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Dua Lipa’s “Future Nostalgia” review Page 2
S E RV I N G T H E TA R R A N T C O U N T Y C O L L E G E D I S T R I C T
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 – Volume 32 • Issue 22 Entertainment
Entertainment
Viewpoint
Editorial
Feature
“LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE” The moms battle in the newest Hulu series. PG. 2
“TWENTY/20 PYREX VISION” Young Jeezy returns with a surprise release. PG. 2
FACT-CHECKING MATTERS Just a few research steps can help avoid “fake news.” PG. 3
PERMANENT PAID SICK LEAVE It’s time the U.S. guarantees paid sick leave. PG. 3
BINGE-WATCHING IDEAS Different shows to watch during quarantine. PG. 4
DISTRICT
TCC postpones May graduation JILL BOLD
editor-in-chief
Collegian file photo
Students who planned to walk the stage this May will have to wait until further notice from TCC due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19. The college will send the diplomas to graduates by mail.
TCC announced via social media and email on Friday that the May commencement ceremony will be postponed until further notice. The spread of COVID-19 has caused all events on the college’s calendar for the next several months to be shut down. The college will still issue degrees and certificates that students have earned and plans to send the diplomas to eligible graduates by mail. “We understand this is an unprecedented situation and regret having to make this decision,” an email sent from the college March 27 said. “However, the health and safety of the TCC students and TCC family are a top priority.” The TCC commencement planning committee said they are looking into other ways they can honor 2019-2020 graduates. David Ximenez, associate vice chancellor of enrollment and academic support services, did not return emails seeking comment. TCC’s Facebook announcement elicited a variety of responses from commenters. One user posted a question about being able to pick up their cap and gown. “All offices and campuses are closed to the public, so cap and
gown pickup is not available at this time,” the college replied in a Facebook response. NE student Amanda Hall will earn her Associate of Arts degree and said she has a mixed reaction about the fact that the ceremony will not be celebrated in May with her friends and family. “I am disappointed, but not entirely surprised,” Hall said. “I’ve heard about a lot of folks having their graduations outright canceled, so a postponement gives me a silver lining to look forward to that it may happen.” Amanda Hall’s mother, Diana Hall, said she was looking forward to watching her daughter walk across the graduation stage. “I’m sorry for everyone who’s worked so hard for this, but I certainly understand the reasons behind this decision,” she said. TR, Connect and South student Vanessa Galindo said she was disappointed and a little angry not only because COVID-19 puts her graduation ceremony plans were now on hold but what the virus has done to the community. “There will be better times soon to celebrate hopefully.” she said. “I am usually not one who needs cheers and accolades but after three years of school, being a single mom and working full-time, I was looking forward to the big day. ”
DISTRICT
Students, faculty face difficulties in adapting to online courses JACOB WILLIAMS reporter
Due to COVID-19, students and teachers at TCC, like many around the world, have had to adjust to switching to online classes for the rest of the semester. TCC students just two weeks ago left campus heading into spring break to enjoy their time off. Returning 10 days later, they adapted to tak-
ing their in-class courses online. NW student Cameron Smith said he has no experience with digital coursework, so it will take him time to get used to the platform. “I am kind of nervous having to learn it on the spot because of this crazy pandemic happening,” he said. Smith said he feels like this will give him more experience and help him know if he is capable of taking more online courses in the future. Students face difficulties in their
learning environment at home that make it hard to take online classes. “My house is not suitable for online courses because sometimes noise makes it hard to focus,” TR student Miranda Houston said. “My biggest struggle is staying home since we can’t go anywhere like the school library to get things done.” However, Houston thinks switching to online on the spot will help students in the future. “We are having to think outside
of the box for some of our assignments to succeed for the rest of the semester,” she said. Teachers are under pressure to prepare a new instruction method while giving students the best experience possible. Some instructors are used to being in the classroom and interacting with students face-to-face. TR American Sign Language instructor Cheryl Sohns says this will be a huge obstacle. “The biggest challenge for me
with classes being switched to online is not having a lot of time to prepare a different style of teaching,” Sohns said. While it’s difficult for her and other teachers to change their approach to teaching on the spot, Sohn’s main goal is for students to learn the material to move forward to the next semester. “We want to still help students learn like we are in the classroom,” she said.
TCC’s official responses to COVID-19
A timeline of TCC’s official announcements to students and faculty regarding the pandemic
13 March 13 TCC extended spring break from March 15-22.
16 March 16 Campuses are open. Students have access to all the labs and learning centers.
20 March 20 Morning TCC announces classes will resume March 23, and campuses will still be open. Faculty members must choose the appropriate instruction environment.
20
24
27
March 20 5 p.m. TCC closes completely for students, faculty and staff.
March 24 Classes go 100% online and on-campus labs and technical programs are now suspended.
March 27 May commencement for 2019-2020 graduates is postponed until further notice.
Page 2 • April 1, 2020
Entertainment
The Collegian
Future Nostalgia, Dua Lipa
“Future Nostalgia,” Dua Lipa’s sophomore album proves why she is a two-time Grammy-winner. The record expertly combines 70s-inspired sound with futuristic elements.
MUSIC REVIEW
Blissful disco-pop oozes nostalgic vibes DANG LE
managing editor
When Dua Lipa won Best New Artist at the 2019 Grammys, most people expected her to suffer from a sophomore slump. It’s understandable, she’s a female pop artist, and the previous two winners of the same category, Meghan Trainor and Alessia Cara, both failed to live up to the expectations. After all, pop has been a thing for so many years. How else can pop stars differentiate their work from everyone else’s? But the 24-year-old Albanian singer managed to do just that with her second studio album, “Future Nostalgia.” Lipa brought the bold, disco-pop back in an industry where
everybody tries to incorporate R&B and trap influences. It’s not just an album. It’s a timeless classic that will transcend for years to come. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say “Future Nostalgia” is a perfect combination of Kylie Minogue’s “Fever” and Madonna’s “Confessions of a Dancefloor,” two disco-pop albums that still play on every dance floor to this day. At age 24, it’s hard to believe Lipa has been in this game for 10 years, starting from her days of posting covers on YouTube. But that reflects the tone of this album: resilient, self-determined and confident. The first 10 out of 11 tracks of the album are nonstop: full of slick bass lines and retro funk vibes. For some artists, that production could
have eaten them alive. But listeners can fully trust in Lipa. For the entire record, she is in the driver’s seat, taking the listeners through a nostalgic yet modern ride. “Levitating,” a full-on sassy 70s disco-inspired song, is the strongest track of the album. With hypnotic synths, playful talkbox vocals, funky guitars and syncopated handclaps, the song may have come close to perfection. The party doesn’t end there. “Hallucinate” comes on, and the 122-beats-per-minute track brings the blissful 00s vibe back in one’s ears. The track is a cardio session that is sweaty and gets one’s limbs tired, yet they would never want it to stop. It’s simply too good. Later, Lipa crafts “Good in Bed,” an explosive earworm that
may see her most daring lyrical effort, singing about “all the good pipe in the moonlight.” It may be unladylike and not the most eloquent way to describe sex, but that’s what this album is about. Lipa draws the inspirations from people she grew up listening to - Prince, No Doubt, Blondie and Nile Rodgers, those who aren’t afraid to get straight to the point. Besides, she’s singing about her hookups confidently, just like all her male peers are, and there’s nothing wrong with that. All of her audacity leads to the closing track, “Boys Will Be Boys.” Sonically, this is the most outof-place track of the album, a soulful ballad with a grand choir production. Yet lyrically, this is Lipa’s strongest effort in her discography.
After all the outspokenness, Lipa ends the album with, “Boys will be boys/The girls will be women.” A strong statement to end the album, just like when she confidently sings, “You want a timeless song, I wanna change the game” as the opening line of the album. One argues that pop is boring and a product of copy and paste. But if it’s that easy, why can’t all pop projects be this excellent? In an era where hip-hop and R&B dominates the industry, it’s safe to assume the previous generation of pop girls has passed their prime. But Lipa may have opened a new era for pop, and “Future Nostalgia” is a convincing case to support that claim.
MUSIC REVIEW
The Snowman comes back to destroy trap music imitators MICHAEL FOSTER-SANDERS feature editor
Yo u n g J e e z y a n d G r a mmy-nominated producer Shawty Redd created trap music in 2004 despite what the revisionists of Southern hip-hop history may claim. From the heavy 808 drums with deep bass, crisp snares and horror movie-style sound beds, one can hear the genre’s DNA all over music today. Sadly, the trap sub-genre has been bastardized and picked apart by copycat producers and rappers, who didn’t further the genre, as
well as by culture vultures from other genres who labeled anything that contained the elements that were mentioned above. Country trap? What the hell is that? S i x t e e n y e a r s l a t e r, T h e Snowman comes back to declare his throne with the seven-song, 17-minute EP “Twenty/20 Pyrex Vision,” but is it too late for this guerrilla warfare effort? No, it isn’t. Jeezy comes out swinging like a boxer who has to land a knockout to win with the first track “Twenty/20 Pyrex Vision.” Shawty Redd crafts a score for Jeezy that is so evil and foreboding that Michael Myers would be proud to have it in a “Halloween” movie.
Twenty/20 Pyrex Vision, Jeezy
Jeezy returns after retirement and proves he’s the king of trap music with a surprise release with long-time collaborator Shawty Redd.
Jeezy does what he does best: talking about money and about what kind of power having money brings, being a young black man in America playing a game that’s not designed for them to win by dealing drugs. The theme behind this album is to show people who participate in the illegal drug trade can apply those ill-gotten skills and use them to become legitimate businessmen who build up the community while creating generational wealth. He preaches this on the track “Billions” with the hook “Oprah got a billion, Puff got a billion, Hov got a billion. Y’all can chase these girls, I just want a billion. Y’all can buy these clothes, I just want a billion.” The highlight of the album is the song “Keep Going,” which Jeezy channels the ghost of his drug-dealing braggadocious past but talks about the money he’s making from real estate and his Avion liquor instead of cocaine. The song promises to be on every playlist this summer. The only issue this EP has is it may sound dated to those whose music attention span is determined by what the radio deems as good music. It could not have been released at a worse time. These songs are meant to be played in the car, or at the club with booming sound systems that will immerse the listener into the Tundra of The Snowman. Welcome back to the throne, Jeezy.
Photo courtesy of Hulu
Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon star in a mystery mini-series on Hulu, which debuted March 18.
HULU REVIEW
Moms’ aggression makes great drama ELYSSA GIDEON reporter
An adaptation of the 2017 novel by Celeste Ng, “Little Fires Everywhere” debuted as an eight-episode mini-series on Hulu, which debuted March 18. Although the storyline is set in 1997, the episodes go back in time on occasion to help the viewers feel those moments. There is a great awkwardness to the series showcased through the writing. This intentionally bad writing adds to the story. Reese Witherspoon plays Elena, the rich, has-it-altogether mom with four kids in a small town in Ohio, while Kerry Washington plays Mia, the broke, single, freebird mom who bounces from place to place with her teenage daughter. Elena attempts good deeds, but as the saying goes, “no good deed goes unpunished.” She was unsure how to navigate the murky waters of racial political correctness, especially when it comes to the headstrong, never-back-down Mia. That starts the tension from the beginning, and
it’s only even more of an emotional and psychological rollercoaster as it goes on. Witherspoon and Washington play off each other well. While there are some awkward moments built into the storyline, both actresses show how well they convey all of the hard-hitting, emotional scenes. This is considered a drama; however, fans of psychological thrillers or mysteries will also be drawn to this mini-series. The first four episodes exude a bit too much drama. Obviously, it’s for a show, but it could have been more realistic. It’s a mini-series, so it is more rushed compared to a full season. But it definitely takes away from the story feeling like the audience missed things in the middle. There wasn’t enough build-up like a real relationship might have. The initial debut released three episodes at once; however, there has only been one released per week since. Binge watch the previous episodes and catch episode five on April 1.
Opinion
The Collegian
April 1, 2020 • Page 3
Viewpoints
Editorial
Community college should be tuition-free
Permanent paid sick leave helps workers
MALIK GILES
campus editor
Everything has a price, and it can be hard for one who is working and taking care of a family while maintaining decent grades. Being able to afford the cost of school should not compound the problem. One of the most debated questions in the presidential primaries is “Should college be free?” Community colleges should be state-funded. With an associate’s, it’s still possible to open doors because one will have experience. It’s easier to achieve one’s ideal career with a degree for it. A country’s top priority should be to give its people the ability to successfully pursue a career. A bachelor’s degree is extra, and students can still obtain a job or internship with just two years of expe-
rience, then have the money to finish their education and remain out of debt. An associate’s at a community college only takes two years to complete if a student takes a full-time schedule. It costs $768 to fund a full-time semester at TCC for a Tarrant County resident, which has some good payment plans, but not everyone can afford that. Not every person has the luxury of having parents pay for their secondary degree. I once moved out of my parents’ into my own apartment and took a break from TCC. I would contemplate taking a few classes but I was so worried about getting behind on the bills. My paychecks would come out to around $950, while rent came out to around $1,000. I had a roommate, but she could only pay $250 of the rent, so enrolling in a full-time semester was out of the question. It wasn’t until I moved back with my parents that I started my education again and took it more seriously. States can afford to add funds for community colleges from taxes. Making community colleges free and accessible to everyone is a step in the right direction in terms of providing quality higher education to all students in Texas.
Michael Harp/The Collegian
Safety on internet requires fact-checking
LISSETTE SALGADO campus editor
Fact-checking internet sources is essential to safe and informative browsing. Despite its usefulness, the internet may be used to publish falsified information that convinces people to either act or think a certain way despite a copious amount of data saying otherwise. Subjects like health and science websites are among the many that can be made up or twisted to convince people to buy products or believe the words of others. In this time where everyone is remaining home and staying glued to their screens searching for COVID-19 information, internet users need to exercise good judgment and caution. The internet has existed since the early 1990s, helping people find information without the hassle of digging through numerous books in libraries. Nearly all available data can be ac-
cessed by the public, excluding those that require payment, as long as people have an electronic device that has internet access. Although many internet users are well-equipped, some don’t fact-check every piece of information on their screen. This leads to quick spread of false information, becoming the more common term, “fake news.” My mom is one of many people who sometimes believe what is on her Facebook page or Youtube videos. Despite her efforts to convince me that she isn’t easily tricked, she would trust what is on her screen without a second thought. This would then lead to heated arguments with my siblings and me as we correct the misinformations she stumbled upon. There is both a good side and a bad side to everything, especially the use of the internet, depending on how people use it. Without concrete rules to ensure that only specific information is distributed to the general public, nearly anything can be shared. We have to be mindful of any information we absorb on our screen. Verifying what is or isn’t valid information needs to be a priority in a technologically advanced society. The internet can be compared to a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get, and you may or may not like what you end up with.
When COVID-19 struck the U.S., it made sense to enact measures to provide paid sick leave, and this national emergency highlights the need to keep this policy permanently intact. A pandemic affecting the entire world has paved the way for a giant stimulus package providing social safety nets to U.S. citizens and businesses to help cope with the huge economic losses all Americans are facing. The COVID-19 virus has infected over 187,000 U.S. citizens and resulted in more than 3,600 deaths as of March 31 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many more are predicted to get sick through community transmissions and poor social distancing practices. With so many people being quarantined, paid sick leave is needed in this crisis. But flattening the curve requires Americans to go beyond social distancing. The need to stay home to shelter in place means sick and quarantined people need to keep away from their workplaces. President Donald Trump put forth emergency legislation March 21 called the Family First Coronavirus Response Act to provide for paid sick leave through the end of the year. It is a start to helping alleviate this major strain for working Americans. Unfortunately, it excludes coverage for workers in small businesses of less than 50 employees and larger businesses that are assumed to have paid sick leave benefits in place already. No one can predict when this pandemic will fully subside and when the American social life and the economy can carry on. But when it does, the paid sick leave benefits will disappear with it. All employed Americans should be given paid sick leave, subsidized by the government if necessary, beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This social safety net can benefit all in protecting sick workers and the people they come in contact with. Without paid sick leave, employees are more likely to go into work when they are sick instead of taking time to heal and preventing the spread of
more germs and disease. If a person travels for business while ill, the ability to carry contagious germs multiplies through air travel. Workers in the retail and service industries can and do come in contact with hundreds of customers a day. This is especially hazardous to public health if these sick workers are in foodservice. For many workers, not being able to work means not being able to earn a paycheck. With so many Americans being employed as hourly and contract workers, they need additional measures in place to prepare for when sickness strikes. Benefits like paid sick leave are rarely offered to this category of workers. This reality is apparent now when so many Americans have now become sick in large numbers. Many of the same workers who do not have guaranteed paid sick leave in the absence of the coronavirus legislation also lack health care. All of these obstacles add up to a lot of out-of-pocket expenses, and without paid sick leave, there may be nothing in one’s pocket to begin with. The passing of the coronavirus stimulus package, totaling $2 trillion, shows where society’s values lie right now in the wake of the health crisis - protecting the wages of sick workers. It’s a value many other industrialized nations share, as many other governments around the world already have paid sick leave in place for working citizens. Although the price tag on this program is steep, in the future, this benefit is worth considering fitting into the budget. Making this a longterm plan can go a long way to protecting all working citizens during times of illness. The rapid spread of the virus and a high number of infected people brought this problem back into the spotlight. Still, even when this pandemic eventually subsides, periods of prolonged illness will continue to plague workers from time to time. Guaranteed paid sick leave, regardless of employer benefits, is the way to ensure better health and safety for all workers.
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Meet
the
Staff
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jill Bold
MANAGING EDITOR Dang Le
MARKETING AND ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Conner Love
LAYOUT & DESIGN Thami Santos Abbas Ghor Serena Glidewell
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Juan Ibarra
PHOTO EDITOR Brooke Baldwin
Letter Policy CAMPUS EDITORS Malik Giles Lissette Salgado WEBSITE COORDINATOR Iana Glaze ILLUSTRATOR Michael Harp
FEATURE EDITOR Michael Foster-Sanders
The Collegian is a weekly student publication serving the Tarrant County College District. Editorial statements and advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the TCC administration. Letters to the paper should be 150 words or less, free from libel and poor taste and include the writer’s Colleague ID or telephone number (the numbers will not be published). Letters may be brought to The Collegian office (NCAB 1124A, NE Campus), or mailed to:
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The Collegian • 828 Harwood Road Hurst, TX 76054 Office: 817-515-6391 Editor: 817-515-6394 Advertising: 817-515-6619 email: collegian.editor@tccd.edu TCC is an equal opportunity institution that provides educational and employment opportunities on the basis of merit and without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status or disability.
Feature
Page 4 • April 1, 2020
The Collegian
The Collegian’s staff suggests movies and shows to binge-watch on streaming services
“One of the best animated shows of all time, ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender,’ has aged gracefully. The docuseries ‘Tiger King’ starts crazy, but it just becomes insane towards the end.”
“Two Jake Gyllenhaals in one movie guarantees greatness in ‘Enemy.’ The chemistry between Bomer & Ruffalo in ‘The Normal Heart’ is crazy.”
Dang Le
Juan Ibarra
managing editor
multimedia editor
“‘Amazing Stories’ is a reboot of an 80s beloved series that weaves tales of sci-fi. And ‘Cobra Kai’ is the continuation of 1984 Karate Kid on redemption.”
“With ‘Cheer,’ all the drama, heartache and triumph you ever wanted is there. And for the ‘Candyman’ trilogy, horror has never tasted so sweet.”
Jill Bold
Michael Foster-Sanders
editor-in-chief
campus editor
“‘Little Fires Everywhere’ is something that really makes you think. The classic ‘Law & Order: SVU’ is inspiring, gut-wrentching and timely.”
“‘Dave’ is about the life of the rapper Lil Dicky, which is a little dumb but entertaining. Then the dating show ‘Love is Blind,’ is very easy to binge-watch.”
Elyssa Gideon
Thami Santos
reporter
designer
“‘Snowfall’ has so many suspenseful moments, which keep the audience curious. And ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ is by far better than the movies.”
“In ‘Altered Carbon,’ death is no longer permanent. ‘Ozark’ is one of those shows that will keep you watching until you have finished every episode.”
Malik Giles
Serena Glidewell
campus editor
designer
“‘Strike Back’ offers great action sequences. And you simply cannot go wrong with the comic timing of the classic, ‘The Office’”
Abbas Ghor designer
•Netflix •HBO •Apple TV+
•YouTube Premium •Disney+ •Hulu
Illustration by Abbas Ghor/The Collegian