September 4, 2019

SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • SEPTEMBER 4, 2019 | VOLUME 105 | ISSUE 01

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BEST AND WORST MOVIES PG 6

TALES OF A TRANSFER PG 7

Hattiesburg tackles

homelessness CALEB MCCLUSKEY NEWS EDITOR

attiesburg native Brandy Ledet has been homeless for three years. She and her boyfriend recently moved because other homeless people found their camp and destroyed it while they were away. Now the two live in a tent in the woods outside of the Longleaf Trace.

Ledet starts her day by charging her phone at the laundromat a relative owns.

She then walks with her boyfriend to Little Caesars and then Insomnia Cookies because they are the only stores they’ve found that give away food.

Ledet is one of an estimated 100 or more homeless people in Hattiesburg, which has a larger homelessness problem than its size might suggest. Mayor Toby Barker calls the city a “magnet” for the homeless.

There is no government-funded shelter for the homeless in Hattiesburg, but there are private shelters for men only. There is also government assistance in the form of Mississippi Balance of State (MSBoS) Continuum of Care (CoC).

The MSBoS is a network of housing and homeless advocates that cover 72 counties in the state and are broken into local homeless assistance programs called CoCs. The three CoC’s in Mississippi are funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Samantha McCain, the chief communications officer for the city of Hattiesburg, said the city’s nonprofits and public hospitals attract homeless people to town.

“We have the largest public hospital in South Mississippi, and it often becomes the referral point for other Gulf South hospitals to send patients with acute mental illness,” she said. “For these reasons, among others, many find their way here to easily access these resources.”

Hattiesburg native Mashon McGlown, who is homeless, frequents the Fieldhouse for the Homeless, one of the private shelters for homeless in Hattiesburg, and she was removed from the private property where she and many other women were camping in earlier this year.

She said she is disappointed in how the

Hattiesburg community and city treat homeless people.

“I think the city of Hattiesburg is terrible,” McGlown said. “I think they hate homeless. I think they are doing everything they can to make it harder for us or have us locked up for vagrancy.”

Homeless coordinator for the city of Hattiesburg Kim Townsend urges compassion for the homeless.

“What I need people to remember is that we are dealing with human beings,” she said. “We like to label people and put them in boxes and separate them from ourselves, but the fact of the matter is

that we can’t solve homelessness with a blanket solution because we are working with human beings.”

Townsend agreed with Barker that homelessness is a problem in Hattiesburg but said that there are resources for those in need.

“We live in the poorest state in the country, and homelessness is a problem throughout the country,” Townsend said.

“It is a growing problem, and there is a lot of issues that contribute to that.”

Cynthia Young and Priscilla Brown, co-founders of the Fieldhouse for the Homeless, said they began helping

homeless by driving around in a van and giving out food, water and other essentials.

The sisters eventually moved from the van to their day shelter by buying a building in 2013.

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MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor

Alyssa Bass alyssa.bass@usm.edu

Managing Editor

Olivia Saldana olivia.saldana@usm.edu

News Editor

Caleb McCluskey caleb.mccluskey@usm.edu

Entertainment/Opinion Editor Jack McCallum john.mccallum@usm.edu

Feature/Lifestyle Editor Karigan Teer karigan.teer@usm.edu

Sports Editor

Makayla Puckett makayla.puckett@usm.edu

Multimedia Editor

Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu

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Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu

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Emily Brinkman emily.brinkman@usm.edu

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Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu Lillie Busch lillie.busch@usm.edu Kathleen Hetherington kathleen.hetherington@usm.edu Alexandria Moore alexandria.casey@usm.edu

Printz Advisor

chuck.cook@usm.edu

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

Jennah Eddins studies at Cook Library.

Photo by Bethany Morris | Printz

Transfer students finish in five LILLIE BUSCH PRINTZ REPORTER ccording to Institutional Research at Southern Miss, a total of 11,920 undergraduate students enrolled in Fall 2018.

Among these students, 1,673 were transfers. At four-year institutions like Southern Miss, the words transfer and 5th-year tend to coincide.

Individuals in their fifth year of college may be called other names; super seniors and advanced students are such examples. These students do not complete their degree within the standard four years for a variety of reasons.

“Graduating with a STEM degree and being in the ROTC program made it incredibly difficult to graduate on time,” Jacob Seibert, an IT networking major, said. Seibert graduated this past spring as a 5th-year senior.

“I am a 5th-year senior because of bad advising, and not all of my credits transferring from community college,” Bentley Sills, an elementary education undergraduate, said. Sills plans to graduate in 2021.

“The only frustration I felt was having to play catch-up with some

Mass Communication and Journalism courses, and that I didn’t take a single class that was specific for my major until my last semester of my junior year,” Jennah Eddins, a senior advertising major, said.

Some Southern Miss Students said their problems related to “bad advising” or “credits not transferring.”

Such stories raise the question: what is Southern Miss, as a university, doing for students who do not graduate in four years?

While 5th-year is a common term, most four-year universities measure graduation rates at either the 4-year or 6-year mark, according to Amy Miller. Miller serves as the Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at Southern Miss.

“At USM, our four-year graduation rate hovers around 25%, and our sixyear graduation rate is around 50%,” Miller said in an email interview.

“These [rates] may seem very low, but they are not unusual for our type of institution.”

Miller said that the national graduation rate for six-year students is at 58% and that it is lower for students who begin their higher education at two-year institutions.

“Internally, we do pay attention to transfer students’ persistence, and we

work hard to develop initiatives to engage our transfers and help them get connected to Southern Miss,” Miller said.

One such example is the Transfer Student Association (TSA) on the Hattiesburg campus. Transfer students are also allowed to be involved in the Greek community.

“Many new transfer students don’t feel as important as the incoming freshman,” Ja’Len Husband, president of TSA and a senior Applied Technology major, said. “The Transfer Student Association is a student organization that helps to connect transfer students to one another and assist each other in areas of need at the university level.”

Many students think differently about the level of support at Southern Miss, especially when they are surrounded by the finish in four mantra. The motto encourages undergraduates to complete their bachelor’s degree in no more than four years.

“The finish in four idea dismisses student’s personal lives,” senior marine biology major Jordan Waller said. “What I mean is, say something happens and you need more time. Why should students be shamed for things that are out of their own control?”

Waller will graduate in Spring 2020.

Comic by Darius Harris | Printz

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Hood visits Dubard School for Language Disorders

CALEB MCCLUSKEY NEWS EDITOR

ttorney General Jim Hood came to the DuBard School for Language Disorders on his campaign trail for governor to tour the school and talk about

education.

Hood, along with the director of the DuBard School Missy Schraeder, Ph.D., toured through the school located on campus at Southern Miss, stopping at every classroom and meeting the children. During the visit, Schraeder taught Hood about the school and its students.

The DuBard School for Language Disorders started when Etoile DuBard, Ph.D. founded the school for three students in 1962, and it has grown to house 80 students between the ages of 3 and 13.

“What she started as a school for three children that has expanded over 57 years into a school for children in our full-time program,” Schraeder said. “Our children are all public school children, so what that means is that their families do not pay anything to attend here.”

During the tour, a student in class asked Hood why he wanted to be the governor of Mississippi.

“The attorney general is the lawyer for all of the people in Mississippi,” Hood said.

“I’ve done that for four terms, but I see now in our state that we are at a turning point on the issues of education. We need to do more in the area of education, especially early education.”

Hood spoke to every classroom of students individually.

“Ya’ll have a really unique school here, and it’s the only one I know of in Mississippi where you can get what you need in school,” Hood said to a class. “There are a lot of areas that don’t have this.”

Brian Winters | Printz

Attorney Geneal Jim Hood speaks to a student of the DuBard School.

Hood said he enjoyed his visit and said he wants to be able to bring more programs like the DuBard School to the state.

“It is really interesting going around and seeing this school, and how much help it brings here to south Mississippi,” Hood said. “[These children] are the reason I am running for governor because we are so fortunate here in the Hattiesburg area to have this like this, but there are so many areas in our state that are lacking.”

Hood also talked about teachers’ salaries after his tour, mentioning that teachers need raises. According to the National Education Association, the Mississippi public school teachers’ average salary is $34,784. In our neighboring states of Alabama, $38,491 is the average, and in Louisiana, $40,303 goes to their teachers.

“We need to pay our teachers. We need to pay them at least the Southern Eastern average,” Hood said. “We need to fund our schools.”

Schaeder was excited to have the candidate come to her school.

“We are always thrilled to have anyone interested in our children come and see what we do here at the DuBard school,” Schaeder said. “Of course, I am always thrilled that we have legislatures that are interested in education. We feel education is the most important thing we can do for our children.”

Senior graphic design major Marissa Haas said she agrees with Hood’s message.

“Some schools don’t have a lot of money, so you need to focus on that,” Haas said. “I’m all for giving more money to education.”

The 2019 general election will include the race between Republican runner Tate Reeves and Democrat runner Hood. The election will take place Nov. 5.

“I want to be the governor for both Republicans and Democrats,” Hood said.

“We need to bring each other together. We have to work together to move our state forward.”

Students anticipate completion of N31st Avenue MEGHAN FULLER PRINTZ REPORTER s of April, Southern Miss students have been told to steer clear of the road work happening on 31st Avenue near the entrance of campus, but the road should be finished by late November, according to the City of Hattiesburg.

The project, which was funded by the Mississippi Mississippi Development Authority, began as a boulevard from Midtown into the entrance of Southern Miss, where students can both enjoy all that Midtown has to offer along with the amenities on campus. The $79,000 “Midtown Enhancement Project” was started under the previous mayor of Hattiesburg Johnny DuPree’s leadership, but truly broke ground on April 30 of this year. Since then, they have started a bulk of the work, which involved a lot of demolition.

Junior social work major Anna Webb said she is excited to be able to enjoy what Hattiesburg Brian Winters | Printz has to offer right at the edge of campus.

“As both a Hattiesburg resident and a USM for the growing number of cyclists and student, I’m glad to be able to witness this pedestrians coming from the University Heights project and I cannot wait for the turnout,” neighborhood onto campus,” Barker said.

Throughout the first week, many new Webb said.

The project will better connect students, students found it hard to navigate their way faculty and staff of the university to the District around the road work while heading to class. at Midtown. Not only will the project lead to Junior communications major Mckay Eaton, Midtown and provide a great source of revenue, stated her concerns about the road work.

“It was confusing at first, not being able to but it will also address the drainage issues existing near North 31st Avenue, according to use that entrance, but I’m happy that USM is making renovations to better the campus and Mayor Toby Barker.

“This project will make accommodations improve resident life,” Eaton said.

Construction continues on N31st Avenue as the school year begins.

Many are looking forward to what the campus has to offer and the excitement that Midtown brings. Students and faculty will be able to visit the nearby businesses whether for lunch or on breaks between classes.

“I’m looking forward to being able to walk from my class to enjoy lunch in Midtown at my favorite restaurant, Chicken Salad Chick,” Eaton said.

The sidewalk on the street currently goes from the crosswalk to the end of the Jr Food Mart and Bancorpsouth with the road closures,

so students must walk around the road work to cross the street.

Junior criminal justice major Emma Dyer expressed her thoughts on the road work.

“It was pretty annoying trying to get to the criminal justice department from Sorority Row, but I also think a boulevard to Midtown is smart,” Dyer said. “I just wish the process would go a little faster.”

The new construction follows the recently furnished Midtown District, where restaurants and businesses like Pyro’s and Asian Cafe reside.

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“What I need people to remember is that we are dealing with human beings.”

-Kim Townsend Homeless Coordinator for the City of Hattiesburg

CONTINUED FROM PG 1 Young said when homeless people come in for the first time, they are screened, and the shelter assists people any way they can.

“Sometimes they are just down on their luck, and their house burned, and they just don’t have any place to go,” Brown said. “We try to put them on track.”

The shelter is working on gathering donations for the creation of a female night shelter, according to Brown. They said housing a woman at night is harder than housing a man because women need more accommodations.

“The women are struggling. We need a women’s shelter,” Brown said.

She said she wished the city and county would do more for the homeless, but, unlike McGlown, she said the community of Hattiesburg has been extremely helpful. Young said she disagrees with Barker that a government-funded shelter would attract more homeless, but she respects his opinion.

“I don’t think that [a government-

Caleb McCluskey | Printz

funded shelter] would cause a magnet.

I think the problem has been here. Even when we opened the shelter, it was a problem,” Young said. “We are a hub city, and that is probably how [Barker] is looking at it, but the problem has been here.”

Young said most of the people she has seen in their shelter are from Hattiesburg.

“We need to look at what we can do with what condition the city is in now,” Young said. “Having a shelter here in Hattiesburg would meet the needs of the citizens of Hattiesburg that are here right now.”

Townsend said she works to get those in need into places they can afford with housing assistance programs.

“On the day to day, I am working with different agencies that work with the homeless to get them connected to the services they need,” Townsend said.

Townsend works with different programs across the state to help people get back on their feet, and the end goal is finding permanent housing. She said she

Kim Townsend and Outreach crew explore abandoned areas in Hattiesburg.

sees the need for overnight shelters, but worries homeless will depend on and live in the shelters.

“Basically, those programs are set up so that they can assist people in the beginning, but eventually get them to stability,” Townsend said. “With the federal dollars that are in play right now, HUD is really more interested in long-term housing, so they cut back on funding emergency shelters and transitional shelters.”

She works face-to-face with those in need through many programs, including the Hub City Homeless Street Outreach Team, which she created shortly after taking the job.

Townsend said she goes out weekly with the street outreach team, usually on Friday, and she meets with clients that she has previously connected with or with strangers she can tell need help.

“Our goal is that we are the mobile entry into our database,” Townsend said.

“It is hard for [some homeless people] to get around because they are on foot.”

Townsend said each individual must go through a screening process that gets their history, including medical and drug history and basic information about them. As well as adding people to their database, the team also gives basic donated items such as clothing, water and non-perishable food.

CoC’s Point in Time (PIT) count is a statistic that the MSBoS does yearly where groups of every CoC jurisdiction.

According to the 2019 PIT, there were 156 homeless persons across the nine counties that make up the Pine Belt.

The PIT count for 2019 was held across 72 counties Mississippi on Jan. 28, and the CoC clocked a total of 480 persons in their system with 189 unsheltered and 291 sheltered. The Pine Belt had the largest total of the homeless of any area.

Townsend said the PIT count is just a snapshot of a day in Hattiesburg, and these numbers fluctuate rapidly due to factors including traveling in and out of the city or state, or just people not getting in touch with them.

The city coordinator said something to keep in mind when interacting with homeless people is that they are not all drug addicts with mental illnesses. She said the majority of people she talks to are not a danger to others or themselves.

Ledet took Townsend to her camp to document her dwelling in hopes that she will be accepted into the housing program.

“Everything happens for a reason, and everyone’s story is different, but [living homeless] has definitely made us appreciate an apartment when we get it,” Ledet said.

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Finsta exposes your worst self ALYSSA BASS EXECUTIVE EDITOR insta has served as a safe space for teens and young adults for at least four or five years now.

A “finsta” is a private, “fake Instagram,” where users feel more comfortable sharing a more authentic version of themselves with a limited number of followers. This authenticity includes but is not limited to unattractive selfies and memes and videos that come with shady captions.

As someone who took several social media breaks during freshman and sophomore year of college, I understand why people continue using finstas. Constantly seeing peers post the highlights of their lives can be exhausting if one is not doing well mentally. As someone whose finsta was exposed, which resulted in a finstafree life for about two years now, you might want to reconsider your account, or at least, what you share.

The unsweet tea My finsta empowered me to be problematic.

Rather than focusing on myself, I would spread “tea” or gossip about my high school classmates, many of whom I assumed were doing worse than I was. I would go as far as captioning the tea with the words, “breaking news.”

While my 16 followers and I laughed about

the drama, it was no longer fun when the people I was talking about found out about it, tweeted screenshots and sent me a long text about how miserable I must be before blocking me everywhere.

They were right. I had just gone through a breakup and failed to make strong connections to anyone besides my roommate, causing a lot of loneliness and time to get into trouble.

Unconsciously, I believed that finsta would help me cope with these failures and did not realize how wrong I was until it was too late.

Look what you made me do In the middle of sophomore year, a friend told me that my ex-boyfriend cheated on me several months after the breakup—he had allegedly made things official with the other woman on my birthday. The friend had evidence in the form of Facebook-official screenshots, which include the date they got together, and I was convinced she was right.

I listened to Taylor Swift’s “Reputation” album to feel like a misunderstood villain and posted the screenshots on my finsta along with rumors I had heard about his new girlfriend.

I was sitting with family at my grandmother’s house in Louisiana during Thanksgiving Break when my ex’s girlfriend found out and wrote a series of subtweets threatening to expose me for information that I was convinced was correct.

I was shaking in my house slippers out of anger and worry for the majority of the night.

Graphic by Brian Winters | Printz

The next day, I received another long, angry text from my ex saying that he and his girlfriend had entered the wrong year on Facebook.

I felt emotionally exhausted and was convinced it was time to delete my finsta for good to reevaluate my messy life. This reevaluation included calls to my long-distance friends, social media cleanses and keeping my head down when I walked to class. At some point, things got better.

unnecessary drama and worsening your mental health.

If you are someone who can have a finsta without doing at least one of these things, congratulations. However, consider why you feel like you cannot be your authentic self on your main account. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing, and the captions may not be as juicy as they could be on your finsta, but you’ll be more relatable and respectable that way.

The bottom line If you have to clean your following and followers list or take a social media break to stop In conclusion, finstas are complicated. comparing yourself to others, do it. For now, They give you the freedom to break down to I’m content sharing my authentic self, the good, your closest friends but at the cost of causing bad and ugly, IRL.

“Fortnite” game dominates Mississippi WILLIAM LOWERY PRINTZ REPORTER ince its release in 2017, the video game “Fortnite” has become a global phenomenon with 250 million players worldwide and a profitable title, bringing in $1.2 billion dollars.

According to a recent study, the game is more popular in Mississippi than in any other state.

The research, gathered via Google Trends data, revealed the game’s popularity in Mississippi was at 61%. Other states where the game was most played include New Jersey, Illinois, Alabama and Georgia. Alaska is where it is least played with just 41%.

A huge element of the game’s success is the battle royale mode, in which players are dropped into a huge environment to duke it out with each other until one person remains. The fact that this component is free to play has contributed to the game’s success.

Although 46% of “Fortnite” players are between the ages of 18 and 24, there is a huge portion of gamers who are below 18. Hattiesburg Gamestop employee Jackie Jerry asserts that the game’s popularity amongst kids is leading to more playground rivalries.

“If you don’t play it, you don’t have anything to talk about with the other kids… you don’t have anything to say. But

if you do [play “Fortnite”], then they’ll think otherwise,” Jerry explained.

As for why it’s played more in Mississippi than in any other state, Hattiesburg GameStop employee Kit Switzer believes it has something to do with the state’s climate, especially during the summer.

“I think the reason it’s so popular in Mississippi is the weather and because it’s free,” Switzer said. “It’s always super hot, and as a result, kids don’t want to go outside.”

Despite its success, many people who fall within the game’s intended age demographic believe the game is overrated for varying reasons.

“A lot of titles have good hype and bad hype, and I guess you could say “Fortnite” has the bad hype,” freshman computer science major John Lumberg said. “The two reasons why are because it’s cartoony and the fans behind it. It’s also a pretty basic experience when compared to other games like ‘Player Unknown Battlegrounds.’”

Lumberg also said that many people who play the game are kids, and its popularity in Mississippi could be the result of parents and grandparents who want something readily available for their kids to play since “Fortnite” is free to download.

Jerry and Switzer believe the big reason for the huge player base in Mississippi is because players are not required to sign up for an online service to play the game—all they need is an internet connection.

Graphic by Lillie Busch | Printz

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Summer blockbusters surprise and disappoint

CONRAD ACOSTA PRINTZ REPORTER

ummer movie lineups typically feature great diversity, both in genre and quality, and the 2019 summer lineup is no exception. From live-action Disney adaptations to folk horror/romance hybrid films, this summer was certainly a dynamic one for the film industry. That being said, some of the films released this summer managed to stick out in this very unique crowd, both in good and bad ways.

One such film is Tate Taylor’s “Ma”, a thriller starring Octavia Spencer that follows the story of a middle-aged woman who allows a group of high school students to use her basement as a party venue. Drawn in by the fact that the woman, who calls herself “Ma,” is willing to supply them with alcohol, the teenagers let their guard down as Ma becomes increasingly erratic, clingy and manipulative, inevitably driving the film’s plot.

The reason that this film sticks out is that it falls flat in almost every way imaginable when executing this concept. The biggest flaw with the movie is the writing. The script gives the teenage characters the typical, cheesy, unrealistic dialogue that is reflective of the way that a middle-aged man suspects that high school students talk. Consequently, the performances for these characters made them feel shallow and onedimensional. The main protagonist felt no different from the other copied-and-pasted American teenage personalities that made up the cast.

The overall tone of the film is just bland and gloomy; it feels like there is supposed to be some sense of dread that comes from Ma’s unraveling character, but the writing, music, cinematography and acting all work to ensure that the tone stays consistently flat throughout the film. This disappointing waste of a premise is what lands “Ma” the title of the worst movie of the summer.

In a similar vein lies Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood.” Starring Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, the movie follows a Hollywood actor and his stuntman as they navigate what their next steps should be now that they are approaching their careers’ sunset years.

Graphic by Alexandria Moore | Printz

This film faces a very different type of flaw from “Ma” in that the dialogue is engaging, the performances are dynamic, the tone is nostalgic and the cinematography is competently done. On almost every technical level, this film is perfectly adequate; the biggest problem that it has is that is all that can be said about it. In the entire two hour, 41-minute run time, the plot only manages to be interesting in its last 20 minutes.

As a standalone movie, it is an entirely unremarkable experience. But if put into the context of Tarantino’s body of work, “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood” is a startling disappointment from a filmmaker who is typically known for the engaging manner in which he can make a story unfold. This failure to meet expectations lands the film only slightly above “Ma” in a summer movie ranking.

Moving to the opposite end of the spectrum is

“Spider-Man: Far from Home.” Directed by Jon Watts, the movie is both a standalone Spider-Man story and a way to connect the events of “Endgame” to the MCU’s next phase. The plot follows Peter Parker as a school trip to Europe is abruptly interrupted by an archaic, almost fantastical group of adversaries known as “The Elementals.”

The unconventional plot, beautiful CGI, interesting antagonist and endearing dialogue are all wildly complemented by the dynamic that Tom Holland and Jake Gyllenhaal bring to the screen.

The two actors have a chemistry that makes the entire film more meaningful, especially considering that their characters both represent another’s flaws in one way or another. This use of complementary character development truly is what makes the movie a memorable experience. It becomes even more meaningful when taking into account Spider-Man’s tumultuous situation regarding the character’s place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All of these factors place “Spider-Man: Far from Home” as the secondbest film of the summer.

This finally leads to Ari Aster’s sophomore film “Midsommar,” a folk-horror film that follows the story of a woman who has been faced with enormous, personal loss as she finds herself going on an academic trip with her boyfriend to a secluded neo-pagan commune in Sweden. Making a large departure from the dark atmosphere of his directorial debut “Hereditary,” Aster brings the incredibly grotesque horrors of this tension-filled exploration of darkness into the bright sunlight, with the contrast between the sunny, beautiful scenery and dark story elements fueling this tense atmosphere.

Every aspect of “Midsommar” is exceptional, from the performances of Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor, who play the roles of protagonist Dani and boyfriend Christian, to the stunning cinematography and chilling original soundtrack by Bobby Krlic. The film manages to invoke such an extreme range of emotions and is an extremely cathartic and jarring experience that will undoubtedly remain a cult classic for years to come.

With a timely release at the beginning of July, “Midsommar” earns its place as the best of the 2019 summer movie lineup, and without a doubt will be a contender for this year’s best film.

Taylor Swift beams positivity on “Lover” JACK MCCALLUM ENTERTAINMENT/OPINION EDITOR Graphic by Emily Brinkman | Printz

ight, airy and immensely positive, Taylor Swift’s “Lover” has the singer-songwriter returning to form while keeping up with the style of pop that has been present for her past couple records.

Taylor Swift has made a name for herself as an artist whose personal life and associated drama is embedded in nearly every song’s lyrics. With past albums littered with recurring references to tabloid scandals and A-list boyfriends, one might expect “Lover” to take the same route, which makes its lighthearted vibe that much more pleasant. “Lover” steps out of Taylor’s typical, bittersweet, upset and stands as a celebration of light, love and oneself.

These past few years have been a publicity whirlwind for Swift as she has declared political stances while still having her social media pumped full of snake emojis thanks to the infamous, leaked 2016 phone call with attorney-wannabe Kim Kardashian. Outrage over her previous political silence compacted with having lost her masters to a grown man who demands to be called “Scooter,” Taylor Swift has largely been forced into the activist role she now takes on. “Lover” is Taylor Swift stepping

aside from the silence that has cursed her in the past and moving towards being the light, dreamy and adoring pop star she shines as.

“I Forgot That You Existed” sets the tone for “Lover” as a change of pace and overall tone for Taylor’s music. Where other tracks about haters can come across as a pity party, “I Forgot That You Existed” is Taylor’s track that symbolizes her growth as she proclaims that she simply forgot her doubters existed.

The song stands as a highlight in Taylor’s discography as she uplifts the ideas of independence and friendship and ignores the negative people attempting to dampen her reign.

Some of the best tracks from this album have a

to scream the bridge of the song in your car, reinforcing Taylor’s girl-next-door relatability.

Where the album has its high peaks like “Paper Rings,” there are also the middling, filler tracks like “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” which are incredibly childish in lyrical content. Not only is it childish, “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince” sounds like Taylor is cosplaying as 2015 Halsey. An abundance of positivity is more than likely to come packaged with the hints of try-hard corniness appearing on tracks like “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak

throwback vibe like with the 80s influenced “Cruel Summer” that has throbbing synths and an explosive chorus. The 80s influence is heavily felt on “Lover” with other tracks like “The Archer” and “Cornelia Street,” which can be expected from the notably nostalgic “1989” artist.

One of Taylor’s best tracks, “Paper Rings,” stands out as one that takes influence from 2000s pop-punk bands and 60s girl groups. It is nearly impossible not

Prince.”

Albums about love in 2019 are not complete without at least one song dedicated to non-straight people, which comes with “You Need to Calm Down.”

Some might find themselves to be nauseous at the blatant pandering with lyrics like “because shade never made anybody less gay.” Sure, Taylor might be late to the game in terms of gay pandering, but Lady Gaga is too busy selling makeup right now, and it

is important to have at least one ally willing to put drag queens on television.

Taylor’s growth is seen throughout the album from the sexual references to the politically-charged lyrics. Growth is most obvious in how Taylor has discussed her relationship with Joe Alwyn, both in music and interviews. The effort put into keeping the grit of their relationship private shows how much Taylor has learned from her previous controversies.

Where the record begins to fall off is its length. At 18 tracks, “Lover” takes at least an hour out of one’s day. In the age of streaming, albums like this thrive as they are easy to leave on replay and gather streams for the artist and label. However, that does not mean these tracks are all necessary. A few of these tracks, like “Me!” and “London Boy,” could have been left on the c u t t i n g room floor in favor of creating the more concrete 12-track album that is hidden amongst filler.

Taylor Swift continues to grow and learn more about herself and the world around her, as can be seen throughout her latest album. While there are obnoxious tracks like “Me!” and “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince,” there is more good than bad on this album. “Lover” is in no way a perfect album, but it is Taylor’s best and most adult-sounding album yet.

OPINION SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

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Amazon fires influence everyday life LAUREL THRAILKILL PRINTZ REPORTER he Amazon rainforest, also known as the “lungs of the earth,” is currently on fire, and here is why you should care.

The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. It contains an enormous reservoir of carbon as well as the highest and most concentrated levels of biodiversity on the planet. This rainforest plays a major role in the climate of Brazil and its effects are so significant that it even impacts the global climate.

Over the past couple of years, the Amazon rainforest has experienced a dramatic increase in deforestation and fires. Scientists are concerned that the damage to the rainforest has reached an almost irreversible level. The situation is nearing what is called a “dieback scenario.” If this happens, entire ecosystems within the rainforest could collapse.

Most of the fires in the Amazon rainforest were actually started by humans. The main reasons for starting these fires include agriculture, cattle farming and mining. The fires are also used by illegal loggers and miners to drive the native people out of the forest so it can be exploited for economic gain.

The Amazon rainforest is important for many reasons, but one is that it produces a lot of oxygen. Scientists estimate that it produces as much as 20 percent of the world’s oxygen. More importantly, it removes excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide pollutes the atmosphere, and it already exists in excess quantities.

For hundreds of years, the roots of

many important modern medicines have been found in nature. Because of the extreme biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest, there are many medicinal benefits to be gleaned. Scientists from all over the world study the plants found only in the Amazon rainforest for medicinal benefits. If the forest is destroyed completely, these plants will be lost and many undiscovered types of plants could die out completely. Native people of the Amazon rainforest rely on natural cures found in the forests to treat pain and illnesses as well.

The Amazon rainforest is estimated to house more than ten percent of the world’s biodiversity. That is a lot of plants and animals, and many of them are unfortunately endangered. If their habitat in the Amazon rainforest is destroyed or if they are killed by fires, some species may go extinct before humans even have a chance to discover and document them.

You may be wondering what you can do to help. There are many simple lifestyle changes that can benefit not only the Amazon rainforest, but other rainforests of the world. Cutting back on paper and wood consumption can help reduce rates of deforestation. Reducing oil consumption is another way to help.

Most importantly, we need to hold corporations and businesses accountable for their destructive actions regarding rainforests.

Educating others and spreading awareness about the situation is critical. A lot of people are not aware of the situation i n the Amazon rainforest, and many people simply do not care because they do not think this situation impacts

them. If you live on this planet, the burning of the rainforests impacts you to some extent, and it is time for the

human race to take responsibility for our actions and save the “lungs of the earth” before it is too late.

Graphic by Kathleen Hetherington | Printz

Another semester does not sound like hell BRIAN WINTERS PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR any students take pride in the fact that they can “finish in four” and get out in the real world as soon as possible. As a transfer student, that may not be an opportunity for me, but this is not the worst thing that could happen.

What mostly felt odd was being told that there was a chance that an extra semester was in my future. My siblings both graduated in four years, so the idea of being the only child to not do so was depressing.

The biggest issue was that my general education courses would not transfer over from another school. Suddenly I was classified as a sophomore again despite being in my third year of college.

My Southern Miss advisor made it sound like taking 21 hours of classes each semester was going to be a normal thing, and I was not ready to lose my beautiful hair from stress just yet.

However, getting to know people on campus gave me a new perspective on an extra semester.

Since starting this year, an extra semester has seemed like a pretty common thing. I have realized there are quite a lot of people who have to enroll

in an extra semester or even in an extra year of school.

There have been some benefits that come with taking an extra semester.

Over the summer, I decided I might change my minor to graphic design.

That decision could be possible with an extra semester.

Focusing on finishing my general education classes and minor seems possible. After this complete year, I will likely be done with my major. A few online classes may have to be taken, but that is completely doable.

An extra semester is a chance to build a bigger portfolio, too. Working for the newspaper an extra semester gives me the chance to cover events and learn from what is being done incorrectly.

Going to school at a slower pace helps me enjoy the college experience a lot more. If I tried to graduate by next semester, I would need to work extra hard and fill a schedule with classes.

Taking it slow means that enjoying the last year of school is actually possible.

An extra semester also adds the possibility of doing an internship for class credit. Internships are good on their own, but the chance to shorten the last semester a bit more is huge. If the internship is during my last semester, it adds the possibility of being hired by the organization that I am interning with.

Getting to spend time with my friends before we all go our separate

Meghan Fuller | Printz

ways is a plus. Also having the chance to see nearly all my friends every day before this big change is the icing on the cake of an extra semester.

Honestly, an extra semester or even an extra year seems like no problem in

2019. It seems more and more common for people to take longer than four years to finish college. The fact that I will have a degree is a huge accomplishment on its own, no matter how long it takes to get it.

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

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Southern Miss special teams shine in season opener JAKOBE SMITH PRINTZ REPORTER n 89-yard opening kickoff return by redshirt sophomore Jaylond Adams gave Southern Miss the upper hand against Alcorn State on Aug. 31.

Head coach Jay Hopson commented on Adams’ performance.

“Jaylond had a great game, but he’s also wise enough to know those guys on the front line, on that kick return and punt return, they’re the guys that set him free,” Hopson said. “I think we have an exceptional bunch of guys those units.

We challenged those guys this morning, and I think they answered the bell.”

The Alcorn State defense prevailed in the first half of the game as Southern Miss relied on kicker Andrew Stein for two field goals before halftime. Defensive backs DQ Thomas and Ty Williams set the tone for the Golden Eagles racking up a combined 13 tackles and Thomas gaining the team’s only interception of the night.

Williams gave all credit to linebacker Racheem Boothe.

“Racheem did a heck of a job, getting into the passing lane and tipping up the ball and giving me the opportunity to pick the ball off,” Williams said.

Southern Miss shuffled pieces around after running back Trivensky Mosley was injured in the first quarter. Coach Hopson used his “running back by committee” and enlisted Dee Baker and

Steven Anderson to carry the load of the offense.

As the second half began, Alcorn rushed for 15 yards to put the Braves on the board. Southern Miss responded with a 55-yard pass from Jack Abraham.

“It was third and long. We were just trying to take a shot. I knew Neil was going to beat him, and I knew he was going to give me a chance to throw it up there and let him make a play,” Abraham said.

Alcorn kicked a field goal in an attempt to keep up with the Golden Eagles.

Alcorn could not keep up the defensive energy it had in the first half after another Southern Miss touchdown in the last 15 seconds of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Adams returned a punt 80 yards for his second touchdown of the night.

“It just felt great being back out there with those guys. Coming off a season-ending injury and to get into the endzone twice, it feels great,” Adams said.

Additionally, Adams had three catches for 21 yards. Stein’s field goal in the fourth quarter resulted in a final score of 38-10.

“He put a big emphasis on special teams. Pretty much coming into the game, that’s all we talked about,” Adams said. “Special teams were going to be a difference-maker in this ball game. We brought in as a team and got the job done.”

Southern Miss travels to Starkville to face the Mississippi State Bulldogs this Saturday, Sept. 7.

Photo by Makayla Puckett | Printz

Jacques Turner reacts in Alcorn game.

DuBard School hosts annual Black and Gold Day MAKAYLA PUCKETT SPORTS EDITOR he DuBard School for Language Disorders took “Go Gold Friday” to a new height on Friday, Aug. 30. For the past 20 years, the DuBard school has hosted the Southern Miss football team for Black and Gold Day the Friday before the season opener.

“We have the football team come and interact with our students. We share our good work with them and get to cheer on the Golden Eagles,” DuBard School Director Missy Schraeder, Ph.D., said.

The DuBard School functions as a public school which provides full-time educational programming for children with speech or language learning disorders. During the week leading up to the highly anticipated event, students learned language about the players, coaches and football. Schraeder considers it an opportunity to celebrate the hard work of both the students and the players.

“There’s an opportunity to see their good work and just share that and help celebrate their work,” Schraeder said.

Upon the arrival of the team, Schraeder explained the function of the school to the players before taking them on a tour of the facility. Each player volunteered their time to sit with students as well as sign autographs during a small pep rally at the end of the day.

“It’s important because, you know, they look up to us,” redshirt senior Will Poto-

Photo by Makayla Puckett | Printz

sky said. “I think we’re good role models for them and it’s good being there for them so they can learn from us.”

As a four-year veteran of Black and Gold Day, redshirt senior Jordan Mitchell quickly befriended two students. The trio discussed homework and handwriting as well as football.

“So it’s good just to get around the kids.

I mean, it’s a big experience for us as it is for them,” Mitchell said. “Just getting to know what they’re learning from these teachers here is just a nice experience.”

Amid the classrooms full of gold t-shirts

Will Potosky reads with a student at the DuBard School.

with faded sharpie signatures from the year before, emerged the man of the hour: coach Jay Hopson. Hopson worked through reading exercises in each room and emphasized the benefits of hard work to the students.

“I really believe as players and coaches, we get more out of it than the kids do,” Hopson said. “You just see so many wonderful, amazing children, and, what always amazes me at the DuBard School is the teachers. It’s an amazing, the job that these ladies are doing, and it’s just inspiring.”

The staff of speech-language pathologists works to close the educational gap for their students to move back into a traditional public or private school classroom setting. With the use of individualized therapeutic intervention, students are able to keep up with the learning curve.

“When you look at young boys and girls that are fighting early adversities in life, it’s certainly a great life teacher,” Hopson said. “When you see how they overcome those adversities, they are truly inspiring to our players, to our coaches, and they should be inspiring to our community.”