Last week, opinion writer Adam Wojcik took the time to comment on the title of and content within my weekly column this semester. The one thing he failed to consider is the inspiration behind and intent of my pieces. Even more unfortunately, that’s all one might find worth considering. While I got the sense… Keep Reading
Sam Smith said “hello” to fans for the first time in three years with the release of “Too Good at Goodbyes,” followed by his impactful, In The Lonely Hour follow-up The Thrill Of It All. And thrilling it is – not just because the radio needs such a caliber of vocal excellence, but because of… Keep Reading
Apologies jerk the suppression of guilt and resentment off our crumbling backs. As humans, we need that sort of liberation; it gives us the freedom to start from square one, to either have a second chance, or potentially take ownership of something or someone we broke. But apologies can fall short; sometimes, they can worsen… Keep Reading
Last week’s opinion piece by Luke Nolan, titled “Contraception isn’t a human right,” caused a stir around campus and online. Twitter was booming with feedback, and there’s been a lot of talk about the writer’s fairly unpopular opinion. As I see it, the outrage is caused from a single, overlooked fact; the anger felt by… Keep Reading
It’s not like Christmas or Valentine’s Day; there aren’t any chocolates, firmly wrapped presents or cake – at least not for the majority of people. Instead, your present is a simple reminder – wrapped in inviting rainbow wrapping paper to compensate for such a blunt memo; it’s a memo some people revel… Keep Reading
The world’s a scarier place than mom said. My coping mechanism: Surrounding myself with like-minded people. While that sort of isolation might seem ignorant, it gives me some faith in humanity – that we’re all shooting for equality, respect life and love our fellow brothers and sisters. Maybe that’s my inner Franciscan coming out –… Keep Reading
The first time I heard the rapper XXXTENTACION’s popular track “Look At Me!” was at the hub of student activity: Allegany’s student bar The Other Place. The booming song – stock full of violent sentiments – ran rampant through the bar and, at the time, I didn’t have much of a care. I tapped my… Keep Reading
Political correctness started as social politeness. The technological revolution of the early 2000s brought us accessibility to mass information – all at the convenience of a Google search bar. In turn, traditional identifiers for marginalized populations, or the majority itself, don’t cut it anymore – mainly because any i-Something gives us the knowledge we need… Keep Reading
Sushi sounded good, but I didn’t ask for a side of slur. The fraternity house sounded fun, but I could’ve done without the verbal 3 a.m. daggers. The same goes for dinner the other night. I loved catching up with friends, but the surrounding looks when my pals across the table – a gay… Keep Reading
I’ve had a few consistencies over the past three years: An uncanny preference for The Hickey’s pizza station. A love-hate relationship with The Richter. A love for words. The latter was birthed from this very publication; a publication I found because Emmy Kolbe, my best friend since first Rob, said “Hey, you should consider writing… Keep Reading
The Orenthal James Simpson murder case was a landmark court case. It split demographics. It was racially charged. For the defense and prosecutors, it was a nightmare, a form of hell on Earth. The case’s timing splits today’s Millennials, too — with the older portion raised amidst and bombarded by the case’s headlines, the younger… Keep Reading
A world traveler, Leigh Simone, Ph.D., wasn’t afraid to play “plus one” on her husband’s recent, week-long trip to Kuwait — a Middle Eastern desert country, south of Iraq. Prior, Leigh Simone, a professor of Spanish, had visited countless scapes across the continents — from Germany’s lush planes to Spain’s pristine waters — but she’d… Keep Reading
Every once in a few lukewarm pop albums, we’re gifted something fantastic — a record with dynamicity that yanks at past heartstrings with resonance. Nineteen-year-old singer Khalid does just that on American Teen, his light and beachy debut album. The piece brings warmth to a bitter winter’s day — and peace of mind in Khalid’s… Keep Reading
Jordan Peele’s Get Out is a masterpiece, timely revealed within a cultural context of poor race relations; the film takes a stab at an issue that’s plagued America for centuries: slavery. And, yes, it’s based in the modern-day, where forced expectations and norms become a form of slavery. The psychological thriller is situated upon a… Keep Reading
“Why does everything have to be so political?” This notion roars its head from the unshackled mouths of conservative viewers after just about every major, televised event — despite an amendment that warrants uproar of any legal caliber. With this month’s annual Super Bowl performance, we heard a mix of emotions — manifested in social… Keep Reading
A&E’s psyche-twisting, jaw-dropping series Bates Motel is scheduled to launch its fifth installment this month — drawing from chilling, past plots and projecting the ongoing empire into heightened show time success. On Feb. 20, Bates fans will be reacquainted with Norma and Norman Bates, and all their subsequent sideshows — the supporting characters who always… Keep Reading
Kehlani’s recent release SweetSexySavage infuses a blend of pop music-style hooks and thoughtful, raw concepts; and the combination is dynamite. Those same culminations of artistic approaches hold the power to establish the 21-year-old singer, an America’s Got Talent finalist, within the mainstream. Her storytelling is skillful — taking the focus off of hip-hop’s expected innuendos… Keep Reading
On screen, musicals can easily fall dull — adopting a formula of momentous dance numbers, all tied together by loose, shifty dialogue. Damien Chazelle’s La La Land — starring Ryan Gosling as Sebastian, an aspiring jazz pianist, and Emma Stone as Mia, a hopeful actress, must be exempt from this award nomination damning curse —… Keep Reading
The holiday season is widely trademarked by family time and gift-giving, but for many students, it’s also a time to gain a little extra cash or professional experience. Students choose to work for a variety of reasons, too. For Joshua Svetz, a junior journalism and mass communication major, winter break is a time to make… Keep Reading
As students and faculty gear up for finals week, Kathleen Boser is getting ready for a yearly tradition — one formed from tragedy but offering peace of mind to many since. In September of 2002, Boser, an administrative assistant in the Jandoli School of Communication, lost her barely year-old grandson, Noah. Boser’s daughter, Beth, heard… Keep Reading