucked myself in for a long 156 minutes. The universe of “Dune” is set centuries in the future, when Earth has faded from relevancy and space travel technology has evolved to a degree of that of “Star Wars.” Scattered across the galaxy are various houses of sovereignty that serve underneath the rule of a singular, all-powerful Emperor, who remains a shadowy figure throughout the film. Timotheé Chalamet plays Paul (perhaps the stalest name for a sci-fi protagonist I have ever heard), son of the Duke of the House of Atreides, who has just been
dispatched alongside his people to take over the desert planet of Arrakis. Arrakis is the hub of spice production in the galaxy, spice being the most valuable substance in the universe, as it makes space travel possible. The native people of the planet are called the Fremen, an Arab-inspired tribe of desert wanderers, to whom Zendaya’s character Chani belongs. House Atreides is taking over the spice production in place of the corrupt House Harkonnen, who do not take to their removal kindly, and plot to regain control of the spice monopoly as part of the Emperor’s apparent plan to eradicate House Atreides in its entirety. If you’ve immediately forgotten all of the names I just dropped, don’t worry, I had to pull up the Wikipedia entry to remember all of them correctly. Most of that information, plus another 20 or so proper nouns, are dropped within the first 10 minutes of the movie through a Zendaya narration (the most we hear from her during the entire film, to my own sheer disappointment), and the audience is then expected to internalize all of it. I understand the purpose of the first film being to set the stage for the rest of the series, and I would have less of a problem with “Dune”’s blandness if it were not for the fact that it sucks all the flavor out of every space-themed science fiction universe plot trope I have ever encountered. Apparently, “Dune” was even the originator of many of these parallels: themes of colonization, the inner workings of space politics, a famed prophecy and, of course, the capital-O One. How
the film managed to simultaneously flatten these aspects of the apparently trailblazer of a novel while baffling the complete hell out of their audience is beyond me. On top of the drawn-out worldbuilding, most other aspects of “Dune” failed to keep me engaged. Dialogue is kept terse and strictly informative with no real room for dramatic progression. Characters exempt from that of Chalamet’s get infrequent screen time and therefore make no lasting impression on the viewer, and despite the amount of time we spend with him, Chalamet’s protagonist experiences no clear arc or undergoes any real development to make him likeable, at the barest minimum. By the end of the film, almost everyone from House Atreides and their allies are dead, some even killed on screen, and I pretty much ceased to care about any of them beyond the actors they were portrayed by. And in not caring about these characters, I also couldn’t care about the progression of the plot. Timotheé Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson spend a third of the movie running through the desert and escaping multiple near death situations, and all I could think was if they died now, the movie would be over faster. Dry dialogue and unnecessarily elongated plot points aside, “Dune” is a truly visually and audibly remarkable film. You can definitely see what the bulk of the $165 million budget went towards; details down to the grooves on battle-worn spaceships, the quivering hairs on the desert mice,
every tooth of the sandworm’s gaping maw (side note: the sandworm. THE SANDWORM. Please look up this worm so you understand why I have to refrain from making a joke about it here) was painstakingly well produced with no sign of lazy CGI. Equally as memorable, Hans Zimmer’s innovative original score doubles as both a viral TikTok audio and a thrilling, heart-pounding backdrop for a trendsetter like the “Dune” franchise — it quite literally sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before. Purposefully circumventing the operatic orchestrals popularized by space operas, Zimmer drew inspiration for this project from a myriad of atypical sources: scraping metal, distorted guitar rumblings, Indian bamboo flutes, bagpipes, even the sound of the wind howling through a Utah desert to achieve an otherworldly soundtrack through strictly non-Western practices. I can appreciate “Dune”’s areas of strength and celebrate its audience success, but remain thoroughly unimpressed with the bulk of it. I’m not a die-hard Timotheé stan, but I do think that the poor man deserves to play a sci-fi protagonist that doesn’t have the personality of a saltine cracker. All that being said, I respect the hustle of investing $165 million into a two and a half hour long movie that makes no sense and has no real ending. It’s certainly doing well in the box office, and truthfully, I can’t even be mad about it. If you catch me at the sequel’s opening though, you can bet that I’m probably only there for Zendaya. Also the sandworms.
22 Thoughts I Had While Watching Dune for the First Time 1. his name is...paul…… 2. there is no way these spacecrafts are actually aerodynamic. circle lookin fools 3. OSCAR ISAAC!!! 4. old witch lady looks like the banking clan from star wars 5. ok this ship makes more aerodynamic sense 6. of course they got the [redacted] asian guy checking his “vitals” 7. why must The One be a man. i think it should be zendaya 8. remove the palm trees. 9. timothees been making some points in this movie i am not gonna lie 10. THE WORM????? THAT IS AN ENTIRE FLEXING [redacted]??????? 11. nooo oscar isaac don't
bite the poison tooth you're so sexy aha 12. if they kill jason momoa too i am going to be devastated 13. is he naked in that chair? 14. the detail on this lil desert rat is insane 15. OH and jason momoa just happens to show up right when they get out of the sand how convenient for timothy chardonnay 16. :( jason momoa 17. so everyone good in this movie dies then 18. this soundtrack goes mad hard hans zimmer really put his whole [redacted] into these orchestrals 19. black goo is never good 20. olive oil?? 21. GODDAMMIT 22. that is literally just a butthole i am so sorry
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Opinions • 5
The French Dispatch: Anderson Strikes Again By Julia Cox ’23 Webmaster
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he Oct. 22 release of Wes Anderson’s ninth film “The Fre n c h D i s p a t c h” w a s h i g h l y anticipated. The film made $1.3 million its opening weekend compared to a budget of $25 million, seeming to signal a revival of artistic films since the beginning of the pandemic. I personally was looking forward to the film — as a longtime fan of Anderson and his unique style, I was excited to see his latest work. “The French Dispatch” was not what I expected. Though I was aware of the quirks and distinctiveness typically present in Anderson’s films, the storyline was unlike any I had seen before. The film tells the story of the literary magazine the French Dispatch, owned by a newspaper family in Kansas but published in France. The film begins by telling the audience that the founder of the Dispatch had passed away, and as part of his
final requests, the magazine would be shut down. The audience is then taken through the final issue of the magazine and immersed visually into the stories of the Dispatch’s last issue: a bike tour of France and its dark underbelly, the story of an imprisoned artist and his lover, a saga featuring a young revolutionary and chess fanatic, and a story-within-a-story of an author’s novel which details the riveting case of a kidnapping. The film then reveals what happens to the Dispatch and its contributors. I did not expect the film to be laid out as such. Though Anderson’s storytelling has always been unique — as seen in the convoluted story of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” — “The French Dispatch” was singularly creative. The unpredictability of the storyline led me to struggle a bit when analyzing the plot. However, Anderson incorporated many creative artistic choices that pointed to his intentions as writer and director. One interesting device utilized by
Anderson was color. Often taken for granted by audiences, Anderson chose to use color film more sparingly than most. In the three primary stories the film takes you through of the artist, activist, and author, Anderson opted to only use color during very precise instances, most often to highlight important items such as the artist’s prized painting or the purple of a poison elixir. Additionally, the Dispatch office was always in color, likely to ground the audience back in the “reality” of the story. The film also played with camera work. In previous films, Anderson used aspect ratios of film to convey different locations or time periods. Aspect ratios, which convey the length and height of a projection, typically stay constant not only in films but between different movies as well. However, in “The French Dispatch,” Anderson used primarily a smaller aspect ratio while occasionally employing the larger, standard ratio to accentuate particular scenes. Perhaps more
uniquely, Anderson would also shoot scenes in a kind of mock freeze-frame style. The actors would stand still mid-movement — though you could still see them breathing and moving slightly, which was without a doubt intentional — while the camera would pan out to an angle showing multiple people in the midst of a busy situation. This perspective made the frame then seem like a work of art, with the actors imposed in a vibrant environment. “The French Dispatch” is playfully morbid and toys with themes of love in dark places and imperfect perfection, as the carefully curated aspects of Anderson’s stylistic decisions contrast with the mistakes and downfalls of characters. Overall, I found the film to be unpredictable in a way that wasn’t sloppy or annoying, but exciting and original. I’d recommend this film to any Anderson fans hoping to see another clean, smart, and creative film — “The French Dispatch” doesn’t disappoint.
The Best of Halloweekend By Julia Cox ’23 Webmaster
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t’s the most wonderful time of the year — Halloween — and this Halloweekend did not fail to disappoint. There were countless creative outfits donned by Scrippsies and other Claremont College students in addition to trendy looks stemming from TikTok and other social media platforms that were frequently seen as well. Adapting a character from a classic movie is a surefire way to find success on Halloween. One particularly popular costume this year was Megan Fox’s character Jennifer Check from “Jennifer’s Body,” either as a cheerleader or with her pink heart jacket. While I hopped on this trend in the cropped jacket and heart earrings, I wondered how this film had suddenly resurged. I had never heard of it before watching TikToks of cute Halloween costumes featuring this look. It was fun to dress up in an outfit I wasn’t previously familiar with and see other Jennifers out there, but I also appreciated the other nods I saw to equally classic movies. In addition to this creative costume, many groups dressed up as fairies. With fairy wings selling out at many stores in the area and online, I wondered where this costume had originated. Google Trends fittingly placed “fairy” as the third most popular costume of 2021, behind Cruella De Vil and a rabbit. Additionally, I had seen this costume all over Tik Tok, though it’s a look that’s always been fairly well-used. The
Scooby Doo gang was another well-appreciated costume. With the happy memories that show holds for many of us and the easy recognizability of the costumes, this group set was another trendy look. One costume I thought to be particularly unique was Lucia Stein ’23’s nod to Vivian Ward of “Pretty Woman.” With a blue skirt, thighhigh boots, and white cut out top, Stein embodied both the look and spirit of Ward. “Vivian’s character is sexy but also a badass and doesn’t take shit from anybody, which I love,” Stein said about her choice of costume. Creative Halloween costumes also often came in the form of takes on classics. Stephen Fatuzzo PO ’23 had one such costume, appearing as a Vans-pire during Halloweekend. Dressed in complete Vans attire, with sneakers, shorts, and a t-shirt, and vampire fangs, fake blood, and a dramatic cape, Fatuzzo’s play on words made for a clever costume. Other students managed to come up with equally unique costumes. Sofia Markiewicz ’23 took it upon herself to create a winged cape from fabric she bought to transform into a moth for the weekend. With white details on the back of the cape, Markiewicz paired her creation with “MILF” earrings, with the “M” of course standing for “moth.” In addition to these creative solo costumes, groups and pairs have been original in brainstorming unique costumes. Lily Dunkin ’24 and three of her friends dressed up as Trader “Hoes” last weekend,
where they wore cropped tropical shirts and cargo shorts. “The Trader Hoes was from a joke within the group about really just loving Trader Joe’s… and thus the pun was born!” said Dunkin. “This costume was especially fun as we could still participate in the age-old tradition of looking smoking hot on Halloween, while staying clever and culturally relevant.” Along with group costumes, duo costumes are another opportunity for creativity. Friends Dunkin and Avalon Brice ’24 went as Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg,
respectively. I personally had not seen this outfit before and enjoyed seeing their unique take on the iconic pairing. “Snoop and Martha is a classic duo... we were inspired by their friendship and hilarity,” said Dunkin. “The main inspiration was our budget, wherein frugality was of the utmost importance.” I t h i n k i t ’s s a fe to s ay Halloweekend was a win this year, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who thoroughly enjoyed seeing everyone’s costumes. Until next year!
Photo Courtesy of Lily Dunkin ‘24 and Avalon Brice ‘24
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Opinion • 8
My COVID Gap Year Ended My Depression (Sorta) By Ellen Wang ‘25 Staff Writer
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aking a gap year between high school and college was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I graduated from high school in May 2020, without most of the usual end-of-high-school festivities, without a live graduation, and without closure. The COVID-19 pandemic had lasted much longer than anticipated, and the road ahead felt bleak and uncertain. I was only committed to Scripps on paper, still shuffling between other options and new offers. As the summer wore on, I explored my academic interests by attending the new breadth of free events available through a variety of digital platforms that enabled interaction in myriad creative ways. When the Claremont Colleges finally made their respective decisions to be fully online and close campuses for the fall semester, the idea of taking a gap year had been brewing for a couple of weeks. My mother had actually urged me to take one before my senior year after the catastrophic downward spiral slash burnout slash mental illness dumpster fire that was my junior year of high school. I was not familiar with that option and felt strongly against leaving my graduating class for the year below me, breaking the orderly rhythm of public K-12 education I grew up in.
The value of my gap was...the self healing and the enrichment of my relationships. I ultimately made the decision to take time off for a few standout reasons: one, I did not find online college financially or emotionally worthwhile; two, I had committed for the liberal arts college in-person learning experience; three, I knew that learning online was vastly ineffective for me, especially since I did not yet practice sustainable work habits; and four, I needed a fucking break. During my year off, I conducted an independent research project with a mentor and presented my research at several student conferences, volunteered with my local United Nations Association USA chapter and on the national level, worked on several election campaigns, took free online courses to reclaim the learning I missed from high school, completed an intensive teaching fellowship, established a regular exercise routine, journaled almost daily, spent more time with family, cooked more, and continued to nurture relationships that were meaningful to me. I got to hit pause on longdistance: my par tner attends college elsewhere, and a primary
perk of quarantine was being reunited together after some months not leaving the house, as he also completed the school year online. The relationships I maintained over quarantine were ones both members nourished with intent, a telling difference between ones developed in school simply from seeing each other daily.
There is no straying from the trail because the trail was a mirage to begin with. The value of my gap was not so much the activities I mention when people ask me what I did, but the self healing and the enrichment of my relationships. That is not to say COVID, the mass-scale hurt experienced across the globe, and other darker par ts of the year were not extremely painful for society as a whole and for myself. But I will not get into that unspeakable, incomprehensible pain here, though it contributed to some invaluable takeaways during my gap. Alongside the freeing parts, I grew increasingly aware of how much being in school contributed to my compromised state. After a lifetime of coping with mental illness and immersing myself in that world and community, I’ve acquired a breadth of knowledge regarding dealing with it. I’ve played therapist countless times (though your peers are not standins for professionals), yet at one point, there is only so much one can do to cope. Mental illness is a healthy symptom of an unhealthy — that’s white supremacist, capitalist — society. Though I have never experienced food insecurity, how can people just “get therapy” when they are starving, when the system itself actively works to exploit the labor and suffering of the masses? This realization felt like a level of enlightenment in my journey living with clinical depression, anxiety, and generational trauma. Conversely, nearing the start of my first year (Take 2: Ellen Revitalized), I was disillusioned about the American college experience and what I was doing at a private four-year school. I was anxious about transitioning back to school and into college. I didn’t think I would be hesitant to return, but after a year of healing and freedom, how could I not? When American higher education is inherently and irreparably a white colonial institution, what am I, especially as a woman of color and daughter of immigrants, doing subjecting myself and contributing my talents to it? It was especially rough in the first month, as I drowned in readings and struggled to connect with peers. I was worried all my progress during my gap year was going
Photo by Ellen Wang ‘25
down the drain, but it is natural to have an adjustment period before carrying over routines into a new environment. I kept thinking, I don’t want to keep living like this, feeling suffocated by the nonstop onslaught of assignments, surfacelevel social interactions, general college student bullshit that I felt I had outgrown ages ago, and the blatant disrespect of public health. However, after harrowing weeks (one of which I got the Claremont cold and was extra miserable) and several breakdowns (during the times I visited home and felt safe enough to let it out), I started to find more rhythm. Thoughts of dropping out and/or transferring occurred less often. I grew close with friends, enjoyed my class content, and found solace in making music with Claremont Concert Orchestra.
People grow in different ways at vastly different paces. I didn’t know anyone who had taken gap years from school. However, after my experience taking one, I firmly believe that gap years should be normalized and more commonplace. In fact, they already happen all the time without the label; people constantly take time off for mental and physical health reasons, to attend to family matters, to work, because it is no longer financially feasible, and so on. The popular notion of a “gap year” fails to address the
multitude of events that occur during different people’s gaps; even without resume “appropriate” events (though I believe taking time to rest is resume-worthy), these leaves are far from an empty gap.
Building communities is crucial to surviving and thriving. People grow in different ways at vastly different paces, and the popularized ideal life path is often far from realistic nor one-size-fitsall. There is no straying from the trail because the trail was a mirage to begin with, like the “American Dream” itself. I was overall so much happier, at peace, self-assured, and centered during my gap year in quarantine. Having the option to take a gap year like mine is an immense privilege, and I am eternally grateful for it. I still don’t have an answer for the constant conflict and contradiction of existing here at Scripps. I could go on about what the administrations can do to alleviate the cycles of oppression they perpetuate -- giving more deciding power to faculty, staff, and students is one substantial non-bandage solution. As Angela Davis spoke about at the Claremont Colleges recently, building communities is crucial to surviving and thriving. I’d love to be a resource for those curious about my experience, and I hope to continue community service and mutual care in this home away from home.
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Crossword • 9
Scripps Voice: Twilight Crossword
ACROSS 2 Bella’s friend, played by Anna Kendrick 3 Vampires do this in the sunlight, according to Twilight’s author 5 The Psychic Cullen 8 Bella moved from here to go to Forks 9 “YOU NICKNAMED MY DAUGHTER AFTER THE LOCHNESS MONSTER?!?” What is the nickname? 10 The color of the eyes of newborn vampires 11 Leader of the pack 14 Last name of the author of the book series 21 The governing body of vampires, Carlisle was once one 22 The Cullens drink the
blood of an ____ instead of a human 23 Resume, Rutabaga, a baby of many names 24 Where are the Volturi based in Europe? 25 What did Edward die from in his human life? 26 Moves to Forks, WA, falls in love with the elusive vamp 32 ____ Black 33 Youngest Volturi member, played by Dakota Fanning 34 He raised the newborn army for Victoria in Eclipse 35 “Hang on tight, ____” 36 Where did Edward and Bella spend their honeymoon? 37 The state that Bella’s mom moves to after Bella leaves for Forks
DOWN 1 Head of the Cullen family 2 Confederate soldier turned vamp 4 Taylor ___, actor of Jacob Black 6 Fought a bear, the bear won and he became a vampire 7 Pop: 3,120, where Bella is moving 12 Head of the Volturi 13 The Vampire’s sworn enemy 15 The third book/film in the series 16 Vampire love interest 17 This iconic scene has the Cullens and Bella playing this sport during a thunderstorm 18 Bella’s dad 19 A large water bird and the last name of our protagonist
20 Last book in the series 21 Blood-suckers 27 “Bella, where the hell have you been ___?” 28 The color of the Cullens’ eyes 29 The first place Bella spots the Cullens at Forks High 30 Edward is perpetually this age physically, when really he’s 109 31 What beach did the characters frequent?
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Answers on pg. 11
Arts and Entertainment• 10
5C Climbing Team Deals With Overwhelming Interest, Funding Concerns By AJ Jolish ’25 Staff Writer
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ock climbing has been all the rage at the 5Cs, and the Climbing Team is pushing past stumbling blocks as competition season approaches. Starting the week of Nov. 7, the climbing team’s format is changing. In October, anyone who came to the initial informational meeting (which hosted over 100 people) could sign up for one practice per week — if they could catch a slot in time. Sign-up spreadsheets for four practices of 1015 people each were emailed at 7 p.m. every Sunday, and slots often filled up by 7:15 p.m. “We’ve had a month-long trial period where we’ve kept track of how many practices people attended, whether they participated in the workouts, whether they went to team lift, etc., and we use those factors to assign people to the roster,” said Team Co-Leader Ihlara Gray HMC ’22. In the future, only the 34 people on the roster will be able to sign up for team practices, and the 34 people on the accompanying waitlist will be offered a roster spot in the case of an opening. “If the team continues to grow, maybe in the future we could have multiple sub-teams and more practices, but that’s not feasible right now,” said Gray. Because the 5Cs have no oncampus climbing facilities, the team
Photo Courtesy of Claremont Climbing Team
holds practices at Hangar 18 Rancho Cucamonga and occasionally Hangar 18 Upland. Organizing carpools to practice has had a bit of a rocky start, because occasionally someone signed up to drive canceled at the last minute. Practices are also constrained by space; neither gym is very large, and they can be crowded with non-5C climbers. Cost is another factor that limits some students’ participation. “As a 5C club, we get funding from all the schools, partially based on how many students from each school we have on the team and how much money we used last year,” said Gray. “Ideally we want to have enough funds to
cover everyone’s comp fees and travel costs, reimburse drivers for gas, reimburse gym memberships for people who can’t afford them otherwise, and have something left over for team gear and other fun activities.” In an email from Oct. 26, Scripps announced that they will be implementing a new payment system for clubs. “Through a company called PEX, SAS will be able to allocate and fund individual debit cards so that leaders no longer have to pay out of pocket,” the email read. This system, which will not be implemented this year, would answer the worries about funding mostly coming through
reimbursements — requiring people to initially pay out of pocket. Kate Katen ’25 stopped attending practices for this reason. “I would love to be part of the climbing team; I wish I could afford it,” she said. “I thought that all of the club members were very nice, however I ended up paying money which I wasn’t expecting to do.” Though club leaders said that anyone who needed immediate financial help could talk to them personally, Katen was hesitant. “I don’t feel comfortable asking one of the club leaders for money for a pass, because I have enough money in my bank account,” she said. “But it’s not money I feel okay spending on club activities, especially when I spend so much money to go to a Claremont College.” At Hangar 18, a day pass is $22, a monthly membership with a student discount is $44, a semester pass is $160, and a 10 punch pass is $180, plus a $3 fee for climbing shoe rental. Students who are interested in joining the Climbing Team are encouraged to climb independently, and the team will be opening up to new members again in the spring. Hangar 18 Upland is about a ten minute drive from the Claremont colleges, and Hangar 18 Rancho Cucamonga is an additional 10 minutes away.
Words Pink
Lady
By Madison Yardumian ‘21 Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Madison Yardumian ‘21
Crystal clear crunch muffled shredding dotted skin
trips over roots with plodding, uncertain toes
I trace indentation with my tongue carving a memorial to my teeth
Singing orchard we chime in the whistle of laughter curls to wind grazing the scar on my upper thigh I thought would never heal (I did)
The bite rings the music of the moment drums into memory: of upturned lips rosy cheeks little body eclipsed by trees
Glossy reds dot the trees to fortify white bellies But what of rotten corpses orange twinged murk?
Loss and love are married in memory like your tired lips our shared smile and how you gripped the shards of our breaking and made a fractured whole Quieted by the center the (apple) of my eye I clutch the empty in my palm and wonder if you’re proud of who I’ve become
By Aviva Maxon ‘24 Staff Writer
While scrolling you see a word search, You always wanted to do one, But the letters moved and never seemed to make words. You were reading the art for school, The words not comprehensible as English, But maybe they were? You can’t tell the difference between small cursive and Spanish writing, But you can’t admit that You can’t admit you have a disability. You can’t admit that your ability is hindered By your mind. You see, you see, you see, The letters, the words, And yet, They don’t seem to say anything.
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Entertainment • 11
Scripps 4C Party Brings Controversy By Ellen Hu ’24 Copy Editor n Nov. 6, Scripps College held its first school-sponsored party since the beginning of the pandemic. Students arrived in beautiful dresses and formalwear to walk the red carpet and dance the night away. Yet, there was a catch. Limited event capacity kept some students who wanted to join from attending the event. “I was expecting for there to be an email,” said Archa Dileep ’24. “I saw there was the scanner thing after, and I was going to try to get tickets on the day that it sold out.” The event, planned by a committee consisting of Scripps Associated Students members and the Office of Student Engagement, occurred on Nov. 6 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. In addition to a dance floor and red-carpet photos, photobooth options, as well as food and drink, were provided. SAS 5C Events Chair Hannah Tiedemann ’21 started planning the event at the beginning of the semester, although more detailed logistics were put in place one month before the event. SAS considered feedback from students provided on Oct. 5 to decide the final party theme: the gala. Students were encouraged to dress formally for the event. The impacts of COVID-19 on different high school experiences impacted how the theme was chosen. Many students from the classes of 2024 and 2025 lacked a prom due to COVID-19 shut-downs while students from the classes of 2021 and 2022 did have the traditionally formal dance. As a result, some controversy arose once different students were consulted. “We wanted to do something where it
O
was giving the first-years and sophomores the proms that they didn’t really ever get in high school while also appeasing the seniors and juniors who didn’t really want to feel like they were back in high school again,” Tiedemann said. In an email sent out on Nov. 2, SAS clarified that formal and semi-formal wear was encouraged but not necessary. “No one will be turned away for attire and we apologize for the line in the original flyer that made anyone feel otherwise,” they wrote. “We just heard a lot of feedback either off of YikYak or through student voices,” SAS Vice President of Student Activities Kaitlyn Chen ’24 said regarding the reason for sending out the clarification email. “Since there were so many unanswered questions and SAS is here to bridge the gap and be transparent for students, we thought it was a no-brainer to send out an email answering those questions.” In the past, each member of the Claremont Colleges hosted a schoolsponsored party each semester. Harvey Mudd College decided not to participate in these events during the Fall 2021 semester due to COVID-19 concerns. As a result, only students from Scripps, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer were able to register for tickets. 200 tickets were given to Scripps students, and 100 tickets were reserved for students from each of the other colleges. In total, 500 tickets were allotted. While the spots filled up by Nov. 2, students could sign up for the waitlist and would be notified if there was an extra ticket. On the day of the event, students were required to show a wristband and student ID from their institution to enter the area set aside for the party.
“Scripps administration originally gave SAS an event capacity limit of 400 students at the Gala due to their COVID and safety concerns,” SAS wrote in their Nov. 2 email. “We were really disappointed in this and pushed very hard to try to increase the capacity number but were only able to increase it to 500 people after a month of negotiation. “We were told that this was partially because if three or more COVID cases are traced back to an event the county gets involved which potentially jeopardizes the school’s ability to hold future events.” As SAS members navigated conversations surrounding the limited capacity, the discussion did not end when the event started. “We did end up coming up with a system at the party for the people who were on the waitlist to circulate in and out of the party,” Tiedemann said. “We did our best … and it was a lot of people putting their heads together to try to come up with a way to make sure risk management was happy and students were happy as well.” For students who did not try to get in on the day of the event, these last minute changes were confusing in retrospect. “I understand the LA county stuff, but at the same time I know people got in without having a ticket,” Dileep said. “We do recognize that there were certain miscommunications, misunderstandings, and flaws in the way certain things were done,” Tiedemann said. “I’m hoping this week too when I hold feedback sessions that I can hear more about that.” Students who would like to provide feedback about the event can attend Tiedemann’s feedback session that will occur in the next few weeks. More information will be sent out through email.
Honnold vs. Mudd: A Battle for the Best Study Spot By Scotland Carter ’24 Staff Writer
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ou can expect to find your average Claremont student cramming for exams, bustling papers, or quickly writing reading responses on any given Sunday. Honnold/Mudd is the hub of academic socializing, and, for many students, it gives the ambiance they need to foster academic success. As most of us know, the Honnold/Mudd Library has two sides, The Honnold & The Mudd. Most Claremont students would say the Honnold side is more popular than Mudd’s. In an Instagram survey — I conducted via the pool tool on my Instagram story — of 38 students, 60% stated that they preferred the Honnold side over the Mudd. As you walk onto the second floor, you see the collaborative commons, brightly-colored chair-like benches, and two sides TV monitors. The second floor of the Honnold side is more of a hang-out and study spot, almost like a cafe near a college campus without eating or drinking. Between the Honnold and the Mudd sides is the bridge that con-
nects them. There are no solid walls on the bridge, but rather windows through which students can look at the scenery outside of the library. It’s a refreshing view for when you need a break from staring at your computer screen. The second and fourth floors have standing desks that allow students to get their steps in while doing homework. The Mudd side, however, doesn’t have any of this. Which leaves me to wonder — why would anyone want to study in a space composed of pale walls and windowless study spaces? Truthfully, Mudd does have some good features to offer. The second floor, for example, has the Collaborative Commons, which are study rooms that Claremont students can typically access without a reservation. Most students like this space because it fosters collaborative learning; “Mudd has better collaborative spaces, while Honnold is a better study space when you want to buckle down and study by yourself,” Hannah Lebow ’23 said. Lebow believes this is a fundamental part of the 5C experience since most of our assign-
ments are not collaborative enough to solely rely upon group-centered study spaces. The Mudd side also has a series of tables on the third floor that seat up to four people, beside windows that let in the natural light. The third floor of the Mudd side strongly resembles Honnold, in my opinion, so much so that my suitemate and I had a very in-depth conversation about whether or not this part of the library belonged to Honnold or Mudd. Although we agreed that this side remained Mudd’s, that still left us to question why most of the Mudd side is so bland, with dull colors and wooden desks in solitude from each other.w Nonetheless, the Honnold/Mudd library is still a popular study space for Claremont students. Between the study rooms, you can reserve the Collaborative Commons and the little pockets of desks hidden within corners and geometrically aligned walls. Honnold/Mudd gives students the option to mix up their study setting without escaping the relatively calm environment that fosters effective studying.
Crossword Answers Down 1 Carlisle 2. Jasper 4. Lautner 6. Emmett 7. Forks 12. Aro 13. Werewolf 15. Eclipse 16. Edward 17. Baseball 18. Charlie 19. Swan 20. Breaking Dawn 21. Vampire 27. Loca 28. Amber 29. Cafeteria 30. Seventeen 31. La Push Across 2. Jessica 3. Sparkle 5. Alice 8. Phoenix 9. Nessie 10. Red 11. Sam 14. Meyer 21. Volturi 22. Animal 23. Renesemee 24. Italy 25. Influenza 26. Bella 32. Jacob 33. Jane 34. Riley 35. Spidermonkey 36. Isle Esme 37. Florida
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Arts and Entertainment • 12
In Post-Quarantine College Experience, Niche Memes Rebuild Community Alyssa Leong ‘23 Design Editor
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n digital communities such as Yik Yak, niche memes, and affirmation accounts, 5C meme culture has seen a renewed presence. With the return to campus, such meme hubs are a place to voice common (and uncommon) concerns between Scripps students and 5C students. Yik Yak has become especially prevalent this semester. The app, which has been recently rebooted due to bullying concerns, allows users within a certain radius to post thoughts anonymously (think Twitter, but without any sort of identity save for a singular emoji attached). Its anonymity allows students to voice specific opinions, niche jokes and even booty calls. One student was inspired to create an Instagram account for Claremont specific Yik Yaks. @5cyaks is run by the anonymous GossipYak, who was inspired to start her account by the plethora of funny Yaks she would send to friends and wanting a larger audience to experience them. As an avid Yik Yakker, GossipYak highlights anonymity as the key to the intimacy the app creates. “It’s cool to be able to express feelings that might be seen as vulgar or stupid or whatever,” she said via email. “I know I am the same as a lot of other people in enjoying the validation of upvotes.” But like every social media, GossipYak has found negatives in her Yik Yak experience. “Anonymity means people can be extra honest and/or extra harsh, which I think we as a society aren’t necessarily conditioned to handle,” she said. “You never know what you’re going to see, too, so things can be triggering or play on insecurities.” Despite these downsides, she emphasized the way Yik Yak has built community. “I think people have also found ... people who are going through similar issues in terms of school struggles, mental health, relationship issues etc,” GossipYak said. “It’s also been solid for finding social events!” Niche meme accounts have also been gaining traction this semester. @tipsyscrippsie on Instagram, whose name reads “gaslight gatekeep squirrelboss,” is one such account. Their handle is a riff on the Tiernan Field House account’s “Party Like a Scrippsie” campaign. TipsyScrippsie’s posts are a mix of affirmations: manifestation statements, such as “Yik Yak will be available on Samsung phones”, birthday posts and jokes about their friends and Scripps-specific jokes (“Attend Scripps College!” one post reads, “Where our water is as fruity as our students.”) Written in quirky fonts, these are accompanied with intentionally over-edited photos and stickers. TipsyScrippsie got their start by sending memes to a group chat, and realized their memes’ specificity could apply to a larger audience. “When I get these jokes that are
Graphic by Vivian Monteiro ‘23
only relevant to this small niche, I don’t have to text every individual friend,” TipsyScrippsie said. “It’s like I can have a newsletter, but whoever wants could subscribe.” For TipsyScrippsie, anecdotal humor has been a way to connect with others. “I remember that I always tried to collect one to two funny stories or ideas a day that I could share with people I knew as a way of interacting,” they said.“Now I’m able to look at things on campus as: How can I take a picture of this? How can I communicate this?’” TipsyScrippsie cites affirmation accounts such as @scrippsaffirmations and @5caffirmations as their inspiration — both stylistically but also competitively. While they find affirmation accounts funny, they also think they try to relate to too broad an audience. “A lot of our ability to interact with each other comes through learning, not just how to react to general things that apply to all of us, but to very specific things,” TipsyScrippsie said. They cite the Toll Hall ants as an example. “You might not have ants in your dorms, you might not even go to Scripps or know what a Toll Hall is,” they said, “but you might think it’s very, very funny when someone posts about ants in Toll Hall, and learn to laugh at that.” Much like Yik Yak, TipsyScrippsie affirms how memes can also keep students in the know. “[Memes] have to have a more down to earth tone to pull students in,” TipsyScrippsie said. “That way they garner attention so they can capture a more honest reaction to current events, like the ants in Toll Hall.” In a post-pandemic world, memes have also helped students re-integrate into society, both by staying in the know and making them more attentive to social cues. “Humor is sort of like a language in a way… but different senses of humor can sometimes speak different languages,” TipsyScrippsie said. “Being able to have direct access to the
humor... is a great way for me to learn: how do I break into this social sphere? What do people consider appropriate?” GossipYak affirmed the bonding experience of the 5C meme community as well. “Some of the different accounts are really useful, like 5C study spots and 5C nightlife, and the affirmations accounts are awesome,” she said. “[Memes are] a good way to sort of dip your toes in the water of that social sphere,” TipsyScrippsie added. “Without having to go out and interact with people, it’s a good way to be able to get your ideas to people who wouldn’t talk to you,” they said, citing people they didn’t know reposting their posts as an example. As meme account owners, both discussed how it can be tiring to run a meme page in fresh ways and the competitiveness of online humor. “A lot of the socialization comes from this environment where people have very visible platforms,” said TipsyScrippsie. “And this is your only metric of who they are, of their popularity from how much they’re posting. You need to post consistently, you need to be on their feet. And you need to have that way of capturing their attention.” “I feel a little bit of pressure (entirely from myself) to [post],” GossipYak said. “In a similar vein, I feel somewhat like I need to at least semi-constantly be monitoring YikYak so I don’t miss any particularly funny or relevant posts, and that can be very draining and/or time consuming.” “[Memes] can be a way to connect with people, it can also inspire a sense of superficiality,” TipsyScrippsie said. “The attention you can garner with that page to reach is sometimes contingent on how much you post. It can sometimes force people to try and generate content when there is no actual inspiration.” Both purposefully stay anonymous to separate their online and real life personas. TipsyScrippsie, in particular, says that their account isn’t their “personal meme page.”
GossipYak had a particularly memorable experience where someone asked who ran the account. “I answered ‘Dan Humphrey,’” she said, citing Gossip Girl. “I was told I was being ‘outta pocket’ but I thought it was funny.” However, this separation of real and online selves can make viewers forget the faces behind the account. “You sometimes don’t know who’s running these pages or what actual authority they have,” TipsyScrippsie said, “which is again why I try and separate myself as much and make my page all the about the memes.” “I definitely feel a bit of a responsibility to make sure I’m not posting anything overly negative about any of the schools,” GossipYak said. “I know I’ve taken some things I’ve seen on Yik Yak a bit personally, so I want to be sure I’m treating all the 5Cs relatively fairly.” Despite these downsides, both meme account owners enjoy running their respective pages – especially on account of the power trips they get. “[I realized] I can really build a cult following [from memes], maybe I can get clout, get validation,” TipsyScrippsie said jokingly. “I like that people follow the account and look to see what has been posted,” said GossipYak. “It also means I feel like I have a ‘legitimate’ reason for just endlessly scrolling through Yik Yak. Very few of my friends know I run the account, too, so it’s kind of fun to have this tiny part of my life that is a secret.” But apart from the good and bad that comes with running a meme account, the best part of consuming memes is the bonding experience. “It’s nice knowing you’re not alone, and that other people are also suffering from the Claremont cold or fed up with mile long dining hall lines for mediocre food,” GossipYak said. “Being able to laugh about the struggles we go through together is a really great community building block, and while social media can definitely be toxic, I appreciate it allowing us to make these connections.”
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
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Scripps Students Reflect on Their Fall Celebrations By Lauren Marler ’24 Staff Writer
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all has arrived at Scripps College. Clad in warm layers and Doc Martens, students walk to class through the chilly air, although chilly in Claremont means just below seventy degrees. While studying for midterms, Scripps students snuggle up in turtlenecks and sip hot drinks at Malott. The days get shorter, as the sun sets by 5 p.m., and crisp, coppery leaves decorate the grass on Elm Tree Lawn. Fall is in the air. Molly Craig ’24, Ryce Herron ’24, and Catherine Protiva ’24 agree that fall is the time for coziness. Yet, for some, Claremont’s falls can’t compete with the colorful, chilly autumns in colder places. Craig shared that it does not feel like fall here in contrast to her hometown, Seattle. “The leaves change colors and it’s kind of raining a little bit,” Craig said. “It’s just starting to get gloomy... and you want to go sit in a coffee shop and sip some warm tea and do some work.” She’s patiently waiting for the fall feeling to start in Claremont. “It probably happens more around the holiday season,” she said.
Craig celebrates the change of seasons through her love of fall flavors and baking. Anything pumpkin sounds good to her: pumpkin cookies, pumpkin gnocchi, and more. She also drinks a lot of tea. “I can always tell when the seasons change because I drink like three cups of tea a day,” she said. Herron says that fall makes her think of her hometown, Kansas City, Missouri. “I’m from the midwest so falls there are really beautiful and the leaves are crispy,” she said. The main difference between fall in the midwest and Claremont is the weather, according to Herron.“Right now, as we’re speaking, it’s like 85 degrees,” she said. Fall brings Herron a sense of nostalgia for home and childhood. The season reminds her of “cute elementary school cozy vibes,” she said. Experiencing autumn in college is a different experience altogether; Herron shares that she misses having more free time to celebrate. While she was used to spending hours making decorations and returning to the same beloved pumpkin patch every year, she is now finding new ways to celebrate, such as going to the Village Venture fall festival, and the Halloween event at Denison library. “I’m just
Photo by Maddy Yardumian ‘21
“For many students, Halloween is a highlight of their fall season.”
“I can always tell when the seasons change b e cause I drink like t h r e e c u p s o f t e a a d a y,”
Photo by Maddy Yardumian ‘21
making new traditions here,” she said. Herron’s celebrations include arts and crafts, which also serve as room decor. She explained that she made paper cutouts of bats, pumpkins, and ghosts to decorate her room, as well as putting candy and pumpkins out. “We put them in front of our door like it’s our house,” she said. Herron is also a leader of the Hygge Club. Hygge is the Danish word for coziness and comfort; the club is dedicated to promoting those feelings. To embrace these cozy fall feelings, the Hygge Club holds several events. The Hygge Club’s celebrations of fall include, holding a cookie decorating and Halloween movie night. “We also went to the farmers market and will be having a Thanksgiving craft night,” she said. Like Herron, Protiva has adapted traditions from home since coming to college. “I always get at least one pumpkin spice latte because I’m a little basic,” she said. “I always make a pumpkin pie at some point in fall. I also always try to notice the first time I have to wear an actual jacket outside.” Protiva is also reminded of home when thinking of fall. “We had this tree in our backyard in Northern California that would
turn really, really amazing colors,” she said. “So I miss that.” For many students, Halloween is a highlight of their fall season. “I love Halloween, it’s one of my favorite holidays because I love costumes,” Protiva said. “This year I dressed up as Sandy from ‘Grease,’ which I decided to do because I already had most of the pieces so I didn’t have very much to prepare.” Halloween is also Herron’s favorite holiday. She enjoyed making a fun and crafty costume this year. “Some friends and I went as ‘Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss!’,” she said. “I was Gaslight. I did a lot of crafting on the costumes and drew on designs with a sharpie and used paper cutouts. All we had to buy was a pack of big white t-shirts.” Although Craig usually finds putting a costume together to be a lot of work, this year she managed to pull together three. It was also her first time being part of group costumes, as Fawn from Pixie Hollow and Daphne from Scooby Doo. Whether you’re feeling nostalgic for autumn at home, enjoying the slightly cooling weather in Claremont, or celebrating the season through Halloween costumes, hot tea, and baking, rest assured that plenty of Scripps students are eager to join your fall festivities.
12 November 2021 • The Scripps
LIGHT
7
How to Layer for Weird-Ass SoCal Weather By Maddie Moore ’22
Fashion Columnist t was a Sunday, and I was sitting in my best friend’s car — wearing only a bra. You might be asking yourself, how on earth did you get there Maddie? Unfortunately, it was not for any particularly exciting reason. The cold hard truth is that I am a sweaty, sweaty girl who, despite living here for eight full years, doesn’t know how to dress for Southern California weather. Clara (the aforementioned best friend) and I had driven to Silverlake to exchange her shoes and attend a flea market. Being a fashionista, it was imperative that I curate the perfect outfit for the excursion. Claremont was 50 degrees and cloudy when we left, so of course I dressed for 50 degree weather. Adorned in a pink top layered over a white turtleneck, heart-embellished jeans, and my pink cowgirl books, I thought I looked hot — little did I know this outfit would soon make me a little too hot. Before I knew it, the once-cloudy sky had given way to an 80 degree day, and Clara noted that I was sweating. At that point, the turtleneck had to go. The turtleneck — that was truly my downfall, and the whole reason I was sitting in my best friend’s car wearing only a bra. You see, there is no way to easily take off a turtleneck — and there is definitely
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s Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
“I always have a jacket in my backpack… something light to put on when the classroom gets cold or at night when it gets really cold.” nothing fun or flirty about removing a turtleneck in a car. But that’s what I got for being a layering novice. Needless to say, I needed help. Bad. So I decided to meet with a series of experts on SoCal layering to soak in their wisdom. First was none other than the Tsion Mamo ’23. An absolute delight of a human who managed to always look stunning during Zoom class, Mamo showed up to our interview sporting a pink-and-orange billowy top paired with some paper bag style jeans. In terms of her style, Mamo fills her closet with a mix of basic and accent pieces. “I tend to go for more neutral tones...because they work together better,” said Mamo. In terms of her personal suggestions for layering, Mamo’s key piece of advice is to come prepared. “I always have a jacket in my backpack… something light to put on when the classroom gets cold or at night when it gets really cold,” she said. “You gotta be cautious of the weather overall
Photo by Maddie Moore ‘22
Photo by Maddie Moore ‘22
for the day. For example, I know it’s going to be cold later, so that’s why I’m wearing pants, but they’re baggy pants, so I won’t get too hot now.” Mamo enjoys pieces such as her oversized army green jacket that is “so big that it fits everything,” and a light brown sweater fit for mild weather. When looking for items to layer with, she thinks I should search for larger pieces that can comfortably fit over any type of clothes. Next I met with Sarah Meadows ’22. Every time I spot Sarah from across a crowded Malott, I can’t help but be amazed by Sarah’s outfit. Today Sarah was wearing mostly black and silver; black boots, black pants, a fabulous black belt with glittery silver flame accents, a black long sleeve adorned with stars layered underneath a black sweater tank, and a floral tichel. When I asked Sarah to describe Sarah’s style, Sarah simply said: “Goth. Milf. Modest.” When it comes to layering, Sarah is a pro, because Sarah follows a principle called tsinut. “The principles of tsinut…deal with covering yourself
“When you give yourself a consistent color theme — a wardrobe that is intentional — you have the ability to wear it multiple ways.”
and also what that means,” Sarah said. Sarah’s biggest tip is to think intentionally about materials in layers — today Sarah was wearing a top out of a sweater-y material, but on a warm day Sarah might wear a t-shirt with a cotton button down over the top. I am amazed at Sarah’s ability to be ready for any weather — Sarah has a plethora of jackets stored in Sarah’s car at all times, and carries around gloves for colder night classes. “My general strategy for clothes is that all of my clothes have a consistent color theme,” said Sarah. “When you give yourself a consistent color theme — a wardrobe that is intentional — you have the ability to wear it multiple ways.” Sarah’s favorite layering piece that Sarah owns is a black jean jacket with a crocheted depiction of Sarah’s cat on the back, made by Annie Jones ’22. “Every time I wear it, it makes me really happy because it feels like [my cat] and is comfy, and hypes me up when I put it on,” said Sarah. In general, Sarah suggests having jackets that can go on over whatever. Thanks to the wise words from our layering masters, I was prepared to never have to sit in a car on the side of the road wearing just my bra ever again. Well, at least not because I was too sweaty. XOXO, That One Pink Girl
Opinion • 8
My COVID Gap Year Ended My Depression (Sorta) By Ellen Wang ‘25 Staff Writer
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aking a gap year between high school and college was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I graduated from high school in May 2020, without most of the usual end-of-high-school festivities, without a live graduation, and without closure. The COVID-19 pandemic had lasted much longer than anticipated, and the road ahead felt bleak and uncertain. I was only committed to Scripps on paper, still shuffling between other options and new offers. As the summer wore on, I explored my academic interests by attending the new breadth of free events available through a variety of digital platforms that enabled interaction in myriad creative ways. When the Claremont Colleges finally made their respective decisions to be fully online and close campuses for the fall semester, the idea of taking a gap year had been brewing for a couple of weeks. My mother had actually urged me to take one before my senior year after the catastrophic downward spiral slash burnout slash mental illness dumpster fire that was my junior year of high school. I was not familiar with that option and felt strongly against leaving my graduating class for the year below me, breaking the orderly rhythm of public K-12 education I grew up in.
The value of my gap was...the self healing and the enrichment of my relationships. I ultimately made the decision to take time off for a few standout reasons: one, I did not find online college financially or emotionally worthwhile; two, I had committed for the liberal arts college in-person learning experience; three, I knew that learning online was vastly ineffective for me, especially since I did not yet practice sustainable work habits; and four, I needed a fucking break. During my year off, I conducted an independent research project with a mentor and presented my research at several student conferences, volunteered with my local United Nations Association USA chapter and on the national level, worked on several election campaigns, took free online courses to reclaim the learning I missed from high school, completed an intensive teaching fellowship, established a regular exercise routine, journaled almost daily, spent more time with family, cooked more, and continued to nurture relationships that were meaningful to me. I got to hit pause on longdistance: my par tner attends college elsewhere, and a primary
perk of quarantine was being reunited together after some months not leaving the house, as he also completed the school year online. The relationships I maintained over quarantine were ones both members nourished with intent, a telling difference between ones developed in school simply from seeing each other daily.
There is no straying from the trail because the trail was a mirage to begin with. The value of my gap was not so much the activities I mention when people ask me what I did, but the self healing and the enrichment of my relationships. That is not to say COVID, the mass-scale hurt experienced across the globe, and other darker par ts of the year were not extremely painful for society as a whole and for myself. But I will not get into that unspeakable, incomprehensible pain here, though it contributed to some invaluable takeaways during my gap. Alongside the freeing parts, I grew increasingly aware of how much being in school contributed to my compromised state. After a lifetime of coping with mental illness and immersing myself in that world and community, I’ve acquired a breadth of knowledge regarding dealing with it. I’ve played therapist countless times (though your peers are not standins for professionals), yet at one point, there is only so much one can do to cope. Mental illness is a healthy symptom of an unhealthy — that’s white supremacist, capitalist — society. Though I have never experienced food insecurity, how can people just “get therapy” when they are starving, when the system itself actively works to exploit the labor and suffering of the masses? This realization felt like a level of enlightenment in my journey living with clinical depression, anxiety, and generational trauma. Conversely, nearing the start of my first year (Take 2: Ellen Revitalized), I was disillusioned about the American college experience and what I was doing at a private four-year school. I was anxious about transitioning back to school and into college. I didn’t think I would be hesitant to return, but after a year of healing and freedom, how could I not? When American higher education is inherently and irreparably a white colonial institution, what am I, especially as a woman of color and daughter of immigrants, doing subjecting myself and contributing my talents to it? It was especially rough in the first month, as I drowned in readings and struggled to connect with peers. I was worried all my progress during my gap year was going
Photo by Ellen Wang ‘25
down the drain, but it is natural to have an adjustment period before carrying over routines into a new environment. I kept thinking, I don’t want to keep living like this, feeling suffocated by the nonstop onslaught of assignments, surfacelevel social interactions, general college student bullshit that I felt I had outgrown ages ago, and the blatant disrespect of public health. However, after harrowing weeks (one of which I got the Claremont cold and was extra miserable) and several breakdowns (during the times I visited home and felt safe enough to let it out), I started to find more rhythm. Thoughts of dropping out and/or transferring occurred less often. I grew close with friends, enjoyed my class content, and found solace in making music with Claremont Concert Orchestra.
People grow in different ways at vastly different paces. I didn’t know anyone who had taken gap years from school. However, after my experience taking one, I firmly believe that gap years should be normalized and more commonplace. In fact, they already happen all the time without the label; people constantly take time off for mental and physical health reasons, to attend to family matters, to work, because it is no longer financially feasible, and so on. The popular notion of a “gap year” fails to address the
multitude of events that occur during different people’s gaps; even without resume “appropriate” events (though I believe taking time to rest is resume-worthy), these leaves are far from an empty gap.
Building communities is crucial to surviving and thriving. People grow in different ways at vastly different paces, and the popularized ideal life path is often far from realistic nor one-size-fitsall. There is no straying from the trail because the trail was a mirage to begin with, like the “American Dream” itself. I was overall so much happier, at peace, self-assured, and centered during my gap year in quarantine. Having the option to take a gap year like mine is an immense privilege, and I am eternally grateful for it. I still don’t have an answer for the constant conflict and contradiction of existing here at Scripps. I could go on about what the administrations can do to alleviate the cycles of oppression they perpetuate -- giving more deciding power to faculty, staff, and students is one substantial non-bandage solution. As Angela Davis spoke about at the Claremont Colleges recently, building communities is crucial to surviving and thriving. I’d love to be a resource for those curious about my experience, and I hope to continue community service and mutual care in this home away from home.
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Crossword • 9
Scripps Voice: Twilight Crossword
ACROSS 2 Bella’s friend, played by Anna Kendrick 3 Vampires do this in the sunlight, according to Twilight’s author 5 The Psychic Cullen 8 Bella moved from here to go to Forks 9 “YOU NICKNAMED MY DAUGHTER AFTER THE LOCHNESS MONSTER?!?” What is the nickname? 10 The color of the eyes of newborn vampires 11 Leader of the pack 14 Last name of the author of the book series 21 The governing body of vampires, Carlisle was once one 22 The Cullens drink the
blood of an ____ instead of a human 23 Resume, Rutabaga, a baby of many names 24 Where are the Volturi based in Europe? 25 What did Edward die from in his human life? 26 Moves to Forks, WA, falls in love with the elusive vamp 32 ____ Black 33 Youngest Volturi member, played by Dakota Fanning 34 He raised the newborn army for Victoria in Eclipse 35 “Hang on tight, ____” 36 Where did Edward and Bella spend their honeymoon? 37 The state that Bella’s mom moves to after Bella leaves for Forks
DOWN 1 Head of the Cullen family 2 Confederate soldier turned vamp 4 Taylor ___, actor of Jacob Black 6 Fought a bear, the bear won and he became a vampire 7 Pop: 3,120, where Bella is moving 12 Head of the Volturi 13 The Vampire’s sworn enemy 15 The third book/film in the series 16 Vampire love interest 17 This iconic scene has the Cullens and Bella playing this sport during a thunderstorm 18 Bella’s dad 19 A large water bird and the last name of our protagonist
20 Last book in the series 21 Blood-suckers 27 “Bella, where the hell have you been ___?” 28 The color of the Cullens’ eyes 29 The first place Bella spots the Cullens at Forks High 30 Edward is perpetually this age physically, when really he’s 109 31 What beach did the characters frequent?
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Answers on pg. 11
Arts and Entertainment• 10
5C Climbing Team Deals With Overwhelming Interest, Funding Concerns By AJ Jolish ’25 Staff Writer
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ock climbing has been all the rage at the 5Cs, and the Climbing Team is pushing past stumbling blocks as competition season approaches. Starting the week of Nov. 7, the climbing team’s format is changing. In October, anyone who came to the initial informational meeting (which hosted over 100 people) could sign up for one practice per week — if they could catch a slot in time. Sign-up spreadsheets for four practices of 1015 people each were emailed at 7 p.m. every Sunday, and slots often filled up by 7:15 p.m. “We’ve had a month-long trial period where we’ve kept track of how many practices people attended, whether they participated in the workouts, whether they went to team lift, etc., and we use those factors to assign people to the roster,” said Team Co-Leader Ihlara Gray HMC ’22. In the future, only the 34 people on the roster will be able to sign up for team practices, and the 34 people on the accompanying waitlist will be offered a roster spot in the case of an opening. “If the team continues to grow, maybe in the future we could have multiple sub-teams and more practices, but that’s not feasible right now,” said Gray. Because the 5Cs have no oncampus climbing facilities, the team
Photo Courtesy of Claremont Climbing Team
holds practices at Hangar 18 Rancho Cucamonga and occasionally Hangar 18 Upland. Organizing carpools to practice has had a bit of a rocky start, because occasionally someone signed up to drive canceled at the last minute. Practices are also constrained by space; neither gym is very large, and they can be crowded with non-5C climbers. Cost is another factor that limits some students’ participation. “As a 5C club, we get funding from all the schools, partially based on how many students from each school we have on the team and how much money we used last year,” said Gray. “Ideally we want to have enough funds to
cover everyone’s comp fees and travel costs, reimburse drivers for gas, reimburse gym memberships for people who can’t afford them otherwise, and have something left over for team gear and other fun activities.” In an email from Oct. 26, Scripps announced that they will be implementing a new payment system for clubs. “Through a company called PEX, SAS will be able to allocate and fund individual debit cards so that leaders no longer have to pay out of pocket,” the email read. This system, which will not be implemented this year, would answer the worries about funding mostly coming through
reimbursements — requiring people to initially pay out of pocket. Kate Katen ’25 stopped attending practices for this reason. “I would love to be part of the climbing team; I wish I could afford it,” she said. “I thought that all of the club members were very nice, however I ended up paying money which I wasn’t expecting to do.” Though club leaders said that anyone who needed immediate financial help could talk to them personally, Katen was hesitant. “I don’t feel comfortable asking one of the club leaders for money for a pass, because I have enough money in my bank account,” she said. “But it’s not money I feel okay spending on club activities, especially when I spend so much money to go to a Claremont College.” At Hangar 18, a day pass is $22, a monthly membership with a student discount is $44, a semester pass is $160, and a 10 punch pass is $180, plus a $3 fee for climbing shoe rental. Students who are interested in joining the Climbing Team are encouraged to climb independently, and the team will be opening up to new members again in the spring. Hangar 18 Upland is about a ten minute drive from the Claremont colleges, and Hangar 18 Rancho Cucamonga is an additional 10 minutes away.
Words Pink
Lady
By Madison Yardumian ‘21 Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Madison Yardumian ‘21
Crystal clear crunch muffled shredding dotted skin
trips over roots with plodding, uncertain toes
I trace indentation with my tongue carving a memorial to my teeth
Singing orchard we chime in the whistle of laughter curls to wind grazing the scar on my upper thigh I thought would never heal (I did)
The bite rings the music of the moment drums into memory: of upturned lips rosy cheeks little body eclipsed by trees
Glossy reds dot the trees to fortify white bellies But what of rotten corpses orange twinged murk?
Loss and love are married in memory like your tired lips our shared smile and how you gripped the shards of our breaking and made a fractured whole Quieted by the center the (apple) of my eye I clutch the empty in my palm and wonder if you’re proud of who I’ve become
By Aviva Maxon ‘24 Staff Writer
While scrolling you see a word search, You always wanted to do one, But the letters moved and never seemed to make words. You were reading the art for school, The words not comprehensible as English, But maybe they were? You can’t tell the difference between small cursive and Spanish writing, But you can’t admit that You can’t admit you have a disability. You can’t admit that your ability is hindered By your mind. You see, you see, you see, The letters, the words, And yet, They don’t seem to say anything.
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Entertainment • 11
Scripps 4C Party Brings Controversy By Ellen Hu ’24 Copy Editor n Nov. 6, Scripps College held its first school-sponsored party since the beginning of the pandemic. Students arrived in beautiful dresses and formalwear to walk the red carpet and dance the night away. Yet, there was a catch. Limited event capacity kept some students who wanted to join from attending the event. “I was expecting for there to be an email,” said Archa Dileep ’24. “I saw there was the scanner thing after, and I was going to try to get tickets on the day that it sold out.” The event, planned by a committee consisting of Scripps Associated Students members and the Office of Student Engagement, occurred on Nov. 6 from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. In addition to a dance floor and red-carpet photos, photobooth options, as well as food and drink, were provided. SAS 5C Events Chair Hannah Tiedemann ’21 started planning the event at the beginning of the semester, although more detailed logistics were put in place one month before the event. SAS considered feedback from students provided on Oct. 5 to decide the final party theme: the gala. Students were encouraged to dress formally for the event. The impacts of COVID-19 on different high school experiences impacted how the theme was chosen. Many students from the classes of 2024 and 2025 lacked a prom due to COVID-19 shut-downs while students from the classes of 2021 and 2022 did have the traditionally formal dance. As a result, some controversy arose once different students were consulted. “We wanted to do something where it
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was giving the first-years and sophomores the proms that they didn’t really ever get in high school while also appeasing the seniors and juniors who didn’t really want to feel like they were back in high school again,” Tiedemann said. In an email sent out on Nov. 2, SAS clarified that formal and semi-formal wear was encouraged but not necessary. “No one will be turned away for attire and we apologize for the line in the original flyer that made anyone feel otherwise,” they wrote. “We just heard a lot of feedback either off of YikYak or through student voices,” SAS Vice President of Student Activities Kaitlyn Chen ’24 said regarding the reason for sending out the clarification email. “Since there were so many unanswered questions and SAS is here to bridge the gap and be transparent for students, we thought it was a no-brainer to send out an email answering those questions.” In the past, each member of the Claremont Colleges hosted a schoolsponsored party each semester. Harvey Mudd College decided not to participate in these events during the Fall 2021 semester due to COVID-19 concerns. As a result, only students from Scripps, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer were able to register for tickets. 200 tickets were given to Scripps students, and 100 tickets were reserved for students from each of the other colleges. In total, 500 tickets were allotted. While the spots filled up by Nov. 2, students could sign up for the waitlist and would be notified if there was an extra ticket. On the day of the event, students were required to show a wristband and student ID from their institution to enter the area set aside for the party.
“Scripps administration originally gave SAS an event capacity limit of 400 students at the Gala due to their COVID and safety concerns,” SAS wrote in their Nov. 2 email. “We were really disappointed in this and pushed very hard to try to increase the capacity number but were only able to increase it to 500 people after a month of negotiation. “We were told that this was partially because if three or more COVID cases are traced back to an event the county gets involved which potentially jeopardizes the school’s ability to hold future events.” As SAS members navigated conversations surrounding the limited capacity, the discussion did not end when the event started. “We did end up coming up with a system at the party for the people who were on the waitlist to circulate in and out of the party,” Tiedemann said. “We did our best … and it was a lot of people putting their heads together to try to come up with a way to make sure risk management was happy and students were happy as well.” For students who did not try to get in on the day of the event, these last minute changes were confusing in retrospect. “I understand the LA county stuff, but at the same time I know people got in without having a ticket,” Dileep said. “We do recognize that there were certain miscommunications, misunderstandings, and flaws in the way certain things were done,” Tiedemann said. “I’m hoping this week too when I hold feedback sessions that I can hear more about that.” Students who would like to provide feedback about the event can attend Tiedemann’s feedback session that will occur in the next few weeks. More information will be sent out through email.
Honnold vs. Mudd: A Battle for the Best Study Spot By Scotland Carter ’24 Staff Writer
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ou can expect to find your average Claremont student cramming for exams, bustling papers, or quickly writing reading responses on any given Sunday. Honnold/Mudd is the hub of academic socializing, and, for many students, it gives the ambiance they need to foster academic success. As most of us know, the Honnold/Mudd Library has two sides, The Honnold & The Mudd. Most Claremont students would say the Honnold side is more popular than Mudd’s. In an Instagram survey — I conducted via the pool tool on my Instagram story — of 38 students, 60% stated that they preferred the Honnold side over the Mudd. As you walk onto the second floor, you see the collaborative commons, brightly-colored chair-like benches, and two sides TV monitors. The second floor of the Honnold side is more of a hang-out and study spot, almost like a cafe near a college campus without eating or drinking. Between the Honnold and the Mudd sides is the bridge that con-
nects them. There are no solid walls on the bridge, but rather windows through which students can look at the scenery outside of the library. It’s a refreshing view for when you need a break from staring at your computer screen. The second and fourth floors have standing desks that allow students to get their steps in while doing homework. The Mudd side, however, doesn’t have any of this. Which leaves me to wonder — why would anyone want to study in a space composed of pale walls and windowless study spaces? Truthfully, Mudd does have some good features to offer. The second floor, for example, has the Collaborative Commons, which are study rooms that Claremont students can typically access without a reservation. Most students like this space because it fosters collaborative learning; “Mudd has better collaborative spaces, while Honnold is a better study space when you want to buckle down and study by yourself,” Hannah Lebow ’23 said. Lebow believes this is a fundamental part of the 5C experience since most of our assign-
ments are not collaborative enough to solely rely upon group-centered study spaces. The Mudd side also has a series of tables on the third floor that seat up to four people, beside windows that let in the natural light. The third floor of the Mudd side strongly resembles Honnold, in my opinion, so much so that my suitemate and I had a very in-depth conversation about whether or not this part of the library belonged to Honnold or Mudd. Although we agreed that this side remained Mudd’s, that still left us to question why most of the Mudd side is so bland, with dull colors and wooden desks in solitude from each other.w Nonetheless, the Honnold/Mudd library is still a popular study space for Claremont students. Between the study rooms, you can reserve the Collaborative Commons and the little pockets of desks hidden within corners and geometrically aligned walls. Honnold/Mudd gives students the option to mix up their study setting without escaping the relatively calm environment that fosters effective studying.
Crossword Answers Down 1 Carlisle 2. Jasper 4. Lautner 6. Emmett 7. Forks 12. Aro 13. Werewolf 15. Eclipse 16. Edward 17. Baseball 18. Charlie 19. Swan 20. Breaking Dawn 21. Vampire 27. Loca 28. Amber 29. Cafeteria 30. Seventeen 31. La Push Across 2. Jessica 3. Sparkle 5. Alice 8. Phoenix 9. Nessie 10. Red 11. Sam 14. Meyer 21. Volturi 22. Animal 23. Renesemee 24. Italy 25. Influenza 26. Bella 32. Jacob 33. Jane 34. Riley 35. Spidermonkey 36. Isle Esme 37. Florida
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two
Arts and Entertainment • 12
In Post-Quarantine College Experience, Niche Memes Rebuild Community Alyssa Leong ‘23 Design Editor
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n digital communities such as Yik Yak, niche memes, and affirmation accounts, 5C meme culture has seen a renewed presence. With the return to campus, such meme hubs are a place to voice common (and uncommon) concerns between Scripps students and 5C students. Yik Yak has become especially prevalent this semester. The app, which has been recently rebooted due to bullying concerns, allows users within a certain radius to post thoughts anonymously (think Twitter, but without any sort of identity save for a singular emoji attached). Its anonymity allows students to voice specific opinions, niche jokes and even booty calls. One student was inspired to create an Instagram account for Claremont specific Yik Yaks. @5cyaks is run by the anonymous GossipYak, who was inspired to start her account by the plethora of funny Yaks she would send to friends and wanting a larger audience to experience them. As an avid Yik Yakker, GossipYak highlights anonymity as the key to the intimacy the app creates. “It’s cool to be able to express feelings that might be seen as vulgar or stupid or whatever,” she said via email. “I know I am the same as a lot of other people in enjoying the validation of upvotes.” But like every social media, GossipYak has found negatives in her Yik Yak experience. “Anonymity means people can be extra honest and/or extra harsh, which I think we as a society aren’t necessarily conditioned to handle,” she said. “You never know what you’re going to see, too, so things can be triggering or play on insecurities.” Despite these downsides, she emphasized the way Yik Yak has built community. “I think people have also found ... people who are going through similar issues in terms of school struggles, mental health, relationship issues etc,” GossipYak said. “It’s also been solid for finding social events!” Niche meme accounts have also been gaining traction this semester. @tipsyscrippsie on Instagram, whose name reads “gaslight gatekeep squirrelboss,” is one such account. Their handle is a riff on the Tiernan Field House account’s “Party Like a Scrippsie” campaign. TipsyScrippsie’s posts are a mix of affirmations: manifestation statements, such as “Yik Yak will be available on Samsung phones”, birthday posts and jokes about their friends and Scripps-specific jokes (“Attend Scripps College!” one post reads, “Where our water is as fruity as our students.”) Written in quirky fonts, these are accompanied with intentionally over-edited photos and stickers. TipsyScrippsie got their start by sending memes to a group chat, and realized their memes’ specificity could apply to a larger audience. “When I get these jokes that are
Graphic by Vivian Monteiro ‘23
only relevant to this small niche, I don’t have to text every individual friend,” TipsyScrippsie said. “It’s like I can have a newsletter, but whoever wants could subscribe.” For TipsyScrippsie, anecdotal humor has been a way to connect with others. “I remember that I always tried to collect one to two funny stories or ideas a day that I could share with people I knew as a way of interacting,” they said.“Now I’m able to look at things on campus as: How can I take a picture of this? How can I communicate this?’” TipsyScrippsie cites affirmation accounts such as @scrippsaffirmations and @5caffirmations as their inspiration — both stylistically but also competitively. While they find affirmation accounts funny, they also think they try to relate to too broad an audience. “A lot of our ability to interact with each other comes through learning, not just how to react to general things that apply to all of us, but to very specific things,” TipsyScrippsie said. They cite the Toll Hall ants as an example. “You might not have ants in your dorms, you might not even go to Scripps or know what a Toll Hall is,” they said, “but you might think it’s very, very funny when someone posts about ants in Toll Hall, and learn to laugh at that.” Much like Yik Yak, TipsyScrippsie affirms how memes can also keep students in the know. “[Memes] have to have a more down to earth tone to pull students in,” TipsyScrippsie said. “That way they garner attention so they can capture a more honest reaction to current events, like the ants in Toll Hall.” In a post-pandemic world, memes have also helped students re-integrate into society, both by staying in the know and making them more attentive to social cues. “Humor is sort of like a language in a way… but different senses of humor can sometimes speak different languages,” TipsyScrippsie said. “Being able to have direct access to the
humor... is a great way for me to learn: how do I break into this social sphere? What do people consider appropriate?” GossipYak affirmed the bonding experience of the 5C meme community as well. “Some of the different accounts are really useful, like 5C study spots and 5C nightlife, and the affirmations accounts are awesome,” she said. “[Memes are] a good way to sort of dip your toes in the water of that social sphere,” TipsyScrippsie added. “Without having to go out and interact with people, it’s a good way to be able to get your ideas to people who wouldn’t talk to you,” they said, citing people they didn’t know reposting their posts as an example. As meme account owners, both discussed how it can be tiring to run a meme page in fresh ways and the competitiveness of online humor. “A lot of the socialization comes from this environment where people have very visible platforms,” said TipsyScrippsie. “And this is your only metric of who they are, of their popularity from how much they’re posting. You need to post consistently, you need to be on their feet. And you need to have that way of capturing their attention.” “I feel a little bit of pressure (entirely from myself) to [post],” GossipYak said. “In a similar vein, I feel somewhat like I need to at least semi-constantly be monitoring YikYak so I don’t miss any particularly funny or relevant posts, and that can be very draining and/or time consuming.” “[Memes] can be a way to connect with people, it can also inspire a sense of superficiality,” TipsyScrippsie said. “The attention you can garner with that page to reach is sometimes contingent on how much you post. It can sometimes force people to try and generate content when there is no actual inspiration.” Both purposefully stay anonymous to separate their online and real life personas. TipsyScrippsie, in particular, says that their account isn’t their “personal meme page.”
GossipYak had a particularly memorable experience where someone asked who ran the account. “I answered ‘Dan Humphrey,’” she said, citing Gossip Girl. “I was told I was being ‘outta pocket’ but I thought it was funny.” However, this separation of real and online selves can make viewers forget the faces behind the account. “You sometimes don’t know who’s running these pages or what actual authority they have,” TipsyScrippsie said, “which is again why I try and separate myself as much and make my page all the about the memes.” “I definitely feel a bit of a responsibility to make sure I’m not posting anything overly negative about any of the schools,” GossipYak said. “I know I’ve taken some things I’ve seen on Yik Yak a bit personally, so I want to be sure I’m treating all the 5Cs relatively fairly.” Despite these downsides, both meme account owners enjoy running their respective pages – especially on account of the power trips they get. “[I realized] I can really build a cult following [from memes], maybe I can get clout, get validation,” TipsyScrippsie said jokingly. “I like that people follow the account and look to see what has been posted,” said GossipYak. “It also means I feel like I have a ‘legitimate’ reason for just endlessly scrolling through Yik Yak. Very few of my friends know I run the account, too, so it’s kind of fun to have this tiny part of my life that is a secret.” But apart from the good and bad that comes with running a meme account, the best part of consuming memes is the bonding experience. “It’s nice knowing you’re not alone, and that other people are also suffering from the Claremont cold or fed up with mile long dining hall lines for mediocre food,” GossipYak said. “Being able to laugh about the struggles we go through together is a really great community building block, and while social media can definitely be toxic, I appreciate it allowing us to make these connections.”
12 November 2021 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXX • Issue Two