Issue 12 | Volume 103

MAJOR SPOTLIGHT: MUSIC

Shadimon Smith

GC has many majors that allow for students from all walks of life to continue their secondary education.

One of those majors is music, and music majors can get their bachelor’s degree in music education, music therapy or music. GC also o ers master’s programs for students, and music can also be taken as a minor.

Addison Resh is a senior music major and started her journey at GC as a nursing major. She always wanted to be a teacher and has had a passion for music for a while, so during her sophomore year she changed to music.

“I’m doing choral track, and I’m techni-

cally in the high school choral track, but I want to end up teaching elementary school,” Resh said. “I’ve always loved working with a younger population of kids. I’ve always worked with whenever the churches in my hometown had a youth choir and would work with them on stu . I just feel like it’s kind of where I can do some really good work.” Music majors take classes like ensemble, voice classes, music theory and choral conducting. Each class varies in credit, from 0.5 credit hours to three credit hours. is means music majors can be taking up to 10 classes at once to get the amount of hours needed to graduate on time.

Well, we have reached the end of the road. is is my last article for e Colonnade. is is a bittersweet moment for me. Of course, I am excited to graduate and start the next chapter of my life, but I am going to miss working on this newspaper. It has taught me so much about writing, editing and

Undergraduate English students shared their recent works with GC students, sta and faculty.

Final-ly Free!

It is out with the old, in with the new, goodbye, clouds of gray, hello, skies of blue and I am sure you all know the rest.

Students, fear not, for right around the corner is sweet summertime, a time to relax and take some downtime away from exams, assignments and group projects. I think I just felt a chill down my spine with that one.

Yet, here we are. In the midst of the countdown to the end of the semester, we are all scrambling to nish nal projects and research papers and study for nal exams. How do we cope with the idea that we are so close yet so far? e best thing to do is to not

lose motivation. We all want to be done with classes and move on to summer fun time, but that is just not the reality. We are in college to learn and get an education, and in order to do so, we must make it through nals and endure the testing of our knowledge from a whole semester of learning. Easy-peasy, right?

Never. It is never that easy. To be completely transparent, there is nothing easy about nals week, but you should know that you are not alone in your su ering. We are all su ering too. I mean, is this nals week at GC or my nal week at GC? I guess we will have to wait and see. at is a bit dramatic, but in truth, the way out of the su ering is to ip the script, and instead

NFL DRAFT PREVIEW

Ty

e dra is a highlight of the NFL o -season, as it serves as a window into the future of the NFL, and fans can watch the future superstars nd their new homes in the league.

In most cases, the dra is somewhat of a mystery since fans have no conclusive evidence about who their favorite team thinks highly of. However, this o -season, it seems like the top few picks have been decided since the regular season ended. e biggest question mark for this year’s dra has been what the Chicago Bears will do with the No. 1 overall pick that they received in a

AP style, and it has given me so much.

I would have never thought I would end up being part of an on-campus newspaper, let alone it be a cornerstone of my college experience.

I came to GC as a computer science major. A er — quickly — realizing it was not for me, I changed my major to mass communication.

I do not know why, exactly. I hated my English classes in high school, and

With the end of the regular season and PBC tournament approaching, the team’s ranking is crucial.

of being bummed about nals, we should stay positive and keep a positive outlook on the ending of the semester. Instead of seeing it as a week that we all dread, let us look at it as the short struggle before a long summer of peace. One thing that we can do is stay organized. Creating a study schedule can be very e ective in staying motivated and getting work done. Write everything down that needs to be done, and you will feel satisfaction and pride in crossing things o that list one a er another until there is nothing le . A study schedule can also help spread out studying over time so you can take breaks instead of feeling constantly overwhelmed.

trade with the Carolina Panthers last season. At rst, some believed they would keep their young quarterback, Justin Fields, but following the trade of Fields, it is almost guaranteed they will take Caleb Williams out of the University of Southern California, who has been thought of as the consensus No. 1 pick in this dra class for the past few years. “ e Bears have set themselves up to be a playo team in the near future,” said Amanda Damrow, a sophomore mass communication major. “ ey just need to grab a great quarterback to lead them, and since Caleb Williams fell in their lap, they need to take this generational talent.”

I did not enjoy writing. But, for some reason, it felt right. is was in the middle of the pandemic. I am a huge cinephile; movie-related articles and podcasts were a big part of quarantine and lockdown for me, so I decided I wanted to be a culture writer. And although I no longer think that is what I want to do for the rest of my life, it made me see myself as a writer — a wannabe writer. I came onto the paper through my

e end of the semester is right around the corner. What are GC students going to do over summer break?

rst practicum, in fall 2022. I was a sta writer. I wrote one article per week, all of which were for Arts & Life. At the time, former editor-in-chief Jen Crider was the head A&L editor. She and I became friends. at December, Katie Futch, the editor-in-chief at the time, asked me if I wanted to be the paper’s managing editor. Of course, I said, “Yes.” A year and a half later, here we are.

True crime is incredibly popular, no doubt. But is it ethical to consume as entertainment?

Courtesy of Addison Resh

MAJOR

Continued from page 1

ey need to complete other classes, like music history, studies in world music, jazz history and up to the level 2002 in a foreign language, to graduate.

While going to GC and pursuing a bachelor’s degree, students can work toward getting certi ed to be a music teacher. is is called the M.A.T. pathway and helps GC students to earn a T-5 Georgia teacher certi cate, allowing the music majors to teach music at any level of the K-12 grade system a er ve years of

undergraduate school.

“You get a music major, which is your B.A., and a minor of pre-certi cation, which is a certi cate that says you’re good to teach for a certain amount of years until you get your master’s,” Resh said. “So, you have to get your master’s to keep teaching a er, I think, like, ve or six years, so you have time.”

Teaching is not the only career path music majors can go down.

ey can also become a songwriter for TV, work in music publishing or become a performer.

ey also have the option to do lm scoring, which involves

composing, editing and conducting.

Resh is a part of the music department’s fraternity for those interested in music.

“I am a part of SAI, or Sigma Alpha Iota,” Resh said. “We are a music fraternity for women and non-binary/ gender-nonconforming students who are interested in music. So, you have to take, like, one semester of music, and you have to have one semester under your belt here at the college. So, like, the rst semester, freshmen can’t join until their second semester.”

Being a part of SAI means that Resh be-

longs to the second-oldest chapter of this organization in Georgia, which is the Beta Rho Chapter. SAI works hard to build social contact among music lovers.

“I love getting to create music with the people I have surrounded myself with in music classes,” Resh said. “Now that I am getting further into my degree, like, we get to conduct and kind of lead rehearsals. So, getting to do that is just wonderful, getting to see these people that I’ve watched grow, getting to create the music that I’ve chosen and like to hear it is just wonderful.”

Being here at GC

has given Resh multiple opportunities to explore music, whether it is conducting or playing Ariel in the musical cabaret “Disenchanted” put on by e Birdhouse in downtown Milledgeville, which have helped her nd her passion and worked toward achieving her dream of becoming a teacher.

Choosing to pursue music means making a full-time commitment at GC, and Resh o ers advice to those students who may be on the fence.

“I would say do it,” Resh said. “Just know what your time commitments will be. You will have a lot of time to de-

Chick- l-A is changing their chicken

Emily Kirkwood Sta Writer

Chick- l-A has announced that starting this spring, they will be using antibiotics in their chicken. is announcement counteracts their pledge in 2014 to serve antibiotic-free chicken at all their restaurants.

Chick- l-A claims this change to antibiotic chicken will mean that they will use chicken containing antibiotics only if it or other animals surrounding it have become sick. e meat industry has been accused of overusing antibiotics, which can lead to increased antibiotic resistance in humans.

ey are changing their chicken due to supply issues.

Chick- l-A claims the

antibiotics used will not be the same as commonly used antibiotics in humans. ey are switching their chicken to a “No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine,” or NAIHM, standard.

“I’m sure that there will be a small group of people who won’t eat there anymore, but I don’t think it will be a drastic change,” said Jake Johnson, a sophomore marketing major. “Chickl-A changing their chicken does not bother me as long as it tastes the same and is safe to eat.”

Some customers say that they can taste a difference in the chicken. Customers’ complaints express their concerns about the chicken and that Chick- l-A is lowering their standards by having chick-

en with antibiotics.

“I personally won’t stop eating at Chick- l-A due to just the switch,” said Flint Standerfer, a freshman theatre major. “Most fast food chains use chickens with antibiotics anyway, but I have eaten there since the change, and I have noticed a signi cant di erence and decline in the texture of the chicken.”

Chick- l-A explains they are making this change in chicken due to the challenges they are facing in nding chicken that meets their rigid standards of producing the best food possible to their customers.

“I think that if it’s in the best interest of the people, then Chickl-A made the right decision, but if they did this to cut on spending,

then I wouldn’t support it,” Johnson said. Most fast food restaurants use chicken with antibiotics. One reason people may be reacting to Chick- l-A changing their chicken is because of their well-known strong views. eir high quality is also well known and can cause people to think a change in the chicken means a change in quality.

“Chick- l-A is a much more popular chain, but it also can be one of the more controversial chains due to their openness about their beliefs,” said Morgan Wilson, a sophomore public health major. “I think, in the long run, that people care mainly due to the popularity of the franchise. Also, Chick- l-A refused to add antibi-

Contributing

If

vote to the major. Even a minor you have to devote a certain amount of hours to concerts. And it kind of makes or breaks people. It shows them if they really want to do this. It’s what you are going to have to do.

If you don’t enjoy sitting through music and don’t have a general love for sitting through music, I don’t think this is the major for you.”

She plans to stay in Milledgeville a er graduation for a semester and hopes to nd a program where the students enjoy music.

otics for so long, so this change shocked people.”

As of now, Chickl-A will be continuing to use antibiotic chicken despite the backlash they have received. Over time, Chick- l-A will see results from the public indicating whether their change in chicken

Isabella McComis | Digital Media Editor

has a negative or positive e ect on their sales and customer loyalty. It is up to everyone to decide for themselves whether they like the change or not. Chickl-A is sure to still be a hit with their loyal customers even if some disagree with their change.

April creative writing undergraduate reading

“I’m just more brave.”

Kaila Arnett Contributing Writer

Students and faculty gathered in the Pat Peterson Museum Education room to lend their ears to an array of talented undergraduate writers with concentrations in creative writing. Amid the lead-up to nals, the event proved itself to be a literary respite full of faculty, undergraduate and graduate students and some alumni on Wednesday, April 17.

Dr. Kerry Neville, MFA coordinator and associate professor, kicked o the night with a proud congratulations to the soon-to-be graduates.

Nine students spoke in all, and each was granted a great round of applause for pieces about a number of topics, from fathers to friends to childhood playsets to fairyland. Faculty and families snapped sneaky photos before remembering to turn o their camera shutter sounds and were quick to reconnect with their students just a er the reading.

A er the event, Jaci Hill, a senior English

major, described her love for the program.

“I had always written poetry, but it wasn’t very good, and I think especially Kerry Evans inspired [me],” Hill said. “I’m miles better than I was when I rst got here.”

roughout her time at GC, Hill has become more empowered to write.

“I’m just more brave if that makes sense,” Hill said. “Like, I’m not afraid to put down something that may be mean or maybe something that’s culturally taboo or gross. I kind of know that everyone in workshop is gonna eat it up.”

Hill presented the crowd with a moving piece titled “My Father’s Daughter,” a poignant piece about fathers, family and a young daughter’s mixed emotions that utilizes oranges and their rinds as a vessel for the story. It is a piece she workshopped in class and is proud of.

Grace Horton, a senior English major, agreed on the bene ts of workshop classes.

“I love the way they format the workshop

classes because it really helps you get a consistent writing practice,” Horton said. “ en you also get feedback from not just your professor but also from other writers,

ent and the pain it can cause daughters and granddaughters alike.

Horton also described what drew her to the GC writing program.

“When I was touring,

which is really helpful. So, you can take inspiration from other people and then also get to share your ideas with people, so it’s just a fun time.”

Horton read a devastating piece about the loss of a grandpar-

Alumni Giving Challenge

Samantha Birmingham Sta Writer

e Georgia College

Alumni Giving Challenge embodies the spirit of philanthropy and community engagement, inviting graduates to unite in support of their alma mater. is annual initiative serves as a rallying cry for alumni to demonstrate their commitment to the institution that shaped their academic journey and beyond.

“ e Alumni Giving Challenge is a revamped version of the GC Giving Challenge Campaign, which has been held every spring semester since 2020,” said Michelle Aquino, the director of annual giving and digital engagement. “ e GC Giving Challenge was initially created to provide a platform for GCSU alumni, parents, students, faculty, sta and friends to unite and make a collective impact.”

is year, speci cally, GC is highlighting areas

of student experience, such as intramurals, GCSU Helping Hands and e Heritage Fund. You have three avenues to support the Alumni Giving Challenge.

“It supported the growth of one program or project from each of the ve colleges,” said Aquino. “It also spotlighted the GCSU Heritage Fund, the university’s annual fund and most impactful fund on campus. With success over the last four years, we believed this year was ideal for rebranding the campaign, aiming to expand its reach and increase its nancial impact across more areas of campus.”

From April 10-12, alumni were invited to participate in the challenge. During these 72 hours, GC urged all alumni to re ect on their time on campus and contribute to their alma mater by supporting a meaningful cause.

“I am very thankful

for the ways in which GCSU alumni support the advancement of our beloved alma mater,” said Nadirah Mayweather, the director of alumni engagement. “ ey make a positive impact through the ways in which they give of their time, resources, expertise and by the way they share information with others in their own communities and spheres of in uence about GCSU. is year, we challenged them to raise the bar in their giving e orts, and we are pleased that many of them accepted and then challenged others to do the same.”

e sta and faculty acknowledge that students may have long-standing connections with alumni.

ey rallied for their support to achieve a record-breaking goal of at least 600 alumni donors for this campaign.

“I am very thankful for the ways in which

also the Peacock’s Feet! I was like, ‘Oh, they have their own lit journal.

at’s cool! I wanna do that! I wanna put something into that,’ so those were a big in uence.”

e Peacock’s Feet is GC’s undergraduate student-run literary journal, which has published the work of multiple English students with a concentration in creative writing at the reading. e journal serves as a milestone for GC English students.

“Actually, it was my goal before I graduated,” Horton said. “I wanted to get something published before I leave, and so I was like, ‘I have to get it in this year.’”

Horton succeeded in her goal of getting published in the journal during her junior year.

Neville elaborated on the merits of the GC writing program.

I came here for Springfest, and I was looking at all the details about their writing program, and the whole workshop thing I thought was really interesting,” Horton said. “You get to focus on speci c genres you like—

GCSU alumni support the advancement of our beloved alma mater,” said Nadirah Mayweather, the director of alumni engagement. “ ey make a positive impact through the ways in which they give of their time, resources, expertise and by the way they share information with others in their own communities and spheres of in uence about GCSU. is year, we challenged them to raise the bar in their giving e orts, and we are pleased that many of them accepted and then challenged others to do the same.”

Last year, less than 2% of alumni were able to donate back to GC. is year, they are encouraging more alumni to participate in change for the better. e 72-hour Giving Challenge has a direct goal: to improve the statistics. It introduced an innovative online giving platform, which facilitated easy sharing of the campaign across various networks and enabled engagement with

ted to the cra of writing and to supporting each other as writers.”

GC also boasts its student-run Poetry Club as yet another element of its robust writing program.

GC’s English faculty is chock-full of accomplished writers, poetry, ction and non ction alike, who take the cra of writing seriously and are eager to connect with other aspiring writers.

“ e creative writing concentration o ers anybody who believes in the power of words to transform human experience, to make a di erence in the world, to connect us to each other through shared language even if it’s di erent languages,” Neville said. “It’s a way to feel connection and empathy and to make the human story in this world, where we’re all so disconnected.”

“ e faculty here are really committed to undergraduate creative writing,” Neville said. “We are thrilled to have students in our classes. We think it’s a great community. You have so many people on this campus that are commit-

colleagues. Additionally, it motivated students to leverage their social media presence to connect with alumni from their respective departments, schools or colleges.

“ e campaign would not have been successful without the leadership and guidance of our Vice President for Advancement, Seth Walker, as well as the collaboration, creativity and support of Nadirah Mayweather, director of alumni engagement, and the hard work, organization and dedication of MacKenzie Michels, digital engagement coordinator,” Aquino said. “Additionally, University Communications, the entire University Advancement department, development o cers, stewardship coordinators, the alumni engagement team, student workers, and the advancement services team all played pivotal roles in ensuring the campaign’s success for the university. We’d also like to thank all the Deans of the colleges — Dr. Stratton, Dr.

e creative writing concentration at GC o ers students a diverse range of both student and faculty-led organizations, events and programs which ensure student growth — both personality and in their cra .

Newsome, Dr. Evans, Dr. Peters and Dr. Tenbus — along with Amy Whatley [director of student care and outreach] and Drew Burton [director of Wellness & Recreation] for supporting the campaign within each of their departments. Lastly, we’d like to thank President Cathy Cox for her support of the campaign and for assisting our team in marketing the campaign. It was a campus-wide e ort, and we are very grateful for all the support.”

e GC Alumni Giving Challenge went extremely well. e Honors College surpassed its goal and raised over $4,000 for its upcoming trip to New Orleans, Louisiana. For the rst time, intramurals joined the challenge and raised over $3,200 from almost 60 donors. Overall, the campaign yielded over $60,000 from 370 donors. is was a very successful challenge that will be completed again.

Julia Jensen | Art Director

DRAFT

Continued from page 1

Since the growing consensus is that Williams will be picked rst, the remainder of the picks are what will truly make this dra interesting. A er the rst pick, the future teams of superstars like Marvin Harrison Jr., Brock Bowers, Joe Alt, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels are still up in the air.

e buzz around teams trading up for these young stars has been circulating for some time now, especially following the o -seasons of teams like the Bu alo Bills and the Los Angeles Chargers, who are extremely depleted at certain positions.

“Well, as a Panthers fan, I think it mainly depends on what you have

for that player once they get there,” said Michael Roberts, a junior accounting major. “When we traded D.J. Moore for the No. 1 pick, we set Bryce Young up for failure when we picked him.

sure you still have players to build around them.”

Teams jumping up the dra order to take players has been a very consistent trend in past dra s. Teams like the Bills would need to trade

of the top prospects due to their successful past season. Jumping up from the 27th pick to a top-10 pick would take a lot, but in past years, the payout has been incredible.

One of the most nota-

seems to be University of Washington QB Michael Penix Jr., who is extremely talented, but due to his injury history and age, may slip down, with some analysts predicting that he could fall

So, if you’re going to trade up, you need to make

away quite a bit of capital to be able to take one

ble players that may fall in the upcoming dra

out of the rst round.

While slipping in the

dra is not what a player wants to happen, fans have seen situations in which a late-round player turns out to be the best from a class. e most notable case being arguably the best player in NFL history, Tom Brady.

“Out of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels, the sense is Drake Maye may be the QB that su ers from a slide in this class,” said Lance Zierlein, an NFL dra analyst.

e NFL dra will be the talk of the sports world for the next few weeks, but fans will have to wait to see who falls, who rises and which teams get a superstar — and possibly a franchise-saver — which can easily happen in round one or even in round seven.

GC cheer team competes in NCA competition

Emily Henderson Asst. Sports Editor

GC’s cheerleading team traveled to Dayton, FL, and competed in the three-day National Cheerleaders Association competition April 11-13.

e NCA cheerleading competition is one of the largest cheerleading competitions in the world that hosts a wide variety of cheerleading teams from all across the United States, with one of the biggest sections being the collegiate competition.

In the past, the Bobcats have won three NCA championships for the respective divisions. As of recently, however, the team did not compete in competitions and just did sideline cheerleading for GC’s basketball teams.

is is the only competition the team competes in each year, and they have a preview showing their routine a er

the homecoming games conclude. Since this is the only competition the team has, it allows them to perfect their routine before the competition.

“ e preparation for college nationals started way back in June,” said Casey Taube, one of the captains of the team.

“We practiced throughout the summer, then three times a week in the fall and four times a week in the spring. On top of that, we would come in extra to work and perfect our skills.”

Last year was the rst year that the team competed at the NCA cheerleading competition, as none of the members had ever been. Last year, the team was placed in the Intermediate Small Coed Division for Division II. e team ranked 16th out of 18 with a nal score of 83.669.

Since then, the team has gotten a new coach,

Doug Stephens. He has been able to build up the team and teach them many new skills that the former coach could not. Under Coach Stephens, the team has moved divisions. is year, the Bobcats competed in the Advanced Small Coed Division of Division II.

With this new placement, the team competed against bigger and more advanced teams than they did the year prior.

“ e biggest di erence from this year and last year’s competition is the division and location in which we competed,” Taube said. “Last year, we competed indoors, and this year was outside, competing in much harder skills.”

e competition is divided into small and large groups, depending on the number of male cheerleaders the team has. If the team has four or less male cheerleaders,

the team is placed in the small division. Since the Bobcats are limited to two male cheerleaders, they are placed in the advanced small division. is season GC was able to “hit zero,” which means that during their nal routine, the judging panel gave the team zero deductions for mistakes, such as a stunt falling, safety violations

and tumbling mistakes.

“ is year, the team made leaps of improvements,” said Claudia Dick, one of the captains of the team. “We went from having over six points in deductions on day two last year to zero points in deductions this year.”

With no deductions, the team was able to nish with a nal re-

sult of 84.6333. Since the team was competing in the highest division with tougher competition, they ranked sixth out of the six teams in their division. e team is already prepared to start practice in the summer to start preparing for next year’s NCA cheerleading competition that will take place again next April.

Courtesy of Claudia Dick

Baseball ranks No. 28

Christian Castillo Sta Writer

With only ve games le in their season and one Peach Belt Conference series le to play, GC baseball sits at an overall record of 26-18, a PBC record of 16-8 and an NCAA Division II national ranking of 28 by the American Baseball Coaches Association.

e team found their groove in early March and have kept their foot on the gas up until now. Spanning from March 6 to April 10, the team produced a record of 14-3 while winning all of their PBC series in the span.

During this impressive run, the Bobcats won a conference series over the University of South Carolina Beaufort, Georgia Southwestern State University, Flagler College, the University of South Carolina Aiken and Cla in University.

Along the way, they also picked up nonconference wins against Albany State University and Newberry College.

Sophomore Gabriel Wuerth leads the team in batting average, with an impressive .409, and is tied with senior Brandon Bell ower for most runs scored, at 47 a piece.

Junior Matthew Me-

bane has been an explosive player all year, leading the team in home runs. Mebane has hit 14 on the season. e closest to him is Bell ower, with 9. Sophomore right-handed pitcher John Luke Glanton has been instrumental in GC’s success, boasting a 2.67 earned run average over 81 innings of pitching. roughout the whole season, Glanton has only given up 73 hits and 24 runs. Wuerth, Bell ower and Mebane are joined by freshman Braeden Smith and sophomore Cam McNearney as players on the team who have started and played all 44 games for the Bobcats this season.

e team most recently picked up a PBC series win against Columbus State University and will play their last PBC series against the University of North Geor-

gia from April 26-28.

In GC’s rst meeting of the season with UNG, back in February, played at home, the Bobcats picked up a 2-1 series win.

e PBC series on the road at UNG later this week will have huge implications for the postseason, mainly the looming PBC tournament, as GC currently sits in third place in the conference standings.

Only Lander University and UNG are above the Bobcats. However, GC and UNG are tied in terms of their conference records. UNG’s overall record has them above the Bobcats.

e conference tournament will begin on May 3, and GC is in a favorable position to make a deep run in the tournament. Wins over UNG will help the Bobcats even more, as the tournament is hosted by the top two seeds.

NBA PLAYOFFS BEGIN

Olivia DeRosa Sta Writer

e NBA playo s are underway, with the Oklahoma City under leading the Western Conference, and the No. 1 seed Boston Celtics dominating in the East.

e start of the 16-team tournament marks the end of the regular season and the start of what is supposed to be a somewhat-predictable postseason tournament, as the seven-game series gives teams more time to prove their worth as opposed to the single-elimination tournament of football.

In the Western Conference, the under seem to be shaky in their ability to make a deep run in the playo s. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an incredible player, is the only one on their starting lineup that is consistently averaging 20 points per game.

eir last week of regular season games were a struggle, as their top scorers, Alexander and forward Jalen Williams, were both out with injuries, showing the possible roadblocks they will face in the playo s.

ey will also have to face either the Dallas Mavericks or the

Los Angeles Clippers in round two, both of which are more experienced, veteran teams, while OKC is one of the youngest No. 1 seeds ever.

Overall, in the West, most experts have the Denver Nuggets going to the NBA Finals. ey got o to a rocky start early on in the season, seemingly playing on autopilot. ey were the best team in the league last year and still have Nikola Jokic, who is basically unguardable.

“Nikola Jokic is the NBA’s best player and one of the greatest offensive forces the game has ever seen,” said Tyler Conway, a writer for Bleacher Report.

e Nuggets will most likely face a hungry Celtics team in the Finals. Boston has arguably been the best team during the regular season, ending the season with a 64-18 record and

MLB is undergoing a “pitching pandemic”

Ty Karraker Sta Writer

In the opening weeks of this year’s Major League Baseball season, there has been a litany of injuries picked up by several pitchers around the league.

Last season, the MLB added a pitch clock to the game as an attempt to speed up the pace of play. As a result, pitchers are allowed less time in between pitches than before, causing more physical strain and making the game more taxing.

is season, the league edited the functionality of the pitch clock to speed up the game even more. League owners voted to start the pitch clock when the pitcher receives the ball back rather than when they stepped foot on the mound again. is change has made pitchers

unable to delay the start of the clock and seemingly defenseless against pitching the ball quickly. Not only did the league change rules about the process of the clock, but they also reduced the time allotted each cycle.

With runners on base, the pitch clock will start at 18 seconds, compared to 20 seconds last season.

“I like the addition of the pitch clock because it does make the game more fast-paced and more fun to watch,” said Jackson Kiser, a junior marketing major.

“I also think that adding a stamina element to baseball is really cool because normally, when you think of baseball, it’s very slow and a lot of time in-between plays.”

e list of pitchers who have picked up injuries within a couple weeks of the season start-

ing includes Framber Valdez, Spencer Strider, Jonathan Loaisiga, Nick Pivetta, Eury Perez and Shane Bieber. Some of these pitchers were told they would miss signicant time and that their situation would require surgery. ere are an additional 15 pitchers that either got injured last season or in spring training, with many others having other injuries.

Strider, a heavy impact player for the Atlanta Braves, was one of the players that required surgery. While Strider did not have to have Tommy John surgery, like many others, his injury was caused by a bone fragment being lodged in his ulnar collateral ligament. Unlike other pitchers around the league, his injury was not caused by high-velocity repetitions at high

frequency but rather the unavoidable development of a bone fragment.

“I’m really happy that Strider will only undergo a minor surgery as opposed to Tommy John,” said John Nagy, a senior mass communication major. “He will come back stronger and continue to be a pivotal player for our team in this era of Atlanta having an extremely strong roster.”

e Cleveland Guardians’ ace, Bieber, was not

a +11.4 nightly point differential. ey will also go into the playo s with home-court advantage.

With the o season additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics’ starting ve has become one of the most well-rounded and balanced in the league and has the experience to run deep through the tournament.

e Milwaukee Bucks have the best chance at stopping the powerhouse Celtics, but without Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose playo status is still up in the air, even their chances are questionable.

e consensus among most experts and sports fanatics is that the Finals will feature the reigning champs, the Nuggets, and the revitalized Celtics, who are ready for another chance at the title a er their disappointing exit from the playo s last year.

as lucky as Strider, however. Like Strider, Bieber will also miss the remainder of this season — but due to having to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Bieber was o to a hot start this season, boasting a 2-0 record while only allowing 10 hits over 12 innings and giving up zero runs.

“Bieber’s injury sucks,” said Ryan Collins, a sophomore mass communication major and Guardians fan. “Both of my favorite pitchers are done for the season, which makes me kind of sad.

I’m not a huge fan of the pitch clock. I don’t think baseball needs to be faster, and the game should be rooted in tradition like it always has been.” Regardless of fans’ opinions on the pitch clock, with all of these injuries, being a pitcher in the MLB seems to have become a more strenuous position since its addition.

Courtesy of GC Athletics

Freshman out elder Braeden Smith calls for the ball

O.J. Simpson’s life & death

Isabelle Gonzales Sta Writer

On April 11, 2024, O. J. Simpson passed away at the age of 76 due to cancer, sparking up conversation of his case again. e Simpson case has puzzled society since his 1995 trial, where he was accused of a double homicide. Pleading not guilty, Simpson refused any claims that were thrown at him, but many who were watching the case were not convinced of his innocence.

While Simpson was acquitted of the murder accusations, he was ordered to pay $33.5 million in damages to the family of his late ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson. is huge nancial hit created many hardships in Simpson’s life, causing him to struggle to pay for his lifestyle and raise his children.

In 1992, just three years before the verdict of the Simpson case, Rodney King’s case was another very popular case in the media. In King’s case, he was a victim of a racial injustice, having received severe police brutality. As a result of King’s case, many protested the injustice, but they never received any severance. When Simpson was given the innocent verdict, it shocked society, as

Eventually, Simpson won the trial, being set free. e former NFL star put the case behind him until 2006, when he published his book “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer.” In his book, he went through what he would have done if he had committed the murders of his ex-wife and her friend Ron Goldman.

much of the evidence pointed to guilt. It was not until a er Simpson had passed away that an African American juror spoke out about the reality of the case.

Carrie Bess was a juror

Simpson as a form of payback for the injustice done to King. She herself was among the 90%.

e ethics of the trial have been questioned by the media for decades, and as time has progressed, more and more

in Simpson’s case and was interviewed by a documentary crew for a story of Simpson’s life and admitted something almost as shocking as the nal verdict. Bess claimed that during the trial, 90% of the African American jurors wanted to acquit

people believe that Simpson was guilty and do not understand why the jury named him innocent.

e insight that Bess gave the media mightnally settle the debates of why Simpson was acquitted even when so many believed him to be guilty.

GC STUDENTS TAKE ON THE WORLD

Summertime study abroad is just around the corner.

Alexis Maddox Sta Writer

Some Bobcats will be spending their summer working a summer job, going home for the break or hanging out by the pool. Other students will be spending their summer abroad. GC is providing several di erent study abroad programs this summer in many different countries. Students will have the chance to take courses based on their majors and minors outside the classroom.

“I have always considered studying abroad, but I have never taken the time to research my options,” said Sophia White, a sophomore psychology major. “I have traveled to other countries before, and I loved every minute of it. It would be life-changing to actually live in a country for a month while completing courses.”

GC study abroad programs are for all students with di erent interests,

although certain trips highlight certain majors and minors. Each trip includes a unique experience, whether it is a faculty-led program, a thematic program or a service-based learning program.

One GC program called “Gender, Culture and e Good Life: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Paris” allows students to complete two college courses this summer in the heart of France. Students will go on walking tours, where they will see the many sights of Paris, visit museums and live like locals for a month. Paris provides a rich history and a unique view on love, gender studies and culture for students to take in while strolling through the Louvre.

Another excursion being held this summer is GC England. Students will travel to London to study health systems and learn how culture in uences the way peo-

ple care for health. Students will have the opportunity to take classes in many key locations, including the Florence Nightingale Museum. Students will stay at London’s Royal Society of Medicine Hotel, which is a perfect location to experience the excitement of London, visit popular tourist sites and sample world cuisines.

“I am studying abroad in Italy this summer,” said Tatum Cook, a junior marketing major. “What inspired me to study abroad this summer was my love for traveling. I had been to Italy before and fell in love with it, so I knew I had to go back. I’m excited to engulf myself in the Italian culture and learn

Even though this case occurred in the 1990s, people of all ages are still talking about it today, especially a er the death of Simpson.

“ e case is also all over my social media recently,” said Piper Zeger, a sophomore mass communication major. “I would not be surprised if his race played an impact in his case, but I think the information and evidence is more relevant than his race.”

So much of the case has been talked about, including the infamous bloody glove that was used as evidence. e bloody glove was found at the murder scene and is thought to have been le by the killer. Simpson tried on the glove but it was too small for him, allowing many to think that he could not have been the killer. Due to so many di erent arguments confusing the

facts of the case, it makes it di cult for observers to form an opinion.

“Given the information, that does change my view of him a bit,” said Sydney Auriemma, a sophomore mass communication major. “He could’ve been capable of killing her, but I’m not certain.”

Simpson’s death has put the case back in the news, allowing for many to react to it for the very rst time.

“I never really knew much about the case,” said Aliyah Garcia, a sophomore biology major. “I mean, I watched a documentary about it once, but that was it.

Simpson never confessed to having killed anyone, not even on his deathbed, meaning the world will never fully know about what happened to Brown Simpson and Goldman.

everything I possibly can from this once-ina-lifetime opportunity.”

With the endless opportunities that study abroad programs provide, some students are on the fence about whether they should fully commit to the experience. e decision to not study abroad can be in uenced by a combination of personal, nancial and academic factors.

“Once you get there, all of the planning and stress pays o ,” said Natalie Clark, a senior psychology major. “ e classes are worth it, and I learned so much, especially since I took language classes, and being immersed in it was a really cool experience.”

GC has two scholar-

ships to support students with study abroad aspirations. e GC Study Abroad Scholarship and the New Horizon Scholarship are available to all students interested in study abroad programs. Students with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA may submit applications to be revised by the International Education Committee. e International Education Center can also advise students on other scholarship opportunities.

“It’s just really interesting to see the world, leave the U.S., and get that worldly perspective,”

said Annabel Hirst, a sophomore world languages and cultures major with a specialization in Spanish. “I was staying with a host family in a small town called Cuenca, so I was really nervous to use my Spanish skills in a real-life setting. It’s nerve-wracking, but once you get past the culture shock and you just embrace the experience, it is so much fun. One hundred percent, do it. It is something completely new that most people have never tried before, and I really enjoyed it. I de nitely recommend that people do it.”

OJ Simpson

Kylie Rowe | Asst. A&L Editor

Kylie Rowe | Asst. A&L Editor

THANKS

Continued from page 1

At the time, my friend group was falling apart, and those people — Jen, Katie, Hayden Flinn, the head Sports editor at the time — took me under

their wing and became the center of my social life. Jen put me on a friend date with her boyfriend and my now-best friend, Gray Miller. She is still one of my best friends. And those people helped me grow as a

writer and editor and learn the ins and outs of AP style, when to use the Oxford comma; yes, in AP style, there are cases where you need it.

I am currently working as an intern at the O ce of University

Communications, an opportunity I do not think I would have had without my time here.

None of that would have happened if I did not change my major to mass comm on a whim.

And while I do not

April 2024: a month of new music

Something about April 2024 spoke to artists and begged them to release new music this month, and so many musicians responded to this call.

Taylor Swi , Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Lizzie McAlpine, Conan Gray, Pearl Jam, girl in red and so many more chose April as the perfect time to debut their new albums and singles.

First up, the record-breaker herself, Swi , released “ e Tortured Poets Department,” or “TTPD,” on April 19 at midnight and then released “ e Tortured Poets Department: e Anthology,” which featured another 15 songs, at 2 a.m. On the rst day of “TTPD”’s

release, it earned around 313 million streams on Spotify globally.

According to Rolling Stone, the second biggest rst-day album stream on Spotify goes to “Midnights” with 186 million.

Drake is in fourth place for the highest rst-day streams with his album “Certi ed Lover Boy,” which got 155 million streams. In Rolling Stone’s Instagram post of the 10 biggest rstday album debuts on Spotify, Swi currently holds four of the spaces, including the rst three.

Along with Swi ’s record-breaking release, Roan released a single called “Good Luck, Babe!” It has been all over TikTok, growing at a faster pace than it was when she became a headliner for Olivia

Rodrigo. With the hot beat and catchy lyrics, it is a de nite contender for song of the summer.

A song that may have “Good Luck, Babe!” beat is “Espresso” by Carpenter. Carpenter has taken on a vintage summer aesthetic for the song, the music video and her Coachella set. is may be a launch into a new era for Carpenter, or maybe she is capitalizing on a vibey summer aesthetic to make her already infectious song even more intoxicating.

If Swi or summer pop girlies are not the vibe, maybe give people something slightly di erent. Lizzy McAlpine released her album “Older” on April 5. is album is a classic mix of pop/rock and alternative/indie rock, where McAlpine

expresses her experiences with love and comingof-age. McAlpine is 24 years old and makes music that is consistently relatable for women in their early to mid-twenties.

Conan Gray released his new album, “Found Heaven,” earlier this month as well. And according to Pop Passion, it is not only in uenced by the ‘80s but embodies the classic ‘80s, retro style that was controversial in hindsight but keeps people coming back for more.

Pearl Jam, a classic ‘90s alternative band, released their 12th studio album on April 19, “Dark Matter.” e 11-song album was recorded in around three weeks, starting in 2021 and ending in 2023. Eddie Vedder even said that he feels

know what the future looks like for me, whether I will work as a writer or editor, whether I will work in the communications industry, period, I could not have asked for a better experience than the one I had here.

To all of our current writers, to my fellow editors, past and current, and to our readers, whether you read every single issue or have read one of our articles: thank you.

like it is the band’s best work to date. To showcase their newest work they have announced a tour for 2024 as well.

Finally, girl in red, Marie Ringheim, released her album “I’m Doing It Again Baby!” which is raw and emotional like a lot of Ringheim’s work. She said that she thinks this album is more fun, creative and elevated than her previous music. “It was a big month for annoying people,” said internet users everywhere.

ZENDAYA’S HISTORY OF ICONIC THEME DRESSING

One of the biggest stars of our generation, Zendaya, has proved to be an unstoppable force.

Zendaya has been on Generation Z’s screens, from the days of Disney Channel a er school to her hit blockbusters, such as “Dune,” and hit shows like “Euphoria.”

At age 24, the star became the youngest Emmy winner for lead actress, then just two years later, became the rst African American to win twice. She has become a household name and most recently has been getting applause for her red carpet looks for her press release tours.

Zendaya has been a red carpet star since her early days back at Disney, even winning a Teen Choice Award for her looks as early as 2014. Many people can remember her iconic Met Gala debut dress in 2015, a Fausto Puglisi sun-motif dress,

or her most popular Tommy Hil ger Cinderella light-up ball gown. What fans might not remember is that Zendaya started getting inspiration from her movies back in 2017, starting with “ e Greatest Showman.”

“Fashion is something I’ve always used as an outlet, a tool,” Zendaya said. “Ultimately, I think I am a more shy person, so it allows for me to create this persona, this character that I get to live in for the day.”

But creating these looks is not just a one-woman show. Zendaya’s stylist and longtime collaborator Law Roach has been working with the star since she was 14 and going to the premiere of Justin Bieber’s “Never Say Never” lm premiere in 2011. Roach can even be seen next to the star at many carpet events, including being the fairy godmother to Zendaya’s Cinderella at the Met Gala in 2019.

“I think we know each other really really well,” Zendaya said. “He gets inspired by the lms, I get inspired by the lms and we just play.”

“My favorite press look of hers of the years has to be the Robert Cavalli metal-spine dress

with the theme, yet she makes it look e ortless.”

“I think my fav. Zendaya press look is either her ‘Dune’ red carpet look or the tennis dress look for ‘Challengers,’” said Anna Saviagno, a junior mass communication major.

she wore to reference Dr. Octopus during the ‘Spiderman: No Way Home’ hype,’” said Ally Williams, a junior public health major. “It’s just so sleek and intricate at the same time, and it’s so obvious that she put a lot of time and e ort into sticking

Zendaya is not only an icon in the fashion world but has been taking the world by storm. e star has been deemed one of the world’s most in uential and powerful celebrities. From landing on Forbes 30 Under 30 at age 19 to Time’s 100 Most In uential People,

the star has been taking the world by storm. But what is it that makes Zendaya the powerful gurehead she has become?

“I feel like she’s someone younger people look up to because she knows how to relate to her audience, which is such a hard thing to do,” Williams said. “We’ve seen her grow up and break out of her Disney shell, and in a way, she’s watched us grow up with her. She doesn’t try to make anyone like her, and I think that’s the whole reason everyone looks up to her. She e ortlessly stays true to herself and doesn’t apologize for it.”

It’s not just growing up with the star that has made her fans so fond of her. It is also how she presents herself, is unwavering in her passions and has always been the Zendaya fans knew her to be, just grown up.

“We have grown up with her, and in that time, she has not wavered in her intentions

or who she is.” said Anna Saviango, a junior communications major. “She always stays strong in her reasoning and is a passionate and caring person. Because of that, we trust her, and that makes us want to look up to her.”

e star’s latest movie, “Challengers,” will be released on April 26. In the next year, the star will be working on three new projects, including season 4 of her hit show “Euphoria,” starring as Ronnie Spector in the biopic “Be My Baby” and a new collaboration lm called “A White Lie” with Reese Witherspoon. Zendaya will also be making a return to the Met Gala as a co-host alongside Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Chris Hemsworth for this year’s theme, “Garden of Time.”

is next year will prove to be a busy time for the young starlet but will further cement her legacy as one of the most successful careers of the generation.

Kylie Rowe

Ellie Smith Sta Writer

Kylie Rowe | Asst. A&L Editor

Bobcats’ summer plans

How are GC students spending this summer?

Rebecca Ocampo Sta Writer

With the school year coming to an end, that means summer is right around the corner. For some students, this is the time to kick back and relax with friends and family, while for others, it is time to get to work on jobs and internships.

For GC students, summer o cially begins a er the last nal exam on May 3. For mass communication students, an opportunity to dip their toes in the communication eld and study abroad this summer in Denmark was o ered up.

Sairsha Conner is a sophomore mass communication major. She will be attending the Denmark study abroad trip this summer. It is a two-week program in May in which mass communication students will get to experience vastly di erent areas of the communications eld.

e trip is led by Mikkel Christensen, a stra-

tegic communication professor, and is meant to give communication students a chance to experiment with different forms of media.

“We’re going to meet with a guy who records music in Denmark and get to see his recording studio,” Conner said. “We’re also getting to meet with a local newspaper and even shadow broadcasters.”

Traveling abroad is not the only way GC students plan to enjoy their summer. For some students, staying at home and enjoying time with friends and family is the perfect way to spend their break. Whether it is hanging out with old friends or taking on a summer part-time job in their hometown, some students nd their happiness being back with the ones they love. Summer is also the perfect time to take family trips.

“My dad’s a ight attendant for Delta, so this summer, we’re thinking

of taking a family trip to Europe since we get to y standby, and we have always wanted to go,” said Hope Grisham, a junior early education major.

Once school o cially ends, friends come back home from college, which calls for reunions and fun plans.

e summer weather allows for all kinds of di erent outdoor and indoor activities for students to partake in.

“ is summer, me and my friends are going to some fun concerts, like Cage the Elephant and Kid Cudi,” said Andrew Brown, a sophomore mass communication major. “We’ve been planning this for a while, so I’m de nitely looking forward to it.”

tion by gaining valuable hands-on experience at di erent companies and organizations they are interested in.

“ is summer, I’ll be working as a sales analyst intern at Vulcan Materials Company,” said Abbey Ottaway, a junior marketing major.

from school. Whether it is traveling to another state or taking a plane to another country, many students love to take this time to explore new places and see new things.

is break from school is also the perfect time for internships and jobs that pertain to students’ majors. Since this is a three-month break from school, many students take this time to further their educa-

“I’m super excited to gain some eld experience in business and sales.”

Travel is typically at its peak in the summer because of the sunny weather and break

Shannon Northern is a senior environmental science major. is summer, she will be traveling to Zambia for the second time to help raise money and better the communities in the surrounding area.

also going to be taking the GoFundMe donations and donating it to the villages around the area to give the women, like, menstrual cups and the kids good food,” Northern said.

With less than one month le of school, many students at GC are ready to kick back, relax and do some fun things this summer break. With all kinds of plans underway, it is only a matter of time before school is out and summer o cially begins. to further their educa-

“In Zambia, I’m going to be doing the actual research, and we’re

IS JOJO SIWA THE NEXT GAY ICON?

Addison White Contributing Writer

People of all generations are pretty divided when it comes to answering this question: Is JoJo Siwa the next gay icon?

Before it was even released, Siwa’s song “Karma” had already reached a Billboard chart, according to Forbes. Currently, it does not appear to be sitting in the top 200.

But it is not necessarily the song that is going viral; it is the music video and Siwa’s interviews.

“I’m going from child star to artist,” Siwa said. “No one has made this dramatic of a change yet in my generation.”

Siwa also explained to Billboard that she wanted to start a new genre of music called “gay pop.”

is started an uproar online because people felt as if she did not take into account people like Freddie Mercury, Prince or even David Bowie.

“ ere are many artists that have been creating music for the

queer community out of true passion and personal experiences,” said Kai Williams, a Spanish and music major and member of GC’s Pride Alliance. “Not to say artists cannot rebrand themselves, but that typically happens due to a signi cant change with the artist. Jojo Siwa’s rebrand seems too much of a coincidence.”

e internet also had a big reaction when nding out “Karma” was not even written by Siwa. Instead, it was written by songwriters Antonina Armato, Tim James and Desmond Child, according to TODAY. When asked to address the situation, Siwa responded by saying there is no such thing as stealing.

“Other than identifying as queer and referencing liking women in a song she didn’t write, she has done nothing for the queer community to be comparable to the lyrical and musical geniuses, such as Prince and Bowie,” said FIRST

NAME Gunter, a YEAR MAJOR major. “She speaks highly of the entertainment industry, and some of her most notable mentors are people who are known for pro ting o of children.”

the wild colors and overthe-top wardrobe is the old JoJo Siwa. e only thing di erent was that she was outwardly queer.”

Siwa receiving all this backlash has people concerned that it is not possible to rebrand yourself.

“I do not believe JoJo Siwa is a ‘gay icon’ or in-

e backlash does not stop there. Siwa’s music video, which featured her kissing and sexually dancing with a handful of women, caused chaos online.

“Her music video was not a dramatic shi whatsoever,” Gunter said. “Everything identi able about JoJo Siwa was in the ‘Karma’ music video. e extreme choreography, the slick-back hair,

vented gay pop or anything like that,” Williams said. “I feel as though she has rebranded herself out of a previously failed marketing plan and is trying to target a certain audience but not knowing how.”

“I think JoJo Siwa had the perfect opportunity to go from an artist

primarily praised by children to appealing to an older demographic,” Gunter said. “But as of right now, there is nothing of substance for an audience to relate to. Even her social media presence isn’t relatable. Yes, we’ve seen her cry over life stress on TikTok— but while she was sitting in her Lamborghini. It’s hard for oppressed communities to relate to.”

Not everyone is hating on Siwa, though. Some people think she is doing good for the LGBTQ+ community or that she is just seemingly harmless.

“Before anything, I need to point out that we [the community reacting to celebrities] have a tendency to ridicule openly queer celebrities and hold them to certain standards we would never expect of non-queer celebrities,” said Diana Cazacu, a sophomore art and philosophy major and the PR manager for the Pride Alliance.

“In some queer circles [typically the faces of the community], JoJo Siwa is the newest icon and a rising gay star. In

others [typically more underground parts of the community], she is seldom thought about.”

Siwa’s song “Karma” did not receive the love Siwa thought it would, and she has been brutally attacked online.

“I think queer celebrities should be able to make queer content without a guillotine hanging above them if they represent the queer community ‘incorrectly,’” Cazacu said. “I may not personally be a fan of JoJo Siwa and criticize her for acting as if she is the rst queer person to do what she is doing, but ultimately, she is making music regarding her identity that some queer people enjoy and might connect with.

If JoJo Siwa is the newest gay icon, time will tell, and she will prove herself memorably associated with queerness.”

People have very strong opinions on Siwa, from her slick-back ponies to her makeup in her new music video. Whether or not Siwa is a gay icon is yet to be determined.

JoJo Siwa

Julia Jensen | Art Director

OPINION FINALS

Continued from page 1

Another important thing to do is take care of your physical health. It is a busy time for us students, but we really should get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods and get some exercise. It is not

only important for our physical health but our mental health as well and will help tremendously in staying motivated with nals. If we feel strong, we will stay strong and do well. ings like sleep help your brain remember information, and it helps you feel more alert and focused.

“At the beginning of the semester, I developed relationships with my professors so that later, if I am struggling, I could go to them for help,” said Lexie Mimbs, a freshman exercise science major. It is OK to ask for help. at is what our professors are there for. ey want to see us suc-

ceed. Take advantage of o ce hours, SI sessions or simply email and get the help you may need in order to be successful with your nals. “Whenever it comes down to studying fornals, I break up my time between studying and personal time so I am not just constantly studying

all the time,” Mimbs said.

Let us not forget that in the midst of scheduling time to study, going to o ce hours and making time for our sleep and exercise, we should also prioritize taking breaks. It is not good to study constantly. ere is no way for our brains to retain that

much information for that long when there are no breaks in-between.

Let us take a little bit of time out of studying to take a second for ourselves and then get back on the grind. A er all, it is only a few short weeks until we are nal-ly free.

“THE TORTURED POET’S DEPARTMENT” review

What does Matty Healy have going on?

Paige Blakemore A&L Editor

I have this thing where I have to process new Taylor Swi albums by myself, AirPods in and in total immersion. Since Swi ’s announcement at the 2024 Grammys, I have anxiously been awaiting and counting down the days to the release of her 11th studio album, “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.”

Based on the sepia tones, an album photoshoot reminiscent of Old Hollywood and the bold title, I was hopeful for a “Midnights” x “folklore” inspired sound. at is exactly what it was.

With painstaking storytelling on love and loss integrated with whimsical, built-up instrumentals, Swi did not disappoint. e album is a perfect-yet-painful look into the past two years of her life, yet she was on top of the world, entertaining millions of adorers for most of it.

“THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT”

is the rst non-recorded album Swi has released since the announcement of her split with longterm boyfriend Joe Alwyn in April 2023. Many fans, including myself, were eager to hear Swi ’s side of the story. Swi is infamous for her diary-like, all-revealing songwriting, and this album was no di erent.

However, to my surprise and many others, much of the album hints more toward her summer rebound, Matty Healy of e 1975. A er the Alwyn split, Swi was seen with Healy for about a month last spring. Many fans were outraged about Swi ’s new boyfriend due to his problematic past, to which Swi possibly responds in the song “But Daddy I Love Him.”

While some lyrics seem like a stretch and could be about Alwyn, Healy or even Swi ’s current boyfriend, Travis Kelce, some are so obviously about Healy. Anybody invested in Healy or e 1975 lore could not miss the lyrical parallels.

“Was any of it true? / Gazing at me star-

ry-eyed / In your Jehovah’s Witness suit,” Swi said on “ e Smallest Man Who Ever Lived.”

During his “ e 1975 - ‘At eir Very Best’” tour, Healy wore a classic black and white suit every night on stage and in much of the album’s pro-

“Sometimes I wonder if you’re gonna screw this up with me / But you told Lucy you’d kill yourself if I ever leave / And I had said that to Jack about you so I felt seen / Everyone we know understands why it’s meant to be,” Swi said on the

motion, similar to that of a Jehovah’s Witness suit.

Even the title track of the album is believed to be about Healy, presumably referencing singer/songwriter Lucy Dacus and the album’s co-producer Jack Antono — mutual friends of both Healy and Swi .

song “ e Tortured Poets Department,” my personal favorite track at the moment.

Clearly, this summer ing the couple endured ran a bit deeper than just a ing, at least to Swi , but Healy was the one who called it quits. Since the album’s release, new

“evidence” has come to light suggesting that Healy and Swi have had an o -and-on situation since roughly 2014.

It is rumored that Swi allegedly invited e 1975 to be the opening for e Red Tour in 2013, but the band declined due to their conicting audiences. However, Swi still attended multiple e 1975 shows over the following years and remained friends, perhaps a little more than friends at times. At the beginning of 2023, Swi made a surprise appearance at one of the band’s shows and performed a cover of “ e City.”

“I thought it was just goodbye for now / You said you were gonna grow up / en you were gonna come nd me,” Swi said repeatedly in the chorus of “Peter.”

In 2015, singer/ songwriter Halsey and Healy shared a brief romance that reportedly inspired Halsey’s debut album, “BADLANDS,” and one of her biggest songs, “Colors.”

If Healy has two of the most success-

Is true crime as entertainment ethical?

Delaney Derry Opinion Editor

Do you ever wonder what is going on inside someone’s head? Now, where have I heard something like that before?

It may seem like I am referencing the opening line of a certain Pixar movie, but I am truly asking a serious question. I wonder all the time what other people are thinking and why they do the things they do. I especially wonder how people could possibly think of committing a crime. It can be any kind of crime, but I am mainly talking about the kind of crimes that are so horrendous that warrant entire podcasts or television series, the kind of crime that leaves you feeling like you are being followed home in the middle of the day when in reality, it is just someone who took the same two turns as you but is not real-

ly trying to kidnap you. I am no criminal justice or psychology major, but I have watched a lot of “Criminal Minds.” I think that justi es what I am about to say, right? Probably not, but let us just see where this goes. It is no secret that many people have an infatuation with true crime. I mean, it is everywhere. How are we not to get sucked into the void?

However, is true crime as entertainment ethical?

“I don’t think it would be very ethical because it seems to be generally centered around speci c kinds of crime that don’t happen as o en, such as murder or serial killers, and it does not even cover the smaller kinds of crime that happen more o en,” said Cassie Zepetelle, a junior criminal justice major. “I believe it is unethical because the smaller kinds of crime, such as shopli ing, trespassing, vandalism, etc.,

can happen more o en, yet people seem more attracted to murderers, serial killers and shootings.”

What is with the infatuation with terrible murders? Why is it that we can listen to hours of true crime, yet when we watch a horror movie, we have to cover our eyes and sleep with the light turned on for the next week?

I think people are drawn to these stories because of curiosity about the motivations of criminals, concerns about justice and the legal system and the thrill of solving a real-life case. However, the harsh truth is none of us are Velma, Fred or any of the members of the Scooby-Doo gang. is is not just another mystery to solve about some janitor who stole famous artwork for money or a spooky ghost trying to ward people o his property; that is actually nothing super-

natural at all, just some guy named Larry or Bob. e reality is that in true crime, the monsters are real, and the person under the mask is not some harmless cryptkeeper just trying to scare some meddling kids; he is a cold-blooded murderer who committed horrifying crimes. ese stories are not some make-believe nonsense but real cases that have happened — and could happen again.

“I used to listen to true crime, but I don’t anymore because I just can’t listen to certain things,” said Emma Chambers, a sophomore liberal studies major. “I did enjoy listening to the minds of serial killers and what was going on in their heads, but I do not like the descriptive torture or things like that.”

In short, I do not think it is right to listen to true crime as entertainment, but it is also not com-

pletely wrong either. I agree with Chambers that it is hard to listen to how people are murdered and what these victims underwent, but it can be interesting to learn about the motives of the criminals and the psychology behind criminals’ minds.

It can even be benecial to hear about crimes that have happened and understand the rationale these criminals use. It can help us be more cautious and can keep us safe. If you were completely unaware that if

ful pop girlies writing heartbreak anthems and albums over him, this begs the question: What in the world does Healy have going on? I so badly need to know.

As a fan of e 1975, I can somewhat understand the appeal. If given the chance, I, too, would probably fall for someone with a British accent who wrote “Robbers” and “Fallingforyou.” But other than that, his pretentious nature and impulse responses are a bit much and o entimes too controversial.

Regardless, I do have to thank him for inspiring my new on-repeat album that will be the soundtrack of my life for the next several months and possibly years. Apart from the relationship speculations, Swi is a lyrical genius who has produced yet another heartfelt masterpiece. I am curious to see how the album will age compared to her past works and how she will integrate it into “ e Eras Tour” setlist, but I can promise it will be dazzling.

you go to Walmart at night by yourself, you could potentially be kidnapped, then that would be very bad. It is not good to be wholly unaware of the world around us. It does not have to be unethical to listen to true crime if we listen for the right reasons and remember that the victims are real people and are meant to be respected. True crime does not have to be insensitive or crass, and we should be cautious about how these stories are told.

Paige Blakemore | A&L Editor