The Bridge February 2019

Aqua Man Review Aquaman, directed

by James Wan, stars Jason Mamoa, Amber Heard, and Patrick Wilson.

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TheBridge

FOR THE STUDENTS BY THE STUDENTS OF LEWIS AND CLARK COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Why The Shut Down Trump has shut down the government for the third time in 2018 on Dec. 22 braking the record for the longest government shut down.

Vol 49/Issue 05 February 2019

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Commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

BY: ALEXANDER GENT agent@lc.edu

Lewis and Clark Community College hosted a commemoration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jan 18., with students, faculty and local community members gathering in the banquet hall of the Trimpe building to view musical performances, life, and recitals of his more famous speeches.

Professor Peter Hussey gave brief welcome remarks, followed by a performance of “Ride on King Jesus” by the Lewis and Clark Gospel Choir, directed by musical instructor Ms. Brenda Lancaster.

S p e e c h recitals included: the “Montgomery Improvement Association Mass Meeting” speech by Dr. Sean Hill and Zachary Benware, and the “Give us the Ballot” address from Delaney Ortiz and Evangeline Anderson.

Dr. Mumba Mumba- who, “had a pivotal role in helping to organize and make sure this event happened” according to Coordinator of Student Activities, Jared Henning- gave some remarks and introduced Ms. Treasure Shields Redmond. Redmond gave performances from “Chop: a Book Collection of Kwansabas for Lou Hamer”, which infused freedom songs and historical facts with

dramatic interpretation.

this event was a powerful performance of the “I Have a Dream” speech by Mr. Ben Golley. Golley has been performing the speech for students at schools around the area for nearly 15 years.

Golley can see the importance of continuing to honor is not totally alive yet and that’s why it is important to keep his spirit alive.”

Golley also explained the importance the community’s participation in this event saying, “we are one community, and it is unity amongst us that helps us to be successful, as love knows no color boundary.”

Several more speech reciatals followed, as

Guest speaker, Ben Golley has been reciting Dr. King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech in front of audiences for nearly 15 years. Photo by Krystie Morrison.

well as another musical performance, this time by LC’s Rock and Roll Ensembles, directed once again by Ms. Lancaster. Jared Henning gave some closing remarks and

invited the audience to some sort of event to stay for pizza and soda. celebrate the life and contributions of the annual commemoration late Dr., and continues of MLK Jr. here at Lewis its commitment to and Clark Community empowering the community through has always tried to host education and equality.

The Rock and Roll Ensemble directed by Ms. Brenda Lancaster performed Respect as a tribute to Aretha Franklin. Photo by Krystie Morrison.

Ms. Treasure Shields Redmond speaks to the audience about Chop and Fannie Lou Hamer. Photo by Krystie Morrison.

Dr. Gerald Mozur does a reading of What is Your Life’s Blueprint? Which was given on October 26th, 1967 in Philadelphia Photo by Krystie Morrison.

LCCC Annual Flavorsome Soul Food Luncheon BY: AMBER MOORE

and Clark’s women’s and men’s teams, respectively—each Lewis and Clark game will begin at 1 Community College is hosting yet another women’s team will be playing against Parkland luncheon in order to College, and the men’s commemorate Black team will be playing History Month, serving against Southwestern traditional soul food Illinois College.

Prior to each game, African American there will be a chance for everyone to be able will be held Saturday, to meet Lewis & Clark’s Feb. 9 at the Riverbend mascot, Blazer. During Arena and will take there will be games place at 12:30 p.m.

Guests are welcome that the audience can to sample soul food participate in and get dishes such as cornbread, assorted prizes from.

Other Black History beef tips with gravy, Month events include: greens, black-eyed peas, Monday, Feb. 4, smothered chicken, and more. Food will be Noon. Reid Memorial Madison available all throughout Library.

County Associate Judge the duration of the day.

Along with the Ryan Jumper will discuss luncheon, attendees the judicial system and information are also encouraged present pertaining to career to stay and enjoy a doubleheader basketball game featuring Lewis and discuss choosing ambmoore@lc.edu

law as a profession.

He will highlight his background as an example as a ‘how to guide’ in motivating students to strive for excellence.

Wednesday, Feb. 6, 1:30 p.m. Hatheway Stage. A discussion will follow the viewing of “An Outrage,” a 30-minute documentary on lynching and race in America.

Kelly Obernuefemann will facilitate.

7, 12:15 p.m. Reid Memorial Library.

Communications expert D.C. Cooper will highlight the value and importance of public speaking. Learn how to develop skills to and competent when speaking in a formal and informal setting will be explored.

Saturday, Feb. 9,

12:30. Riverbend Arena.

Soul Food Luncheon.

Come see a doubleheader basketball game featuring our men’s and women’s basketball teams 1:00 and 3:00 start times and sample traditional Soul food favorites including – Greens, Black Eyed Peas, Corn Bread, Smothered Chicken, Beef Tips with Gravy and more.

Monday, Feb.11, 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Reid Café. Community Performance Ensemble (East St. Louis).

Interactive dance performances featuring traditional West African drumming, costumes and performances.

Students will participate as they learn various techniques.

Tuesday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m. Hatheway Hall.

Musical Showcase.

L&C students will perform various genres of music – gospel, rap,

blues, soul and R & B which represent the contribution of AfricanAmericans across these musical landscapes.

1 p.m. Underground Railroad Tour. Come and be amazed at the various locations throughout the Riverbend area where slaves sought refuge as they escaped the South.

J. E. Robinson will provide the history and expertise, describing these noteworthy destinations.

Free will depart at 1 p.m. from parking lot next to Security Building on north entrance of campus. Reservations are required. Call Jared Hennings, 618-4686400 or jhenning@ lc.edu.

Wednesday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Reid Café. Big George Brock Jr. If Blues is your thang,

you won’t want to miss Big George Brock Jr. His father – George Brock Sr. - passed down his love for Blues to his son.

You’ll see why, as you sway and sing to Big George Brock Jr and the NKG Band.

WLCA 89.9 FM – College employees and community members

of Black American Moments in our nation’s history. Some of the personalities include President Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, and Maya Angelou.

Spotlights will run once every 3-4 hours as part of regular programming.

WBGZ Radio 1570 AM – Local Black American

re c ord i n g s , beginning Feb. 1-28, M – F, from 5a.m. – 6 p.m. during regular programming.

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Editorial

thebridge 2018-2019

Staff List

Editor-in-Chief Ashtyn Britt, abritt@lc.edu Associate Editor Alex Gent, agent@lc.edu

Layout Editor Keon Hearn, krhearn@lc.edu Web Editor & Photographer Krystie Morrison, kemorrison@lc.edu Ad Manager Makayla McGuire, malmcguire@lc.edu Reporter Haley Ruyle, hruyle@lc.edu Writer Lucas Gardner, ljgardner@lc.edu Writer Amber Moore, ambmoore@lc.edu Writer Anna Summers, anmsummers@lc.edu Graphic Designer Jason Wallace, jpwallace@lc.edu Writer & Cartoonist Olivia Bettorf ombettorf@lc.edu Writer, Illustrator & Cartoonist Adrien Gojko, ggojko@lc.edu Writer, Illustrator & Cartoonist Aaron Pruett, apruett@lc.edu Illustrator & Cartoonist Moreena Hall, mrhall@lc.edu Illustrator & Cartoonist Emily Major, Emmajor@lc.edu

To learn more about Campus Safety, visit lc.edu/ security

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Trump Shut Down The Government Again and Here’s Why It’s a Big Deal BY: AMBER MOORE

ambmoore@lc.edu

President Trump has partially shut down the government for the third time in 2018 on Dec. 22 and has broken the record for the longest government shut down in U.S. history. All of it is owed to his long-standing desire to erect a wall at the U.S. border, but he’d rather blame the Democrats. Just two years ago, Trump was maintaining his intentions of making Mexico fund the construction of a southern border wall. Unsurprisingly, those plans went awry, and hardworking Americans are now taking the fall for his campaign fantasy that continuously fails to gain substantial support in Congress.

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed since the partial shutdown took place, and experienced their first missed paycheck on Jan. 11, 2019.

While the partial shutdown has the

most implications for federal employees, it affects the security and livelihoods of others as well.

Firstly and probably most importantly, the safety of our food is at stake. Following the shutdown, the FDA has halted its regular inspections of vegetables, fruits, seafood, and more.

While meat, eggs, and grains are still routinely inspected under the shutdown, the former is at a much higher risk for contamination.

Additionally, the security of low-income individuals who rely on SNAP benefits, more commonly referred to as food stamps, is being compromised too; if the partial shutdown continues past the end of February, more than 38 million people may not be provided with their benefits.

It also has its implications for the environment, too. The National Park Service not being operant despite a lot of national parks staying open has inevitably led to littering, waste build-

Photo by Google up, and negligence of public safety. These occurrences aren’t exclusive to shutdown periods, however, they’re greatly exacerbated when there is far less staff to educate visitors on what not to do.

America cannot be made “great again” if there are hundreds of thousands of people

not being paid for the very work that contributes to America’s alleged greatness.

The American people do not need a wall to enforce their security and safety, they need their paychecks. This presidency has fallen nothing short of an embarrassing stain in future U.S. history books.

Why Black History Month Will Always Be Relevant BY: AMBER MOORE ambmoore@lc.edu

More than anything, what makes a nation is its citizenry. America is a melting pot of different races, cultures, religions, and practices.

Albeit, we still have a lot of progress to make, we do owe the increased amount of open-mindedness and acceptance to the minority groups who pushed for social justice and equality in the face of oppression, especially when it pertains to civil rights.

Before there was what we recognize as Black History Month, the nation celebrated Negro History Week, which was coined in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, in order to shed more light on the contributions of black people throughout history in educational environments.

The week was originally set in the second week of February in order to include the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, who both

played a pivotal role in African American history. Negro History Week eventually grew into Black History Month, which became an official national observance in 1976.

When we reflect on the nation’s past of civil injustice and violence, leaders and contributors such as Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X are often looked to in reflection of events that caused change and advancements in racial acceptance and integration. Of course, leaders and contributors of such stature and influence were significant to the success of the black community.

However, their stories are hardly ones that many can personally relate with. As a society, regardless of race, we champion the idea that importance is a direct result of how extraordinary an individual is.

This understanding of importance couldn’t be more wrong, though; it was the ordinary students that participated in sit-ins, endured verbal and physical

Dr. Sean Hill Photographed by Krystie Morrison abuse that pushed restaurants to eschew segregation from their practices. It was the ordinary hundreds of thousands of American citizens who took to marches to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with how the government responded to racial discrimination and segregation.

The actions that these individuals took against prejudice can be related to ex-

amples we see from protesters today who take organized action against intersectional injustices.

We endure a continuous cycle in which our historical struggles, contributions, and victories are put on the backburner or forgotten, like an amnesia of sorts. Black History Month returns to remind us of black accomplishments and influences on society and culture.

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Campus News

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L&C Makes Wax Hands & Air Brushed Tattoos BY : ASHTYN BRITT abritt@lc.edu

Jan. 23 of this year gave Lewis and Clark Community College students the chance to enjoy making wax hands and getting temporary airbrush tattoos for free to express themselves to the rest of the student body. A face and body artist performed the airbrush tattoos, providing many students with various images such as hearts, elephants, roses, dragons, and many more as well as also expanding on them and even adding body glitter to give the designs an extra flare for the students who asked for it. The airbrush tattoo artist also let the students decide what colors they wanted for their design, as well as what location on their body where they wanted the airbrush tattoo to be.

The wax hands artists provided a station where students were instructed to place their arm in ice-cold water and wait for 30 seconds before being instructed to make the hand shape they wanted and to then

dip their hands in the wax to form around their hand and wrist, providing them the ability to have a wax hand always holding the shape. While many did, in fact, brave the challenge and walked away with a wax hand, there were a few who found either the cold or the heat to be too unbearable and only participated in the airbrush tattoos instead.

There was a very positive turnout from the student body during the hours where the wax hand artists and the airbrush tattoo artist were present, many people even happily convincing their friends to participate as well or coming back again later on to do more. This is not the first time either wax hands or airbrush tattoos have been offered to students and proved to once again provide a positive reaction from the participants, who were grateful to enjoy a nice break between classes.

With any luck, this will continue to be a tradition for future semesters to come or students to happily enjoy.

LCCC students having a blast as they recieve airbrushed tattoos wax hands. Photos by Jen and Ashtyn

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thebridge Lewis and Clark Community College is the Best!

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BY HALEY RUYLE hruyle@lc.edu

Many people believe that going to a community college is a waste of time but Lewis and Clark Community College will prove that idea wrong!

All across the board, Lewis and Clark Community College proves to be the number one school against 28 of its peer institutions this year. Lewis and Clark is a wonderful school because other than the low tuition fees and the small classrooms, Lewis and Clark’s potential exceeds beyond expectations when it comes to student’s aid!

“Lewis and Clark Community College is outperforming it’s peer institutions in terms of intolerant, retention and graduation rates,” says Laura Inlow in

“Lewis and Clark outperforms Peer Institutes.”

Lewis and Clark Community College is the best because, in comparison, their enrolment was exceedingly higher than their peer institutions! Lewis and Clark have 10,145 enrolled while other institutions had 8,353.

However, it’s not just about the enrollment, but the tuition and retention as well! Lewis and Clark’s Tuition fees are lower than the peer institutions; Lewis and Clark’s Tuition fees, costing roughly $3,432, and their peer institutes, costing roughly $3,513, the retention rate of a part-time student here at Lewis and Clark is 54 percent to 38 percent at another peer institute, for a full-time stu-

dent at Lewis and Clark 66 percent to 58 percent at another peer institute, and an overall graduation rate at Lewis and Clark is 39 percent to 28 percent at another peer institute.

“The college strives to be a high-quality, lowcost leader, and the Department of Education’s findings demonstrate the value of Lewis and Clark.” says Laura Inlow in “Lewis and Clark outperforms Peer Institutes.”

Lewis and Clark Community College outstanding performance within this last year shows us that out of 28 institutions, Lewis and Clark Community College is the best institution that not just worth the money and time, but is worth the knowledge.

photo by Jen Miller

Free chicken dinner held on January 16, in the Riverbend Arena.

photo by Jen Miller

photo by Jen Miller

Blazer Blazer Day photo by Krystie Morrison

Saturday, February 9, 2019 at 12:30 PM – 4:30 PM

photo by Krystie Morrison

Basketball, Free Food, Giveaways and more!

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5A

Grant Expands L&C’s Offerings to East St. Louis Press Release

Due to a grant and directive from the Illinois Community College Board, Lewis and Clark Community College is now offering courses and programming on the East St. Louis Higher Education Center campus.

Students have already enrolled in computer networking and child development courses at the center. Students from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Charter High School are being enrolled in L&C’s Career Development course via the High School Partnership Program and Medical Assisting classes will begin March 18 at the site.

“Lewis and Clark is pleased to be working with East St. Louis businesses, organizations, churches and residents to offer services to the community,” said L&C Vice President of Enrollment Kent Scheffel.

East St. Louis residents also have the opportunity to enroll in L&C’s on-campus programs in Godfrey and at the N.O. Nelson campus in Edwardsville.

The college will offer van transportation to and from the campuses beginning this spring.

East St. Louis was included in a recent labor market analysis conducted by Emsi, an economic modeling company, to help L&C identify career opportu-

nities and skills gaps in the district and region.

Director Dobbie Herrion and Assistant Director LaVeasey Carter are coordinating L&C’s academic efforts from the East St. Louis Higher Education Center, and have hit the ground running over the past several months.

Administrative Assistant Jacquee Schilling joined them in November.

Herrion has been working with community-based organizations and companies to develop career, technical and training programs that lead to employment for the residents of East St. Louis and surrounding areas.

“Currently, we are

looking at employment trends and employment gaps in an effort to determine what programs best meet the needs of the area,” Herrion said.

“We’ve begun forming partnerships with organizations such as Connections to Success and the Jackie Joyner Kersey Foundation, as well as offering courses in child development, IT, and in March, medical assisting.”

Herrion received his Doctorate of Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University and his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Administration from Southeast Missouri State University. He has served as director of the Nation-

al Science Foundation Grant at Harris-Stowe State University and as director of operations at Hickey College.

“I am excited to build programs and infrastructure that support the needs of the communities and students we serve,” Herrion said.

“When it’s all said and done I’d like to be able to look at the area(s) I served and see improvement. To improve a person’s situation and open their minds to exploring what’s possible is what I’m all about and what brings me the most satisfaction.”

Carter is responsible for recommending enrollment services such as academic advising, registration, assessment

testing, interpretation of financial regulations and recruitment activities to the East St. Louis Higher Education Center Leadership Board.

He also collaborates with and is under the direction of Director Dobbie Herrion to design academic support services, enrollment services and student recruitment efforts at the center.

“The college’s mission of empowering people seems to be a shared motto and goal amongst the L&C community,” Carter said.

“Every day I am surrounded by students and co-workers who are lifelong learners, which is both motivating and inspiring.”

Carter received his Doctorate of Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University, Bachelor of Science from the University of West Georgia and Master of Art in Higher Education from Southeast Missouri State University. He has served as assistant director of Academic Services for Athletics at Eastern Illinois University and academic advisor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

To learn more, contact L&C’s East St. Louis Higher Education Center offices at (618) 468-ESTL.

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Raising Oscars Movie Reviews: BY: AARON PRUETT apruett@lc.edu

Aquaman, directed by James Wan, stars Jason Mamoa, Amber Heard, and Patrick Wilson. I’ll admit that my opinion on this movie is fairly biased, as I grew up reading Aquaman comics and to this day he is still my favorite superhero of all time. So, from the weird cover of Africa by Pitbull to the amazing live action orange and green suit, how does this movie stack up for this long time fan?

There is a lot to love in this unapologeticallycheesy movie, walking out from it you can’t help but feel like you should

have been in your pajamas and watching Saturday morning cartoons while eating a bowl of cereal. The side characters are at times fairly one dimensional and over the top, but as long as they get the main characters right it’s no big deal.

Jason Momoa never feels as if he’s playing a comic book accurate version of Aquaman, however, he makes the undersea hero impossible to not like.

When it comes to the motivations of Arthur Curry you still feel that weight heavy on his shoulders.

Mera (Amber Heard) acts and looks just like her comic book counterpart, as if she’s the smartest

Photo By: Aaron Pruett and possibly the most powerful person in the room, even though, Momoa and Heard’s chemistry is sometimes lacking.

Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson) is also a very fun character but

I wish that we had seen more of his and Arthur’s relationship.

At the end of the day, there’s a lot to love and some to hate. There’s probably twenty minutes that could have been cut,

and at times it falls into clichés that have been used for the last twenty years, but there’s also an octopus that plays the drums, and how can you not smile at that?

If this movie

were my child, I would watch as it has all it’s toys out bashing them together and being creative and I would smile, because at the end of the day isn’t having fun what it’s all about?

Bandersnatch: A New Kind of Rabbit Hole Anybody Else Excited for Isn’t It Romantic

BY: ASHTYN BRITT

abritt@lc.edu

Does anybody else remember the choose your own adventure books from childhood?

I was especially fond of the ones from the Goosebumps series, wondering with every page turn what would happen next. I was always trying to predict the ending which is difficult when there are multiple endings that could be concluded!

It was like a new kind of adventure, and it made reading a blast.

However, in this new electronic age, we’ve now officially reached a new type of entertainment that has blown people away.

Choose your own ending movies, better known as interactive films.

Black Mirror,

a Netflix series well known for its multiple dystopian technological cautionary tales, has come out with the first ever interactive film called Black Mirror’s Bandersnatch.

The film opens following a young man named Stefan in 1984 pitching his interactive videogame, Bandersnatch, to a big video-game making corporation.

The viewer then chooses Stefan’s fate for him, as he tries to complete his videogame in time for Christmas. It seems innocent enough at first. However, as the story continues on, Stefan and the viewer both begin to go down the rabbit hole of insanity, and every choice seems to always be the wrong one, as shocking secrets are

revealed through the BY: ASHTYN BRITT intense romantic see where this movie story and keep looping abritt@lc.edu scenes with her co- goes! back to each other. If star Liam Hemsworth.

Isn’t It Romantic that’s not enough to makes this will be premiering to Has anybody else What pique your interest, ever felt like they especially difficult for theaters on Wednesday, Stefan also becomes weren’t good enough Natalie is that to return Feb. 13th of this year, more self-aware as the for the classic romantic back to reality, she has right in time for game goes on, slowly comedy love story? I to fall in love with Liam Valentine’s Day. You discovering that he is, have definitely thought Hemsworth’s character, can bring a date or buy in fact, being controlled to myself more than Blake, by the end of the a whole lot of popcorn by us, the viewer. and chocolate and once that I’d never find movie.

With many it, and I’m sure plenty of The trailer has watch by yourself! I different paths, inside other people who don’t been out for a while know I’ll be one of the jokes, self-references, meet traditional beauty now, being both shown first people seated at and six endings to standards feel similar. on television and on the show, probably with unlock, this interactive Well, this Valentine’s YouTube. The trailer a friend, ready to enjoy film is guaranteed Day Season, that’s all brilliantly gives hints myself! Stay tuned for to send anyone who about to change. A to the self-references a review of this movie watches on a wild trip new romantic comedy and meta jokes that next month! never knowing which is coming out starring will be in the movie, way to turn and finding Rebel Wilson as an poking fun about how themselves going architect living in romantic comedies down the same hole of New York City named unrealistically portray insanity as Stefan! Black Natalie, who wakes up both life and love, as Mirror’s Bandersnatch to find herself in her well as providing some is available to very own romantic still very solid ideas watch currently on comedy after a head about the concept of Netflix, and I highly injury. To her dismay, romance as a whole. recommend you go and her romantic comedy I wouldn’t consider see if your choices can is also PG-13, which myself the biggest bring about a happy means she’ll be unable Rebel Wilson fan, but ending. to curse or have any I am beyond excited to

Bird Box Challenge Sweeps The Nation

BY: HALEY RUYLE hruyle@lc.edu

The millennials; how long is the list of crazy, unsupervised, and stupid actions to prove that they are just inhumane? This years recent internet challenge, called the “Bird Box Challenge”, has gone viral all over the globe ever since the new movie “Bird Box”, a Netflix original film.

For those of you who don’t know what the Bird Box challenge is, it’s when a person blindfolds themself and proceeds to do something that would put them in harm’s way and hope for they survive. Some examples are; driving while blindfolded,

walking across a street blindfolded, going down stairs blindfolded, walking across ice blindfolded, etc..

In my defense, I have not attempted this challenge. I think it is unwise, silly, and very much dangerous for anyone to attempt such a challenge. Though some may be harmless and humorous, many are dangerous and deadly. My advice for anyone who is willing to attempt this challenge: please don’t.

I know what it is like to be unpopular, to not fit in, being the outsider and feeling alone all the time, but doing dangerous stunts to fit in with the cool crowd is not gonna get you

Photo By: Pixabay

anywhere but either arrested or killed and those are two paths no one wants to go down.

Trying to get likes and followers doesn’t make you any less of a person

than who you were before the Bird Box challenge. If people really like you for you, then they would like and follow you for who you are and not for some stupid stunt.

You need to know that getting followers on the internet are not real friends.

So please I am begging you stop the Bird Box challenge, find a hobby, live your

life to the fullest, and stop trying to kill yourselves. Life isn’t all about social media it’s about living in the moment and the Bird Box challenge is not living in the moment.

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7A

YOU Don’t Want to Skip This Show!

BY : ASHTYN BRITT abritt@lc.edu

Everyone hopes to one day find the person of their dreams walking into their lives to give them the grand romantic story that all the books, movies, and songs have been promising us since before we could even understand what love was. However, in the past few years, people have started to look at some so-called “love stories” to point out some toxic behaviors of the love interests we once fantasized about as a child. A new Netflix series, called “You”, takes that commentary to a whole new level and gives us what should have been a romantic comedy that turned

quickly into a very realistic horror story.

“You” tells the story of a young bookstore owner in New York City named Joe Goldberg. He is played by “Gossip Girl” actor Penn Badgley. Early in the series he meets and grows obsessed with complicated, young Guinevere Beck, played by Elizabeth Lail. The story shows all the ways he stalks her and tries to manipulate her into falling in love with him. The entire story is told from Joe’s point of view, giving us his inner monologue. He talks himself into believing he and Guinevere are soul mates as he removes “toxic” people from her life and he even commits acts of violence to

keep Beck exactly where he wants her.

As he justifies it to himself and convinces himself that this is all going to pay off with their happily ever after, he manages to

convince the audience watching a little bit, too! However, everyone knows from the first few minutes in that it will only be a matter of time before all his devious

crimes are found out.

The question though is… when?

“You” has ten episodes, roughly fifty minutes each, and is easily the most thrilling and

captivating anti-love story of the year so far.

I highly recommend it to anybody and everybody, and I excitedly wait in anticipation for the second season!

seek out justice for the poor who have lost everything because of raised taxes all because the evil Sheriff of Nottingham just wants the city’s money for himself.

The movie was an absolute hit with everything from action, adventure, romance, and a huge major plot twist. This story of Robin Hood is like no other. I truly believe that this movie is a must see and one that everyone will enjoy.

Many viewers of the new Robin Hood other than myself, had an opinion on this amazing movie: “ I thought Jamie Foxx as Little John, was really good” - Anthony Brown Jr “ Eve Hewson,

as Marian, was really pretty compared to the other actresses” - CJ Moore “ There was a major plot twist in the end that I didn’t see coming that blew my mind” - Mario Trez “ I thought Taron Egerton who played Robin Hood, was really hot!”- Judy Daugherty “ I thought Robin Hood was so suspenseful and thrilling” said Madison Cole. “It had a lot of good plot twists.”

So, if you ever have a day off and you’re just relaxing or just chilling with some friends and feel like you want to watch a good action movie, maybe you should think about watching Robin Hood.

BY: HALEY RUYLE

children still see the magic that Mary Poppins brings.

What truly made Mary Poppins perfectly perfect in every way was not just the spoonful full of sugar but her magical fixation. On this wild journey George, John, and Anabel Banks learn that the impossible is possible as long as you believe.

With the help of Mary Poppins and an old friend Jack the Leerie, they take their adventures to a whole new world, from dancing with penguins, to riding a ladder on the back of a bike. From turning upside down, to turning rightside up, in the end all is well for the Banks children.

All of these fun and exciting adventures will truly make you feel like you’re apart of the movie in addition to exploring a new world. With music and funny talking characters, Mary Poppins makes not just the best nanny in England, but one of the true classics of Disney’s films.

The new Mary Poppins was truly supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, from her classy dysfunctional style to her weird sense of knowledge, she will always be loved and missed by the Banks children, but Mary Poppins will always return for the banks children only when they need a proper lesson.

that once and for all romance is dead and that she should learn how to flow with this new-age attitude towards relationships.

Blake soon sees exactly the kind of mess that she’s really signed up for when she decides to become a sugar baby and record her experiences as such, as well as what she learns from the experience.

A sugar baby is a young woman who engages in physical relationships with older men in exchange for gifts and money, although aren’t seen the same

as prostitutes because they enter into “relationships” with these men rather than just only being physical with these men. As she engages on “dates” with a professor and justifies her actions it begins to feel unsettling and a bit sad as the movie goes on.

This movie is completely riddled with cynicism and is extremely unfair to the romantics in the real world who desire genuine old-fashioned romance. While relationships the organic way may seem difficult

to find and are never as perfect as movies seem, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist and it definitely doesn’t mean one should exploit their body in the process.

While I personally believe everyone has the right to enjoy relationships of any kind as they see fit, assuming the parties involved are aware of the nature of the relationship, it’s different when you make choices based from low selfesteem. I would highly advise against watching this movie, and its disturbing message on love.

Robin Hood

BY: HALEY RUYLE hruyle@lc.edu

Robin of Locksley, a lord, a knight, and a thief. One might ask, why would such a man with such wealth be stealing. The bigger question is: why was he never keeping the stolen goods for himself?

The 2018 Robin Hood remake was one of the best Robin Hood movies yet. Based on the old English tale of a man who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, a man with such high fidelity. After losing his love to another man, commiting treason, and coming home to nothing, his enemy befriends and helps him on a journey to

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Mary Poppins Returns

hruyle@lc.edu

“Mary Poppins Returns” is a great family film. This years reboot of the original film has shown many great new adventures as well as brought back some of the great characters we all know and love from the first Mary Poppins film such as: Dick Van Dyke, now as Mr. Dawes Sr. and Karen Dotrice, as Jane Banks, in the original Mary Poppins Mary Poppins Returns with a new spark of imagination!

While the Michael and Jane Banks have grown up and forgotten all about the crazy and wonderful adventures with Mary Poppins, Michael’s

The New Romantic: Love Has Got Nothing to do With It BY : ASHTYN BRITT abritt@lc.edu

There are some people who are willing to do anything for love, but boy howdy, the protagonist in this movie really will do anything!

Blake Conway, the main character of this movie, is an old-fashioned romantic who dreams of a movie style romance in a world that seems to have given up on the concept in favor of a more promiscuous method of approaching relationships. She even writes for her college paper about her woes of lack of love and concludes

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Feature

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F I R S T D AY BA CK S p ri n g 2 0 1 9

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This class focuses on the aspects of the Martial Arts that kids need most, self-defense, discipline, confidence-building, and exercise. Your children will be taught both verbal and physical methods.

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Traditional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, trained in the Gi, as well as the influences of similar arts like Judo and Sambo. You will learn technics that can be used for self-defense and sport alike.

Jen Miller

No-GiGrappling

Whether it is called submission grappling, traditional wrestling, CACC, or other arts, you’re likely to learn a little of everything. We focus heavily on the USA Combat Wrestling Rule-set that combines traditional wrestling and submission grappling.

Piasa BJJ and Submission Grappling is a program that has evolved from the original grappling program offered by the “Official” Piasa Martial Arts School, in Alton, IL. We are among the oldest, most established schools in the area, offering submission grappling since about 2001.

Our class offerings have expanded to include traditional Brazil-

ian Jiu-Jitsu (for youth and adults), traditional wrestling, no-gi submission grappling, combat wrestling, and basic self-defense concepts.

We offer these programs on practical grappling and Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu to everyone in the Greater Riverbend area. Our programs are for those interested in self-defense, stress relief, health/fitness, and/or competition.

Krystie Morrison

68 East Elm Street

Alton,Illinois 62002 (618) 328-3428 Find us on Facebook @PiasaBJJnSG

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8A

Love Triangle Have you ever been in a situation where there was someone that likes you but you have no intentions on liking them back?

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FOR THE STUDENTS BY THE STUDENTS OF LEWIS AND CLARK COMMUNITY COLLEGE

High School VS College There are many differences between college professors and high school teachers!

Section B

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Join Trailblazers Basketball for Blazer Day Feb. 9 BY: LAURA INLOW, L&C MEDIA SERVICES, linlow@lc.edu

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College is inviting the community to enjoy basketball, food, giveaways, contests and more during Blazer Day, Saturday, Feb. 9, at the George C. Terry River Bend Arena.

Admission is completely free for all ages.

The women’s basketball team will take on Parkland College at 1 p.m., followed by the men’s basketball team versus SWIC at 3 p.m.

L&C’s new mascot, Blazer, will be available before each game in the lobby outside the gym for a meet and greet and free photos.

Free hot dogs, chips and beverages

will be offered at the concession stand during the games.

Blazer will also make an appearance during halftime at each game to help with giveaways and contests, where spectators can compete for prizes.

The Trailblazers will also be taking donations for the Trailblazer Snack Pantry (TSP) during the event. Since Fall 2018, the TSP has served students with immediate hunger needs on campus.

The following items are needed: Single serving, non-perishable, nonrefrigerated food and drinks Healthy choices preferred - low sugar, high protein Snack bars including but not limited to granola, fruit and nut, protein, cereal Various types of crackers - peanut butter and cheese-

Blazer the Newfie is the latest student to enroll at Lewis and Clark Community College. Follow Blazer on Twitter and Instagram @blazerthenewfie. Photo by L&C Flickr

filled, other varieties of cracker packets or snack-sized crackers Single serving beverages - juice boxes or pouches, preferably low sugar, shelf stable milk Nuts and trail mix Dried fruit or fruit snacks

Fruit cups “I encourage everyone to come out and support your hometown teams against these in-state rivals and to donate to a good cause,” said L&C Vice President of Student Engagement Sean

Hill.”

For additional information about the event, please contact L&C Media Services Manager Laura Inlow at linlow@lc.edu or Athletic Director Doug Stotler at dstotler@lc.edu or (618) 468-6200.

For more information about L&C Athletics, visit www.lc.edu/ athletics. For more about L&C Student Life, visit www. lc.edu/campus-life.

To learn more about Blazer, visit www. lc.edu/mascot.

The Bridge Sport Writers L&C’s student newspaper, The Bridge, is hiring sports writers.

You can get paid for attending and writing about L&C games!

Do you love to write about sports? If so, join The Bridge staff!

Email Advisor Louise Jett at ljett@lc.edu to learn more.

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Opinion

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2B

Why Climate Change Should Matter to Ever yone

BY AMBER MOORE Climate change is not just a political debate topic or a possibility, it’s a jarring reality that the world continues to ignore and is consequently running out of time to act against. Global warming has been at large in the last century especially due to human activities such as the consistent burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and animal agriculture.

The UN Intergovernmental PanelonClimateChange (IPCC) warned in a 2018 report that we only have about 12 years to act on climate change before its effects and consequences will be irreversible. With our current climate being roughly 1 degree Celsius warmer than the levels of the late 1800s, according to many climate scientists, we’re about half a degree away from some serious ramifications.

While 1.5 degrees doesn’t

graphic by Emily Ann

ambmoore@lc.edu

seem like a big deal, it most certainly is; a temperature rise of even just half of a degree can increase the risk of lasting and irreversible consequences such as coastal and river flooding, severe weather, forest fires, droughts, and poverty among millions of people.

Despite how urgent of an issue this is, even the most ambitious of endeavors to take action against climate

change, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, wouldn’t and won’t be enough. The Agreement, initially joined by the U.S. under the Obama administration, entails that each nation involved—195, to be exact—is to strive for a limitation in greenhouse gas emissions. However, the Agreement really isn’t striving for enough; its intentions are to limit global warming to 2

degrees Celsius by 2100, which, honestly, would be far too late.

The most point-blank and simple solution would be to quit burning so much fossil fuel and switch to cleaner sources of energy. Unfortunately, it’s just not that easy. What stands in the way are corporations whose livelihoods, functions, and profits are prioritized at the expense of the planet.

Only 100 corporations are

responsible for 71 percent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, yet nothing substantial is being done to adapt these companies to cleaner forms of energy.

Even though a lot of these environmental conundrums occur on a government and corporate level, our individual choices do affect the environment and can affect the future.

Recycling,reusing, consuming less of what we don’t need in the first place, and using less energy consuming ways of transport (such as walking, cycling, public transport, etc.) are the easiest ways we can decrease contribution to environmental damage. Alongside that, eating less meat and dairy is is one of the best ways to reduce our carbon footprint, as animal agriculture largely contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Collectively reducing our intake means

reducing demand, which in turn makes for less production.

Most importantly though, voting for the right people in elections should be prioritized.

It’s crucial that we have people in office—whether it’s on a federal or state level—who care about the wellbeing of the environment and will take the necessary measures to hold corporations accountable for what they do.

In modern civilization, we continue to treat climate change as something that might happen or could happen, but it’s happening right now. In a few decades or so when our need to dominate and push Earth’s limits catches up with us, we’ll have no choice but to wonder why we didn’t act sooner when the answers were right in front of our faces. The best we can do as individuals is shape our choices to align with our desire to be able to live comfortably on this planet.

Animal Agriculture: Why Our Food is Destroying the Planet

BY AMBER MOORE ambmoore@lc.edu

Meat and dairy consumption can be assumed as a personal choice. But, really, the choice becomes less personal when it holds massive implications for the state of the planet and life on it.

Asenvironmentalconsciousness continues to gain momentum—particularly in younger generations—it is imperative to take into account that when we think we’re saving the planet by not using plastic straws or carpooling every now and then, we’re actually doing the bare minimum.

Contributing less of our diets to meat and dairy products is one of the most effective things we could do, as it would create less demand for the products that create and enable lasting environmental damage.

Animal agriculturedoesn’t just negatively affect the livelihood of the animals being bred for food; to make room for crops to feed livestock and the livestock itself, forests are cut into at the expense of plants and wildlife that inhabit them.

Commercial animal agriculture is responsible for around 80 percent of defor-

photo by veganfoodandliving.com estation globally, according to Wageningen University and Research Centre.

Along with all of the land being destroyed, we’re essentially making room for resources only to waste more resources. Worldwide, cows used in agriculture consume 45 billion gallons of water daily . The U.S. would be able to feed around 800 million people with all of the grain that is used to feed livestock.

Therefore, not only are we tearing down land for food we don’t even need, but we could also be devoting our resources to more reasonable causes (for instance, feed-

ing some of those 800 million people).

And while it’s easy for one to think that a plant-based diet would expend more land through the use of crops, it only requires one-sixth of an acre, while a diet that heavily incorporates meat would take up about 18 times more than that.

Animal agriculture’s lack of recognition for its contributions to climate change is most stupefying. Nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that stays inside Earth’s atmosphere for about 114 years, has 296 times the potential to influence climate change than carbon dioxide, is produced largely by

livestock—65 percent,actually. Methane, another greenhouse gas, is largely produced by animal agriculture; cows produce roughly 150 billion gallons of methane per day.

That’s 54,750 billion gallons in a year. As if that wasn’t enough, 51% of all greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to livestock and their byproducts.

And if one were to think that just consuming fish would be the answer to all of the environmental complications caused by animal agriculture, they would be greatly mistaken.

Commercial fishing is a leading contributor to plastic pol-

lution in the ocean.

Contrary to the popular belief that plastic straws and single-use bottles make up most to all of the garbage in the ocean, a large portion of plastic waste is actually discarded fishing gear.

According to a study done by The Ocean Cleanup, an organization built on advancing technologies to reduce the accumulation of plastic debris in oceans, “46 percent of plastic waste in the Great Pacific garbage patch is comprised of abandoned fishing gear”.

To put this into perspective, the Great Pacific garbage patch is a mass of debris that currently spans

across 1.6 million square kilometers, containing an estimate of 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic.

Its weight adds up to a whopping 87,000 tons, which is the equivalent of roughly 898 billion cars. And almost half of that is from commercial fishing alone.

The continuous increase in demand for seafood products leaves us with more plastic waste, more polluted oceans, as well as more populations of fish being expended far beyond their limits— so much that scientists foresee fishless oceans by as soon as 2048. Not using plastic straws to save fish is not enough. We should start with not eating fish to save fish.

Integrating more plant-based foods into one’s diet is one of the most effective ways to combat environmental devastation caused by animal agriculture. It’s impossible for one to expect everyone to go vegan instantaneously, although reductions in intake are something nearly everyone is capable of practicing.

It’s perhaps the least we could do to help make up for generations of overusing and abusing Earth’s resources and life.

Single on Valentines Day

BY HALEY RUYLE hruyle@lc.edu

Being single isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes it can be a great thing; time for self reflection and self care never hurt anyone. Everyone always loves a good Valentine, but is it really true that having a Valentine is better than being single on Valentine’s Day? I’m here to tell you all the reasons why being single on Valentine’s day is great.

The first, and most portant reason that being single on Valentine’s Day is better than having an actual Valentine is the expense saved by not paying for the whole charade: the flowers,

photo provided by Bing Images

the wine, the dinner, the giant teddy bear, the chocolates, the limo, everything that makes the night magical and lets it go out with a bang.

The second reason is perhaps less important.

Valentine’s Day is one of the cheesiest days for

marriage proposals. I know it’s the day of love and happiness, but it just makes the single people more sad. So, if your single and at a nice restaurant all alone and you see a nice couple who just got engaged and you see there’s a huge

ring on that nicely manicured hand just eat as much cake as you want because from the time that ring was put on, up until the wedding, the bride will be trying to lose weight and he/ she eating that cake will make them feel obligated to feel happy a little less knowing they can’t eat any cake, but you feel better inside now that you ruined their special day.

The third reason, and what I think is the best reason of all, is that you don’t have to care about doing anything. You’re home alone and don’t have anyone to share the day with, but at least you don’t have to give two craps about anybody.

Staying at home on Valentine’s day can be more fun than most people realize; you can watch romantic movies and eat chocolates all night, you can have a nice relaxing bubble bath with some music and candles, and you don’t have to worry about what the other person wants for Valentines Day. The fourth reason and my favorite reason is you can go out with your single friends and have a good night out on the town. That way nobody is alone, you’re all having a good time together as single friends, and the chances of you not going back home single are a lot better than if you’re

just sitting at home crying to the “Notebook” and beating yourself up because your still single.

Just because you’re not pretty, funny, smart or rich does not mean that there is not a perfect Mr./Mrs. for you. Everyone has a soulmate.

Bumpy roads may come along with every relationship and that’s okay.

So, if your beating yourself up on Valentine’s Day for being single, don’t. There is a prince charming waiting for you or beautiful princess running after midnight. Or, if you like the single life and are determined to stay single forever then all I have to say is, good luck with that!

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thebridge Opinion 3B Queer Dating Stories: Queer Casual Relationships

BY ASHTYN BRITT abritt@lc.edu

*Coming to terms with one’s sexuality is at times a long and exhausting process. It took me many years to completely accept myself, and try to venture into the dating world.

Over time, I have ended up collecting stories and lessons learned from my dating life, which I will now be sharing every month for roughly the next year. All names will be changed to protect the privacy of everyone mentioned, as they deserve anonymity and respect- no matter how bad the stories may have ended. Instead of telling these stories in chronological order, I will be telling them by order of importance of their moral.* Casual relationships are really strange sometimes. It doesn’t matter if you’re straight or queer, we all occasionally end up in relationships like this. These aren’t the relationships where you get strung along, or are lied to about the importance of the relationship, it’s one you willingly enter and you both understand what it is. That doesn’t make it any less odd to experience, though. There are even some times when they come into your life and make a way more significant impact than you’d ever expect, even if those impacts aren’t anything like a longterm relationship or sharing ownership of a pet. These people can also occasionally end up becoming a good friend instead, and someone you can bond easily with. I met mine on my first real Tinder Date, and the only other Tinder date I’d been on before I met my next partner, Big. Meet Tinder Girl, or TG, I call her this in honor of where I met her. I met TG about a month before I met Big on Tinder, and had at the time felt like I may have been wasting my time being on dating apps. I had barely gotten back

on my feet after being dumped and had started to get the creeping feelings of loneliness. I had thought perhaps I should try to go on at least one date, to prove to myself I wasn’t a complete emotional cripple.

I was very glad to have found TG, and we spent about a week talking to get to know one another before I asked her on a date.

The expectation was to go eat Thai and see a movie, nothing more.

However, since I entered this date with the lowest expectations, I had found a weird freedom in being myself and doing things I hadn’t thought I’d ever do. “If I never see this person again, it probably won’t hurt anything, right?” I thought cynically.

For instance, I tried Thai food for the second time in my life, and ended up really liking it. Since TG insisted on paying for dinner, I had insisted on paying for the movie. Despite having seen this particular movie before, I enjoyed cuddling with TG in the theater and found myself forgetting about some of the hardest months in my life. Afterwards, we took a quick trip to the bookstore where we talked about literature and pointed out our favorite authors to one another. For anyone that knows me well, they know how many brownie points someone can earn by taking me to a bookstore.

I kept up the spirit of this freedom later when I invited her after the movie to come to my apartment and she accepted. I was surprised. When I continued to clearly invite her for other things, she continued to happily accept. She ended up staying the night and we stayed up the entire night talking freely about our issues and our pasts. Hours felt like minutes as we continued to talk without sleep, and before we knew it, it was getting close to sunrise.

“Would you like to go get breakfast and find a place to watch the sunrise? I like to take pictures.”

TG shared with me.

I smiled and agreed, giving her directions to the Moon Tower.

I’d been introduced to this spot by a different girl months earlier, and had fallen in love with the view at night time.

TG loved it, too. We then took multiple pictures around the Moon Tower, enjoying the early morning silence.

Then, we climbed up the old stairs to the observation view. I hadn’t ever been there at dawn, and no picture will ever capture how breathtaking it was to hold onto the railing and see the sky change right in front of my eyes. TG walked up behind me and hugged me, placing her hands in the jacket I was wearing that morning, and leaned her lips so close to my ear I felt her breath.

“Good morning.”

TG whispered before kissing my cheek. I felt a tingle run down my spine as we watched the sky turn into all the colors of the rainbow. It was the first moment of real happiness I’d had in so long, I held back tears of joy. This girl, who I highly doubted would become someone I’d spend my life with, was still able to give me an epic first date.

More than that, TG gave me a memory I will treasure forever. She gave me hope.

We then took a drive on the River Road and enjoyed exploring Pere Marquette, taking cute pictures together, and eventually went back to my house to continue spending time together. We ended up having a date that in total lasted twenty-six hours before she finally went home. We spent the next four days texting, and had started planning more dates for the future.

Then, to my shock, she stopped talking to me altogether. I would not have been offend-

ed if she didn’t want to see me again, but I was going to be most certainly offended if she didn’t bother to just tell me that. After an entire day of no contact, she sent me a short text saying she didn’t think she could emotionally handle a real relationship, and was going to leave for Colorado for a few months in about a week as it was anyway.

While I was surprised, and I’ll admit confused, I accepted this at face value and went back to Tinder.

I had tried the next day to extend an invitation of friendship, which went unanswered for some time.

Ironically, she answered yes to my invitation of friendship on my second official date with Big. Out of respect for my new found romance, one that I was very sure was going to lead more a serious relationship-(It did)-I didn’t respond, and TG went to Colorado.

To my shock, a few months later, about a week after Big and I had went through our no-talking phase post breakup, I got a call from TG. “Hey! I’m in town for a week before I take another trip to L.A. for a few months.

Would you like to see me?” She asked.

I felt myself feeling a sense of comradery with her, and seeing as I was a single woman again, I said yes.

I had told myself that it wasn’t a date, since we were old friends. However, that didn’t stop how hard I’d worked to pick out the perfect outfit and do my hair and makeup. TG looked really good, gaining a tan and some muscles since the last time we saw one another. I had to keep reminding myself that this was to catch up with an old friend, and not a date.

We later went to a popular nightclub in Saint Louis to watch a drag show, and spent hours catching up on what had been go-

ing on in each other’s lives. I felt myself slip back into that freeing attitude from our first date and started to really enjoy myself.

I forgot to check my phone, which led to my then-friend Eric blowing me up, but I didn’t care. It was odd, but it was the first time in so long that I didn’t even think about Big. I thought about how cool the performances by the drag queens and kings were. I thought about how good it felt to be surrounded by pretty neon lights and good music. I thought about how nice it was to spend time with TG again. Eventually, TG and I fell back into old steps, and when TG kissed me I gladly kissed her back.

We briefly discussed it and TG confirmed we were definitely on a second date. We spent the rest of the night dancing, kissing, and she went back to my apartment again.

However, we thankfully got some sleep this time. In the morning, we simply relaxed with one another and watched Love Simon together and took a nap. It was so nice!

Later on, she decided to take me to the Saint Louis Art Museum and then out to eat.

(On the way, my thenfriend Eric had tried to ask me on a date with him, but that’s a whole other story.)

We’d discussed what this whole thing meant, and she explained she still didn’t want a real relationship. Having been through what I had with Big, I also wasn’t very keen on the idea of starting that all over again with someone else. Plus, she was leaving in six more days for California! I wasn’t up for a long-distance relationship. We’d agreed then to still be friends, but were allowed to also engage in a casual relationship when we were both single. Oddly enough, this arrangement didn’t bother me even a little bit. I had remembered why I’d

been so drawn into TG in the first place. Being with her was such an adventure, and without any serious commitments. It was purely a fun relationship.

We went shopping for her new adventure in L.A., she bought me dinner, and then she dropped me off with promises to keep in touch. To my surprise, she kept her word this time! We still exchange letters and phone calls on a friendly basis, and it somehow doesn’t feel weird. I think it’s because we appreciate one another, but we don’t have any real romantic love for one another. We may have had a casual relationship of sorts, but we’re friends first. I am so much more grateful for TG than I thought I’d be.

I’d later realize that if I never had our first date, I wouldn’t have gone back to Tinder and met Big. If I hadn’t gone on our second date, I would’ve probably spent my time being sad over Big. I’m writing all this because I want to be clear that as long as both people involved know what’s going on, I think casual relationships can be a wonderful thing! It’s a common misconception that queer people aren’t ever serious about commitment.

This is untrue, and there is nothing wrong with those who don’t mind engaging in relationships like this! I also believe sometimes people come into our lives, whether they are friends or lovers, and they do so for a reason.

Relationships can have different forms and one isn’t more valuable than another if it works. So, TG, if you ever read this, I am not in love with you. I love you as a friend and a person, and am glad when I get to talk to you, because you’re my friend. For everyone else, never be ashamed to have people like TG in your life. As long as clear boundaries are made and respect is upheld, there’s nothing wrong with it.

tive the hormones, the more attracted we are to that person, whether it be platonically or romantically.

This has now become a marketable product in pheromone perfumes, designed to help people seem more attractive to others. Is this product really able to use science to our advantage, or is it just another “Snake Oil” scam? I decided to try the product for myself for a few weeks secretly to see if anybody would treat me differently. I

was shocked to see the results!

Within the first few days, a girl whom I’ve previously quarreled with quite a lot was very kind to me and has spent significantly more time with me since then, and we’ve gotten along far better than we ever had before! After a little over a week, I attended a social event where I quickly noticed people were especially nice, even staying longer just to spend time with me and talk! Usually, at

social events such as this, I am a bit of a wallflower and nobody tries to interact with me much. I also got into a new relationship not much longer afterward. The week after at a family function, I also had a much more pleasant time with my relatives than usual!

Overall, I wouldn’t say that it brought everybody to their knees in admiration of me, but I have had an overwhelmingly positive reaction from multiple people in ways I didn’t expect.

Of course, there may be other reasons why these people behaved this way, for all I know I may have experienced a placebo effect as a result of the experiment. I would need more time and other test subjects to wear the perfume to really have anything close to a good sample.

While this could all be circumstantial at best, I will admit that I am personally surprised at the results of wearing pheromone perfume.

While I can’t say for sure

that I believe it works and should be bought by everyone, I wouldn’t discourage anybody from buying and trying the product for themself to see if their results vary.

The specific brand that I used, “Raw Pheromone Perfume for Her”, is currently available for around thirty dollars on Amazon.com! For everyone who tests this product to see if maybe their social life improves, I wish you nothing but good luck!

Do Pheromones Work: An Experiment of Attraction

BY ASHTYN BRITT abritt@lc.edu

A pheromone is defined as “a chemical substance that is usually produced by an animal and serves especially as a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behavioral responses,” by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary and is believed to be the source of all human attraction. It’s an olfactory (scent) message that our subconscious picks up on when we’re around another person. The more attrac-

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5B

Red V el v et Cupcake s Recip e Cup c a k e B att e r f or T h i r t y Cup c a k e s : 2 1/2 cups flour 2 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup sour cream

Directions:

1 cup of softened butter 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract 4 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 ounce of Red Food Color

Icing: 1/4 cup of softened butter 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract 8 ounces of softened package cream cheese 2 tablespoons sour cream 16 ounces of box confectioners’ sugar

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Second, get the ingredients you will need for the cake batter.

Third, mix the baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and flour in medium bowl and set it aside. Fourth, mix the sugar and softened butter in large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Fifth, add and mix in the eggs one at a time. Sixth, mix in two teaspoons of vanilla, milk, sour cream, and red food coloring. Seventh, slowly mix in the flour mixture until it is all blended into a nice batter. Eighth, pour the batter into 30 paper-lined cups 2/3 full each. Ninth, bake the cupcakes for twenty minutes, check with a toothpick for completion. Tenth, while the cupcakes are baking, gather your ingredients for the icing. Eleventh, mix the softened butter, vanilla extract, sour cream, and cream cheese together in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Twelfth, slowly add and mix the confectioners’ sugar until the mixture becomes nice and smooth. Thirteenth, remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool completely.

Fourteenth, frost all the cupcakes. Fifteenth, eat and enjoy!

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Unfortunately, neither reference, the “common cold” or “common u bug” comes anywhere near describing the feelings of total chaos, total loss of control, or total feeling of being overwhelmed but it does imply just how common anxiety is in our society today. Help is available, convenient, and affordable.

Entertainment 6B The Top Ten Romantic Movies Of All Time www.thelcbridge.com

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BY: HALEY RUYLE hruyle@lc.edu

The Notebook: The Notebook is the number one love story about two teenagers from two different sides of society find each other and fall in love. Then, years later after being apart, destiny would say they were always meant to be. I picked this movie because it is so iconic and a true classic to all dramatic movies. I think this movie shows what every person wants in a relationship, a strong and lasting forever love.

Titanic: Based off a true tragedy of a sinking ship RMS Titanic, the 1997 film recreated this event with true heartfelt romance. Romance blossoms between two people from different ends of the social spectrum and in the end, just like the RMS Titanic, their love was split but never forgotten. I liked this movie because it’s a true reminder of the loss of the real RMS Titanic.

The love between Jack and Rose proves that love at first sight does exist! I think on Valentine’s Day, everyone needs that inspirational feeling that love will never die and your soulmate is out there.

50 First Dates: 50 First Dates is a goofy love story that proves love takes time and work. A love that sparks between a man and a woman from a one night stand live the same day over and over again, as he falls head over heels for her. However, she forgets who he is every day. I appreciate this movie because I think it shows that if you love someone you should

fight for them.

Pride and Prejudice: Based off of the book Pride and Prejudice; set in 1813, A mother of five tries to marry off her daughters so they can all be taken care of and not worry that they’ll be alone forever and. The second oldest, Elizabeth, refuses her parent’s desire to be just married off because she’d rather marry for love. I like this movie because it shows woman power and taking a stand for true love.

The Fault in Our Stars: When you’re dying, what else do you have to live for? Hazel Grace Lancaster and Gus Waters find that love is a true dying wish. I picked this movie because it shows that it doesn’t matter what kind of person you are, whether you’re disabled or not, love will always find a way!

The Best of Me: The tale of former high school lovers reunited by the death of a loved one, after one lives years in prison and another lives the high life, their love connection couldn’t be any stronger. I enjoyed this movie because it shows that no matter what struggles or battles comes in a relationship, it’s still worth fighting for, and it’s all about forgetting about the past and moving forward.

The Last Song: A depressed teen finds the love of her life while vacationing with her Dad and little brother, but little did she know that the love of her life was one of the reasons her dad is sick and dying.

As much as she loved him, she will never for-

\ Photo by Pixabay give him. I enjoyed this movie because it’s more than just a romance, it’s more of a family movie.

This movie really shows that family is more important than just some guy or girl.

The Kissing Booth: Two best friends and the best friend’s hot brother, what could possibly go wrong? Lee Flynn and Elle Evans are best friends, the only problem is that she is in love with his brother Noah, the hottie that every girl drools over. As Elle and Noah start sneaking behind Lee’s back about their relationship, it ruins Elle and Lee’s friendship in the process. I liked this movie because it shows that it doesn’t matter what people say or do, you should be with the person you love and care about. You should always be open and honest about your feelings to the people you trust most.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: We’ve all had crushes, but have your feelings about that person ever been acci-

dentally told to them via letter? To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is about a girl named Lara Jean whose secret love letters get mysteriously mailed out, and leads her to find real love by giving in to admitting to her crush and actually falling in love. I appreciated this movie a lot because it shows that it’s good to show your emotions, say what you mean, and stand tall.

Romeo and Juliet: My favorite movie of all time is Romeo and Juliet! Any version! In the city of Verona, Italy, where two lovers from two different households, Montague And Capulet, are now torn apart from a feud of hate. I love this movie not just because it’s my favorite movie, but because it shows love and what you are willing to fight for, even if it means going against all odds.

Romeo and Juliet’s love may not set the perfect modern-day example of love, but back in the Shakespearean era, they were truly the most rebellious romance!

Also, Valentine’s Day is a commercial day with all the commercials running the whole day.

Although, at least fifty percent of people begin to hate Valentine’s Day, especially if they do not have a partner to celebrate with them.

Valentine’s Day is also a reminder to some that they are lonely.

Although, there are many different horrors when it comes to this holiday, there are many different perks as well.

The chocolates, other candy, and sugary treats go on sale right after this holiday. The jewelry companies have major sales on their items in the store or on their websites.

The different types of flowers and even

their most popular flower, the bouquet of roses, go on sale. These are a very popular gift to give to your partner.

It is a day to do something thoughtful for someone like a family member, a friend, or your special person. It is also the best day to get engaged or proposed to, which increases the rates.

It’s a day to show off your brand creatively. The festivities can make it super memorable for both you and your partner as well.

You can celebrate Valentine’s Day anywhere: school, work, or in public.

As you can see there are some perks and horrors with this special holiday.

ANNA SUMMERS

family. I myself actually have a Pit Bull and Great Dane mix, and I can honestly say that he is the sweetest dog I have ever owned in my life.

My dog is great around my little brother and other children!

He loves to cuddle and watch tv with my family and me, as he can be very lazy. Also, my dog hates the water and

He doesn’t know how to bark or growl when needed and only seems to have a negative reaction only when he is playing with his rope while someone is tugging on it against him or even holding it.

In my opinion, Pit Bulls are the sweetest dogs you could own as a pet. On Facebook or Instagram, there are

Love Triangle

ANNA SUMMERS

Anmsummers@lc.edu

Have you ever been in a situation where there was someone that likes you but you have no intentions on liking them back?

They try persistently with you and you still do not budge. They would send you morning text messages and reply every time you message them. Even if they are busy or about to go to bed they give you all the attention you want or need, but there is only one problem.

You want someone, but it is not them. You are begging for some else’s attention, their time, and their energy.

You want attention from the person that is giving you zero affection. You would do anything for them but they would not do the same for you, yet you still want that person. The person that wants you is doing everything you wish the person you want would do.

As much as you want them to pay attention to you, they won’t.

You try to give the attention to the person who wants you, but it does not feel right no matter what you say or do. You accidently lead the person on for months and they keep trying.

The person you want still continues to ignore you. They ignore your messages, yet you see them active on social media. You feel like you are not good enough and useless.

A word of advice if you are ever in this situation: you should let go of the person that you want, that continues to ignore you and will not give the same energy back that you are giving them. Try at least being friends with the person you do not want. You never know what might happen with that person.

Do not put yourself in this situation when you know you do not have to be.

Valentine’s Day is for the candy, dates, and the memories. There are many many types of dates you and your significant other can do.

Did you know there is a top ten list for this type of holiday?

Some people are picky on what to do or what to plan for their significant other, but here are a few simple options for something to do on this special day.

You can do dancing, not at night club where you party but real dancing. You can take a class, go to a salsa club, or go see live music.

You could also do ballroom or line dancing.

Somewhere that makes

you want to get your groove on.

There is also a ghost hunt your you can do.

You could go to a cemetery or an abandoned place to check out and see if there is any paranormal activity.

One of the most popular dates is ice skating or roller skating. You usually see many couples on the rink around this time of year. Many holding hands and pretty much guaranteed to get close. Some bonding over the enjoyment with each other, especially if one falls.

Bowling also seems to be a popular one. Also it is not too expensive either.

A themed dinner and movie night at home can be fun as well. Dates do

not only mean going out and doing something.

You can easily cook an amazing dinner and watch many different types of movies and enjoy the rest of the night.

You could also go to a game that is in season if your partner is a sports fan.

If you have someone who loves museums you can go to an art museum or a history museum.

The last and final top ten date would be the zoo. You can easily find out more things about them while you’re seeing animals.

You see there are many different places to you can do or go to on this holiday.

many videos contradicting the idea of Pit Bulls being vicious killing machines, showing a lot of Pit Bulls snuggled up with their owners in pajamas, blankets, or just being cozy by a fireplace or electric heater.

I myself recently watched a video where a pet owner literally carried his pitbull everywhere he went in the house. He even carried

the dog while he took the trash out and showered with the dog! There are also Facebook pages of Pit Bulls to see these videos and support these lovable animals.

Did you know there was an actual war on a Pit Bull during WW1 named Stubby, who died in action? Poor Stubby died due to trying to save his owner, or rather his partner, during the war.

Did you know Pit Bulls were actually baited for large animals in the early 1800s? They wanted to have dog fights instead of fighting each other or killing each other. Also in Pit Bull fights, there were major bets between each dog. This doesn’t mean that by nature they are bad dogs, though, and people should be further educated on this beautiful breed of dog.

Horrors and Perks of Valentine’s Day Top 10 List For Any Valentines Dates ANNA SUMMERS

Anmsummers@lc.edu

There are many different horrors and perks when it comes to the Valentine’s Day holiday.

Around this time you will see many couples going out and having a good time; but is that what a relationship is? Just for this holiday?

Or are there things behind closed doors that no one will know about it?

Sometimes people find out on Valentine’s Day that their partner is cheating. Some people will get dumped on this day as well.

Some actually get rejected by the person they have been crushing on forever and can develop the worst feeling.

The Truth About Pitbulls owner and their owner’s snow, even wet grass!

ANNA SUMMERS

Anmsummers@lc.edu

There is a high amount of people who believe that Pit Bulls are a bad breed of dog that is dangerous and can not be trusted around children.

There is also a rumor, or rather a common fact, that Pit Bulls are a breed of dog that often is bred and trained to participate in dogfights, killing, and protecting their own

Anmsummers@lc.edu

Entertainment

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My Advice to the Struggling College Student This can lead to some people biting off more than they can chew.

Pressure often comes from many outside influences like parents, friends, and significant others.

Many students face the struggle of figuring out how to finance their education as well as shelter. These students might understand the analogy better than others.

At 30 years old, I have gained the perspective to know that while time does fly, it isn’t running out. Young people sometimes have trouble realizing that in the big picture, every single day is a stepping stone on their personal journey.

It is hard to gain per-

spective of the big picture, as it comes from time and experience. It is important to understand that sometimes you must take a step back and decide whether you’re strong enough to pick that cow up and jump over the fence, or whether you should start with a calf and try to jump over a tree stump.

Photo by Pixabay I feel like I should not want to reach it as mention the importance badly as you thought. of perseverance in the It is also importface of adversity. There ant to remember that is a philosophy shared experiences such by many that if you tru- as these shouldn’t ly want something, you be written off as a will do whatever is neccomplete failure to essary to get it. If there is an obstacle blocking achieve one’s goal. It the path to success, and is often these experiyou let it keep you from ences which will help reaching your goal, us gain a perspective then you probably did of the big picture.

There are many differences between college professors and high school teachers!

Although, in some ways, high school teachers can be very easy like college teachers. Then in other ways, college professors can be just like high school teachers.

In my opinion, I like college professors much more than high school teachers.

They’re cooler and can become more like a friend to you than a high school teacher.

I get along with college professors way better than I do high school teachers, all because of the way they’ll behave with students and situations in or out of the classroom.

High school teachers are very strict when it comes to cell phone policies. They’ll take your phones away and keep them until after class, or even take them to the administrator’s office for you to have to retrieve later.

High school teachers also very strict when it comes to turning in homework and being on time for class. You

can’t joke around with BY: OLIVIA BETTORF them or even have a ombettorf@lc.edu normal conversation without them coming Anemia is in a simat you head-first on if ple word, terrible. It you have any missing sucks dealing with assignments.

In addition, high it, sucks living with, school teachers will and it is a struggle to also almost always say correct it.

“The bell doesn’t disHow would I miss you, I actually know? I am currentdo!” For college professors, it is quite the ly dealing with this opposite.

Professors problem. Which can couldn’t care less if you lead to the question: even show up to the What is Anemia? class or not, they leave Anemia is a conit up to you to decide.

College professors dition that causes are very cool with their someone to not have students. Also, they are enough red blood very lenient when it cells in their system. comes to cell phones, Which, in my case, coming to class on time, and doing homework. can be caused by an In college, you also do iron deficiency, lack not have to ask to go of Vitamin B12, or to the restroom, unlike in serious cases, the in high school. In col- loss of blood. lege, you can just get The common up and walk out withsymptoms are: feelout even asking and it’s fine. Also, there are ings of fatigue (or times when you can be tiredness) and weakthere for a few minutes ness, shortness of and then you can leave headaches, whenever you want breath, to. In high school, you dizziness, skin palhave to do every single lor (lighter skin tone, thing the teacher tells making you look a you at exactly the time bit more pale than they say. By far, college professors are superi- normal, and dark or to their high school purple circles uncounterparts. derneath your eyes).

Of course, everyone feels these symptoms that are due to lack of sleep, increase of stress, and multiple things that affect different people.

They only real way to find out if you have Anemia is to go get a blood test done by your primary care physician.

Anemia can range from minor conditions, if treated properly, to severe health conditions if untreated or left undiagnosed. The age range for this is naturally 40 years of age, probably due to parenting, work, and keeping a clean environment, to 61 years of age and older, most likely due to other health regulations.

I, unfortunately, am part of the percent that is lesser part of this. So, why is it so scary? I’ll tell why.

When an anemic person’s iron gets low enough, we will have what I call an anemic attack. We

become dizzy due to lack of red blood cells. The room just suddenly starts spinning, causing the effects of nausea.

You know the feeling: you feel like throwing up, and the spinning will only stop when you lay your head down. It may not sound like it gets worse, but it does.

Then it happens: anything in an anemics stomach will come spilling out.

Every time we try to put something back in, like water and crackers, there’s almost no possible chance it will stay down.

Now if you have some big time anxiety like me, then the thought of “Should I go to the hospital in case my throat rips in half?”, crosses your mind. No, you do not. It’ll be okay.

After spilling out your guts, your body will feel weaker afterwards, but not like

it does when you feel sick, it’ll feel like you are going to pass out.

There is one thing that helps me personally when I have an anemic attack or start feeling like I might have one. I take two iron pills and then go to sleep. The next day I don’t feel fully better- just half-wayso I put something in my stomach and rest if I can.

I would also like to take the time to say that I am not a doctor. I am not studying to become a doctor.

I just know these things simply from my experience.

It really is scary having Anemia because you never know when an attack could happen.

So if you do feel any symptoms, then bring it up with your doctor next time you have a check up.

Don’t be afraid, but always be cautious if you do have Anemia and be safe.

BY: ADRIEN GOJKO ggojko@lc.edu Jan. 22, 2019 is now known as the day that the Transgender Military Ban was reinstated, and will be a day that should exist strictly in infamy. I’m not surprised by this, but I am angry. As someone who is transgender, I feel personally attacked by this disgustingly blatant act of transphobia.

Regardless of what Pentagon spokesperson Lt. Col. Carla Gleason told CNN, the Department of Defense absolutely does not “Treat all transgender persons with respect and digni-

ty,” They’re certainly not showing any respect through their actions of banning transgender people from joining the military and treating them as if they’re subhuman.

Making an official statement trying to claim that the government still has respect for transgender people immediately after such a decision has been made, is like trying to cover cheap aerosol spray over the massive dump you just took all over the floor in hopes no one will notice you defecated everywhere.

It just makes the smell worse with an artificial

der service members in the active component, but not all will seek gender transition-related treatment,” “the costs of gender transition-related health care treatment are relatively low,” “previous integration efforts and the experiences of foreign militaries indicate a minimal likely impact on force readiness.”

In other words, the “reasoning” behind this ban falls flat. If you’re still skeptical, try the American Psychological Association’s official statement on for size, stating “The American Psychological Associa-

tion is dismayed that the Supreme Court agreed to allow the administration to bar transgender people from joining the military. Transgender people are currently serving in uniform with no adverse impact on military readiness or unit cohesion, and there is no research to the contrary. What research does show is that discrimination and stigma undermine morale and readiness by creating a significant source of stress for sexual and gender minorities that can harm their health and well-being,” “In addition,

there is substantial psychological research showing that gender dysphoria is a treatable condition, and does not, by itself, limit the ability of individuals to function well and excel in their work, including in military service.”

There are many other sources that will tell you the exact same thing, that this ban is not only unethical, but it is incredibly thoughtless as well. Our country’s transgender people deserve better than this.

Our country’s people as a whole deserve better than this careless ruckus.

BY: ALEXANDER GENT agent@lc.edu

There is an old story of a boy on a farm. One day, a calf was born.

The little boy decided to pick the newborn up and jump over a nearby tree stump with the calf in his arms.

The boy continued in this fashion each day, and, as the calf grew heavier, so the boy grew stronger. As he grew taller and became a young man, he began to jump a fence with the same calf in his arms Having never missed even one day performing this task, the young man hardly noticed the difference in the size of the calf or the amount of effort it took to perform the task. Eventually, the full-grown

man was able to pick up the full-grown cow and jump over that fence.

I think this is an important anecdote for younger people in college to learn. It is somewhat analogous to their situation.

You’ve been learning how to deal with carrying a load of work for most of your life. Now it’s time to deal with reaching your goals.

With an unclear future looming ahead, I know that it is easy to become overwhelmed by the pressure of performing the tasks we assign ourselves to achieve the futures we desire.

At 18 years old, many of us feel like the world is rushing us to hurry up and become adults.

High School VS College Teachers BY: ANNA SUMMERS Anmsummers@lc.edu

THE HORRORS OF BEING ANEMIC

Regarding the Transgender Military Ban sweetness mixed in with the smell of feces; In other words, this statement is only adding insult to injury, here.

Plus, this heinous crime against transgender folks is void of thought; the reasoning behind it is nothing more than fear-mongering. It’s hateful, and it’s not okay.

Many legitimate organizations have also been making a stand against this decision.

According to the RAND Corporation’s website, which can be found at www.rand.org/, “There are an estimated 1,320–6,630 transgen-

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Horoscope’s for F

BY ASHTYN BRITT abritt@lc.edu

9 1 0 2 y ebruar

(March 21-Apr. 19) Aries is set for an ambitious month! At the beginning of the month, Aries will find themselves involved in many responsibilities and projects, feeling a new sense of powerful energy. Halfway through the month, Aries’s dedicated hard work will already begin to show further benefits and rewards for their effort. Later on in the month, Aries may be feeling chaotic with all their endeavors and should work to find a healthy balance between all projects. By the end of the month, Aries will have found a strong and steady balance of energy and continue to have success going on into March.

(May 21 – June 20) Gemini will be reaching a new sense of clarity this month. At the beginning of the month, Gemini may face some conflict in their closest relationships and must do their best to keep an even head and not get too caught up in the fight to see the truth in front of them. Halfway through the month, the air will clear and allow for more open communication to be obtained. Later on in the month, Gemini will have to do some soul searching and reach out to others they may not have had contact with for some time. By the end of the month, Gemini will come to a sense of clarity on how to proceed forward in their personal relationships.

(Jul. 23 – Aug. 22) Leo may find a new love interest this month! At the beginning of the month, magnetic energy will be in the air for Leo as they enter a new phase of life, and will present them with many new wonderful encounters. Halfway through the month, a specific person may become especially appealing to Leo, connecting with them on a deep and passionate level. Later on in the month, this connection could deepen, and a new opportunity may arise, which Leo shouldn’t hesitate to take.

By the end of the month, Leo will know what to do, and should not be scared to indulge in this new connection, it could even be a soul mate!

(Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Libra will enjoy this month full of love! At the beginning of the month, Libra will find themself surrounded by wonderful family and friends, ready to embrace the world with them. Halfway through the month, Libra will also start working on their relationship with themself and their mental health, which will be very beneficial for the rest of the year.

Later on in the month, Libra may also come to reflect on their relationship with other people in their life, as well as possessions and learn new things about themself. By the end of the month, Libra will find love in many different forms from different sources, and enjoy the love the universe has provided!

(Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) Sagittarius will need to take some time to recharge this month. At the beginning of the month, Sagittarius may be feeling weighed down and overwhelmed and should take a break from their hectic life. Halfway through the month, Sagittarius will begin to do some self-reflection and think about the choices they’ve made in the last year, wondering if they’ve bitten off more than they could chew. Later on in the month, Sagittarius should reevaluate all their important endeavors, and learn how to cut out exhausting or discouraging relationships and projects.

Sagittarius must learn to put themself first, even when it may seem hard.

By the end of the month, Sagittarius will feel ready once more to take on the world in a more organized and productive way.

(Apr. 20 – May 20) Taurus will be facing many beneficial changes this month.

At the beginning of the month, Taurus will receive a sign that it’ll be time to start actively planning for their future, and must not ignore this call from the universe. Halfway through the month, Taurus may be having growing pains to accompany the choices Taurus knows they need to make to get a head start on their life, and must remain positive through these difficult changes. Later on in the month, Taurus may face some criticisms for their choices and become doubtful, and must be mindful to not overthink and be confident in themself instead. By the end of the month, Taurus will feel more assured that they’re making the right choice and have a stronger sense of who they are.

(June 21 – Jul. 22) Cancer will be needing to take some selfcare this month. At the beginning of the month, Cancer may be feeling vulnerable and as if their world has been rocked, and should rightfully take the time to take a step back and catch their breath from all the chaos. Halfway through the month, Cancer should focus on sleeping well, eating right, and making sure they take care of their body as well as their mind. Later on in the month. By the end of the month, Cancer will begin to see why certain things needed to happen and feel a stronger sense of calm and know how to take better care of themselves.

(Aug. 23- Sept. 22) Virgo will be finding some peace this month. At the beginning of the month, Virgo will find multiple aspects of their life mellowing out and settling down, Virgo has no need to worry about the next issue because for this month there won’t be one. Halfway through the month, Virgo will learn to relax and enjoy the calming daily routine with their responsibilities and relationships. Later on in the month, a new pleasant surprise will reveal itself to Virgo, and give them a strong sense of reassurance that everything is going to be okay. By the end of the month, Virgo will feel a new sense of trust in the universe and be ready for the next phase of their life.

(Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) Scorpio will be required to do some self-searching this month. At the beginning of the month, Scorpio will be presented with many chances to either make mistakes or adventures, given how they decide to use their powerful energy. Scorpio must always be cautious and evaluate their choices carefully. Halfway through the month, Scorpio may face some feelings of regret and should process this in a healthy way and reflect on why they made the choices they did. Later on in the month, they must understand that the past has passed and forgive themselves, and focus on an action plan to avoid repeating the same mistakes. By the end of the month, Scorpio will feel a sense of being strongly ready to move forward in their life.

(Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) Capricorn will be unstoppable this month!

At the beginning of the month, Capricorn will be full of determination and excitement to take on the world, as they should be! Halfway through the month, Capricorn will find many new and exciting opportunities, and will happily venture into these opportunities with a positive attitude. Later on in the month, Capricorn will be a part of many new exciting projects and adventures and will prove to be successful as they do so. By the end of the month, Capricorn will enjoy the fruits of their labor, and be ready for the next big thing in the upcoming months ahead.

Zodiac Signs

(Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

Aquarius needs to stop and smell the roses this month!

At the beginning of the month, Aquarius will be overwhelmed and their energy burned out on anxiety and boredom. Halfway through the month, Aquarius should stop and learn to appreciate the little things in life, even if it only happens once or twice a day, because things could always be far worse. Later on in the month, Aquarius may find themself with some free time, and should use this to their advantage to relax and get to know themselves again! They should learn to not only appreciate little things about their life, but also little things about themself. Loving one’s self is the best way to recharge their energy. By the end of the month, Aquarius will receive a sign from the universe to reassure them that everything will be okay and that life is a wonderful thing and will only get better.

(Feb. 19 – Mar. 20)

Pisces needs to learn how to move on this month.

At the beginning of the month, Pisces may find their heart feeling heavy and their troubles seeming endless, and feel discouraged about the wonders of life. Pisces must remember to be mindful, and that tomorrow always promises a new day. Halfway through the month, Pisces may need to seek out help to learn how to take the next step for a better life and should feel no shame in it. Not everyone has always had a perfect life, and mistakes are part of the human condition.

Later on in the month, their intuition will be at an all-time high and feel a bit sensitive, and shouldn’t be discouraged from protecting themselves from issues that are too hard to tackle for the moment. Pisces doesn’t owe anyone anything and should keep that in mind.

By the end of the month, Pisces will begin to learn to be forgiving and let go of the past, even if it seems hard.

as bad

Aries = (Chocolate)

Valentine Gifts Cancer = (Hardcandy)

Libra = (Engagement Ring)

Capricorn = (Valentine Card)

Taurus = (Perfume)

Leo = (New Pet)

Scorpio = (Valentine Playlist)

Aquarius = (Giant Teddy Bear)

Gemini = (Valentine Candle)

Virgo = (Jewelery)

Sagittarius = (Roses)

Pisces = (Fancy Dinner)