Issue 11 | Volume 103

The Official Student Newspaper of Georgia College

GREEK WEEK 2024

Kylie Rowe Asst. A&L Editor

Greek Weekend is an annual celebration of Greek life on campus that is an opportunity for the members of fraternity and sorority life to compete in friendly competitions and win awards based on their achievements throughout the year.

is year, the Greek Weekend champions were Phi Mu and Alpha Tau Omega, or ATO.

John routine together.

Overall, it was a very successful weekend for reigning champions Phi Mu and ATO.

ey took home the gold for almost all of the competitions and nished out strong with wins across the board. is year marked Phi Mu’s third consecutive win and ATO’s eighth.

Learning Center celebrates 10th year of SI leaders

Emma Eslinger Asst.

e Learning Center is celebrating 10 years of supplemental instruction, or SI. is was the rst accredited SI program in Georgia, and it was recently reaccredited.

e Learning Center is bene cial to all students, regardless of their major. ey o er services to students like tutoring, a math lab, academic workshops, Microso Excel boot camps and supplemental instruction.

e Learning Center can also provide students with practice material, which includes study guides and practice tests.

roughout the weekend, Phi Mu won basketball, tug and Greek Goddess. ATO won the blood drive, basketball, tug, ag football, cornhole, spike ball and Greek God. Both groups won sing, as Phi Mu and ATO performed an Elton

“All of our girls work towards this week all year, and seeing all of the e ort they have put in pay o is the best feeling,” said Maddie Kitchens, a junior elementary education major and member of Phi Mu. “Bringing home the trophy this year just made us more excited to start prepping for next year!”

ATO performed an Elton

Supplemental instruction is led by students in a 100% professor-free zone. is opens doors for students to ask questions without feeling the pressure of their professor. ese leaders hold sessions a er class, mainly in the evening, and create room for discussions about the content. Leaders come prepared to these

Everyone should study abroad

Delaney Derry Opinion Editor

Students, imagine you are sipping co ee at a cafe in France, gazing out towards the Mediterranean Sea or enjoying a steaming, avorful pizza at a restaurant in Italy. at sounds enticing, right? If this sounds like something that is compelling to you, then you should consider studying abroad.

Students who want to take the opportunity to learn from other cultures can study away in a country of their choosing and take approved classes for credit toward their degree. GC has a great deal of study abroad programs, most of which take place over the summer semester.

ey are usually GC faculty-led and with many other GC students, all of whom travel together.

According to the GC study abroad page, students can bene t from studying abroad with things like earning academic credit in core or

major courses, adding an international internship to their GC transcript and resume and gaining a deeper understanding of international, political, economic and cultural issues.

Studying abroad is an amazing experience where students

ment major. “It has been a dream of mine to go to Europe to experience the culture, and it’s a oncein-a-lifetime experience.”

What a truly amazing opportunity it is to be in college and say you have studied somewhere like Germany or France. ere is just no better way

get a taste of what it is like for people and cultures around the world. ey can experience things rsthand rather than simply learn about them from a classroom.

“I am studying this summer in the Netherlands, Germany and France,” said Cole Lazich, a junior manage-

A look at the Criminal Justice Program’s week-long event.

to experience a culture than to live in it yourself.

“ e biggest reason you should consider a study abroad program is the opportunity to see the world,” said an article on the website International Student. ere is no better time than when you are in college to go out and

college

As the regular season winds down, the team honored its four graduating seniors.

meetings with games, questions and slideshows to help explain ideas in the content that students may be unclear about. e Learning Center holds about an average of 110 sessions a week in SI. ese leaders are matched with a professor. ere are about 50 SI leaders matched with instructors as of right now. e leader has taken that class in the past, has done well and understands the material enough to explain and help others with it. e classes with an SI leader are usually di cult, and it is very bene cial to the student to get extra help. Some of these classes include chemistry, biology, economics, physics and much more.

Keeley Casalou is an SI leader for Dr. Kelly Lee’s ECON 2106 class, Principles of Microeconomics.

“I love being an SI leader and getting to connect with the students that come to my sessions,” Casalou said. “I usually get regulars that come to my sessions. I love getting to know them better each week

experience the world. College is a time when students are learning about themselves and the world around them. It is a major time of growth and independence. Most students have never experienced things outside of the small town they grew up in or, at the most, seen things beyond the United States’ coasts.

“By studying abroad, you will experience a brand-new country with incredible new outlooks, customs and activities,” International Students said.

Not only will you have the experience of a lifetime, but it will give you a chance to see other cultures up close and experience things outside of the comfort of the classroom. You can gain new insight and learn by leaving your little corner of the world and actually seeing the rest of the world up close and personal.

and help them with any questions they have, even if it’s not related to the content I am an SI leader for.”

SI leaders are prepared with a guidebook that explains everything you need to know about being an SI. e book contains tips for the leader as well. For example, the guidebook says how to explain a topic to someone who is an auditory learner versus a reading or writing learner.

is past weekend, the 2024 Masters Tournament occurred at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. e tournament takes place every April and is the rst of four major golf tournaments that take place every season. Tagged as a “tradition unlike any other,” thousands of people ocked to Augusta to witness one of golf’s greatest honors be won and a purse of $18 million be split by players who perform well. is year’s tournament was highlighted by an extremely talented eld, featuring stars like world No. 1 Scottie Sche er and last year’s champion, John Rahm. e eld included many more stars of the game, including Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Rickie Fowler, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Justin omas and, of course, Tiger Woods. is year’s tournament was graced by great weather for all four rounds, making shooting low rounds a big possibility. However, winds played a heavy factor in all four rounds, forcing the players to be very precise to make better than par on certain holes.

It is an age-old joke: Humanities majors are easier than STEM majors. But is that true?

Isabella McComis | Digital Media

Dr. Robert Bernasconi visits GC

“Philosophy’s Failure in the Face of Slavery”

Jack McKinney Contributing Writer

Dr. Robert Bernasconi, Edwin Erle Sparks’s professor of philosophy and African American studies at Pennsylvania State University, delivered a lecture at GC detailing higher education’s participation in slavery across the 19th century. e lecture was titled “Philosophy’s Failure in the Face of Slavery,” wherein more speci cally, Bernasconi harshly critiqued the education of moral philosophy in American academic institutions.

One of his critiques laid in the desperation of wealth across the nation and the acceptance of Southern political standards in Northern academia and how pro tability from Southern plantations le a large Southern student population available for Northern universities to pursue.

“ e wealth of the country was from the South, but the universities were in the Northeast,” Bernasconi said. “And so, in order to attract wealthy stu-

dents to these prestigious universities in the Northeast, they had to make sure they were not coming out against slavery.” is resulted in a simplistic method of teaching moral philosophy in United States academia: It comprised two major textbooks that were practically interchangeable in their utility. Unfortunately, the outcome of these textbooks directed the “brightest minds of America” to be reluctant to challenge the largest ethical dispute in the 19th century: slavery. “ e Northern universities and the Southern universities used the same moral text-

Justice Week at GC

is past week, here at our very own GC, Justice Week was hosted by the Criminal Justice Program. e week of April 8-12 had a packed-full schedule of multiple events discussing multiple topics dealing with the justice system.

books [for philosophy],” Bernasconi said. “One of the striking things is that there were only two textbooks of moral philosophy that dominated the teaching of morality in colleges and universities in the United States from the period of 1790 to 1865 — only two.” Bernasconi goes on to link this dilemma to a larger problem in academic philosophy itself: that many philosophers do not correlate moral philosophy to political philosophy. He argues that it may seem irrelevant for philosophers to interpret a concept with moral intent without executing such

convictions by collaborating with a network of volunteers, students and pro bono lawyers.

beliefs to the same standard, especially through the medium of political institutions.

“ is is very much part of the failure of moral philosophy to address slavery,” Bernasconi said. “It becomes a moral issue when the political system is presupposed.”

Dr. James Winchester, a philosophy professor at GC, agrees with the sentiment expressed by Bernasconi but implies that challenges across the modern day are not excused. As Winchester argues, philosophical critiques of political dilemmas are a necessity for society to progress.

“It is very telling to see how philosophers found all sorts of ways in the 19th century to justify slavery because they had a nancial interest,” Winchester said. “I think today, the challenge is that we need to use philosophy in a productive way so that we can call into question the kinds of things that are deserving of critique, like racism, sexism, homophobia.”

By bringing up these modern-day issues in relation to historical di culties, Winchester alludes to intersectionality in moral philosophy: the idea that forms of oppression are historically stemmed and interconnected with one another. is use of

intersectionality gives way for obvious immoral ideologies, such as slavery, as described by Bernasconi in his lecture, to evolve and transcribe through di erent mediums.

Diana Cazacu, a sophomore art and philosophy major, considers this attribute of intersectionality to be a direct component of Bernasconi’s arguments. It is also how Cazacu found interest in the event: by looking through philosophical intersectionality from a modern viewpoint and with modern concerns in mind.

“Immediately upon reading the talk, I was like, ‘Woah, this is so cool,’” Cazacu said. “ is is mainly because I’m fascinated with intersectionality in philosophy, especially how philosophy in our modern days can fail minorities.”

Nonetheless, Bernasconi’s lecture on “Philosophy’s Failure in the Face of Slavery” provided a sharp critical analysis of American philosophy during the 19th century. Even as his arguments follow a historical narrative with many examples following suit, the implication of moral philosophy to the modern day was surely intended by Bernasconi to inspire students to tackle complex and unethical political institutions abroad.

e week started on April 9 with an insightful presentation on “Women in Law,” followed later that day with a presentation on “Law Enforcement Community Forum.” On April 10, a virtual Zoom meeting was held to discuss the topic “Buck the System: Criminal Justice Activism and Advocacy.” On April 11, there were two lectures that took place: “Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom: Academic Freedom & Controversial Class Discussions,” followed by “ e First Amendment, Safe Spaces, and Viewpoint Diversity.”

Lastly, to conclude the week on April 12, the lecture “Second Chance Month Reentry Simulation,” was delivered. e virtual Zoom meeting honored two guest speakers: Rhys Havens and Wade Askew, from the Georgia Innocence Project and the Georgia Justice Project. e Georgia Innocence Project, or GIP, is an independent nonpro t organization that works to correct and prevent wrongful convictions in Georgia. GIP attorneys and sta conduct investigations into criminal

GIP o ers free services and has strict criteria for case acceptance. ey have received over 8,400 requests for help but are only able to accept a small fraction of applicants. Cases are only accepted if there is a compelling claim of actual innocence or the existence of DNA that proves innocence. rough GIP e orts, they have exonerated 14 men who have collectively spent hundreds of years wrongly convicted.

GIP strives to help people released from prison with getting back into their daily lives and readjusting to society. is includes getting them any needed mental health support.

“When you have been incarcerated for long periods of time, you might not have

family or a support system when you are released,” Havens, GIP’s development manager said. “You’re going to need help doing daily tasks.”

e Georgia Justice Project, or GJP, uses direct legal representation, policy advocacy, education and coalition building to promote innovative change. GJP’s goal is to strengthen the community by demonstrating a better way to represent and support individuals in the criminal justice system to reduce barriers to reentry.

GJP spokesperson explains how restorative justice diversion programs are hardly ever utilized in the criminal justice process.

“Our mission as an organization is to try and change that,” Askew, GJP spokesman, said.

To be eligible for this program, you have to have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime. is program does not normally accept felons. ese two programs are working hard to strive for a better justice system and turnout for wrongful convictions in the state of Georgia. Currently, GJP has spaces set up in the courtroom in three di erent jurisdictions and has helped over 1,000 people.

Julia Jensen | Art Director

Courtesy of Jack McKinney

LEARNING

Continued from page 1

Angela Queen, an assistant professor of nursing, teaches Adult Health I, NRSG 3440. is class contains an SI leader for students to use in the class. In a recent survey provided by the Learning Center, she wrote about her SI leader.

“Cydni is proactive,

assertive, prepared, and engaging,” Queen said. “She is always asking for insight that will help the students. She is encouraging and involved with the course faculty. She has been an excellent SI. We are very thankful she has been a part of our NRSG 3440 team this semester.”

Being an SI leader can help students gain so skills that they can use throughout the rest of

their lives. As they teach the material, they learn patience, adaptability, time management and overall leadership skills. Along with these so skills, the leaders are also involved in the community at GC and get to invest in their peers.

Casalou explains that watching another SI leader in a class that she had taken made her want to be an SI leader herself.

“I chose to be an SI because the one I had for the class I currently SI for was incredible,” Casalou said. “She always had great lessons prepared and helped me not just learn the content for our exams but really understand it on a deeper level. She’s a big reason I love the material I teach now. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to give back to students

Medical marijuana in Milledgeville

Alexis Maddox Sta Writer

Milledgeville might be expecting a new medical marijuana-growing facility if the request to rezone a property is granted. e facility is set to be built at Heritage Park, which is across the street from the local Walmart.

On March 26, the general manager of Treevana Wellness, Jim Frazier, presented an overview of the plans to the Milledgeville City Council with hopes of their approval.

Treevana Wellness is a state-licensed medical cannabis manufacturer, and the implementation of this company will

provide well-paying jobs for 30-50 individuals.

A medical marijuana facility requires top security measures, both on-site and on the transportation of the product, which will be included in the development of this new facility. “I think the results people have seen from using medical marijuana show that it is more than useful in the medical community,” said Ginger Howard-Grant, a sophomore nursing major. “I have seen a video or two that shows a patient before and a er the use of medical marijuana, and the e ects are amazing. It even eliminated a patient’s tremors.”

patient’s

According to Mayo Clinic, medical marijuana is the derivative of the cannabis sativa plant that is used to ease symptoms caused by certain medical conditions. A medical marijuana-growing facility is a way to ensure safe and legal access to medical cannabis through dispensary systems. California was the rst state to pass medical marijuana laws in 1996, and now 38 states have passed similar legislation.

ere is plenty of controversy regarding marijuana, including legalizing the drug in the United States. Although a few states have legalized marijuana, it is important to note

the di erences between medical marijuana and recreational marijuana.

According to Malie Cannabis Clinic, the di erences between recreational and medical marijuana are cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as CBD and THC. e amount of THC in recreational is higher than the amount in medicinal. CBD is the part of the plant that relieves medically related pain.

“I believe that when used responsibly, medical marijuana has the potential to enhance the quality of life for many patients and can offer signi cant relief for many health conditions,”

the way she gave back to me. I also love being able to be a part of the community here at GC and get involved and invest into helping my peers.”

workshops, which have their beta test in the fall.

To nd the Learning Center, students can go to the second oor of the library. eir hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday- ursday and 9 a.m.2 p.m. Fridays. In the meantime, look out for Learning Center events on their Instagram: @ gc_learningcenter. also adding calculator

e Learning Center has a lot in store for the upcoming year. ey have recently added computer science tutoring but only for the lower levels of computer science courses. ey are also adding calculator

said Gianna Verde, a senior marketing major.

“For a lot of people, the bene ts of medical marijuana are worth it despite the risks and side effects. It just comes down to proper instruction and nding what works best for each person.”

e side e ects of medical marijuana have been a primary concern in its rise. e main side e ects include dizziness, memory fog, nausea, dry mouth, withdrawal and many others.

“I think the bene ts of medical marijuana out-

weigh the side e ects,” said Angela Shelton, a junior management major. “All medicines have side e ects that need to be worked around. If someone does experience dangerous symptoms, alternative medications can be attempted to be found.

ose who do not experience those risks would ultimately be helped more than harmed.”

If the facility zone gets approved, it will be a suitable place to work in Milledgeville for individuals who pass the security background check.

e medical marijuana facility can add a unique new level of development for Baldwin County and can provide new opportunities for further growth in the future.

GC Digital Humanities talk Georgia’s new voting bill

Isabelle Gonzales Sta Writer

In the peak of election season, the Georgia state government has decided to take a stand in favor of changing voting laws. Republican activists have pushed for a law to combat former President Donald Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. According to Campaign Legal, a nonpro t organization that enforces voting laws, in 2020, Trump led lawsuits regarding alleged voter fraud.

Senate Bill 189, a bill questioning voter eligibility and registration, was passed in the Senate with a vote of 33-22 and in the House with a vote of 101-73. e bill is now on Governor Brian Kemp’s desk and is awaiting a possible veto or signature.

e biggest concern voters have with this bill is that it questions voter eligibility. e threat of voter fraud is the driving force for those in support of the bill to investigate voter eligibility. Due to the 2024 presidential election coming up in November, this idea could be frightening to those who are voting.

e main takeaway is that Republicans who are for this bill want voter registration to be checked before someone can vote in order to prevent voter fraud. is will be done by using AI and probable cause to invalidate suspicious registrations. ose who would qualify for an invalid registration would include homeless individ-

uals who are registered at a nonresidential location, deceased people and those who have not been fully paying taxes.

In smaller counties, this bill would push for paper ballots to be used if the population of registered voters is less than 5,000. is could allow for ballots to be counted by hand and recounted more easily. e bill will also allow for any candidate to be written in for the presidential spot, including independent candidates, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

To take those who are registered to vote in a nonresidential address would mean stripping a lot of homeless citizens of their right to vote. e Democrats who oppose this bill are not in favor of this. Some Democrats who oppose this bill are also claiming that this change could overwhelm the voting system and those in charge of running the elections.

“What this bill does is ensure that your legal vote does matter,” said John Lahood, the Republican chairman of the Georgia House.

As for the voters within the community, there is worry about how this bill will a ect the individual as well as the community as a whole.

“ is bill is not unconstitutional,” said Allen Brown, a senior history major. “Voting is a privilege, not a right. Voting should be taken a lot more seriously. I mean, there are millions voting who don’t pay taxes or own any property and are also here illegally.”

Some believe this bill

could be stripping citizens of their ability to vote unfairly, while others think this bill could be protecting our republic and voting institution entirely.

“I believe that for our country to maintain its integrity and have fair elections, voters need to be registered, law-abiding citizens of the United States,” said Caden Flemming, a senior management information systems, or MIS, major.

e state of Georgia is currently a swing state and has been for a very long time, and it holds 16 electoral college votes. is is the second most in the Southeast behind Florida, which has 30 votes. Georgia is important in elections, as the state could easily impact the outcome of who becomes president.

Voting is one of the many ways a person can be involved with the government, but this bill could limit those who can do so. is bill could help add back the authority and fairness into elections, but it could also cause more injustices in the long run.

Cali Snodgrass Contributing Writer

In the era of technology, digital humanities is quickly becoming a booming way to combine knowledge with new technology.

A concept explored by Jessica Wallace, an associate professor of history at GC, in her presentation, on April 9, of a new website dedicated to a niche historical event known as the Anglo-Cherokee War.

Wallace began her presentation with a quick rundown of the Anglo-Cherokee War, ensuring to hit all the main points of what the climate of the area was like, the relationships between the Cherokee and colonial people and how those relationships soured through a series of misunderstandings and violent retributions.

At the end of this spiel, she transitioned into demonstrating the new website, where she demonstrated how she took all of the information she gave during her presentation and implemented it into a fun and interactive website. She also added in more information that would not have t within her original dissertation that the whole project was built o of.

“ e crisis in the humanities, particularly in our country, here, people are questioning the value of the humanities

and the value of liberal arts education,” said Dr. Elissa Auerbach, an art history professor at GC. “We wanted to insert this initiative into our humanities programs to help students be able to connect current technologies with traditional humanities research.” is is a sentiment shared by both faculty and students alike, as a er the presentation, one of the students in attendance, Ansley Youngerman, a junior history major, contemplated everything that would go into a project like what was presented.

“ e amount of research that will go into putting on a project and the development behind it, what goes into it, who you need support from, what you need to look for and what your vision is for the entire project,” Youngerman said.

Wallace ensured that every tool she used within her presentation was on full display and explained how each one was utilized and how easy they are to utilize once you familiarize yourself with all its functions.

“Our hope as faculty is that we’re giving students a whole array of di erent skill sets and di erent tools that they can apply to whatever they do a er graduation,” Wallace said. However, those were not the only skills that she hoped the students would learn from projects like these.

“I ended up really

liking it because it does allow you to be a little more creative,” Wallace said. “It does allow you to ask di erent questions than if you are just writing a paper or giving a conference presentation.” is is a sentiment shared by the rest of the faculty associated with digital humanities. If the sta can nd different ways to help students learn, then it will give them the boost to further their own research and interests.

“I think it’s great because she’s going to be using this for teaching,” Auerbach said. “So, she’s learning how to use tools she will then teach students how to use, and I think one of the magical things about digital humanities is that when students are doing research, that manifests in a digital project. ey’re creating something, as opposed to just writing a paper; that’s on paper.”

Overall, the presentation was a success with sparking a deep interest in combining typical research with a digital format to better allow for creative interpretations of the accumulated information and allow for a more interactive style of presentation than if it was just a paper.

e future of digital humanities seems bright, and hopefully, more faculty, as well as students, will be able to explore and create new and insightful projects.

Marijuana Plant

Julia Jensen | Art Director

Athletics to move to Sacramento next season

Ty Karraker Sta Writer

Oakland Athletics

fans have expressed frustration with the management of their favorite team for years now and, in recent months, even called for the owner to sell the team. Now that the team is o cially leaving Oakland, California, this has stirred strong emotions among fans.

In a form of protest, fans of the team refused to show up to their Opening Day matchup against the Cleveland Guardians. Fans of the A’s referred to this as the “Block Party Boycott,” and this caused only around 13,000 fans to attend the game, compared to their 27,000 fans last Opening Day.

Following the protest, the A’s’ owner, John Fisher, announced that the team would be leaving Oakland Coliseum three years earlier than expected and will be playing in Sacramento, California, for the years leading up to the construction of their new eld out in Las Vegas, Nevada.

e people of Oakland were outraged by the move to Las Vegas, but now that the team’s move is happening sooner than expected, it has caused even more backlash in the community and all over. Fans have explained that this is primarily due to the perspective of the A’s abandoning Oakland a er all they have gone through.

Congresswoman Bar-

bara Lee has criticized the move, highlighting a broader concern about how ownership all throughout baseball is unjust, saying that owners are now prioritizing their own nancial interest rather than the communities that have always supported them.

Lee’s statement, while broad, does seem to illustrate the frustration that all A’s fans are going through during this time because many do believe that Fisher is just throwing away a 56-year relationship with the city for money.

When the Athletics make their departure from Oakland to Sacramento following this season, they will be scraping the word “Oakland” out

of their title and will be referred to as just the Athletics until their o cial move to Las Vegas when the stadium is ready. e move next season also puts them playing their games in a minor league stadium that only holds 15,000 fans rather than continuing to play in a major league-level stadium. is will make the A’s go from playing in the biggest MLB stadium to the smallest one.

Luke Schmidt, a junior computer science student, brought up how he thinks the fans of the A’s are responding to the move made by ownership.

“

e fans were completely justi ed in their protest,” Schmidt said. “ e team has been

GC baseball recognizes four seniors

Emily Henderson

Asst. Sports Editor

GC baseball celebrated four graduating seniors during their doubleheader against Lander University on Saturday, April 13. ese four seniors are Brandon Bell ower, A.J. Mathis, Cam McNearney and Jacob Ryan.

is celebration started o the day, as all four seniors, alongside their parents, received recognitions for their time here at GC.

Mathis, a le -handed pitcher, is the only senior that started out his college career here at GC.

Primarily a relief pitcher for the Bobcats, he has faced 80 batters this year in 16.1 innings, striking out 10. While he is primarily a pitcher, Mathis has also played in the eld and hit for the Bobcats.

“When I stepped on this eld four years ago, I was super excited and hungry to get out here and be with the guys,” Mathis said. “Over the course of those four years, I have had some great teammates, and it was nothing short of that this year, so being able to

be recognized out here with all of them today was a really special feeling.”

While the other three seniors did not start their careers at GC, they have been able to make the most of their time here.

Bell ower, an out elder for the Bobcats, started his career at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College before transferring to GC a er his freshman year in 2020.

Since coming to GC his sophomore year, Bell ower has been a key hitter for the Bobcats. Over his four years playing for GC, he has had 140 runs batted in and 195 hits, with the most coming this season, as he currently has 63.

Every season, one graduating senior is awarded the John Kurtz Award, which is awarded by Kathy Kurtz, the widow of John Kurtz. is award is given to the most outstanding GC baseball player, who is the role model of the program.

“ at award has been marked on my to-do list,” Bell ower said. “I really wanted to get that award, and I did. I can think of

a lot of great people that have gotten it before me, and I am just honored to be with them.”

Ryan, a right-handed pitcher, was another late addition to the Bobcats’ roster. He transferred to GC from Georgia Highlands College two years ago, and since then, has found his way into the starting pitching rotation for the Bobcats. is season, he has pitched 54 innings, has 39 strikeouts and faced 244 batters. is led Ryan to be the nal starter during Senior Day weekend.

“I have worked hard

my whole career to be here,” Ryan said. “Getting to come out here and play my last home game as a starter means a lot, but I do it for all these guys.”

McNearney was an addition that GC needed this season a er losing more than 20 players from last year’s roster. McNearney transferred to GC to play his nal season a er graduating from Birmingham Southern College last year.

“I transferred into here, and they all made me family really quick,” McNearney said. “I am just very grateful that

there for so long. I’d be mad too if they just up and le , and the owner is completely crazy for leaving the coliseum years early. It just seems unfair to the fans.”

e unhappy fans said they protested the games to prove their never-ending loyalty to their beloved team and their sadness at their departure. Many believe their frustration with the team’s ownership is completely understandable.

Cole Alegria, a sophomore art major with a concentration in graphic design, explained how he would react to losing his favorite team and shared crucial insight.

“I would understand a team leaving for money,” Alegria said. “But I

they took me in as one of their brothers, and I am just going to cherish every moment I get with them because they are another family to me.”

He has made his way to be the starting center elder for the Bobcats. In his short time at GC, McNearney has had 44 hits, 28 runs batted in and has caught 105 pop ies in the out eld. Overall, he has 182 hits, 129 runs batted in and has caught 344 pop ies.

While the Bobcats are only losing four seniors this year, with the careers these players

feel when the A’s disassociated from Oakland, it placed a barrier between the fans and the organization, so I would be more upset over the disassociation more than anything, as it seems disrespectful to the history of the franchise.”

e desire of the fan base to maintain their team and their history will be a present and relevant aspect of the 2024-2025 season. As the nal season for the Oakland Athletics is underway, fans in the city shall cherish the team and the coliseum since they only have a little more time to enjoy their precious A’s and stadium.

have had, it will be hard to replace their skill next year but also their character as players.

“It means a great deal to have these guys as players,” said Nolan Belcher, the Bobcats’ head coach. “ ese seniors have always led by example, and they make me super proud to have them in this program.”

Watch these four seniors take the eld one last time as Bobcats on Wednesday, May 1, at 5 p.m. against Newberry College. Newberry College.

Men’s Final Four

Samantha Birmingham Sta Writer

e men’s college basketball Final Four and national championship games have concluded, marking the end of the 2023-2024 season. e

Final Four consisted of the last four teams remaining in the NCAA, which included the University of Alabama, the University of Connecticut, Purdue University and North Carolina State University.

On Saturday, April 6, NC State played against Purdue, and Purdue took the win 63-50. Alabama played UConn, and UConn came out on top with a score of 86-72.

On Monday, April 8, Purdue played against UConn in a very intense game. By the end of the national championship, UConn took the win with a score of 75 against Purdue, who had a score of 60.

UConn maintained its quest to defend its national championship title by overcoming its initial signi cant challenge in the NCAA tournament.

Freshman Stephon Castle led the charge with 21 points, while the team showcased a strong defensive performance in the latter half, securing an 86-72 victory over Alabama in the Final Four.

Purdue extended its March Madness journey, e ectively ending NC State’s hopes in the process. Zach Edey’s impressive performance of 20 points and 12 rebounds fueled the team to a 63-50 victory, bring-

MASTERS

Continued from page 1

“ e course is very scorable,” said Tucker Sutton, a senior accounting major. “However, the greens are lightning fast, and spraying the ball o the tee can put you in a lot of trouble. It’s the best tournament to watch because those guys are so good, but the diculty of the incredible conditions still shows.”

Augusta is known for having tough greens to make putts on while also having a lot of undulation and elevation change.

“ e best have to play

ing the Boilermakers within reach of what would have been their inaugural NCAA title.

Some fans were disappointed in the turnout of the tournament, with both teams playing in the National Championship being No. 1 seeds.

“ e Final Four this year was really uncompetitive and very predictable,” said Will Turner, a sophomore nance major. “From the get go, I knew UConn was going to win, even though I was always rooting for DJ Burns and NC State. Even with Zach Edey dropping 30 points, his supporting cast did not help him whatsoever to overcome Purdue in the championship.”

Other fans were satis ed with the Final Four, even if the underdog Wolfpack did not get to complete their Cinderella run.

“ e Final Four was exciting to watch, and I was rooting for NC State and DJ Burns Jr. to win it all,” said Evan Gillanders, a junior business major. “Since that couldn’t happen, it was a relief to see Alabama and Purdue lose to UConn.” NC State, which nished with a record of 26-15, concluded its

their best to win at Augusta, and the leaderboard is always stacked,” said Josh Killen, a senior marketing major. “Sunday at the Masters would be the pinnacle of golf for me, maybe even the pinnacle of attending live sports events.”

Sche er climbed the mountain top again and won his second Masters in three years. Schefer nished with a nal score of 11 under par, shooting a four-under 68 in the nal round. e top ve was made up of Ludvig Åberg, at seven under par, and a

season just two wins away from replicating its remarkable 1983 triumph, during which it secured the title in a series of nine consecutive must-win games, cementing its place in history as one of the most improbable champions.

Similarly, some may view Purdue’s current run as equally unlikely.

e top-seeded team nds itself in the Final Four for the rst time since 1980 and a season a er experiencing the disappointment of being the second top seed to exit in the opening round.

“ e higher seed in each matchup dominated the lower seeds,” said Cruz Ridgeway, a sophomore management information systems, or MIS, major. “ e national championship was a much better matchup, but UConn easily ran away with it in the second half.”

e Final Four matchups in men’s NCAA basketball epitomized the excitement and intensity that dene the sport. As teams battled for a shot at securing their spot in history, each possession and play held immense importance.

three-way tie for third, at four-under par, between Homa, Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood.

Sche er entered the tournament as the favorite and showed that he was well-deserving of it.

“He’s on top of the world right now and playing out of his mind,” said Ryan Collins, a junior mass communication major. “It’s exciting that the best golfer in the world is an American again. McIlroy and Rahm were on top for a while, and as a fan of the Ryder Cup, I like to see Americans playing

Women’s Final Four

Christian Castillo Sta Writer is year’s Final Four of the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament was made up of two No. 1 seeds and two No. 3 seeds. e matchups were the University of Iowa vs. the University of Connecticut, and on the other side, the University of South Carolina vs. North Carolina State University.

e top-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes, led by superstar Caitlin Clark, faced o against the UConn Huskies, led by fellow superstar Paige Bueckers. e South Carolina Gamecocks met the underdog of the four teams, the NC State Wolfpack, with the chance of a perfect, undefeated season on the line.

e Hawkeyes won a close contest against UConn, barely beating the Huskies by a score of 71-69. With the game coming down to the wire and being decided on the last possession, it was headlined by a

controversial o ensive foul called on UConn in the nal seconds.

Clark scored 21 points for the Hawkeyes, and forward Hannah Stuelke scored 23 points. UConn was led by Bueckers and Aaliyah Edwards, who both scored 17.

e other semi nal was a much more lopsided a air. South Carolina dominated NC State to win by a score of 78-59. e di erence in the game came in a massive third quarter for the Gamecocks, in which they dropped 29 points to the Wolfpack’s six.

Guard Aziaha James led the Wolfpack with 20 points, while the Gamecocks were led by their superstar, Kamilla Cardoso, with 22 points.

e national championship came down to the two best teams in the country, one led by a generational talent and the new record holder for career points in NCAA Division I basketball for both men’s and women’s, and the oth-

er an incredible squad on a mission to complete a perfect season.

With an 87-75 win, South Carolina completed their perfect season and were crowned national champions with a 38-0 record.

e Gamecocks won this game with superb defense and by dominating the boards. By both doubling Iowa’s blocks and winning the rebound battle 51-29, South Carolina made scoring a tough task, especially down the stretch as the game reached the late third quarter and fourth quarter.

“ is year’s women’s tournament was more entertaining than the men’s, which was really cool and refreshing to see,” said Sean Davis, a senior exercise science major. “NCAA women’s basketball is ourishing right now, and superstars, like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bueckers, and superteams, like South Carolina, are changing the game.”

changing the game.”

better than Europeans.”

e tournament brought other headlines, such as Woods making the cut for his 24th straight time playing at the Masters, an incredible feat to accomplish.

is is proven by the fact that Rahm, the defending champion, did not make the cut this year.

e fact that Rahm and Sche er are trading the jacket also made headlines. As a tradi-

tion of the tournament, the previous champion awards the winner with the green jacket.

In 2023, Sche er presented the jacket to Rahm, and this year, they swapped places.

Julia Jensen | Art Director

Iowa guard Caitlin Clark

Julia Jensen | Art Director

Augusta National clubhouse

CHARLI XCX/CHAPPELL ROAN NEW SINGLES: “CLUB CLASSICS”/“B2B” AND “GOOD LUCK, BABE!”

Cale Strickland Managing Editor

OPINION

I grew up on hip-hop and rap, but pop will always be my favorite genre.

Lady Gaga is my favorite artist of all time. And even though she has shi ed her focus from pop music to pop culture as a whole, her in uence on my taste — and on some of my new favorite artists — has pointed me in the direction of plenty of up-and-coming voices in the space, giving me a plethora of new music to listen to and fall in love with.

One of those “up-andcoming” voices, Charli XCX, is now a cornerstone of the dance-pop world. With several major albums under her belt, she is in a position to in uence new artists herself — and give some of them, including in u-

encer Addison Rae, a leg up; the two worked together on a remix of XCX’s recent single “Von dutch” o her upcoming album, “BRAT.” And I am glad to say, the original song is awesome, but the remix might be even better. Rae absolutely kills it, and I cannot say I am surprised, as I love the track “2 die 4” — which features XCX, ttingly — o of her EP, “AR.”

XCX has dropped two more singles, “Club classics” and “B2b,” o of her new record, both of which further hint at the sound of her new project.

It feels like a mix of the hyperpop she became known for on “Charli,” her self-titled album, and “how i’m feeling now,” the record she released during quarantine, and the Madonna and ‘80s-inspired pop power ballads of her most recent project, “CRASH”; the tracks have heavy electronic and dance in uences,

but they are not EDM per se.

I cannot lie; I prefer the hyperpop sound of XCX’s earlier work, but “CRASH” was still one of my favorite albums of 2022. At the end of the day, I am a huge fan of both sounds, and I cannot wait for the record, which comes out in June. e phrase “up-and-coming” is much better suited for Chappell Roan, who — despite her limited discography — has become one of my favorite pop artists. She put out her debut album, “ e Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” last year, and just months later, she is one of the openers for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour and has a new single, “Good Luck, Babe!” out. It is all incredibly exciting, as Roan is not just one of my favorite newcomers, but my girlfriend and friends’ too. In the fall, we all found, and fell in love with “ e Rise and Fall

of a Midwest Princess” — but Roan’s entire, albeit short, discography honestly. “Red Wine Supernova,” the record’s biggest hit, soundtracked all of fall.

Roan is having on college kids, I do not know what does.

My girlfriend and one of her friends even had an entire Roan/“ e Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”-themed joint birthday party over the weekend. If that does not show you how much of an impact

you

e problem with “treat yourself” culture

Paige Blakemore A&L Editor

OPINION

Nearly every time I get on social media, my feeds are ooded with topics about the importance of “self-care.” O entimes, this is portrayed through restful activities, like a bath or meditation, or even delighting in a desert a er a long day.

I have not been this excited about a new pop artist — or artist, period — since Caroline Polachek burst onto the scene. Between XCX, Polachek and Roan — and artists like yeule — the genre is in good hands, even in Gaga’s absence. Ms. Roan, we need the sophomore album.

However, it seems as though the lines between self-care and self-indulgence have been blurred by a consumer-driven, chronically doom-scrolling world. More likely than not, you did not need that six-dollar latte or have a valid reason to frequently miss class, but we as a society have justi ed these consistent actions by labeling them as “self-care.” is is not to say that humans do not deserve a break. Everybody deserves time to themselves, and being willing to verbalize and communicate their needs is admirable.

and ill-informed decision-making that comes with treating one’s self.

Dr. Stephanie Jett, an assistant professor of psychology at GC, describes the interaction as a balance of external factors and intrinsic motivation, or between happy and healthy. Dopamine, the hormone responsible for pleasure, plays a large part in the impulse

Dating in college Soulmate or situationship?

Addison White Contributing Writer

College is a time when students learn who they are. It is a time for exploration and making relationships.

In college, you are around new people, making new friends and sometimes even making romantic relationships.

“My experience with dating in college is limited, but I’m very grateful to have met my partner my rst semester freshman year!” said Kellen O’Neil, a sophomore mass communication major. “College has allowed me to feel comfortable in my relationship. I feel like it’s de nitely helped us establish a long-term relationship. However, things like money and time de nitely create some challenges that can be overcome with open communication.” But not everyone is lucky enough to nd a romantic partner that early in college, especially in this day and age, where “situationships” are very popular. “I haven’t been in a relationship in college,” said Victoria Simmerman, a sophomore nursing major. “I’ve experienced situationships but nothing serious. I have not had bad experiences, but I feel in this generation, college is just situationships and hookup culture.” College teaches students both academically and emotionally. Students are studying while also balancing new friendships and relationships. ey are meeting an entire new pool of people the second they walk through

“Dopamine is released in anticipation of good things but also as a consequence of those good things,” Jett said. “When we’ve got that kind of dopamine cascade, we end up chasing that dopamine high. We’ve got that little boost that makes us feel better neurologically and physiologically, so we wanna do the thing that gave us that or nd something that will give us that same feeling again.” is idea of a “treat yourself” culture existed long before social media but was catalyzed a er the COVID-19

pandemic. A er 2020, mental health concerns, as a result of lockdown, became signi cant and could not remain untreated. A direct consequence of this was many feeling as though they deserved a little treat at all times to counteract the imbalance, largely brought on by social media in uencers.

Now, I am no stranger to this phenomenon. I, too, enjoy an indulgence a er completing a di cult task without guilt or shame. But when one can only complete the task because of the indulgence or external reinforcers, that is where the problem lies.

For some, this can

their college’s doors.

“College has made me aware of how important my time is and has taught me to value my time with my boyfriend,” O’Neil said.

According to YouGov, half of Americans ages 18 to 34 have been in a “situationship.” But it is not just situationships that are on the rise; so is online dating.

“A situationship is essentially being committed to a person but without the title,” Sim-

merman said. “However, a situationship can be unhealthy because at times, you do not understand where you and your partner stand. It can be emotionally draining.”

With apps like Tinder, Hinge and Bumble, it has started opening up new ways of dating. People are now able to connect online in ways they were never able to before. People can now “match” with all kinds of people from all places, it has broadened the dating world.

consequently lead to nancial hardships or all-around buttery-e ect poor choices.

“If we can’t nd any intrinsic motivation, that is a mental health crisis,” Jett said. “It could be burnout, depression or a lot of things, but it’s probably a time to reevaluate.”

What concerns me the most is that many college students su ering from these things are most likely nding temporary solutions in small treats throughout their days. In reality, there is a deeper underlying issue that has yet to be resolved.

Dr. Jett points out that the pushback on “treat yourself” culture mostly concerns marginalized

“My boyfriend and I met on a dating app,” said Brooklyn Wucher, a junior music education major. “We were able to talk on the phone all the time over the summer and learn so much about each other before ever meeting. Ian and I have been dating for eight months, and it has been the happiest I have been in a very long time.”

According to Forbes, nearly 70% of individuals who met someone on a dating app said it led to a romantic, exclusive relationship, while 28% said it did not. Also, about 20% of college students use dating apps.

College also leads to a lot of long-distance dating because people are still with their high school partners or have met partners from other schools.

“College has absolutely a ected my relationship,” Wucher said. “My boyfriend goes to Morehouse College in Atlanta, and there have been times

groups: women and the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s not silly girls doing silly girl things,” Jett said. “It’s the fact that women and people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals have higher degrees of mental health issues.”

Treating yourself and nding little bits of happiness throughout our days is healthy and should absolutely be done, but also take care of yourself, your friends and learn to recognize the signs of overindulgence.

“As long as we’re able to be mindful about the systems we put in place, that can help with that push towards self-indulgence versus self-care,” Jett said.

where I had class early Monday morning, but I still wanted to see my partner, so I would wake up early Monday and drive back to school. “

Relationships can also a ect academic success in college, whether it is good or bad. While some people go to their partners for solace and encouragement, others nd it di cult to strike a balance between their romantic and academic obligations, which lowers focus and productivity.

“We have this mutual agreement that school comes rst, and we come second,” Wucher said. “If there is a project or if I am working on homework, I don’t text him. I nish my work, and so a er, I can focus on him, and he does the same.”

College is where students typically learn about love, heartbreak, friendships and themselves. All of this, plus the rise of technology, can make dating in college complicated.

Julia Jensen | Art Director

Julia Jensen | Art Director

GREEK

Continued from page 1

e weekend is not all about winning; it is about Panhellenic love, interfraternity brotherhood and celebrating one another.

YikYak is a college message board app that is localized to college campuses. It is di cult to gain access to a college YikYak board if you are not a student there, as you must submit student credentials to gain access. is app is very popular among college students because every message is entirely anonymous. is past weekend, one user told a story about sportsmanship and school spirit prevailing during competition. According to their post, amid a volleyball game Sunday morning, some of the girls faced minor injuries, and

their Panhellenic sisters were there to help.

“Can we just give it up for AOII [Alpha Omicron Pi] and DZ [Delta Zeta] sportsmanship??!!” the post said. “An AOII gave a DZ her inhaler when she couldn’t breathe and DZ helped and took a knee for an AOII who hurt her knee. #panlove”

YikYak had the seemingly busiest weekend of the year as it was lled with posts about sororities, fraternities and the results of each competition. A YikYak favorite was the Delta Zeta turtle mascot, known as Terrio. Whoever was in the costume received countless amounts of praise for their energy, tricks and entertainment value at the sing and step performances. It is safe to say that a mascot competition would have had the highest attendance.

Usually the events

that garner the most attention are tug, sing, and step/stroll. ese are also the teams that practice the longest in preparation for Greek Weekend. Tug is an intense game of tug-of-war where all of the participants are sitting in muddy ruts, lying on the ground and pulling a rope while their friends yell at them. Sing is a choreographed musical routine that fraternities and sororities partner up for. Step is a choreographed dance that includes interludes of rhythmic stomping and clapping, and only sororities participate in this performance.

Not everyone was happy with the results of Greek Weekend, speci cally when it comes to these enduring favorite events. While the fraternities and sororities maintain outward composure when victors

Too many GC Instagrams?

Rebecca Ocampo Sta Writer

In today’s day and age, it has become a norm for college organizations and clubs to have a social media account. Whether it’s the Pre-Med Club, the Learning Center or the Department of Public Safety, they all have a social media presence in common. What they utilize their platforms for varies across organizations depending on what they wish to convey to their audience.

e Learning Center, for example, primarily posts about the academic events and opportunities being offered at the school. is includes SI sessions, Research Day, tutoring sessions and more.

Lily Packard is a senior mass communication major. She helps run the Learning Center Instagram account along with Rebecca Cofer, assistant director of the Learning Center.

“I think it’s good that so many on-campus organizations have social media accounts because I think the main way students are getting their information is through Instagram,” Packard said.

are announced, YikYak continues to draw the actual thoughts from the crowd, which are o en anything but supportive.

“Phi Mu beating DG [Delta Gamma] is a joke,” one post said.

“Let’s be real Phi Mu shouldn’t have placed but DG def should’ve,” said another anonymous user.

e step and sing judges had many hard calls to make, and the crowd did not agree with the calls, speci cally regarding Phi Mu’s multitude of wins.

for everyone present.

Kappa Delta, or KD, also won the Sorority of the Year award for being an outstanding chapter, and Pi Kappa Phi took home the respective Fraternity of the Year award.

“It was de nitely very cool!” said Allie Kate Campbell, a junior mass communication major and member of KD. “Every woman that I know in my chapter is just so deserving of Sorority of the Year.”

Fraternity and Sorority Life, speci cally on GC’s campus, are known to dedicate a lot of time and e ort to donations, which is where they enact the blood drive and glass collection competitions. While the blood drive winners have been announced, it seems there was a mix up with the glass drive, which has resulted in an unknown winner at this time.

While all the awards were being passed out, rumors of misconduct spread throughout the Centennial Center. It is alleged that because of previous years’ performances, certain participants were being breathalyzed before going in front of the crowd. Each year, rumors surface about a range of substance abuse among competitors trying to get a leg up, but there is no real known truth to any of these allegations.

“It’s just a lot for me to handle, so I was looking for someone who could make things look clean and who knew social media really well because it really is a fulltime job,” Cofer said. e actual process of creating and running these social media accounts varies across organizations. e Academic Advising Center’s Instagram is run by their advisor and junior mass communication practicum student Mary Hotcaveg.

“A lot of students don’t know that it’s required for them to meet with their advisor prior to registration,” Hotcaveg said. “We’re enticing these students that don’t know about these kinds of things while simultaneously getting out the information we need to. ”

O entimes, these social media accounts just get passed down across generations of students as the years go on. Stu-

Many organizations, like the Learning Center, on campus have turned to student employees to handle and run the social media accounts. It is a time-consuming job that o entimes requires the help and collaboration of two or more people. Until Packard came along, Cofer was in charge of running the socials on her own.

dent Government Association, or SGA, has been active on Instagram for over 10 years now.

Sydney Harris, a senior history major, was appointed by the SGA president, Connor Hilly, to run the organization’s Instagram account this year.

“I do typically run my posts by the entire executive board, but, I mean, I pretty much have free reign of kind of deciding what it’ll all look like, and then, typically, they’ll ask me what speci c things to post,” Harris said.

While it may seem overwhelming at times to see so many accounts roaming the Instagram feeds, without them, students and faculty would not be informed of the important events happening across campus.

Nowadays, just about every organization or club has a social media presence, making it easier for students to pick and choose to follow what they are interested in. e way Instagram works, an individual must rst follow the account before they start to see their posts on their feed.

“I like the fact that everyone on campus has an Instagram page because that way, whatever my interests are,

Other awards were given during Greek Weekend that had nothing to do with the competitions. e Abby Savoie Award, given to honor a treasured member of Alpha Gamma Delta who passed away in 2022, was given to Savoie’s little, Izzy Mills. Mills accepted this award with tears in her eyes, and it was a touching moment

I can just follow them speci cally rather than just following the main page in hopes that I nd something I’m interested in,” said Wesley Hardin, GC’s chief of police.

e Department of Public Safety social media account is one of the newer ones. It was started in mid-March by Hardin and has been active ever since.

“What we really want to use the account for is information,” Hardin said.

“We want it to be another avenue for us to get information out to the faculty, sta and campus community as a whole.”

According to Hardin, the only thing he had to do before he was able to create the account was undergo a training seminar from the school showing him what he can and cannot post. As long as the department follows the general rules and guidelines and makes sure everything is in line with the col-

Greek Weekend 2024 came to a close on Sunday when all awards were given out, and competitions were over. However, as sororities and fraternities around campus re ect on their busiest week of the year, they are already preparing for the next semester and the 2025 competitions.

was a touching moment winner at this time. the 2025 competitions.

lege’s mission, they are given the creative freedom to run the account.

With the rise of technology underway, it can be assumed that the in ux of social media platforms and accounts are here to stay. Each account is di erent and is able to write their own narrative on who they are and what they want the community to know. Whether it is music, athletics or academics, there truly is something out there for everyone.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Olivia DeRosa Sta Writer

is April marks the 23rd annual Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

is month is meant to bring awareness, prevention and education to sexual harassment, assault and abuse. e goal is to encourage reection about an issue that many people may not think about o en as well as o er solution to aid in the prevention of sexual assault.

“I feel like it’s super important that we

talk about it,” said Sara omas, a freshman nursing major. “I feel safe on our campus, but, like, I know that’s not always the case for some people.

I know people who have been victims of it, and I wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone here.”

e roots of this movement began with the Civil Rights Era in the United States during the 1950s. e ght for equal rights was not only for African American citizens but also for women of all races. Many Black women, such as

Rosa Parks, championed the cause throughout this time in history.

According to Bay Area Women Against Rape, or BAWAR, the rst rape crisis center was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1971. ese centers spread across the states and become a safe haven for sexual assault victims. In the following decades, the Violence Against Women Act was passed by the U.S. government in 1993. is act protected women who were victims of sexual assault, harass-

ment, abuse, domestic abuse and stalking by providing protected government housing for them and their children.

e National Sexual Violence Resource Center, or NSVRC, provides a campaign each year, since its founding in 2000, that aims to aid in their goals of awareness and prevention of sexual violence. is year’s theme was “Building Connected Communities,” with the aim of reducing the likelihood of sexual violence in our communities, which could include the workplace, school, family and friends or even online communities. By creating safe communities where members are educated on safe, respectful sex practices, the hope of the NSVRC is that survivors will feel comfortable as well as hope for sexual violence to occur will decrease.

“As a woman, this month is a crucial re-

A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS IS HARD WORK

Spring is here! It is nally the time of year when the GC campus is at its peak beauty. Students’ social media feeds are ooded with photos throughout GC, from the front campus lawn to the fountain area. Students love utilizing their time on campus to enjoy the warm spring air, especially with nals right around the corner.

“Finals can be such a stressful time for all GC students,” says Madison Wright, a junior early education major. “Being able to go on walks around campus with my friends or sit in front of campus—it’s so soothing just to see all the fantastic owers and greenery on campus in our everyday lives as students.”

While our campus’ beauty is something stu-

dents and faculty can rave about, some underrated heroes are responsible for keeping our campus as beautiful as it is. e dedicated maintenance team is constantly at work, ensuring our campus is always front-page worthy. ey deal with debris removal around campus, trimming the shrubs and trees, and even maintaining the outdoor furniture. e Facilities Management team is why the GC community enjoys discussing and showing o the GC campus daily.

“Everywhere you go on campus, you’ll see someone from the facilities management team go by on a lawn mower, cleaning up the plants or just genuinely always working so hard,” says Ella Bowen, a freshman marketing major. “ ey are also so kind. If you

walk by, they wave, tell you good morning and ask about your day. ey are always so happy, and seeing them on campus makes my day.” e team is working day in and day out to ensure our campus is in pristine condition. Some of their many duties include mulching and fertilizing the plants, pest and weed control, cleaning the storm drains, irrigation repairs, and even repairs for vandalism and gra ti. eir goal is to keep the campus as sustainable as possible. ey also try to recycle and reuse materials around campus as o en as possible.

It’s not only the community of GC or Milledgeville that notices the beauty of our campus, but also one of the rst things many campus visitors hear about. Wheth-

minder to people that this is an ongoing problem that many women, as well as men, face on a day to day basis,” said Abbey Ottaway, a junior marketing major. “It’s important that it’s not forgotten and people continue to advocate for change and spread awareness surrounding the subject.”

e HUB, is home to GC’s Women’s Center, LGBTQ+ Center and the Cultural Center and is hosting many events this month with that theme in mind. e Take Back the Night march on campus was held on April 4.

e rst Take Back the Night march was organized in England in 1877 by women who feared walking home alone at night. In the U.S., the marches began in San Francisco, California, in 1978 to protest violence against women.

At GC, the annual Take Back the Night march and rally has tak-

er these newcomers are thinking about attending GC or just visiting a loved one, the beautiful campus is one of the major talking points of the city. “ ey [the facilities management team] are de nitely the unsung heroes of campus,” says Emma Brown, a freshman education major. “When my family or friends come to visit, the one thing they always talk about is how beautiful our campus is. My mom loves taking 5,000 photos of campus. I’m so proud of it and love showing o that I go here.”

With the end of the semester a mere few weeks away, students are preparing for nals and stressing about nishing the spring semester on a high note. Having a beautiful campus to spend time on can make for a good stress reliever.

en place since 2006. Protesters march around the entire campus, ending at the Old Courthouse, where survivors of sexual assault tell their stories to the crowd. Members of the Women’s Center also talked to the crowd about education and prevention. e same week as the march, members of the Women’s Center were tabling, passing out yers, wristbands and other items, all with the reminder of sexual assault prevention.

While the campaign changes each year, the goals remain the same for the NSVRC: education and prevention. Most women and men who have experienced sexual assault say it was by someone they knew, according to the NSVRC. By building strong, safe communities, they hope that this aids in the prevention of sexual violence.

Whether taking a study break to go on a walk with friends, having a picnic on the front campus or even taking the day to study outside, one thing is certain. It is on beautiful spring days when life at GC looks like a scene straight out of a college coming-of-age lm.

So next time you are on front campus, whether taking your dog for a walk, hanging out with your friends, playing

football, throwing a frisbee, or even studying while spending some time outside. If somebody comes past, you trim the bushes or cut the grass, even on their way to work on something in the building. Make sure you take a moment to thank GC, the amazing maintenance team, for all the hard work they put into our beautiful Georgia College and State University Campus.

Julia Jensen | Art Director

Ellie Smith Sta Writer

Isabella McComis | Digital Media Editor

OPINION

COACHELLA SEASON IS HERE

Kylie Rowe Asst. A&L Editor

Coachella season isnally here, and the usual in ux of TikTok celebrities trying on desert rave out ts is in full swing as they prepare for the sick 2024 performer lineup.

Artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, e Creator and Reneé Rapp are all performing this year as well as some growing artists, like Chappell Roan, and I absolutely love it.

One creator took to TikTok about their rage that Carpenter and Roan’s sets were too close together on di erent stages, causing their fan bases, which o en overlap, to miss important parts of each performance.

Friday’s headliner was Lana Del Rey. e last time Rey performed at Coachella was a decade ago, in 2014, right before she released her third studio album, “Ultraviolence.” Since 2014, she has released six more albums. Fans

were ecstatic to see how her performance this year di ered from 2014. is is Rapp, Carpenter and Roan’s rst time performing at Coachella a er their high rise the past couple of years.

I have loved Sabrina Carpenter since her “Girl Meets World” days on Disney Channel. I think her rst album, “Eyes Wide Open,” is so underrated. Although Carpenter has publicly said that she does not like her early work, I will continue to listen to “Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying” for the rest of my days. Carpenter’s performance lived up to expectations, as she sang and danced her way through as beautifully as always and rocked a “Jesus was a Carpenter” T-shirt in the later part of her set, poking fun at her response to the drama started a er the lming of her “Feather” music video.

My discovery of Roan and Rapp, however, was more recent. I started

listening to a couple of songs of Roan’s right before I bought tickets to Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS Tour, and then, when I saw she was my opener, started listening to her more. She immediately became a new favorite artist for me. Rapp was introduced to me by my best friend, editor in chief Kate Verity. Her album, “Snow Angel,” is sonically astounding, and anytime I hear her sing live, I am blown away by the pure talent. I want to see her live so badly that it is ridiculous.

A user on TikTok said that Roan had one of the best performances of the entire festival. e user praised Roan’s vocals, stage presence and overall natural talent. Roan is genuinely a force to be reckoned with. is TikTok comment section was ooded with a new name for 2024 Coachella: “Chappella.”

Coachella 2024 had some pretty notable guest stars! Olivia Rodrigo

came to perform with No Doubt. A Gwen Stefani and OROD team-up was not on my bingo card, but it is pretty amazing. Rodrigo took to Instagram, saying that singing with No Doubt was such an honor. She also shared a video of her and Stefani sharing a hug before walking into the wings.

Another breathtaking duo that hit the rst weekend of Coachella took place during Rey’s set when she was joined by Billie Eilish, and the two could not have been more complementary of each other.

“ at’s the voice of our generation — the voice of our generation,” Rey said. “I’m so f****** grateful she’s standing next to me right now, singing my favorite song of hers.”

Eilish responded with the same love.

“ is is the reason for half of you b*****s’ existence, including mine,” Eilish said. Kesha also made a surprise appearance

Who was your favorite teacher? e impact of a good teacher can last a lifetime.

Delaney Derry Opinion Editor

e most memorable thing from your schooldays before college, taxes and mortgage payments may have been the cafeteria pizza that tasted like wet cardboard or all the laps you had to run in gym class.

Whether you went to public or private school, whether there were large or small class sizes or you loved school or despised it, there is one thing that I think we all can agree with: ere is a teacher who especially impacted us in some way.

ere is always at least one teacher who has made a particularly positive impact on our lives. It could be some sweet soul from elementary school or a cool and collected college professor. Whatever the case, they made an impression, and we looked up to them in some way.

“My h grade teacher, Ms. Rudolph,” said Macy Baugh, a sophomore psychology major.

“She made learning fun and was compassionate about her students.”

e impact a teacher can make on students is dependent on how they present themselves. Baugh states that her teacher was very compassionate. I know that all the teachers that I have had who had an impact on me were very kind and compassionate people. It is not just about what the teacher teaches but how they teach it.

“However, a substantial body of evidence indicates that student learning is multidimensional, with many factors beyond their core academic knowledge as important contributors to both short- and long-term success,” said David Blazar and Matthew A. Kra , writers for the National Institute of Medicine. “For example, psychologists nd that emotion and personality in uence the quality of one’s thinking (Baron, 1982) and how much a child learns in school (Duckworth, Quinn,

during Rapp’s performance. ey sang Kesha’s 2010 hit “TiK ToK” together a er Rapp introduced her as the hottest person on Earth.

Coachella, to me, is about these artists taking time to support each other. I think it is so amazing that artists as successful as these are so comfortable accrediting their careers to the people who inspired them. It is such a beautiful thing to see, and I think that it makes the music festival experience more special.

In Isis Naija Gaston’s, better known as Ice Spice, Coachella set, she sang her part of Taylor Swi ’s “Karma,” and Spice took the time to shout out her friend, who was in the audience with boyfriend Travis Kelce. “Shout out to Taylor motherf****n’ Swi !” Spice said. “I love you, and I love ‘Karma’ too, b****.” is Coachella weekend is going to be hard to top, but luckily, there is a week for everyone to prepare before round two.

& Tsukayama, 2012).”

It has been shown repeatedly in studies, and from what I have personally seen, that the attitude of a teacher can in uence a student’s own attitude and learning comprehension. I have had multiple teachers throughout my schooling show me what it means to treat people with decency and how we should spread kindness, not hate.

school and the world around me,” Baugh said.

Good teachers also help push their students to be their very best. ey help us get out of our comfort zones and look more closely at the world around us. Teachers like Baugh’s can help students in not just learning from books but also how to navigate life.

students and how they were truly interested in their lives and getting to know them as people.”

“I’ve always liked school, but it was good teachers, like her, that helped push me to grow in my understanding of

“My favorite teachers were Mr. Martin and Mrs. Smith,” said Madeline Marx, a sophomore management major. “I admired them because of the way they led their

Great teachers, like Martin and Smith, help students, like Marx, to understand themselves and truly invest in their personal growth. is can last all the way into adulthood and inspire students to nd their passion.

“When I was considering being a teacher myself, they inspired me, and when I thought of what kind of teacher I wanted to be, I thought of them,” said Marx.

I can attest that this is something that is true for a lot of people. Teachers very o en inspire their students to be like them. Students look up to them as role models, observe the way they run their classroom and look to them in admiration.

I have had a lot of really great teachers in my school career. I cannot tell you how lucky I have been to have so many amazing teachers who were so invested in

my life and, even to this day, who helped shape me into the student and person I am. Pretty much every teacher I had in high school (shoutout to Loganville Christian Academy) made such an impact on me and le me with so much wisdom and fond memories. I am truly grateful for each and every one of them and for that amazing school. I have to give so much credit to my high school French teacher, Mrs. Shultz. She helped show me what it means to truly love learning and how to make it fun. Her investment in my life and her endless kindness toward me helped me in ways I cannot even begin to explain. I am so appreciative of what she and so many teachers like her have done for me and in helping me get to where I am today. ey helped break my shell and opened me up to the world. ey showed me that I was not just in the world but a part of it.

Julia Jensen | Art Director

Julia Jensen | Art Director

OPINION

ABROAD

Continued from page 1

“My experience was so good,” said Emily Granier, a sophomore environmental science major who studied in the Bahamas in 2023. “We stayed at a research center, where I studied marine biology and climate change, so we spent each day hiking and

snorkeling, and being in the eld to study abroad helped me nd my passion for marine biology.”

Not only is this a great opportunity to see the world, but studying abroad is also a great chance to really look into yourself and nd your interests. We are in college to gure out who we want to be and what we want to become.

Maybe getting outside of what is familiar can lead us to discover what we did not know before.

“I would highly recommend studying abroad to others,” Granier said. “It was such an eye-opener to me and brought me so much insight on other parts of the world.”

I studied abroad this past summer in Paris. I got to spend four

dreamy weeks in the heart of France, the “City of Lights.” I did not just gain amazing pictures for my Instagram feed, although that was a perk. But I gained a much deeper understanding of the world and how people outside the U.S. live their lives. I got to experience a new culture, new food, new places and new people.

My dream is not your dream.

Opinion Editor ere is no such thing as “good” and “bad” majors.

Kate Verity Editor in Chief

For anyone who may not know me personally, I am a senior mass communication major with a concentration in multimedia journalism. I have been in the communication major since my rst day of freshman year, and I have never regretted that choice because I know it aligns with who I am and what I want to do with my life.

However, I admit I am irked when I see people’s reactions to learning my major. Whether this be a high school teacher, an old family friend or even a stranger, as soon as I tell them I am majoring in communication, I see a familiar ash across their faces, some biting mixture of disappointment and dismissal.

I admit I have always performed well as a student. I was a high school honor graduate and genuinely a great student all my life. I say this not to brag but because I constantly feel the need to mount a defense for my choice of major and my goals. High-performing individuals are o en expected to pursue the “toughest” careers; we are supposed to be doctors, lawyers and rocket scientists.

But what about what I want?

Any major can present a challenge to the most exceptional of students, and any student, regardless of GPA or

perceived academic intellect, will nd something easy in the “di cult majors.” I do not think that all majors are equally rigorous. at simply is not the case. I have rsthand experience watching my best friend, a chemistry major, pour over her classes and labs, spending hours each night studying. I have known physics majors who sweat in shop class and nursing students who ght tooth and nail to get into their cohort.

But this perceivable di culty does not negate the rigor that nance, art, English and communications majors face in their courses as well. e fact that we in the humanities or business schools did not choose to pursue a career in science does not mean we lacked the capability to. I have never had to take a college-level biology course or sit in upper-level computer science. But do not look at my choice of major and dismiss my capabilities.

When the conversation of college majors arises, I o en feel as though STEM and humanities are at odds with one another. Why is this the case? If either group ceased to exist, the world would change drastically. Yes, we need our nurses and teachers; they are crucial. But do we not also want our museum curators, lm producers, paralegals, accountants and

I was able to make connections and expand my worldview. I visited museums, gardens and historic landmarks. I did not just go to France and brie y visit, like a tourist, but got to immerse myself in their culture and see things from their perspective. I got to live like a real Parisian for a month. It was singlehandedly the best ex-

perience of my life, and I will cherish it always.

If I could go back and make a choice to go or pass on the opportunity, I would take that trip in a heartbeat. If asked, I would easily agree to go again a er having already gone. I would have only one thing to say: “My bags are already packed, so when do we leave?”

musicians? GC o ers over 40 di erent majors to choose from, and I would bet that there is a student in each and every one willing to relentlessly defend their program and its importance.

I am not going to turn this into an essay on my love for mass communication, and I by no means aim to put down those who pursue what outwardly presents as a di cult career path, such as our beloved chemists, nurses, veterinarians and lawyers. e world needs and loves you! But I want to be a journalist. My fellow communications majors hope to become lmmakers, radio hosts, public relations specialists, social media managers and event planners.

“I’ve become very interested in ethnic and feminist studies through the classes I get to take through English and French,” said Lily Gauntt, a junior double major in English and French. “On a larger scale, I think both majors are important for people to study because it provides insight into di erent cultures and identities on a global level that you don’t get through STEM.”

I cannot speak as to the dreams of management, nance, art, philosophy, foreign language and countless other humanities and business majors at GC and across the country. But to those of you who struggle daily with an obviously

challenging career path, we see you. We just ask that the next time we complain about the struggles of our major and the challenges we face, instead of trying to one-up us with your di culties, listen to what we are working on and respect that we are following our dreams.

I will never know if I could have done well in any other major but the one I am in. Unless you have explored the other departments on campus indepth, you really do not fully grasp what they teach and do. You do not know about the clubs, organizations and partnerships they o er. You might not have known that Terrell Hall houses a television studio or about the AI Lab in Atkinson Hall. Ennis Hall has “red rooms” where photography students can develop lm, and Porter Hall has free-use piano labs for all students.

Although the path to our goals may look easier, do not immediately assume that to be the case. We have all pulled all-nighters and cried over assignments. I just hope that each student follows their heart and paves the way to a work life that they will love, rather than choosing a major based on perception or prestige. A er all, here at GC, it is called the College of Arts & Sciences, so we ought to be united and support one another, right?

Delaney Derry | Opinion Editor

Courtesy of Emily Granier Delaney Derry |