Vol. CI Issue 12 by The Vector

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Vol. CI | Issue 12 Week of November 28, 2021

A Zoo of Hackers on Campus By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13, over a hundred students gathered virtually on the social platform Discord as well as face-to-face in Campus Center for HackNJIT 2021, a hybrid 24-hour hackathon. The event ran until 5 p.m. on Sunday and only physically included students from NJIT this year due to COVID-19 pandemic regulations, although participants from other schools were allowed to compete virtually. In the past, with an all in-person event, the hackathon would see most students bringing a sleeping bag to use during resting periods, but due to the hybrid setup, almost no sleeping bags were seen at Campus Center according to Sreya Das, a fourth-year computer science major, event volunteer and organization team member. HackNJIT 2021 was hosted by the Association for Computing Machinery and the Ying Wu College of Computing, with the theme of a zoo. “I thought it would be fun because it’s a theme that lends itself to having theme-based roles in Discord,” Das, part of the Association for Computing Machinery’s Eboard, explained. “This year, we called organizers, ‘zookeepers,’ and volunteers, ‘veterinarians,’ because the idea was that while zookeepers would keep the show running, the veterinarians support us and help heal any animals who need attention.” The event was sponsored by Major League Hacking, the official student hackathon league. During previous fully

Photo by Michael Morena in-person events, the league would provide the Hardware Lab, a table that includes resources like materials and technical support for students to ultimately create a hardware project. The hybrid setting, however, meant that the table wouldn’t be provided to the hackers. As such, every project submitted was software-based with the exception of one, Thermal Printer Linux Teletype, which won third place in the hackathon. The project belonged to third-year computer science major Christian Gutierrez. “I was inspired by reading about computer history and how in early computer systems, organizations transitioned from punch cards as a means to writing programs to what modern software developers use as the terminal,” he said. “The terminal is essentially how to direct the computer to do specific things like open up a web browser to low level functions like create a directory at root.” Gutierrez continued, “The original term is a ‘teletype’ and reading a Wikipedia article made me want to make a modern version of one using off-theshelf components as a for-fun concept. I checked out Adafruit's website[, an online learning platform for electronics,] a while ago and noticed that it had a thermal printer - receipt printer; I thought it would be cool to use the teletype idea with that as the output. Since the site also listed that it can be used with a Raspberry Pi, I thought it would be a cool one-

day project.” While he enjoyed making the project, he mentioned that in the future, “I'd probably go for a software-only project, as it's much less convoluted with needing hardware materials and equipment to work with one another, and it has a lot less prep work.” In first place, first-year computer engineering major Andrew Gyakobo developed an application called “Cross-Hairs” that had a crude physics engine simulating fluid and particle fluidity. “The whole engine is under the guise of a simple game, where the player has to help a rabbit find a carrot,” he said. This was the first hackathon Gyakobo participated in, but he had attended a few in the past to observe the competition. “I'm planning to participate in as many hackathons as I can,” he said. “I just love the competitive spirit, ongoing deadlines and stress in the air.” A team of three graduate students, Ayushi Sangoi, Scott Daniel and Sebastian Fine, came in second place; their project was titled, “Parcel Panther,” to go along with the zoo theme. It “looked to provide a secure method for package recipients to both be able to view their logged packages as well as be automatically notified via email or opt-in text notifications,” according to Fine. Sangoi added, “We also implemented a discrete version option, which can

be used in places like domestic violence shelters to indicate to a person that they have a package available to pick up via text message that doesn’t explicitly talk about the package and the location; it’s kind of like a code.” Parcel Panther was inspired by the experiences of Sangoi and Fine as Resident Assistants. “It's a technological solution for improving package deliveries to dorm residents,” Daniel said. He also mentioned that naming the project after panthers was intended to emphasize the increased speed of the system. “It was fun to see the energy and creativity that participants brought to the event,” he mentioned. “The final projects were entertaining and impressive, and of course, a few projects and teams just crashed and burned!” “I hope to continue refining my abilities and applying the skills learned in classes towards socially good or interesting project ideas,” Fine said. “I believe that when both the creativity and self-application of course knowledge converge, the true underlying information gained can be demonstrated, and this allows me to better understand my strengths and areas of improvement.” Sangoi has attended over 20 hackathons in the past and, like many other participants, showed excitement for upcoming ones, saying, “I think I’m a serial hacker!”

NEWS

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

WESTON ALUMNI LECTURE HALLS

ELECTION REALITY CHECK

"RED (TAYLOR'S VERSION)" REVIEW

See page 3

See page 6

See page 7

THE VECTOR

Week of November 28, 2021

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Staff Writers Saanika Joshi Maksim Sokolov Rushi Desai Matthew Bleich Sebastian Lopez Contributing Writers Ali Jamil Karim Salem Theresa Carlos

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POLICE BLOTTER

11/13/21 2:14AM Officers arrested a non-affiliate in the Summit Street Parking Deck for trespassing. He was observed pulling on car door handles. The suspect was also processed for two open warrants. 11/15/21 9:23AM Faculty Member reported a pile of toilet paper was strewn across the stall in the men’s restroom on the sixth floor of Weston Hall. A backrest was also reported missing. NJIT Detective Bureau notified to conduct follow up investigation. 2:26PM A non-affiliate reported clothing was missing from his vehicle while stored in a tow yard after being towed off campus. 11/16/21 1:35PM Officers arrested a non-affiliate for multiple open warrants after being stopped for failing to yield to a pedestrian at the Honors Hall crosswalk.

NJIT Vector Summary 11/29/2021 For 11/13/21 through 11/26/21 Times Shown are Times Reported

parked on Sussex Ave. The following items were reported missing from the vehicle: Michael Kors wallet, Pa. driver’s license, UGG boots, two pairs of Yeezy Sneakers and a black speaker. 11:12AM A non-affiliate reported the rear passenger side window of her vehicle was shattered while the vehicle was parked on Eagles Street. A pair of black Nike Air Force 1 sneakers was missing from the front seat. 5:53PM Officer arrested a non-affiliate who was involved in a domestic dispute at 2367 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. He was charged with burglary, criminal mischief, terroristic threats and simple assault. 11/23/21 9:02PM Officers arrested a non-affiliate for trespassing on the second floor of GITC. He was processed and released with a court date. 9:47PM NJIT Student reported the theft of his gray and white Seagate Nine Scooter from room 1400 in GITC.

11/18/21 11:19PM Officers arrested a non-affiliate on Sussex Avenue and Colden Street for an open warrant. Suspect was processed and released with a new court date as per the originating agency.

11/24/21 7:41PM Officers arrested a non-affiliate at the corner of Central Avenue and Hudson Street for an open warrant from Union City. He was processed and released with a new court date.

11/21/21 3:54AM Officers arrested a non-affiliate for trespassing at a residence located at 64 James St. 10:53AM A non-affiliate reported the rear passenger side window of her White Jeep was broken while the vehicle was

11/25/21 12:47AM Officers arrested a non-affiliate at Norfolk Street and Warren Street for five open warrants out of east Orange. She was processed and released with new court dates from East Orange Police Department.

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News

Week of November 28, 2021

HCAD Celebrates the Weston Alumni Lecture Halls By Nicolas Arango | Executive Editor Two new lecture halls mark NJIT’s ongoing campus development. In October, the Hillier College of Architecture and Design (HCAD) held a grand opening for the newly renovated Weston Alumni Lecture Hall. Designed by New Yorkbased firm MARVEL Architects, the halls were named in honor of alumni who donated to the renovation. Lecture Hall 1, the larger of the two, is located on the ground floor of Weston Hall facing Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Holding 160 chairs, the lecture hall was designed to accommodate large classes and crowded guest presentations. Behind and above on the second floor, Lecture Hall 2 is more intimate, only holding 50 chairs. However, this reduced count allows for those in smaller classes to better engage with each other. Both halls feature upgraded audio-visual equipment and row outlets for students to connect their laptops, further establishing NJIT as a tech-forward university. While both halls saw their equipment and material finishes improved, Lecture Hall 1 was given priority. Polished concrete serves as flooring and plush chairs have replaced previously damaged seating. Each chair now has a private pull-up desk made of sleek metal and wood. In the front, a projection screen and several

whiteboards are integrated into a warm wood paneling system. Grey acoustic paneling covers the walls, divided by concrete structural columns that were purposefully exposed during renovation. In the back, wooden bleacher-type built-ins provide passersby seating to view a presentation without disturbing others. As is tradition, NJIT’s signature red can be spotted throughout the room, ranging from graphical elements on the back wall to the bright red seats. Students are already excited by the renovated spaces. Samuel Roberts, a fifth-year architecture student, stated: “The lecture halls are a major upgrade from the original space.” From the beginning, students and faculty have been involved with the lecture halls’ design. In Spring 2019, MARVEL presented preliminary plans to the HCAD body and feedback was taken to better suit the halls to the college’s needs. Construction began on Jan. 6 the following year and original planning hoped for completion in August 2020. However, COVID-19 brought NJIT to a halt and slowed progress on the renovations. It was only during this fall 2021 semester that the HCAD community could finally utilize the lecture halls.

Photo by Ethan O'Malley A stress test for the lecture halls occurred shortly after the grand opening. Marion Weiss, co-founder of Weiss/ Manfredi and Graham Chair Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, delivered the first lecture in the newly renovated hall. Lecture Hall 1 was filled, and in Lecture Hall 2, where the presentation was being streamed, half of the 50 seats were occupied. The halls excelled in their performance and left many visitors with a positive experience. While the lecture halls have been warmly received by the HCAD community, some criticism remains. “I would have liked to see more seating over the

padded spaces with desks, as the space now has less seating overall,” noted Roberts. Elizabeth Kowalchuk, a fourth-year architecture student, questioned who actually gets to use the new lecture halls, commenting: “No architecture students actually have class in it.” Regardless of their current occupants, the Weston Alumni Lecture Halls have already become a pride of HCAD. Prospective students are touring the spaces and envisioning what class inside one is like. As NJIT’s student body grows, these lecture halls will provide many future graduating classes with an exceptional academic experience.

Club Spotlight: Art Club By Nick Merlino | Web and Multimedia Editor The NJIT Art Club is a welcoming community for all students looking to express their artistic talents in an open and accepting environment. It is dedicated to giving NJIT community members access to the materials and resources required to produce different art projects. Additionally, it provides a medium for club members to showcase and present their hard work. The Art Club Eboard is very resourceful, helpful and kind. They are committed to ensuring that the club is a welcoming environment for artists of every skill level. As there are often students interested in joining the club but intimidated by their inexperience in comparison to the skill levels of other members, the club’s open atmosphere is one of its most important values. There are no judgement, disparagement or barriers at the NJIT Art Club. Anyone who loves art is allowed to join and participate, and the club is more about celebrating the community than anything else. New art mediums and ideas are always encouraged!

happened during the fall semester centered around creating stickers and making holiday cards for hospitalized children.

The Art Club’s main activities include their workshops. These center around unique art mediums and styles, with the goal of educating NJIT students about these techniques and improving their skills. Some successful workshops that

They also spend time doing community service around Newark by painting murals and doing art projects, which helps beautify Newark and improve the city surrounding NJIT. Volunteers are always welcome – you can even get service

hours for it if needed! Larger events include the annual fall art gallery, in which club members get to show off their artwork on campus to the entire NJIT community as well as a trip to the Newark Museum of Art in the spring. Both events are tons of fun and allow for bonding within the club, as well as a break from the day-to-day routine of going to a technical school.

As a reminder, the club gives art supplies to anyone present at the meetings and events, and the club members will do what they can to help you achieve your artistic goals. NJIT Art Club meetings are in CTR 225 on Fridays. Come check it out! You can also join their discord here: https://discord.gg/VHXYscn.

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Snapshots

Week of November 28, 2021

Open Mic Night For November's Open Mic Night, NJIT's Society of Musical Arts decided on a 70s theme. Free food and prizes were given out throughout the night as participants rocked out to the sounds of the 70s.

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Week of November 28, 2021

Entertainment

Forte PIZZERIA

Photos by Rushi Desai

Arcade Night NJIT students had a wide variety of games to choose from at SACs Arcade Night on the 18th. Games like Pong, Donkey Kong, Air Hockey and Cards Against Humanity were all available to attendees. Photos by Ethan O'Malley

Campus Center Lobby 11AM - 8PM Mon.-Fri. 11AM - 5PM Saturday

THE VECTOR

Opinion

Week of November 28, 2021

THE VECTOR

Opinion

Week of November 28, 2021

Native American Heritage Month

Thanksgiving Food Hot Takes

By Mrunmayi Joshi | Senior Staff Writer

By Samira Santana | Senior Staff Writer

Native American Heritage Month takes place over the course of November and is meant to honor the important involvement of Native Americans in the building of the United States, as well as the incredible diversity of Native American cultures and stories. The custom has its origins in a temporary “American Indian Day” created by the Boy Scouts in the early 20th century, owing to the persistent persuasion of a Seneca Indian museum director named Dr. Arthur Parker. The first official American Indian day in the United States was announced by the Governor of New York in May 1916; however, this was inconsistent with other states, which enacted commemorations in September. Native American Heritage Month was officially approved in November 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, and similar proclamations have been signed since 1994. There is also considerable debate about whether Columbus Day in October should be renamed to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, given the explorer’s controversial legacy.

Around 2.9% of the U.S population, or 9.7 million people, identify as Native American; over 500 tribes are federally recognized. States such as Alaska and Oklahoma have larger proportions of their population being Native American, at 19.7% and 13.4% respectively. Notably, New Jersey has the lowest national percentage of Native Americans, clocking in at only 0.67%. The interesting thing is that in 2010, when the last census took place, the population of Native Americans numbered around 5.2 million people, only around half of what it is today. This unprecedented growth of the percentage of the population has many causes behind it, but a key factor is the willingness of multiracial individuals to identify with a parent’s culture as well as the general trend of Americans beginning to embrace their ethnic backgrounds. Considering these patterns, Native American Heritage Month will only become more significant as a matter of recognition and validation for an increasing portion of America. Although New Jersey is not a state with a large Native American popula-

tion, commemorating Native American Heritage Month is a wonderful way to learn about the history of the area and its inhabitants. In fact, the low proportion of Native American residents in New Jersey means that students may not be familiar with related stories and current news. Therefore, NJIT should embrace this opportunity for the campus community to learn about Native American history. This year, activities and awareness were somewhat minimal, but there are plenty of ways that can change. A few examples include: 1) Setting up a weekly-changing board for the month featuring some of Native Americans’ extensive contributions to the United States. Native American code talkers, indigenous women’s key involvement in the suffrage movement and the governments that inspired our own democracy are only some of the compelling stories that NJIT students could appreciate. 2) Hosting discussions with leading activists and foundations. Recently, NJIT’s Murray Center hosted a successful

colloquium with Rhiana Gunn-Wright, an architect of the Green New Deal. NJIT students and faculty were involved and were able to see new perspectives after a lively discussion. Similar conversations with contemporary Native American activists would help students understand today’s challenges and developments. 3) Featuring books and artwork by Native American artists or about indigenous experiences at the Murray Center for the month of November. The center featured several documentaries about little-known pieces of Native American history through their newsletter, which could be extended into other creative mediums. NJIT’s diversity is one of its strengths; everyone brings something different to the table. There are several organizations dedicated to different ethnicities, nationalities and religions, which makes it easy and fun to learn about different traditions. Celebrating Native American Heritage Month would build on that and aid students in becoming future civic-minded professionals.

Turkey is underrated. How could I describe it except for “glorified chicken”? Now, if you disagree with me, then you’re wrong and I don’t blame you. It may very well be that you just haven’t tasted a well-seasoned turkey. This is no small feat, as there is so much preparation and experience that goes into a well-cooked turkey that not many can achieve. Now, I wouldn’t go ahead and include this in my regular meals throughout the year. It deserves its special place on a holiday like Thanksgiving. Turkey complements the other side dishes so well and I certainly wouldn’t trade it for chicken. Cranberry sauce is underrated. This sauce is savory, sweet and can elevate an unseasoned turkey. Unpopular opinion — stuffing is overrated. I believe there is no need for stuffing if you have a turkey (well-seasoned, of course) and some properly prepared side dishes. I don’t find myself reaching for the stuffing and it may be a matter of preference or the fact that I haven’t had stuffing that has rocked my core yet. As for gravy, it is

overrated because a good sweet potato dish can replace the traditional combo of mashed potatoes and gravy. Now, for the side dishes, mashed potatoes are overrated. This starchy root vegetable can be served any time of the year: during Christmas or in a nice potato salad on a warm summer day. But its delightful cousin, the sweet potato, is severely underrated. It is the perfect fall comfort food that deserves its spot on the dinner table every year. If I had to eat it for another occasion, I would only do so in the fall season. This is such an autumnal food that is, sadly, often overshadowed by pumpkin and white potatoes. More on the side dishes: A good green vegetable dish, whether it be some brussel sprouts or a green bean casserole, is underrated. It offers a balance to the overly sweet and savory dishes that dominate the dinner table. Not to mention, it helps everyone achieve a balanced meal, even if it only makes up less

than an eighth of the plate. Now, let’s face it: There is always room for dessert, especially on a holiday like Thanksgiving. Apple pie and pumpkin pie are necessities in the repertoire that need no further explanation. Some

other ones that can be paired nicely with a Thanksgiving dinner include butternut squash pie and pecan pie. These plates offer the finishing touch of a successful Thanksgiving dinner.

Red (Taylor’s Version) Review Democrats Face Reality Check With 2021 Elections

By Megan Curry | Contributing Writer Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably caught wind of several anti-Jake Gyllenhaal memes or viral funny posts about an infamous red scarf. The catalyst behind these silly jokes was the re-recording of Taylor Swift’s fourth studio album, “Red,” which was originally released in October 2012. Flash forward nine years: The newly released “Red (Taylor’s Version),” by the 11-time Grammy winner, is taking the world by storm. If you’re anything like me, and Swift has a permanent residence as your number one artist on Spotify Wrapped year after year, you probably already know the reasoning behind her re-recording all her older songs. As for the casual listener of Swift, I’m here to give you a bit of background information as to why Swift is doing what she’s doing.

By Alfred Simpson | Senior Staff Writer The 2021 elections should be a reality check for democrats and their progressive wing. The Democratic Party suffered big losses across the nation with progressive democrats losing the momentum that they had built over the last 10 years. India Walton, a socialist democrat who won the democratic primary against incumbent Byron Brown, was beaten by her own team when Brown launched a successful write-in campaign. New York City voted for former New York Police Department Captain Eric Adams over progressive and socialist candidates in the primary. Democratic socialist Nina Turner was defeated by President Joe Biden-backed Shontel Brown in Ohio during the democratic primaries. In Jersey City, the race for City Council in Ward C is still undetermined as incumbent Rich Boggiano, a former Jersey City police officer who has held the office since 2013, is set to go against progressive Kevin Bing in a runoff election, after the vote was split between progressives Kevin Bing and Tom Zuppa and moderate democrat Boggiano. Zuppa, who received the least votes, officially endorsed Boggiano in the runoff election on Dec. 7 in the latest of incidents where democrats are scoring against their own team, costing progressive democrats seats and splintering votes.

One of the biggest strategizing points for the Democratic Party heading into 2024 should be how close the New Jersey gubernatorial race was between democratic incumbent Phil Murphy and republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli. While democratic incumbents have historically lost their bid for re-election in New Jersey 83.34% of the time since 1981, none of the prior elections have occurred within the same year as a republican-led attack on the United States Capitol. In this respect, it is important to note that the republican frontrunner Jack Ciattarelli, a vocal advocate for Donald Trump, headlined a “Stop the Steal” rally for the former president a few weeks prior to the attack. Ciattarelli’s loss in New Jersey might be a strong signal to democrats that New Jersey will vote blue in 2024. If a democratic governor wins in a state where their party historically loses re-election bids for Governor, it’s a good sign that New Jersey will remain blue in the next presidential election. However, failure to provide a progressive platform that embraces positive change and pushes back against insurrectionists and radicalization could turn New Jersey into a battleground over the next few years. The polarization of American poli-

tics is pushing voters to the extreme and only one party seems to be acknowledging this. While republicans, like Ciattarelli, are leaning towards extreme and regressive policies surrounding sexuality, abortion, immigration, taxes and human rights, democrats have steadily shifted their policies to reflect a more moderate party. This shift ostracizes the typically young progressive faction of democrats which, prior to 2021, had

seen success in major elections and policies through candidates such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush, Rashida Tlaib and Bernie Sanders. If democrats want to secure the presidency in 2024 and beyond, they must meet their more liberal factions halfway or risk ostracizing voters who move further to the fringes.

Over the past year, Swift has been fighting back against her old record label by re-recording her back catalog. Swift signed with Big Machine Records in 2005 when she first began releasing music and stayed with the label until it came time to renew her contract. Swift attempted to negotiate with Big Machine to gain ownership of her recordings, but she ultimately failed and parted ways with them. In 2018, she made the switch over to Universal Music Group. The next year, Swift’s master recordings, as well as her old label, were sold to Scooter Braun. Finally, Swift made the decision to re-record her entire back catalog in order to finally have control of her music. In April 2021, “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” was released and achieved massive success, but nowhere near that of her most recent, “Red (Taylor’s Version).” This record-shattering, heartbreak-

be number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This is an amazing achievement considering the fact that Gen Z barely has the attention span to watch a 15 second TikTok, let alone listen to a song that is 10 minutes long.

Photo By Beth Garrabrant ing, chaotic, sad, beautiful and tragic album contains 30 songs. The first 20 songs on “Red (Taylor’s Version)” are all of the original songs that were previously on the first release of “Red” (Stolen Version). The few differences between the original songs and the re-recorded songs are that her voice sounds more mature, the beats sound crispier and Swift actually owns these beautifully crafted pieces of art. The remaining 10 tracks are a mix of new and old tunes that originate “from the Vault”: songs that didn’t make it onto the original version of “Red.” For example, “Babe” is a song that Swift wrote back in the day but just never made it onto the track list of “Red.” In 2018, Swift gifted the song to country music duo Sugarland and recorded background vocals for this track on their album “Bigger.” Another new song on “Red (Taylor’s Version),” “Nothing New (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)” is for the people with a crippling fear of abandonment

and who believe they reached their peak at the age of 18. The chokehold this song has on me should be illegal. The way that Swift and Bridger’s voices blend together leaves my soul levitating up in the sky for the entire four-minute duration of the song. One of the most popular songs on “Red (Taylor’s Version),” despite not being a single, is the gut-wrenching Track 5, “All Too Well.” The five-minute song has been worshipped by Swift’s fans for years. During an interview in 2012, Swift revealed that the first draft of “All Too Well” was over 10 minutes long, which her record label at the time thought was way too long for a song. Ever since then, Swifties, the nickname for Swift’s fanbase, have had an ongoing joke that she should release the 10-minute version of “All Too Well.” Flash forward nine years later, “All Too Well (Ten Minute Version)” broke the record for the longest song to

Along with the release of “Red (Taylor’s Version),” “All Too Well: The Short Film” was premiered. This film, written and directed by Swift herself, is based on the plot of the song's 10-minute version and stars Sadie Sink and Dylan O'Brien. They portray a romantic couple with an intense relationship that eventually falls apart, with a short appearance by Swift during the last few minutes. The film is full of buried little symbols that correlate to specific lyrics found throughout the entire “Red” album. For instance, there is a scene in which Sadie Sink is blowing out candles on a birthday cake, looking sad. This part alludes to the song, “The Moment I Knew” which was inspired by a certain actor, notorious for refusing to shower, not attending Swift’s 21st birthday party. Overall, I believe Swift did a spectacular job with “Red (Taylor’s Version).” Her vocals sound so much stronger and mature, but she was still able to keep each re-recording as similarly sounding to the originals (minus “Girl At Home,” which sounds like it would be played in some club in Los Angeles, but that’s beside the point). With each continuing album release and re-recording, Swift always manages to shatter records, most of them being her own. I am super stoked to see what else Swift has up her sleeve for the future and will continue to stream as if my life depends on it.

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of November 28, 2021

Horoscopes

Do You Even Sudoku?

By An Anoymous Aquarius with an Affinity for Astrology

Sudoku

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and you are one of the strongest-willed signs there is!

Even a warm-blooded bull can get cold, so don’t forget to bundle up in December!

Do you have a holiday budget? You may be tempted to overspend this season for your friends, but don’t set yourself on fire to keep others warm!

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Is water wet? If not, then would you at least consider it a beverage? Merriam Webster states any drinkable liquid is a beverage, but Oxford Languages disagrees.

Perhaps the question isn’t “Is water wet?” but rather, “can you set fire to fire?”

Honestly, kudos to all the Virgo suns, moons, risings, et cetera who managed to consistently take such neat and organized notes throughout the semester. Hope you were able to rest up some over the break!

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

If you can be generalized by your sign, you probably have poor circulation. December brings with it a great cold.

Hope registration went well for you this week! Even if you’re not a freshman, you probably carry a youthful aura.

December may be cold, but your fiery inner spirit and warm friendships are sure to keep you warm!

5 1

Id: 128350 Level: Very Easy

If Christmas is December 25, and Jesus was born on Christmas, then does that mean Jesus was a Capricorn? But what about the constellation shifts over these thousands of years?

It is folly to generalize an Aquarius, but as an air sign like Libra, you too may have a higher chance of poor circulation. Bundle up!

If Jesus was born in December according to Christmas, then why do many Christian symbols for Christ use the astrological symbol for Pisces?

EASY

3 9

8 2

Sudoku

Id: 145193

Level: Easy

4 5

MEDIUM

Set Numbers: 28

4 9

6 8 3

Sudoku

7 2

Id: 165042

Level: Moderate

HARD

1 Solution 1 7

8 7

Sudoku 2

6 6

2 9

Set Numbers: 22

5 Solution

3 9

Crossword Crossword credited to onlinecrosswords.net

Across 1. A&E word 5. Domineering 10. Crunch's rank 14. Slave 15. Get-rich-quick gamble 16. Snack first created in 1912 17. Hardly winning 20. South Korean capital 21. Pouched creatures 22. Printer's primary color 25. To the sheltered side 26. Hardly winning (with

48-Across) 30. Answering-machine blinks 34. Quarrel 35. Member of baseball's All-Century Team 36. Chap 37. Guitarist Clapton 39. Words of agreement 41. Heroic chronicle 42. Inclined 44. Gripe 46. Sixty secs. 47. Kind of heat or flare

48. See 26-Across 50. Sign Solution of distress 52. Misprint 53. Dish often served covered with sauce 57. Silly 61. Hardly winning 64. Graph or pilot starter 65. Ally with 66. Pueblo Indian 67. Teen's big date 68. Gawain's transport 69. Candid 1

Down 1. Andy's partner in old radio 2. Womanizer 3. Milosevic's predecessor 4. Exhibit poor posture 5. Deli specialty 6. Ah partner 7. Choreography bit 8. Run around naked 9. "___ be sorry!" 10. Sweeps under the rug, e.g. 11. Diva's moment 12. Quaker colonist 13. Holiday drinks

18. Handbill 19. One of the family 23. Ill-treat 24. 1949 peace org. 26. Regions 27. Body trunk 28. Corded fabric 29. Grain husk 31. Cud-chewer without a hump 32. Spock's forte 33. Ritzy 36. Hard to swallow 38. Hat-checker's station 40. Hardly a Westminster contender

5 3

1 5

By Sreya Das

3 6

4 Id: 176174

EVIL

Level: Difficult

8 5 Solution 2 1 8

3 2

Comic

Set Numbers: 31

PISCES

AQUARIUS

CAPRICORN

43. Primp 45. Early photo color 48. Turn in the right direction 49. Blanketlike cloak 51. 100-eyed giant of myth 53. Like some decisions 54. Decant 55. Countertenor 56. A French cheese 58. At the acme 59. Relaxed rejection 60. Roberts' Brockovich 62. Broke bread 63. Narc or G-man, e.g.