Vol. CII, No. 2 (Oct/Nov 2023)

Vol. CII No. 2 Nov. 2023

Topgolf St. Louis Officially Opens in Midtown Page 3

Four Books Every Woman Should Read in Her Twenties Page 8

President Govan Impeached Full Story on Page 2

News

02

President Govan Impeached SOPHIA BRUMMOND

Copy Editor

During a three-hour long closed Senate session, the Student Government Association impeached former President Marquis Govan in a landslide vote of 22-4 on Wednesday night.

The vote on Nov. 1 follows allegations made by former vice president of international affairs, Nikolay Remizov, against Govan last month. This event marks the first ever documented successful impeachment of a SLU SGA student body president.

The impeachment bill stated that “the President has shown a consistent overreach of power in the role,” citing specific occurrences.

After the closed senate vote, vice president of communications & international affairs, Ryan Tisdale, was immediately sworn in as interim president. Tisdale led the Internal Affairs Committee and headed the investigation into the charges against Govan.

Tisdale refused to comment on the investigation and vote. Other senators and executive members stated that the situation was sensitive and they were unsure what they could share.

The timeline for a new presidential election is unclear. According to Article 6.3.G of SGA’s bylaws, all nominees are supposed to be presented within two weeks of vacancy. Senator Reueline Arulanandam confirmed the vote will be made by senators, not the student body.

The voting was anonymous and closed to the public. Each senator wrote their vote on a slip of paper and placed it into a wooden box. The executive board was not allowed to vote. Govan was not present during the vote of impeachment and was told privately the vote results by SGA faculty advisor, Bill Boxdorfer and speaker of the Senate, Luke Busboom.

After the closed session commenced, Busboom informed the public and Facebook live viewers that the motion to impeach was passed.

After accusations made by Remizov on Oct. 11, internal affairs began their investigation. Remizov claimed that Govan had threatened to impeach him in a private meeting after Remizov had sent a story Govan had posted on his personal Instagram account to the Jewish Student Association group chat.

While the initial conflict between Remizov and Govan surrounded Govan’s pro-Palestine social media activity, Senator Arulanandam confirmed the impeachment had nothing to do with alleged anti-semitic concerns.

Govan addressed the allegations made against him at the SGA meeting on Oct. 18, stating that he had in fact gone into a meeting angry but had never threatened the impeachment or expulsion of Remizov.

Govan was given the chance to talk to the Senate before the vote and fielded questions and concerns from senators. Senators interviewed by the University News stated that the environment was kept civil, but did not comment on what questions were raised and what was debated.

All other bills on Wednesday’s agenda were rescheduled leaving only Senate Bill 012-23 to impeach Govan on the docket.

According to the Nov. 1 meeting agenda, the bill was proposed and written by senator for the college of public health and sciences, Reueline Arulanandam, speaker of the Senate, Luke Busboom, senator for the college of arts and sciences, Liliana Cisneros, senator for the school of social work, Sam Hall and first-year student senator, Camille Smith.

The bill stated that Govan had directly violated the SGA Constitution and could be voted to be removed from office.

The bill further stated that Govan had not upheld the ideals and values of the Jesuit Catholic Tradition when he “suggested that former VP Remizov could formally resume his position within a week’s time.”

Senators reviewed screenshots of texts presumably between Remizov and Govan but did not comment on the details of the evidence. The presented Senate bill stated, “Whereas various text messages show President Govan putting pressure on Former VP Remizov to submit his resignation.”

Further, the bill states that Govan unlawfully forced Remizov to resign.

“Whereas, once a VP has resigned, they are no longer part of Senate in any capacity, making it unconstitutional for the President to appoint them back into their role in the future. Whereas, President Govan pushed VP Remizov to resignation under false pretenses,” according to SB 012-23.

The atmosphere during the closed session was tense and focused, according to Senator Arulanandam.

“I think nobody in the room was interested in making history with this. This isn’t an easy decision that any of us wanted to make,” Arulanandam said.

“Nobody wanted to be in this position in the first place, and again I don’t think that anybody is happy that this is like that.”

In an email statement sent late Wednesday night addressing the impeachment, SGA wrote that they were committed to transparency. “We want

to assure you that this decision was made after a fair and unbiased evaluation of the situation,” the email read.

“I believe that it was handled by our internal affairs committee quite well, I believe that the vice president of internal affairs and now acting president, Ryan Tisdale, did a great job at keeping a non-bias and keeping it contained within the internal affairs committee,” said Allie Thornton, senator for the Chaifetz school of business.

Govan and other senators exited the chambers clearly distraught, others could be heard laughing during the closed session. Other senators felt the impeachment was not a reflection on Govan’s character.

“I am heartbroken about the situation as a whole … I want to reiterate that this was not at all a case of judgment of him as a person, and ultimately we are all a part of the SLU community to work together and work towards a greater good and this had to occur,” said Brett Sharp, senator for the college of arts and sciences.

Many factors contributed to the final vote. A packet of evidence was provided to members of the Senate including tweets, texts and personal statements made by Remizov and Govan.

“It was probably the personal statements that were most compelling to hear from both sides, it was very enlightening, and I think it’s extremely important to take all perspectives when considering a matter so important as the one at stake,” Thornton said.

SGA members are now hoping to move forward and learn lessons from these events in order to best serve the SLU community.

“Now that it has happened we will learn and grow as a community to figure out the steps we can take from here,” said Hikmat Roumany, senator for residence hall association. “There isn’t any hate or discretion to any party of any affiliation. We all came from understanding perspectives and came to a vote at the end, and that’s what it came to.”

It remains unclear if the impeachment would affect any of Govan’s potential or current scholarships.

The vote for a new president will take place by the Senate, based upon recommendations made by the Senate and executive board. The formal election for SGA president of the 2024-2025 school year will take place as planned in Feb. 2024.

SGA encourages student feedback about the future of the Student Government.

Additional reporting from Owen Herdrick.

news

03

Topgolf St. Louis Officially Opens in Midtown OWEN HERDRICK Contributor

(Owen Herdrick / The University News) Topgolf St. Louis Midtown held its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 20. The brand-new facility features 102 hitting bays, the largest bay Topgolf has constructed. It is a three-floor venue, home to a full bar and restaurant, over 200 HDTVs, a 28-foot video wall and multiple patios.

The ceremony featured many guest speakers, including SLU President Fred Pestello, Alderwoman Laura Keys, Greater St. Louis CEO Jason Hall and Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff Jared Boyd.

The speakers said this event space will act as yet another attraction to build up the increasingly developing Midtown community.

“I think it’s one more thing for our students to do. So, I think back when I started nine and a half years ago, the city foundry wasn’t there. The armory wasn’t there.

We didn’t have a lot of this development,” Pestello said.

“From what I hear from students, they really love what’s happening at City Foundry. I’m very excited that they’ve got one more thing for those who might be interested in coming out here and having some fun hitting golf balls.”

In a city as much a victim of urban sprawl as any other, Midtown is working hard to draw people back with the grand opening of the City Foundry, with Fresh Thyme, The Armory, the Alamo Drafthouse and now

Topgolf in the last two years.

Boyd mentioned in his speech at the ceremony that there is an increase in traffic coming in from the suburbs rather than the reverse as it has often been.

“They’re going to be a lot of people who when they’re looking for a date night, when they’re looking for family night, are not going to be getting on highway 64. They’re going to be coming right here,” Boyd said.

Topgolf will not only bring fun to SLU students but also employment to the region. Andy Najjar, director of operations at Top Golf said nearly four dozen students are employed at the facility.

Topgolf seeks to enrich the community further by partnering with local businesses and working with SLU, Najjar added.

“We’re excited to be part of the St. Louis Redevelopment Corporation here, which is associated with St. Louis University here in Midtown. We have a strong partnership with Saint Louis University, and we’re looking forward to being a part of this renaissance here in Midtown,” Najjar said.

“We want golf to be open and accessible to everyone, and Topgolf is a great way to do that. It’s a great place to start. You know, we do have lessons we do in the summer, we’ll have kids academies. We want everyone

to participate. We want golf to be for everybody,” Najjar said.

The price per bay per hour ranges significantly, from as little as 15 an hour to as much as 58. For a cheaper cost, look to visit on Tuesdays, which feature half-off admission from open to close. Prices increase the later in the day you visit, and Friday to Sunday are 5-7 dollars more expensive than their weekday counterparts. There are not currently any discounts for students.

When asked how much the facility cost to construct, Najjar declined to comment. A similar 102-bay facility in El Paso cost 15.7 million to build in 2017. Given the recent trends of inflation, this venue may have cost even more. Likewise, where this money came from was not disclosed.

As for events, the facility will be easing into things for the first few weeks. However, Najjar confirmed some to-be-announced events with local partners are coming down the road. Topgolf is now open to the public seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., except Friday and Saturday, where it is open until midnight.

The ceremony’s speakers say they expect it to become a premier attraction in the Midtown community for everyone.

News

Local Groups Hold 04 ‘Emergency Rally’ in Support of Guatemalan Democracy CHARLIE PREISS Contributor

(Charlie Preiss / The University News) An emergency rally was held in Tower Grove Park by various local organizations in support of Guatemalan Democracy on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The rally was in support of President-Elect Bernardo Arévalo, an anti-corruption politician, and to call on the international community to support democracy in Guatemala at a precarious time for the country.

Protests have sprung up across the country demanding the incumbent government respect the results and demand a smooth peaceful transition of power. The rally in St. Louis was organized in solidarity with the ongoing protests in the country.

Protests rose after Arévalo won the runoff in Guatemala’s presidential election in a landslide, capturing 60% of the vote in August. Even though his margin of victory was large, he has faced repeated attempts to thwart his assumption of the office by the country’s attorney general Maria Consuelo Porras and other actors opposed to his presidency. The same actors have sought to weaken Arévalo’s political party, Movimiento Semilla.

Multiple groups were in attendance at the rally, including the St. Louis Interfaith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA), Mutual Aid Overland, the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and the Green Party.

Angel Flores Fontánez, a 34-year-old Ph.D. history student at Saint Louis University is a community orga-

nizer with the IFCLA. When asked why he was attending the rally, he responded that he wanted to “put his actions where his mouth is” and show solidarity with the pro-democracy movement in Guatemala.

Fontánez, who is originally from Puerto Rico, said his deep involvement with local Latin American communities compelled him to take action.

Fontánez said he sees parallels between what is happening in Guatemala to the riots on Jan. 6.

“This is extremely similar to the Jan. 6, [2021], event here, it is extremely [similar]. They are backed by big interests and big money and ultra-right politicians,” Fontánez said.

Fontánez said he wants the international community to respond.

“The U.N. has already condemned the actions of the current government in Guatemala and has asked to respect the will [of the people]. We definitely want to continue to have that international pressure in Guatemala and support the will of the people and support the protestors,” Fontánez said.

Fontánez noted that because of U.S. intervention in Guatemala during the Cold War, they have a duty to support democracy in the present.

“The United States has responsibility on this, not only

in the past but in the present to push forward what the people want, which is the Semillas Party to take power,” Fontánez said.

Haley Milner, a 31-year-old local immigration lawyer who was at the rally with the PSL said she attended because she wanted to “stand in solidarity” with her clients and the local Latin American community.

“The UN and the U.S. should stop interfering and let the Guatemalan people speak for themselves and allow this candidate to hold office as the people have voiced their opinion as wanting him to do,” Milner said.

The U.S., for its part, has condemned the actions of the incumbent government and has floated the idea of putting sanctions on Guatemala if the incumbent government does not relent its efforts to block Arévalo from becoming president. Attorney General Porras in 2021 was put on a list of undemocratic and corrupt actors by the State Department.

Milner is skeptical of direct intervention by the U.S. if the incumbent government does not cease its efforts to block Arévalo from seeking office.

“Based on the U.S.’s track record of meddling in Latin American elections to the detriment of the people of Latin America, I would prefer if the U.S. would stay out of it,” Milner said.

news

Spice Market Offers ‘taste of home’ for Indian International Students

05

ULAA KUZIEZ News Editor Shreya Akula thought Indian food occasionally served on campus often lacked authentic taste. As a graduate student and part-time food service worker, she had an idea: a pop-up at Grand Dining Hall with Indian students as chefs.

The one-time pop-up turned into a weekly occurrence last spring, with long lines and a large following among international students. Its success prompted the student team to plan for a permanent Indian eatery on campus.

This fall, Spice Market opened up, a student-run Indian restaurant at Saint Louis University.

Akula, who now manages Spice Market, worked closely with DineSLU to establish the restaurant. From the start, she said authenticity was at the heart of the vision.

“We really wanted to have that authenticity so students can feel like they are back at home like they’re in their mom’s kitchen,” Akula said.

SLU has seen a significant increase in international students in the past few years. There are more than 1,400 international graduate students this year, 85% of whom are from India.

Indian students like Karthik Mogiliburam say it is comforting to have a meal on campus that reminds them of home.

“We are far away, far away from home, and the one thing we miss a lot is our Indian food,” Mogiliburam said. “This semester we are very much lucky to get the Spice Market opened up for us.”

While Spice Market caters to Indian students, the cuisine shares commonalities with the culinary traditions of other South Asian countries like Nepal and Pakistan and appeals to a range of students.

Madeline Erdman, DineSLU’s marketing coordinator, has been working closely with the student team running the restaurant. When Spice Market first opened up, Erdman said she was worried the spice level might be too bold, but she’s been surprised with the positive feedback.

“The reaction was honestly really incredible to hear because there were so many students who just loved it. They absolutely loved it,” Erdman said. “And people actually liked that it was a little spicy.”

Abdul Rahman Shaik, a graduate student and chef supervisor at Spice Market, said it is not always easy to accept people from different countries or appreciate their cultural foods. He said he is proud students are willing to try and enjoy Indian cuisine.

“If [I] cook something and the people like the food, then it’s gonna give me the most happiness. I’m feeling so excited and feeling so happy to be part of it,” Shaik said.

From its inception as a pop-up to its growth now as a restaurant, this has been a student-run operation.

Sourcing authentic ingredients like black cardamom and chickpea flour is important to the team, but campus production chef Brian Horrocks said that has been harder than expected.

(Ulaa Kuziez / The University News) Spice Market offers a range of classic Indian dishes. Pictured is paneer curry, lentils, basmatic rice, chickpea salad and coriander chuttney.

“Sourcing some of these products in St. Louis -– we’re not New York or Miami — we’re trying to get authentic items from far away places to the middle of Midwest, so we’re doing what we can,” Horrocks said.

Horrocks, who has a background in Indian cuisine, has been guiding the student team with inventory and ordering. He said since the restaurant opened in August, they have all been learning from each other as they overcome sourcing and cooking challenges.

“It’s something new, and it’s exciting to be studentrun. The students are really excited about what they’re doing,” Horrocks said.

The menu lineup includes a range of classic Indian dishes including basmati rice, daal (lentils), chicken curry and naan bread. There are also a few vegetarian items like chickpea salad and pakora, a vegetable fritter coated with chickpea flour and fried till golden brown.

“Pakora is one of the favorite snacks for every Indian and that’s going to be very famous on the campus,” said Yash Yegurula, who works as a cashier at Spice Market.

Curating and managing a new restaurant was not in Akula’s post-graduation plans. Through food, Spice Market helps to “fill a gap” for international students on campus, she said.

“Spice Market is more than a dining experience,” Akula said. “It’s a cultural bridge that brings peoplefrom all corners of the world together through the universal language of food.”

(Ulaa Kuziez / The University News) SLU alumna Shreya Akula helped establish Spice Market, a new student run Indian restaurant located in Fusz Hall.

ARTS & LIFE

06

Are Long Movies the New Blockbuster Norm?

“Killers of the Flower Moon” serves as the latest installment in a growing trend.

GRANT BELLCHAMBER

Senior Writer

With the release of Martin Scorsese’s potential swan song, viewers flocked to the theaters for an abnormally long adventure into a world depicting the inflicted pain and suffering of the Osage Tribe in 1920s Oklahoma.

With the advent of digital film and the rising costs of movie tickets, films with a runtime of well over three hours are becoming increasingly common, and viewers are beginning to enter theaters prepared for a lengthy and, at times, grueling viewing experience. Although “Killers of the Flower Moon” is the most recent installment in this growing trend, it is by no means the most prominent example from recent years.

2023 saw the blockbuster “Oppenheimer,” which only ran over the three hour mark by a mere nine seconds. Placing this in a double screening with Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” (thus creating the infamous “Barbenheimmer” trend) resulted in a trip to the cinema that took almost six hours, or the time it would take an average person to read just under half of “Moby Dick.”

The blockbuster of 2022, “Avatar: The Way of Water,” ran for three hours and 12 minutes, and “Babylon,” although it was not received well critically, ran for three hours and nine minutes.

Even “RRR,” which won the oscar for “Best Original Song,” came with a runtime of three hours and seven minutes.

So, what’s happening?

Luxury cinemas, such as The Alamo Drafthouse, provide viewing experiences with reclining seats and options to have food and drink catered to your spot in the theater, removing the necessity for intermissions and increasing the comfort of the viewer. Additionally, with “Avengers: Endgame,” studios saw that the bloated costs of filming a three-hour movie could be outweighed by the appeal that actors and marketing provide.

These movies are not a new phenomenon, but

discourse on shrinking attention spans aside, viewers are becoming increasingly prepared, and even excited, for these prolonged excursions as a result of many factors, including the rise in popularity of the cinema experience post-COVID. There are, evidently, some benefits to these runtimes. Scorsese, in multiple interviews, has made it clear that “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a story he’s passionate about telling. The film explores the systematic murder and betrayal of members of the Osage tribe by White settlers who attempt to gain control of the oil which has been discovered on Osage land. Therefore, it can be argued that an extended foray into these methodical evils allows the viewer to gain a fuller understanding of the malice that was necessary to commit them.

However, features such as rapid pacing of most scenes which are under a minute, and the underdeveloped dynamics between De Niro’s and Dicaprio’s characters make for a disorienting viewing experience.

Wide camera angles, with the characters’ surroundings populated by prairie grass and meticulously crafted scenery, are frequently utilized to display the Oklahoma landscape, but this display along with the limited lighting choices in outdoor settings often conflicts with the tension that the film attempts to build.

An apt comparison, both in terms of pacing and style, comes in Scorsese’s 2019 film “The Irishman,” which features three hours and 29 minutes of a de-aged Robert De Niro and a flamboyant Al Pacino and suffers from many of the same issues as “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Although it is propped up by magnificent acting and a compelling storyline, “The Irishman” frequently incorporates a questionable pacing strategy, synthesizing a long series of short, topically unrelated scenes that detract from the

story as a whole.

These factors render “Killers of the Flower Moon” a tough three and a half hour watch.

Scorsese, through his own personal appearance at the end of the film, makes it clear that he is, in part, satisfying his own passions. Yet, any work of art has to in some sense justify its experience to its audience. A film this long must alter its pacing and dramatic strategies in order to accommodate the sheer mass of dialogue and action that it contains, and “Killers of the Flower Moon” fails at this.

However, not all long movies are faced with this problem. The length of “Oppenheimer” stems not from its mass of scenes and interactions but, instead, from a lengthening of certain scenes in order to convey tension.

For many, the brilliance of Scorsese’s oeuvre, exploring the crime-ridden underbelly of America, justifies itself, and any opportunity to gaze at his blistering aesthetic is taken gladly, especially if this is the last opportunity the world will get. This sentiment also applies to directors such as Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino and Greta Gerwig, who all have a recognizable style.

With the increasing popularity of extensive films and a newfound viability and comfort to the viewing experience, “Killers of the Flower Moon” will not be the last three-hour film to be released. It is important to think about possible alterations to traditional film structures that can account for this shift. Considerations need to be made regarding lighting, pacing and dramatic dynamics, not because of audience attention spans, but simply because it becomes more difficult to maintain a movie’s compelling attributes the longer it carries on. While Scorsese is too brilliant a director to have not considered these aspects, it is certainly worth considering the film’s weaknesses in order to examine the implications of this trend.

ARTS & LIFE

07

Highlights from the Chicago International Film Festival Films to Look Forward to This Winter

The 2023 Chicago International Film Festival kicked off last week, with thousands of industry professionals and movie enthusiasts flocking to watch highlights of films premiering earlier in the festival circuit. Many prominent upcoming films continued their journey along the circuit, with Chicago presenting an opportunity for many to see films that will go on to be the award-winning and critically acclaimed films of the year. Among the films presented, “The Boy and the Heron,” “The Taste of Things,” “Fallen Leaves” and “Monster” are worth looking out for as they are released in the next few months.

“The Boy and the Heron” Originally titled “How Do You Live?,” the newest film from Studio Ghibli marks the first return of the virtuosic Hayao Miyazaki (director of childhood favorites like “Spirited Away) since “The Wind Rises” in 2013, after which he announced his retirement. He returns with yet another swan song which will hit American theaters on Dec. 8, 2023, with the English dub cast including Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson, Gemma Chan, Dave Bautista, Karen Fukuhara and Willem Defoe.

The film, rather than being an adaptation of the book of the same name, unfolds along the semiautobiographical premise of a young boy handling the death of his mother during World War II. Unlike his earlier works, which garnered acclaim for their childlike wonder and low-stakes plots, this feature follows the slower pace and somewhat more mature subject matter of his last feature. Miyazaki shows once again that nobody is animating or making stories quite like him. While each frame of masterful animation is what viewers have come to expect, the movie manages to surprise and delight in a multitude of ways, calling to mind sweeping epics like “2001: A Space Odyssey” through its patience and scope. The fantasy adventure boasts perhaps some of Miyazaki’s most beautiful images and environments yet, as well as a good deal

more humor than one might expect (one can only imagine where Bautista and Defoe can go with this).

Yet this adventure is anything but lighthearted; it is intense and moving in its tightly but ambitiously constructed exploration of grief that will leave viewers both devastated and inspired. In a year of beautiful and inventive animation, the masterpiece that is “The Boy and the Heron” demands its place on the podium.

“The Taste of Things” Sensual cinema tends to depict indulgences as sinful pleasures, but director Tran Anh Hung sees humanity and its indulgences as divine.

This historical romantic culinary drama, which made headlines after being submitted as France’s submission for the Oscars International Film category over the expected “Anatomy of a Fall,” competed for the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, taking home the award for best director. Starring Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel, “The Taste of Things” follows the relationship between a restaurant owner and his chef after their long career together in the late 1800s.

Hung expressed the tangibility of this relationship in the culinary environment during an interview following the screening.

“You don’t miss it,” said Hung. Viewers don’t miss anything. So textured is this scintillating romance that viewers can smell the aromatic steam and feel the evening sun on their faces. These fleeting moments of sensuality leap out of the screen to make the viewer feel both the labor and love of these moments, bringing the romance to life. As the film embarks on the slow and intimate journey through a relationship, spending just as much time on the actors actually cooking food as it does with the plot, viewers begin to understand what love is to these people. Every slice of the knife and every bite makes viewers’ hearts flutter and their stomachs growl. Like every beautiful love story, this one breaks the heart and makes it sing, and all while joining the ranks of the greatest culinary movies like “Tampopo” and “Babette’s Feast.”

NATE MESHAU

Contributor

“Fallen Leaves” Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki is a Cannes Film Festival sweetheart and one of the few from that select set of people who manages to consistently be funny. The consistently wry and short-winded director does this once again with his new understated and idiosyncratically deadpan romantic comedy. Imbued with the energy of a parable but the plot of a melodrama, the film is simple and uncomplicated, yet relatable as it explores the budding romance between two lonely working-class individuals. The lonely hearts at the center of the story are accompanied by a quirky supporting cast of close friends that are as hilarious and singular as one can hope for in any contemporary romance. In under ninety minutes, this movie gives viewers a goofy, nearly cartoonish tale that is touching, lifting and hilarious and reminds you that, even when the world seems gray (in every meaning of the word), a little bit of good company is all you need.

“Monster” Taking no time off at all, Japanese legend Hirokazu Kore-eda hits the theaters again with his follow up to last year’s “Broker.” While it fails to reach the emotional highs and critical acclaim of his last two features, Kore-eda continues to prove that almost nobody understands children like him.

In a winding tale that switches between different perspectives of a bullying narrative, from the kid being bullied to even the perpetrators of the act themselves, Kore-eda’s Cannes winning screenplay delves into the depths of several characters in a way not unlike Asghar Farhadi, giving them all they are due and hoping to appear understanding above all else. Complex setpieces and narrative foot-stomps intricately link together to create an emotional payoff alongside moments of affective clarity, dancing in and around a seemingly looming tragedy only to end with hope in the viewer’s heart and tears in their eyes. While it is one of his weaker efforts, it is a high bar for someone as brilliant as Kore-eda.

ARTS & LIFE

08

Four Books Every Woman Should Read in her Twenties Morgan Hausback Managing Editor The benefits of reading are endless. From finding answers to life’s most sought-after questions, personal inspiration or the feeling of a warm hug and a sense of visibility when an author writes a story that feels like it came directly from your personal diary, there is a book out there for everyone. There can also be books that feel designed for certain periods in one’s life. Here are four books every woman in their twenties ought to read.

“The Group” by Mary McCarthy For fans of “Sex and the City,” ever wonder where the inspiration for the four distinctively fabulous women came from? The eight Vassar graduates of Mary McCarthy’s 1963 novel “The Group” became the inspiration for journalist Candance Bushnell’s collection of essays on sex, dating and everything else taboo in the 1990s, and later, the hit TV show of the same name.

This story follows college-graduate women in the 1930s as they each pursue their unique life paths, from traditional domestic households to more unconventional ways of living.

McCarthy’s original work, published in 1963, was scandalous at the time for its open discussion of contraceptives, socialism and sex, all from the viewpoint of the supposedly pure college graduate women. There are also underlying queer tones.

The novel exemplifies female friendships that outlast the tumultuous changes that come after one’s graduation cap is thrown. While the novel was particularly radical in suggesting, and according to critics, promoting alternative lifestyles for women outside of the domestic sphere, it still holds up for women in their twenties today. This story reminds women that they have the power to choose their own fates, and they should cling to their best friends as they do so.

“Everything I Know About Love” by Dolly Alderton This may be the quintessential memoir every girl

in her twenties must read. After all, Alderton is the source of the trending TikTok sound, “Nearly everything I know about love, I’ve learned from my long-term friendships with women.”

In this hilarious memoir, Alderton traces all of her past love experiences, setting up the reader for a revelation about romantic love. What she provides instead is an authentic confession about how her life has been shaped far more by her female friends than any potential partners.

Whether you personally can relate to Alderton’s outrageous and downright stupid decisions when she is young or, if you are like me and you are definitely a Farly, Alderton’s more sensible best friend, her conclusions about the power of love between female friends is something every woman in their twenties ought to know. As Alderton suggests, men may come and go, but the friends who stay with you through all your dumb, adolescent mistakes are worth keeping around and investing in.

“A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Woolf In this classic feminist essay, Virginia Woolf narrates the history of women writers and their historical lack of free expression and equal opportunity as their male counterparts. But don’t be alarmed by the word “classic” because this essay is both easy to digest and immensely worth the time.

This essay hits everything. Published in 1929, Woolf discusses the state of education for women, the lack of financial independence that leads women to need marriage in order to survive, the few women of her time who have achieved mainstream literary success and more.

However, perhaps most radical in Woolf’s essay is her honest confrontation of queer relationships between women in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as she writes, “Then I may tell you that the very next words I read were these – ‘Chloe liked Olivia …’ Do not start. Do not blush. Let us admit in the privacy of our own society that these things sometimes happen. Sometimes women do

(Rachel Zilligen / The University News)

like women.” Woolf’s essay is a worthy read both for its significance for the time period, but also because it still holds up today in feminist and

gender theory.

“Heartburn” by Nora Ephron While books can offer powerful advice for women in their twenties, there are also books that are just downright delightful to read. This farcical short novel follows food critic Rachel, who learns her husband is cheating on her…while she is pregnant with their child.

Ephron has gained more notoriety as a screenwriter for iconic films such as “When Harry Met Sally” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” but she actually first gained her prominence as a journalist. The real kicker about this funny story about a sad experience is that it is not-so-subtly based on her own unsuccessful marriage to Carl Bernstein–yes, that “All the President’s Men” Carl Berstein.

“Heartburn” is a sardonic look into married life, but more importantly, it is the story of a woman who learns that her worth is separate from her relationship status. As a bonus, the novel happens to be full of recipes, which provide cooking tips and tricks between the story of a breaking marriage.

ARTS & LIFE

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St. Louis Art Spots MC Pavlick Fundraising Chair If you are looking for: social intimacy, thoughtful discourse and contemporary and local art.

MC Pavlick / The University News

The Luminary serves as both a physical space for gathering and experiencing art, as well as a social space for creating change. Exhibitions, residencies, performances, publications and gatherings coexist in this distinctive art space fostering creative exchanges between artists. Its engaging programs explore critical topics relating to race, gender and status, promoting art and dialogue as a catalyst for transformation. The Luminary is currently showcasing new works by 13 artists engaged with the institution at varying levels in its exhibition “To Pillar, To Platform,” on view until Dec. 2, 2023. Filmmaker and photographic artist Emma Bright plays with crystals and light refraction in her storytelling pieces that forge connections between storyteller and audience. Brian Lathan, a Luminary studio member and professor of Printmaking here at SLU, comments on narratives through print, digital illustration and sculpture.

Just next door, Monaco supports the Luminary’s dedication to artist-centric spaces as an alternative to rejecting the traditional gallery concepts. Traditional galleries are typically run by buyers whose goal in gallery work is to make a profit.

Monaco, on the other hand, is artist-run and seeks to amplify artists’ voices. When artists are involved as essential stakeholders, viewers receive a more raw representation of their creative works. Monaco currently has two works on view: “SPORTS!,”an exploration of video performance and sculpture, and “Orator,” a series of slate drawings. Both exhibitions are on view until Nov. 19, 2023.

The Luminary provides a stipend and rentfree use of the space’s bar area to Black Coffee, a coffee shop dedicated to fostering collaboration within the creative community. Located on the

culturally rich Cherokee Street, the Luminary has a raw-space feel with high ceilings, natural wood elements and blank walls with a capacity for custom transformation. While many gallery spaces are activated with framed pieces and block-style pedestals, exhibitions in the Luminary tend to take on a more immersive role. The space is transformed so that visitors experience art, frequently altering the interior landscape of the space with furniture and life-size installations. The Luminary and Monaco are free to the public.

If you are looking for: cultural relevance, contemporary and minimalist architecture, and historically-significant and contemporary art.

Just a three-minute walk from SLU’s campus, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation is located in the Grand Center Arts District. The Pulitzer’s architecture itself serves as a piece of art for visitors to walk into.

Tadao Ando designed the building with natural elements like water and light in mind, complete with his signature use of concrete. Wide open spaces and natural lighting allow for visitors to have a more fluid experience with the art. An alcove in the building makes space for a long, reflective pool of water that visitors can access through the main gallery. Park-Like and Spring Church shape the Pulitzer experience and the spaces surrounding it. The Pulitzer offers a wide range of free public engagement programs, including workshops and musical events. Recent shows have explored relevant topics like family histories of Native persons, the culture of St. Louis, liberation, racism, feminism and misogyny. If not including the building itself, the Pulitzer houses two pieces in its permanent collection: “Blue Black” by Ellsworth Kelly in the main gallery, and a sculpture by Serra Joe in the courtyard.

Originally built by Tadao Ando as a space to display Emily Rauh Pulitzer and Joseph Pulitzer Jr.’s art collection, the Pulitzer soon evolved into a noncollecting art museum. Its exhibitions are largely contemporary, with some historic collections emphasizing cultural narratives. Because of the building’s unique architecture, some artists are invited to create site-specific installations.

Currently on view, Sarah Crowner’s “Around Orange” responds to both Ando’s architecture and works by her longtime inspiration Ellsworth Kelly. On the lower level of the museum, “Urban Archaeology: Lost Building of St. Louis” showcases salvaged architectural elements from the National Building Arts Center. Both shows are on view until Feb. 4, 2024. Entry to the Pulitzer is free for all.

A few steps through the Pulizter’s courtyard brings visitors to the Contemporary Art Museum (CAM). CAM, like the Pulitzer, relies on exhibitions rather than a permanent collection. CAM currently has six exhibitions on view, including an immersive solo exhibition by Hajra Waheed and a site-specific installation critiquing cultural stereotypes of what it means to be Latinoby Justin Favela. The lot of six exhibitions is on view until Feb. 11, 2024 with free entry.

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23 24 25 26 27 28 29 R M I R F B H M S L I C N E P B E C 14 Slot machine symbol E Y S D A E B K V U V D O N S T H H 32 30 31 15 House style P X Q F M Y D K Q A V Z S R T A B K 33 34 35 16 Copier need A N J Q Z L O E G S F L H E R D R W 17 Tabloid topic 36 37 38 39 18 How they voted P R U L E R S N P R S D L C C J M E 20 Pre-entree course 40 41 W A M T Q J G N S O R A O G L L U L 22 Ice melter 42 43 44 45 46 47 O Y I Y X A L J M S P A S L L A A Y 23 Greek god of love S L O N X V I G H S L K E P M J R Y 49 50 51 48 24 Essential amino F R O X T G T O I I I A H F R I O F acid 52 53 L V E N Y C T L K C O T S D R A C H 27 Fashion line 60 54 55 56 57 58 59 30 Type of Z E N K H D E D B S Q W U P E I Z M indignation 62 63 61 F L S A R M R L I W K X R C O U E W 32 Funeral mound 33 Swine 65 66 64 E K L A P A B E C B V U B E J N L U 34 From the L K U M E E M A C A N V A S A D G G Copyright ©2023 PuzzleJunction.com beginning T A A T W O K F R A V S O Q H V I E 36 Do-gooders 24 Western director 66 Arles article 40 Watering hole 40 General Sergio 43 Bamboo forest Copyright ©2023 PuzzleJunction.com assembly 25 Jellystone Park Down denizens BEADS ERASER PALETTE 41 Etcher’s need denizen 44 Tarnish BRUSHES FABRIC PAPER 42 Route 26 Uphold 1 Addict 45 Crown covering CANVAS FELT PENCILS CARD STOCK GLITTER RULER 43 Bit by bit 2 African adventure 27 Song of praise 46 Harmonize CHALK GLUE SCISSORS 10/25/23 Sudoku 48 Mil. mailbox 28 MemorableUniversity periods 47 News 3 Opening words Feudal lords CHARCOAL GOLD LEAF SEQUINS 49 Rio ___ 29 Actor Gibson 4 Style of poker 49 Tumbler CLAY INK SKETCHBOOK CRAYONS MARKERS SPONGE 51 Pro’s foe 31 “___ does it!”

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(Abby Campbell/The University News)

“All Love, No Hate” Drag Show

(Photo courtesy of Nadia Abusoud)

(Abby Campbell/The University News)

On Oct. 11, SLU hosted the “All Love, No Hate” drag show sponsored by SLU’s Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement, SLU Rainbow Alliance and SLU Student Involvement Center. Six drag performers, including Roxxy Malone, Lucy Coture, Andrew Genius, Chasity Valentino and Analyse Thropic, took the stage in the Busch Student Center. All money raised from the event went to SLU Rainbow’s Queer Closet.

(Photo courtesy of Nadia Abusoud) (Abby Campbell/The University News)

(Abby Campbell/The University News)

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FALLing in love with

S a i n t LLoo u i s EMMA DUMAN

Photography Editor

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UNEWS FALL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

Winner #1: Nadia Abusoud “This is a photo of a beautiful woman who put on her own makeup for a fun photoshoot we did in Forest Park. She created the headpiece herself! This was taken around the time of day of the dead.”

- Nadia Abusoud

Winner #2: Lowella Elliott “Miniature horse laying in hay at the St. Louis Renaissance Festival.”

-Lowella Elliott

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Sports

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SLU Field Hockey Earns Conference Win on Senior Day EMMA BROWKA Sports Editor

The Saint Louis University field hockey team closed out their home season on Oct. 20 with an impressive 5-1 win against the Lock Haven Bald Eagles. The team effort led the Billikens to their first conference win of the season and set the school record for the most goals scored in a conference game. Before the start of the game, the six graduating players were honored in a ceremony for Senior Day. These seniors include Grace Golembiewski, Brooke Mason, Lauren Pendergast, Demi Sahuleka, Cameron Tucker, and Kendyl Underwood.

The Billikens struggled throughout the first half of the game, entering halftime down 1-0, but came back scoring five goals in the second half. Less than a minute into the third quarter, Mason scored on the Bald Eagles, assisted by sophomore Abby Vidas. Three minutes later, junior Josefina Perez put up another point for the Billikens off a pass from Julia Rooijakkers. Three more goals were scored in the fourth quarter: a goal by sophomore Shaya Dry assisted by Mason, one from Vidas assisted by Dry, and another by Sahuleka assisted by Golembiewski. Underwood made four saves in the net, leading the defensive force for the team, and limiting Lock Haven to a singular goal during the game.

The win was especially important to the team seeing as they earned the win for their seniors on Senior Day and the last home game.

“It was really exciting to get a win, especially by such a good margin,” Pendergast said.

The team feels that they have not lived up to their potential this season, and this win displayed the level of play that they aimed to showcase.

“This game showed what we are capable of. It showed the ability this team has and it’s been there all season long, it just hasn’t come out,” Sahuleka said.

The game outcome made it clear to both the players and fans that this team has potential in future seasons, even if it seemed hidden this year.

Although finishing the final home game is undoubtedly a bittersweet feeling for those graduating, they leave a lasting impression on the current and future players with the continued improvements of the program.

“I feel like every year we have gained more of a culture and understanding of how we want to play and how we want to work as a team,” Mason said. The teamwork aspect was apparent on this day, as the energy during and after this game showed the magnitude of this win for the team, as well as the pride they held in the notion of earning it in honor of the graduating players.

SLU field hockey closed out their season 3-13 overall and 1-6 in conference play. Although this was not the season outcome the Billikens were working for, this final game at home proved that the synergy and

relationships between players can carry the team in upcoming seasons.

With six players graduating, the team looks to rising leaders to maintain the passion and drive within the program that has been thus far established with the seniors.

(Emma Duman/The University News)

Sports

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SLU’s First Eating Competition A Big Mac Challenge MICKY DAVIS Contributor

Tony’s Table Throwdown began as one man’s uphill mission to put the limits of his body, mind and metabolism to the test by downing 50 Big Macs in no less than 20 minutes. After a crushing blow in the form of a doctor’s suggestion that eating over 28,000 calories in one sitting would undoubtedly have disastrous consequences on his physical wellbeing, Tony Chaboude conceded to instead host six students in SLU’s first-ever Big Mac Daddy Competition on Oct. 13.

Inspired by competitive eating legends like Joey Chestnut and Matt Stonie, Chaboude declared that “eating competitions between people is more fun because there’s goals and things at stake.” After weeks of advertisement and crowdfunding, the prize pool included $100 cash for the first place winner with consolation gift cards to Fresh Thyme and Alamo Drafthouse for second and third place, respectively.

As the clock ticked down to the designated start time, Grand Dining Hall filled with spectators and curious onlookers. One at a time, the McGladiators entered the ring and took their seats. The field was made up of entirely volunteer underclassmen: Joe Glaser, Jacob Zorc, Sahand Darwish, Rashid Albaharna, Thomas McNamara and Will Naftzger.

With the table full of burgers and the room full of energy, Chaboude began his introductions and announcements. The final surprise as teased on social media came in the form of a healthy topping of Taco Bell’s Diablo Sauce on one of each competitor’s Big Macs.

With the preliminary announcements out of the way and the nerves heightened, the countdown ended and the eating began.

Though the competition started 10 minutes behind schedule, the contestants quickly made

(Micky Davis/The University News)

up for the lost time as they tunneled their way through mounds of sesame seed buns and beef patties.

McNamara’s strategy seemed to be to compress the burgers as flat as possible before working his way through, but Albaharna’s method of eating straight through each one without pause allowed him to take the lead.

While the brute force game plan afforded Albaharna some distance between his five opponents, that gap was quickly overtaken as he struggled to down his third Big Mac. Seeing the opportunity, Darwish eagerly took advantage of Albaharna’s hesitation and jumped to the frontrunner position.

With the final Big Mac boxes open and the contestants’ hands coated with grease, the $100 grand prize spurred the six food fighters on towards the first place ribbon. While others’ hands were full of burger, one man’s hands pumped into the air as a sign of absolute triumph: Sahand Darwish had taken the win in just over seven minutes. He took a victory lap to a round of

raucous applause and cheering, ending it by eating the last few bites of Albaharna’s fourth burger. With five and one-third Big Macs in his stomach and $100 in his wallet, Darwish sat triumphantly to watch the rest of the warriors duel it out.

In the end, Albanharna was unable to finish the challenge, handing off his final burger to Chaboude. Second place went to Zorc, with Naftzger claiming third. The 2,815 calorie count of the five burgers left all of the contestants reeling except for Darwish, who declared in a brief post-win interview that he was “feeling great, but a bit hungry.” In an interview conducted by DineSLU, he asserted that his victory was because he “spent the last 18 years of [his] life eating nonstop”.

Ultimately, Chaboude’s hope is that his Table Throwdown will become a bi-annual event at SLU with various food challenges and competitors each time, and wishes to say “thank you to everyone for supporting one of my dreams.”

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Former SLU Men’s Basketball Guard, Yuri Collins, Signs with the Golden State Warriors NIA STEVENSON Staff Writer Yuri Collins, the former guard for SLU men’s basketball, signed his first professional contract with the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 16. Collins went unselected in the 2023 NBA Draft, but played with the Warriors in the 2023 NBA Summer League. Collins’ journey to sign with the Warriors was assisted by his record-setting career with SLU. “Yuri Collins will go down as one the all time great Billiken Basketball players. He made a huge lasting impact on our basketball program,” SLU Head Coach Travis Ford said.

Before Collins began his career at SLU, he graduated from St. Mary’s High School, which is located in south St. Louis. He currently holds the record at St. Mary’s as their all-time leader in assists and steals. The record setting prowess Collins is known for only grew from there.

In his freshman year with the Billikens, Collins broke the SLU freshman record with 171 assists during the 2019-20 season. Collins led all freshmen in the NCAA with 5.5 assists per game. During his sophomore season, Collins was 10th overall in the NCAA, averaging 6.1 assists per game. Collins’s performance only went up from there.

During his junior year with the Billikens, Collins took on a leadership role with the team.

He was named to the Atlantic 10 First-team AllConference and led the entire NCAA in assists with 267. Those 267 assists made him the record holder at SLU for single-season assists. His former coach, Travis Ford is optimistic about Collins’ future and had this to say about his former record setting player.

“I’m very excited for him as he embarks on his

professional basketball career with the Golden State Warriors,” Ford said.

Collins’s 2022-23 season and his final year, saw him average 10.1 assists and average 11.2 points per game, which was his best season in his collegiate career. Collins was one of five finalists nominated for the Bob Cousy Award, which is awarded to the nation’s top point guard.

Yuri Collins’ journey with basketball has taken him from St. Louis to the Bay Area. Collins is most likely to begin his professional career with the Warriors G-League team, the Santa Cruz Warriors as they take on the Stockton Kings on Friday, November 10.

(Photo Courtesy of The NBA)

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The Champions Center Is To Open This Month ISMAEL DOMIN

Sports Editor

Nine years ago, Saint Louis University’s Athletic Director, Chris May, asked the question, “How can we better serve our student-athletes everyday?” After nearly a decade of planning, fundraising and construction, the answer has taken shape in the form of an addition to Chaifetz Arena, named the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center.

The ribbon cutting ceremony took place Oct 9, with over one hundred spectators gathering in the Chaifetz Arena parking lot. Eleven people spoke at the ceremony, including Chris May, University President Fred Pestello, and namesake donor Bob O’Loughlin. Throughout the ceremony, the speakers elaborated on the facilities inside the center and how they would promote success for student-athletes. Dietetics, mental health and academics were treated with the same importance as athletic success when planning the building.

An athletes-only dining hall, sports psychology offices, a study room as well as brand new offices for the basketball coaches and new film rooms.

Following the speeches the ribbon was cut by twentytwo people, twenty one more than is conventional. Among the twenty two ribbon cutters were all of the speakers, multiple coaches, athletes and donors. Chris May told the University News that, “The message was about being inclusive, the message was that at the end of the day, this is about our students”.

During a private tour, Assistant Director of Athletics-Media Relations Brian Kunderman was able to shed further light on the specifics of

these facilities and others in the 25,000 square foot addition. Athletes would have meal swipe access to the dining hall under an additional dining plan, with food provided by Delaware North, one of the leading hospitality companies in all of sports.

Delaware North provides dining for Busch Stadium, MetLife Stadium, TD Garden and multiple other major league venues in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. Athletes also have access to a snack bar stocked with yogurt, protein bars, smoothies and more. The study area, or “Success Suite,” is a large and varied common area meant to emulate any desired studying environment. Multiple smaller rooms line the perimeter, and advisor offices make up the west wall of the room.

The second floor hosts the new offices for the basketball teams, with a spacious office for each head coach, a “war room” for film and multiple offices for assistant coaches. Coaches are scheduled to move in next week, but have been making use of the facility since the ribbon cutting.

After the basketball coaches move into their suites, other teams’ coaches will upgrade to the basketball teams’ previous offices. Next to the basketball suites is the Victory Room, a small lounge for celebration and recruitment, complete with a new Billiken statue. The Victory Room also hosts a screen with access to film from each sport and a database of every single SLU athlete on record.

Down the hall are the offices for nutritionists and psychologists, which are intentionally out of the way to preserve each athlete’s privacy.

There is no doubt that student athletes will benefit from the Champions Center, but there has been some criticism. Last year the construction of the center caused outrage among student athletes who were forced to move their cars from the Arena parking lot to make room for basketball donors, because their usual space was taken up by the construction. The construction inconvenienced any student or Billiken fan trying to enter the stadium and made many question if the Champions Center was a worthwhile investment.

While the worry that it was a waste of tuition payment has been quelled, as the twenty million dollar project was entirely donor-funded, some critics feel that it is a basketball investment more so than an all-athletes investment. Worries were not helped when May explicitly called athletics a “basketball-centric program” during his ribbon cutting speech, and when it was revealed that the basketball teams were the only teams with new offices. While the center does cater towards basketball in some ways, that does not take away from the benefits all athletes will have access to on the ground floor of the facility.

After the center fully opens later this November, the University News will look into the opinions of student athletes regarding the center and its many new amenities. It remains to be seen if the Champions Center was worth the decade of work and millions of dollars, but as its purpose is to serve student athletes, that verdict rests with them.

(Photo Courtesy of Sarah Conroy)

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opinion

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An Author You Should Know: Ottessa Moshfegh

one of the greatest up-and-coming writers of the 21st an important author. She weaves feelings that the century.” average young woman from the ages of 13-30 would CALLA TRUSCHEL JACOBS Moshfegh grew up in Boston, and her writing has feel and she draws you in. The characters she builds Staff Writer already earned her an extensive list of nominations, feel the most common human emotions, and they are ranging from the Hemingway Foundation Award to the portrayed through stories that are impossible to put If you enjoy reading, you are likely familiar with all Stegner Fellowship at Stanford. She has also lived in down. Obviously being addicted to sleeping pills and the most famous, renowned authors of the past. You New York City and even worked at a punk bar in China isolating yourself isn’t model behavior, but the way in know your medieval writers, Dante Alighieri, William while also teaching English on the side. which the unnamed protagonist in “My Year of Rest Shakespeare. You are probably also familiar with Though “My Year of Rest and Relaxation” isn’t her first and Relaxation” was portrayed through the writing of Voltaire and Austen, 19th-century Dickens and Leo published work, it is what drew me into my Moshfegh Moshfegh made it applicable to any girl’s life.

Tolstoy. If you are really caught up, you might even obsession. Published in 2018, the book follows a recent, Not only is Moshfegh a talented author because she know James Joyce and Toni Morrison. But do you unnamed Columbia graduate as she struggles to face is able to say what is on the minds of her readers so ever stop to think: who is going to leave their ink on her parents’ passing, the shallowness of New York City beautifully, but she is able to write a wide variety of the pages of today? Who is going to be examined and society in 2000 and her battle to sleep away an entire storylines and characters with all varying dimensions, applauded as one of the influential authors of our year with the help of a wacky psychiatrist who eagerly showing her talent as an author. everyday? overprescribes a wide variety of sedatives and various In “Lapnova,” set in a medieval village, a disabled Over the summer, I had the pleasure of finding who other psychiatric drugs. boy lives with his cruel, shepherd stepfather, who was I believe to be the most influential author of modern This anger, the boredom with life that radiates from in turn nursed by the village witch. The deformed day writing. It was late May, and I was browsing Left the unnamed protagonist as she attempts to sleep boy, Malek, ends up living in the castle of a cruel and Bank Books on Euclid Avenue when I stumbled upon away a life that most would die for was so intriguing self-centered lord. Entirely different than a modern, a certain Ottessa Moshfegh. The specific rich, model-like Ivy graduate, this novel book that I picked up was “My Year of Rest explores the idea that our wills are not and Relaxation.” The physical book stood entirely chosen by ourselves, but instead out because of its odd Victorian-style by those with the most power and privilege. painting-esque cover and intriguing blurb In “Eileen,” which takes place in the written on the back. I recall reading for 1960s, the uptight Eileen, exhausted by hours for the next three days. I sat for so having to take care of her alcoholic father, long reading this book that I would have dreams of escaping to the big city. While to remember to unclench my shoulders working at the juvenile detention center, after an hour or so had passed. she meets Rebecca, an Ivy League graduate This past summer, I was so enchanted who emanates beauty, confidence, and with Moshfegh’s style of writing that I stability, everything Eileen craves. The two scoured my local library for any book of end up committing a crime together, given hers that I could get my hands on. I read that Eileen is desperate to make Rebecca “Eileen” and “Lapnova,” with “Homesick like her. The book is most likely meant to For Another World” being next on my be a critique of those in power; it brings list. My local librarian remarked to me in July that it to me that I ended up rereading “My Year of Rest and forth the idea that the people in prisons that are most seemed rare enough these days that younger girls Relaxation” twice more last summer. The book is full of dangerous are not the inmates but the authorities, the would latch onto a single author as desperately as gems such as, “Rejection, I have found, can be the only parents of juvenile prisoners, the police.

I did with Moshfegh. And she was right, I became so antidote to delusion. Sleep felt productive. Something Ottessa Moshfegh’s ability to take such different obsessed with Moshfegh’s style of writing. I fell in love was getting sorted out. I knew in my heart—this was, scenarios and draw in her readers to each and every with how genuine it was, the depth of each and every perhaps, the only thing my heart knew back then—that character she writes shows her incredible talent as an single character she wrote, so much so that for the when I’d slept enough, I’d be okay. I’d be renewed, author. Even if she has yet to reach mainstream levels whole summer I did my best to model my entire life reborn. I would be a whole new person, every one of of fame, I am certain that she will be revered as a classic after her unnamed protagonist in “My Year of Rest and my cells regenerated enough times that the old cells author, if not in my lifetime, sometime in the future. It Relaxation.” So, why do I think Ottessa Moshfegh will were just distant, foggy memories. My past life would is rare that an author can have such a knack for writing be considered a classic author in the next 100 years? be but a dream, and I could start over without regrets, that her creativity shines through with each and every Well, let’s dive in. bolstered by the bliss and serenity that I would have successful novel that she writes.

For starters, Moshfegh has lived exactly the type of accumulated in my year of rest and relaxation.” life that you would expect a future classic artist to live. This book offers a tale of what emotional exhaustion She is still relatively underground, so her Wikipedia with a valueless and material-based society can do to page isn’t exactly the same length as, say, Dickens’s, someone with a teetering mental state. but it provides just enough intrigue to make you think, The relatableness of a girl unhappy with her current “This is exactly the type of woman who is just eccentric situation, who says things I often find in my own internal enough, who has lived just enough lives to make her thought process, is exactly what makes Moshfegh such

“This book offers a tale of emotional exhaustion with a valueless and material-based society can do to someone with a teetering mental state.”

opinion

SATIRE

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slufakenews

Billiken Stars Alongside Animatronics In Five Nights At Freddy’s!

(Photo Credit slufakenews) “Five Nights at Freddy’s” had its theatrical release this past week on October 27th to critical acclaim. The story, based on the popular video game, follows Mike Schmidt, played by Josh Hutcherson, as he struggles to keep a job due to his traumatic past. Schmidt makes an appeal to career counselor Steve Raglan (Matthew Lillard) for a position and is hired as a security guard at the former Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria - a locale with a troubling past that has a difficult time keeping staff. Though not initially thrilled by the position, Schmidt takes the job in order to take care of his sister, Abby (Piper Rubio).

Quickly, Schmidt realizes this gig isn’t like the others after he falls asleep the first two nights on the job. He dreams of his brother’s kidnapping, which took place when he was a child and is confronted, via the dream, by other children who resemble his own kidnapped brother. Based on his dreams, he believes that these children are subsequent victims of the same kidnapper who took his brother. After suffering an attack during his second shift, he meets police officer Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail), and the two explore the abandoned entertainment center. They come face to face, at last, with the quirky animatronics left behind in the building including a large bear, a chicken, and the Billiken.

Only after Schmidt brings his sister to his next shift, like the über-responsible brother he is, do these figures come to life! The Billiken takes center stage and outshines the other animatronics as he explains how they came to be alive in a musical number. This 8 minute long number - which includes a tap dance interlude and a short spoken word section - verifies Schmidt’s theory that the spirits inhabiting the animatronics were victims of William Afton (Fred Pestello), the past owner of the pizzeria. The bodies and souls of these children are trapped within and won’t be free until Afton is brought to justice.

In the epic conclusion, the animatronics and Billiken take Abby back to the pizzeria in an attempt to make her like them. Schmidt and Vanessa fight to save her and ultimately battle Afton after it is revealed that he is Vanessa’s dad. The Billiken, once more, takes center stage as he single handedly defeats Afton and saves the Schmidt siblings and Vanessa. After all is quiet, the souls of the children materialize and thank the Billiken before fading into nothingness. At this point, the Billiken faces the camera and addresses the audience with a “Roll Bills!” He then shoots through the roof of the entertainment center, leaving a large hole through which the final shot of the film is taken, showing the remaining characters watching the Billiken fly away. “THE END?” flashes briefly on screen before the picture fades to black.

Overall, “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is a cinematic masterpiece that dutifully showcases the acting prowess of both Josh Hutcherson and the Billiken.

The movie’s fast-paced action in tandem with its original musical components keeps the audience engaged and on the edge of their seats. I trust that this movie will become a classic and usher us into a new age of cinema. I look forward to seeing how the Billiken uses this to advance his own acting career.

opinion Top 5 Places We Should Move the SLU Dolphin

22 KALEB YU Staff Writer

The Dolphin pond installation along Grand Avenue has an overall concrete aesthetic that is both pleasing and brings a welcoming splash to the school.

However, its location was not the best choice. The grassy knoll between Grand Hall and Grand Avenue used to be a place to relax and participate in various outdoor activities. The spacious green space out in the sun by Grand is now occupied by the Dolphins.

The overall addition of the dolphins could’ve been so much more valuable if one of these other locations were chosen. #1 Grand Dining Hall Here’s a proposal for DineSLU: Dine WITH the dolphins! While visible from the dining hall at the moment, a relocation indoors to the hall would be massively beneficial. We could improve this grand establishment by having the dolphins next to where students can enjoy a meal. It would bring some company to those who eat alone as well. The dolphins could also have a utility function if they were incorporated into the facilities and could act as a dispenser for ice cream or beverages.

#3 ISE 211 Imagine starting your day greeted by dolphins in one of the campus’s largest classrooms. This room encompasses most of the introductory biology and #5 SLU Ruba chemistry courses which have massive enrollments at For an area with sand and a pool, there is a significant this school. Instead of dozing off to slides, you’d be lack of aquatic views. Adding dolphins here would waving at the dolphins in the middle of the room. The make a tremendous difference and bring about a perfect way to learn biology is to be able to appreciate great deal of improvements to SLUruba. You would marine life. be able to enjoy the fountain here directly as you literally get to take a dive with dolphins.

#4 Fifth Floor of Pius Library The fifth floor was always known as the quiet floor, but that doesn’t mean it has to be the boring one.

Adding some concrete dolphins would create a soothing environment for people trying to get in a long study session. You will also never feel alone with the addition of these structures up there with you.

#2 Olive Compton Garage This would bring a lot of joy to commuters who would get to see the dolphins upon arrival to campus.

“It is unfortunate that the area in front of Grand Dining Hall can no longer be used by students for recreational activities. But I would be very interested in how they would get the plumbing fitted here,” mused Jack Carignan, president of the Commuter Student Association. Seeing these statues upon arriving at the gate would be a great way to make you forget about the traffic you just went through.

(Kaleb Yu/ The University News)

opinion

23

SLUnatics: The Pulsating Heartbeat of Saint Louis University BRENDAN BRUNETTE Staff Writer

Arriving at Saint Louis University in August 2022, I community. SLUnatics has truly revolutionized my was both excited and nervous to find my place. While experience at SLU, while also providing a regular, I knew that I wanted to excel academically, make distracting mental health break from a taxing day or lasting friends and find my niche on campus, I initially week. struggled with the transition to college. Although I “SLUnatics is the heart and soul when it comes to tried my hand at an intramural sport and attempted to the energy [of SLU sports],” Andrae’Co “Dre’Co” Craig frankenstein a friend group together, my overall lack said. Dre’Co, a SLU alumnus, is a local rapper and of committed involvement seemed to be the root of entertainer who serves as the electric MC at all SLU many of my personal challenges. However, my general basketball games. “We can really change the game,” outlook on college seemed to change when I attended Dre’Co said. “Don’t miss it…Don’t be the one who a SLU basketball game that October. missed it.”

On Oct. 24, 2022, I attended a SLU men’s basketball So, whether you are a die-hard sports aficionado or game at Chaifetz Arena, pitting the Billikens against have never watched a single game, I extend a warm University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) in a friendly invitation to become a part of the heartbeat of Saint scrimmage. My roommate and I started the game (Brendan Brunette / The University News) Louis University. Because, at the end of the day, we contentedly around half-court for much of the first are all united as SLUnatics, long after the final whistle half. However, by halftime, we were drawn to the Now, as a sophomore, I have realized that SLUnatics is blows. student section-bleachers that housed the SLUnatics, much more than merely a student section, but rather conveniently adjacent to the opposing teams’ bench. a living, vibrant community that consistently brings We immediately noticed that the first row was rather unparalleled energy to Hermann Stadium or Chaifetz desolate, so we did what any proud Billiken would do Arena. Today, I serve as the VP of Gameday Operations by taking up space, joining the boisterous cheering for SLUnatics, a role focused on strengthening our and progressively losing our voices throughout the student sections through our infectious energy, game. I had never felt more comfortable at SLU up to captivating themes and roaring chants. Additionally, that point and finally felt like I had found something this year, I have attended much more than just SLU in college that I loved. basketball games – as I regularly watch SLU volleyball For the rest of the 2022-2023 basketball season, I sat in games and bang the drum while leading the crowd at the front row for nearly every game and began to realize nearly every single men and women’s soccer match. that I was making lifelong memories. From casually “SLUnatics contributes to the [athletic] success we’re doing the pre-game Swag Surf with SLU President Fred having – a key part of the success that we’re having,” Pestello, to winning $700 after completing the 3 Shot Saint Louis University President Dr. Fred Pestello Challenge on the court, I made countless memories all said. “If you take a group like SLUnatics, these are season long which I will cherish for the rest of my life. our most devoted student fans…they help contribute I also made several new friends and experienced the to this pride and culture of the institution.” Pestello, highs and lows of a given basketball season with my in his 10th year serving as SLU’s first permanent lay fellow Billikens – something I did not truly appreciate President, often sits in the student section for much of until later in my college experience. In addition, my the first half of SLU basketball games. presence and dedication to SLUnatics planted the “To me, it’s great fun. You can’t help but smile when seeds for the other areas of involvement on campus you’re in there among those students who are having that I would eventually discover. such a good time cheering on their school’s team and (Lily Callon / The University News) “I think the biggest thing has been a confidence enjoying each other’s company.” Pestello finished, thing in you – definitely going from the freshman “[SLUnatics] makes me realize how special of a place in the bleachers who was quieter than you are now this is. I just think it is a wonderful organization to to somebody [whose] not afraid to get other people have.” involved,” SLUnatics President Sophia Siminow Ironically enough, I have learned throughout this said. Siminow, a senior who’s been involved with entire process that the core of being a SLUnatic extends the organization since her freshman year, is a clear much farther beyond the numbers on the scoreboard example of the firsthand benefits that SLUnatics can at the end of the game, or even the win-loss column at provide for students. “It’s just the community – I feel the end of a season. Instead, the identity of a SLUnatic so connected to SLU…It [SLUnatics] gave me my friend lies in those shared moments, the friendships that group, my community and stress relief. It’s my favorite are forged and the sense of belonging that engulfs thing to do when I’m not studying.” a student whenever they willingly join that vibrant

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