03.20.19

p.9 March 20, 2019 | 34st.com

EOTW: Madison Dawkins

p.11 Philly Dumpling Roundup

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Hurrah for the Red, White, and Blue ROTC students commit to military life early.

How does that shape their Penn experience?

The Horror Comeback

MARCH 20, 2019 3 WORD ON THE STREET

I'm Done Hiding My Bipolar Disorder

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EOTW: Madison Dawkins, Nicholas Escobar, Penn Gynmastics

Annabelle Williams, Editor–in–Chief Dalton DeStefano, Managing Editor Daniel Bulpitt, Audience Engagement Director Lily Snider, Assignments Editor Ethan Wu, Media Director Sophie Burkholder, Word on the Street Editor Katie Bontje, Ego Editor Sam Kesler, Music Editor Eliana Doft, Special Issues Editor Meerie Jesuthasan, Long–Term Features Editor Angie Lin, Developing Features Editor Bella Fertel, Style Editor Maryanne Koussa, Film & TV Editor Josephine Cheng, Arts Editor Emma Boey & Sophia Dai, Photo Editors Tahira Islam & Katie Steele, Copy Editors Dean Jones & Jackson Parli, Video Editors Ben Zhao, Print Director Ego Beats: Amanpreet Singh, Michelle Shen, Sophie Xi, Caroline Emma Moore, Chelsey Zhu, Sonali Deliwala

8 MUSIC

Hozier, Outgrowing Your Scene, Sigrid Review, Pollen Playlist

11 STYLE

Dumpling Roundup, Horoscopes, Pleasure Chest

LOL

12 FEATURE

Hurrah for the Red, White, and Blue

LOL 17 FILM & TV

Queer Eye, Horror Movies, Ricky Gervais, Captain Marvel

21 ARTS

Arts Classes at Penn, Cecilia Vicuña

LOL

Video Staff: Jean Chapiro, Christina Piasecki, Anab Aidid, Deja Jackson, Megan Kyne

Film & TV Beats: Anna Collins, Shriya Beesam, Shannon Zhang, Zovinar Khrimian, Calista Lopez, Ana Hallman, Samantha Sanders

Copy Deputies: Sarah Poss & Kira Horowitz

Arts Beats: Michelle Wan, Will Miller, Jess Araten, Katie Farrell, Adeleke McMillan Design Editors: Gillian Diebold, Lucy Ferry, Alice Heyeh, Jess Tan, Tamsyn Brann Associates: Dannie Watson, Joy Lee, Ian Ong, Jackie Lou, Anna Callahan, Isabel Liang, Christy Qiu, Nancy Kang, Donna Liu, Ava Cruz Staff Writers: Liz Kim, Jordan Waschman, Anjalee Bhuyan, Shunmel Syau, Bebe Hodges, Emma Harris, Tara OʼBrien, Jessica Bao, Mehek Boparai, Zoe Young, Sophia Schulz-Rusnacko, Alex Cook

Music Beats: Beatrice Forman, Arjun Swaminathan, Teresa Xie, Melannie Jay, Johnny Vitale, Julia Davies, Paul Litwin

Illustrators: Anne Chen, Anne Marie Grudem, Brad Hong, Carly Ryan, Catherine Liang, Jake Lem, Reese Berman, Saranya Sampath, Jessi Olarsch, Christopher Kwok, Diane Lin, Jacqueline Lou, Sammie Yoon, Kathy Chang, Ben Joergens

Features Staff: Katrina Janco, Shinyoung Hailey Noh, Allison Wu, Srinidhi Ramakrishna, Caroline Riise, Paige Fishman, Chris Schiller

Staff Photographers: Sophia Zhu, Eleanor Shemtov, Alice Deng, Hoyt Gong, Sukhmani Kaur, Mona Lee, Sally Chen, Adiel Izilov, Christine Wu, Anran Fang

Copy Associates: Kate Poole, Serena Miniter, Erin Liebenberg, Lexie Shah, Carmina Hachenburg, Luisa Healey, Agatha Advincula Audience Engagment Associates: Brittany Levy, McKay Norton, Kat Ulich, Emily Gelb, Ryan McLaughlin, Valentina Escudero, Samantha Lee, Nadeen Eltoukhy, Fiorentina Huang, Rachel Markowitz, Julia Zhu Cover Photo by Ethan Wu Contacting 34th Street Magazine: If you have questions, comments, complaints or letters to the editor, email Annabelle Williams, Editor–in–Chief, at williams@34st.com. You can also call us at (215) 422–4640. www.34st.com "You're either a yeast infection person or a UTI person." ©2019 34th Street Magazine, The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. No part may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express, written consent of the editors (but I bet we will give you the a–okay.) All rights reserved. 34th Street Magazine is published by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc., 4015 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19104, every Wednesday.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR W

hen The Cut’s Anna Delvey piece came out in May 2018, it felt like my birthday. “How Anna Delvey Tricked New York's Party People” chronicled the meteoric rise of Anna Sorokin, whose exploits in the moneyed New York scene belied her total lack of funds. This piece, and the immediate online reaction, ushered in an onslaught of think pieces, dream–casts for movies (the rights were optioned shortly after), and more than a few references to a Penn alum quoted in The Cut’s story.

Enter “Scam Season.”

The ongoing scandal about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos is now back in the conversation thanks to a just–dropped HBO documentary. Her signature femme Steve Jobs look, her husky, affected voice, her insistence that her dog Balto, is, in fact, a wolf — I can’t look away.

And now, potentially, the scam to end all scams — this college admissions scandal — is front-page news, in the DP and elsewhere. Dalton, Street’s managing editor, and I sat in the office last week for hours, pouring through all 200+ pages of the affidavit, laughing at funny tweets about Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin. I even watched part of an Olivia Jade video. Details — Felicity Huffman’s offhand us of “ruh ro,” photoshopped pictures of “student athletes,” an applicant’s handwriting sample — lodged themselves in my mind.

Why am I — are we — so transfixed by these

23 OVERHEARDS 2

Style Beats: Karin Hananel, Allie Shapiro, Jen Cullen, Alice Goulding, Diya Sethi, Hannah Yusuf

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scammers? Is it schadenfreude? Is it the fascination with true crime? Is it a sense that these are “victimless” crimes, even though they often are not?

I’m not sure. And my letter from the editor is by no means the definitive take. For me, at least, it seems like my predilection for drama, for narrative features, and for a deliciously messy scandal plays into the fixation. And I doubt it’s a coincidence that so many of these scammers who’ve captured public attention are female. Women move through the world observed and judged, and when they weaponize those perceptions, it’s interesting and subversive. It’s mesmerizing.

But now I’m trying to make sure I critically examine my fascination with these crimes, that I remember that Olivia Jade and others got into elite colleges at the literal expense of students without the same affluence and privilege. And I have to remember that, as fascinating as these scammers are, they’re often women weaponizing an unfair and unearned privilege to build their own personal brand or wealth.

It’s an important reminder that my Twitter feed often doesn’t reflect.

But I’ll still be watching the Elizabeth Holmes doc when I get home tonight.

WORD ON THE STREET

Coming to Terms with My Bipolar Disorder is a Struggle, But That Doesn't Mean I've Failed

word on the

STREET

To heal, we need to stop comparing and star t understanding.

BY NANCY HU “You seem to be going through a lot. I don’t want to burden you with my issues.”

“I don’t have the right to feel this way when so many other people have it worse.”

Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve said this at one point to yourself, friends, family, acquaintances, your dog (or cat—for cat lovers).

I am all too familiar with this kind of thinking. I’ve always held myself up to an impeccably high standard—it’s undoubtedly gotten me to where I am today.

We as Penn students are in a very privileged situation. We often think failure is not an option. But it took a lot for me that to realize that struggling doesn’t translate to failure.

Last semester, after years of struggling on and off with undiagnosed depression, I was diagnosed with bipolar depression, type II. Since revealing my diagnosis to family members and close friends, their reactions have ranged from immediate understanding to confusion and fear. There’s been no shortage of well–intentioned advice: “be very careful with whom you disclose it to, keep it to yourself." What would other people think?

Initially, I bought this line of reasoning until I realized that hiding the way I felt made my depression worse. I began to self–isolate, which made me feel increasingly alone in my experience. The decision to share my story is not only crucial to my own healing process. In doing so, I hope to help people understand mental illness better. It’s important to recognize that mental illness exists on a spectrum. I want anyone else that can relate in any form—regardless of whether they have a “diagnosable mental illness”—to feel less alone in their

experiences.

During a period of psychiatric hospitalization for depression, I can recall feeling ashamed of my pain in comparison to others. Everyone around me was in an objectively “worse” situation. Some patients used substances to cope with their pain and fought parole officers who were determined to keep them in jail. Others were robbed of the ability to adequately provide for their children. Even more had no home to go to after being discharged.

Here I was, in a “better” situation. No one in my life had physically died, yet I felt that the “real me” had died. My spirit was gone. It was like I was sitting in the passenger seat of an out–of– control vehicle.

I believe that experiencing this kind of “loss of self” is not readily present in discourses about mental illness. “Loss of self” is the feeling of despair that comes from becoming a person that you barely recognize, from being unable to take pride in yourself.

Losing yourself is looking in the mirror and seeing only the negative aspects of yourself.

What was once an image with a delicate balance between white, black and shades of grey has now simply become all black.

Not just for a fleeting moment, but over an extended period of time, with no clear end. That is what depression feels like.

What further distressed me was that I felt this way despite “having it all," especially in comparison to some of my fellow patients. When I

revealed how shameful my pain felt relative to theirs, they were all quick to dispel these notions.

“If I was in your situation, man, I don’t even know. I could totally see how all that pressure would tear you apart."

You may know of bipolar disorder, but here’s a quick crash course: the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–V) currently groups bipolar under a class of illnesses known as mood disorders. The DSM–V criteria for diagnosing bipolar II disorder is experiencing “at least one hypomanic episode and at least one depressive episode."

I received a diagnosis of major depression prior to receiving the correct one for bipolar II. Hearing this stirred simultaneous feelings of relief and fear. Relief because I finally had an answer to my erratic behavior. I wasn’t crazy or making it all up in my head.

Other people had gone through this experience and survived.

Fear because “bipolar” seems to suggest a person that’s “crazy," “unpredictable,” and just generally someone to stay away from.

Not ideal.

When people ask me what being bipolar feels like, it’s always difficult to answer. It’s like trying to explain every feeling in my life that I’ve considered “normal," not wanting to admit that there might be a deeper problem with some of them. For instance, I can remember distinct periods of experiencing “walking depression” in high school. But I was still productive in balancing my commitments, so from an outsider’s perspective, it didn’t appear that anything was wrong.

I starkly recall constant feelings of anger that I didn’t yet understand. I would blow up at innocuous things that felt completely justified for getting angry about in the moment.

Then in the aftermath, I would spend days and weeks obsessively beating myself up over it. Some days I would wake up and feel intensely angry for no identifiable reason. It was incredibly frustrating. I remember feeling so ashamed of these emotions. Why couldn’t I just “get a grip?”

Some people ask me about the hypomania, thinking it must be pretty cool to experience, as if somehow the hypomanic periods justify the depressive ones. Admittedly, the symptom profile sounds amazing. Who wouldn’t want to be on top of the world and feel superhuman, soaring through life on little to no sleep?

Everything feels Illustration by Jackie Lou possible. Why

would I want to take medication?

What if it makes me lose the high periods?

But what people don’t often realize is that hypomanic phases are not as long and prolonged as the depression phases. With bipolar II, the primary concern with treatment is the periods of depression. What’s more, cycling back and forth between two diametrically opposite states of depression and hypomania is exhausting. Hypomania is like a wave that rises up before crashing spectacularly onto the shore, the buildup brief in comparison to the receding depression that follows it.

As many sufferers of mental illness will say, it’s not something you can truly understand until you personally go through it.

I know how difficult it is to understand because I at one point also did not understand. Part of me is extremely glad that others don’t understand, because truly understanding would mean you have firsthand experience, and the experience is not something I would wish upon anybody.

Many Penn students often cite a lack of community contributing to feelings of loneliness. Our privilege dictates that we cannot show weakness. The fear of talking about our struggles and burdening others with our pain is real.

But the truth is, silence breeds misunderstanding. Speaking up about our struggles is crucial in combating the stigma. It takes strength to share the most vulnerable parts of ourselves. Whether you are or are not suffering from a mental illness, your pain is valid and worth sharing. The struggles you endure make you a stronger and better human being. And that is significant.

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Ego of the Week: Madison Dawkins Meet the Penn senior whose passion for mass incarceration reform led her to start BARS: Beyond Arrests: Re–Thinking Systematic Oppression Amanpreet Singh 34th Street Magazine: How do you think being a part of the soccer team has shaped your Penn experience?

Madison Dawkins: It has shown me the importance of discipline and keeping a schedule and routine, and just the importance of hard work and working as a team. I’m just so thankful that it has been my anchor while I've been at Penn. I think everything goes back to the team.

We do everything together, whether it’s eating, practicing or homework. There was always guidance. The coaching staff is extremely supportive, and is always going to listen to new ideas and help shape

you and your experience at Penn. I wouldn't have traded that for the world.

Street: How did you get involved with criminal justice reform?

MD: During my freshman spring I took the “Race, Crime, and Punishment” seminar with Marie Gottschalk.

She spoke a lot about parallels between slavery, Jim Crow, and mass incarceration. We read The New Jim Crow and Bryan Stevenson's book Just Mercy. After the class I still felt like there was so much to learn. So from there, I ended up interning at Senator Gillibrand's office and I got put on a project to research prison

LIGHTENING ROUND If you were a building on Penn's campus, which would you be?

I would be the new political science building. First, because it's a glass building that you can see inside and I feel like I'm a very transparent person. I just think it's modern, and I feel like I'm modern and hip.

What is your favorite show to binge?

I'm currently watching Criminal Minds but I am a comedy person at heart. I would say Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt for life. I think Titus was the truer star of the show but it’s up for debate.

What is your go–to coffee order?

Not a caffeine person, but I drink green tea. I'm big on smoothies.

What is in your go–to smoothie?

Kale, mango, pineapple, blueberries, and then kale and apple juice.

What is the number on your soccer jersey?

25. Also Ben Simmons' number on the 76ers.

What is one piece of advice that you would give to students?

Take your time. Don't rush.

There are two types of people at Penn …

Those who work hard and those who play hard.

And which one are you?

I would say probably work hard.

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nursery programs.

From there, I took the “Women in Incarceration” nursing course and got some direct experience with women behind bars. And, again, I felt like I couldn't walk away from that. I realized that a lot of people around me weren't aware of these issues, and that was my motivator to start BARS. Street: Have there been any experiences you’ve had, through BARS, that have forever changed you?

MD: Definitely. During my junior year, I got an email from one of my professors that Roc Nation wanted to collaborate with BARS—Roc Nation being Jay–Z’s entertainment company. They wanted to have an event at Penn, and wanted to utilize BARS as a student organization that can exemplify student engagement and push this event. I was asked to host the event, as well as invite panelists and coordinate the logistics. It was incredible working with Roc Nation, seeing things at a higher level, and having more capacity to invite distinguished speakers such as Bryan Stevenson; Meek Mill's lawyer was there.

The whole event was designed to use Meek Mill's case to bring light to the injustices of parole. It was extremely eye– opening to me, being on that stage, in front of thousands of people—there were Eagles

NAME: Madison Dawkins HOMETOWN: Wynnewood, PA MAJOR: Political Science and Africana Studies ACTIVITIES: founder and president of Beyond Arrests: Re– Thinking Systematic Oppression (BARS), Women’s Soccer, Friars Senior Society

Ethan Wu | Media Director

players front–row, Lil Uzi was there.

Street: What did it feel like to actually meet Bryan after reading his book in an introductory seminar?

MD: It was absolutely incredible. The thing that I've enjoyed the most about Just Mercy is that he shows humanity from so many different perspectives, whether it be the people behind bars or correctional officers. A lot of times when we think of justice, we think of the brutality, and the punitive sentences, and all the draconian elements of the system. We kind of forget that there are real people there, and that their families are being torn apart.

Street: What was your experience in the “Women in Incarceration” nursing class?

MD: The “Women in Incarceration” nursing course opened my eyes a lot to the health disparities of people behind bars. The purpose of the class was for students to come in and design health– based workshops for the women who are incarcerated.

A lot of people don't know that the prison system in the U.S. was specifically designed for men. They're just not the right things for women's mental, physical, and emotional health, and I felt like I could do something about that. With the soccer program I had been involved with

mindfulness, so during my workshop in the “Women in Incarceration” course I decided to focus on mindfulness. We had great feedback. And from there I decided to do an independent study specifically focused on Health and Wellness.

Street: As a TA, how has your experience been different than when you were a student?

MD: As a TA, I focus more on listening to the women and their concerns, and what kind of support systems they want to see in place. A lot of it has been around re–entry and around getting resources together so they feel there's more community support, and so they're aware of how to access these resources.

Street: What do you plan on doing in the future?

MD: We'll see what I do next but it'll definitely be in the justice field. Hopefully I'll continue to do direct service with women. I have wanted to get a JD–Ph.D for some time. I'd love to advocate on behalf of people behind bars with that law degree, and using the Ph.D to better understand some of the policies and histories that led to this phenomenon, but also I would love to teach at the end of the day.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

EGO

Sally Chen | Photographer

Meet the Penn Graduate Who Composed the Score For a 17th Century Opera "I wanted it to sound authentic...like it could've been performed back then"

Sonali Deliwala Imagine attending an opera in the late 1600s—being seated in a cavernous theater, gazing at the brightly lit stage where decorated actors are about to begin performing.

Suddenly, a lively chorus from the orchestra fills the air, instantly capturing your focus and pulling you forward in your seat, eager to hear more.

Although the musicians are playing an assortment of strings, harpsichords, and recorders, the buoyant melody that enraptures the audience blends together flawlessly.

That's what it's like listening to The Overture, the introductory snippet to Nicholas Escobar's (C '18) original score for The State of Innocence, an opera by John Dryden. A project that stems from his love of music and English, Nicholas Escobar's eleven–minute score takes you back a few centuries to the restoration period of theater.

This piano prodigy's love for music began early on.

"I grew up in a household that put a lot of value on performance and music, and I started taking piano lessons when I was 8. It came very naturally to me," Nicholas remembers.

As a sixth grader, Nicholas wrote his first composition— a piano piece he performed at his elementary school graduation ceremony.

"It was a really great feeling," he recalls. This event

sparked his passion for music composition.

Three years later, as a freshman in high school, Nicholas began taking classes with the Composition Coordinator at the Curtis Institute of Music, who "planted the seed in my head saying that maybe I could do music for a living."

The course taught him about orchestration, counterpoint, and using computer software—all of which was very new to him.

In high school, Nicholas began to compose for film.

An avid lover of movies, Nicholas had always thought about movie soundtracks and improvising them. At 17, he scored his first film— a solo piano score for a short movie made by his brothers and friends. Improvised live, Nicholas realized he "loved the feeling of putting music to the screen—it was a natural fit." Over the course of high school, he scored school plays and more of his brothers' short films. It became clear that Nicholas wanted to pursue music in college, but he also decided to explore his interests among a broad range of humanities, including literature, history, and art, which led him to study at Penn.

During his sophomore year, he took a course on English poet John Milton. For the final project, he researched and wrote an essay about The State of Innocence by John Dryden, an unscored, unfinished semi–

opera (similar to a Broadway musical today, mingling spoken dialogue and music) adapted from John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost.

"I was really intrigued by The State of Innocence and about John Dryden's relationship with Milton, in terms of whether he looked up to him or not, or if he had this inner hatred for him," Nicholas says.

But Nicholas wasn't able to fit all of his historical research into the actual paper, and after he completed his essay, "I had a little thought in the back of my head that maybe if I wanted to pursue this again in the future I could."

At that time though, he wasn't as much thinking of composing any music for the opera.

"I was more interested in how the opera could be put on the stage, and how placing it on stage would change people's perceptions of Paradise Lost," Nicholas adds.

Then during his junior year, while abroad in London, Nicholas began thinking about his senior thesis.

"I thought about things I might want to study, and look deeper into," and then he remembered The State of Innocence," Nicholas says.

For the English honors thesis, he proposed to research and write the music for this unfinished semi–opera. "I really wanted the score to sound authentic—not like a modern

score for a 17th century opera, but like it could've been performed back then," Nicholas says.

Nicholas didn't begin composing until December 2017, and for the next five months, until around May, he worked on the musical component of his thesis.

"I did a lot of research into scores of that period, mostly

by Henry Purcell and Matthew Locke. Music was so much a part of the theatrical experience back then," Nicholas says. "When you went to a play in the 1670s, you're partly just going to it for the musical entertainment, because the best musicians of the city would be performing."

While employing these historical composition techniques, a significant challenge that Nicholas faced was preserving the authenticity of the piece. In the attempt to "get into the head of a 17th century composer," he had to check his own musical tendencies.

"There are certain tendencies that I have in my own composing, where I would do something different, like have a different harmony that wouldn't be present back then, so I had to really watch myself," Nicholas remembers.

For English aspect of his thesis, Nicholas analyzed the opera's existing lyrics.

"Because John Dryden only wrote one song, and since he only wrote lyrics for one song,

another thing I wanted to do was write lyrics in the style of John Dryden, and explore how lyrics interacted with music," Nicholas says.

Nicholas expresses his excitement to stage the opera in the near future, envisioning his goal "to hopefully get it performed, once I get the whole score written—maybe in the UK." A recipient of the prestigious Thouron Award, a Penn scholarship that pays for a master's degree in the United Kingdom, Nicholas plans to study music composition abroad this fall, but he's not sure where yet.

For the past year, since he graduated in the spring of 2018, Nicholas has been living at home in Villanova, Pennsylvania.

"It's been a gap year of sorts, and an opportunity for me to find my voice as a composer," Nicholas says.

The musician is currently engaged in several projects: working on sketches for a musical, releasing a piano solo album called Petals last month, writing the screenplay for a friend's film, and writing some short novellas.

"I like working on a lot of things at once," Nicholas says, chuckling. "I've really been able to develop myself as a composer and a writer."

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Meet the FEARLESS FLYERS Behind Penn Women’s Gymnastics

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Behind the Scenes with co-captains Caroline Moore and Valerie Rube

Emma Moore Flying, flipping, back handsprings, gymnastics requires spectacular balance, strength and grace.

For senior gymnastic captains Caroline Moore (C '19) and Valerie Rube (C '19) tumbling is only half the work.

As senior co–captains, Valerie and Caroline act as liaisons between the coaches and the team of 22 gymnasts. They lead team workouts, communicate with Penn Athletics and manage team morale.

For Caroline, being capitan means being “that force behind the team that really drives them forward.” She and Valerie work together to keep spirits high in and out of the gym. The women’s gymnastics team competes every weekend from midJanuary to end of March, for a total of 14 meets in the season. Over spring break the team competed in two meets in Missouri and scored a personal best in Maryland, placing second overall.

“Addictive” is how Caroline describes the sport.

“There’s always something more to improve on. We’re always striving for a perfect score, for a routine that’s better than the last one. It’s also exciting to learn new skills.

Call us crazy but it’s kind of fun to see what your body can do.” During season the girls train three hours per day, four days a week and then travel to compete dur6

ing the weekends.

Caroline started gymnastics when she was just three years old and was performing in competitions by the age of five. “My mom put me in gymnastics because I just wouldn’t sit still as a kid.” She fell in love with the sport and by sophomore year of high school was at level 10, the highest of USA Gymnastics junior levels. Transitioning from high school gymnastics to the college required a major mindset switch, explains Caroline. “Growing up in the sport, it’s very individualized. You’re up there competing alone, even though you have teammates, at the end of the day it’s all about you.”

In college, the team matters more than the individual.

“Even if you individually had a good day, we don’t consider a good day if the team didn’t do well” says Caroline. “The team atmosphere is so much more motivating– you’re not just doing it for yourself but for the girls who work so hard alongside you.”

The other difference in college is event specialization.

Women gymnasts compete in four events: vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise. Although in high school gymnasts train all four events, in college gymnasts specialize. At college–level competitions, the best six on the team for each event get put in line–up to compete

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during the meets. “If you have a good chance of being in the line–up you’ll train and compete in that event” explains Caroline. She competes in three events: beam, floor, and vault. Meanwhile Valerie specializes in vault.

Gymnastics is dangerous sport. Both Caroline and Valerie suffered major injuries their freshman year that put them out of commission.

Caroline broke her tibia, or shinbone, in November of her freshman year, before her first competition season began. She was doing her signature “series,” or skills combination, on the balance beam: a one–arm back handspring back layout, when she came down crooked on the beam.

“It was really frustrating because I came in very energetic and ready to contribute but then ended up not being able to show what I can do,” says Caroline. After standing out for two years, Caroline was made captain her junior season.

For Valerie, her path to leadership was also hard– won. Injured her freshman and sophomore seasons, Valerie bounced back to lead the team in vault and become captain her senior year. “It’s such a physically and mentally demanding sport. It’s a privilege to be there for my teammates,” says Valerie.

Valerie got injured during warm–up before her first

meet of freshman year, landing badly on her ankle during her signature vault, the Yurchenko full. “It was probably the worst timing ever. I didn’t even get a chance to compete.” Her injury went misdiagnosed for months while she kept trying and failing to push through it. As a result Valerie couldn’t compete during her freshman and sophomore year seasons. “It was one, very painful and two, very frustrating. They thought it was a sprain then a bone bruise. Ultimately they found with an MRI that a piece of my bone had chipped off.”

Unable to train or compete, Valerie still found ways to contribute to the team.

“I had to find other ways to be a part of the team, like moving mats and cheering on teammates. It was very humbling.” She got surgery her sophomore summer and was able to return to competing during her junior season. Aside from getting back in fighting shape, the biggest challenge was overcoming fear of reinjury. “One of the things that was scariest for me was doing that vault again, the Yurchenko full. I was afraid to have another bad landing,” says Valerie.

She worked with coach to retrain for a different vault landing and bounce back for her junior season.

Valerie also sings the national anthem at the start of every home meet in the Palestra, a role she took on sophomore year. While she and Caroline love to travel, home meets hold a special place in their hearts. “We call it Palestra Magic– there’s something about that space,” says Valerie. “It’s kind of cheesy but you can really feel it,” echoes Caroline.

With only three meets left, neither Valerie nor Caroline is ready to admit graduation is approaching fast. “The four years have flown by. It’s exciting but also scary because gymnastics has been part of my life for the past 18 years. Even with my injuries, these past four years made me thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and what I’ve learned from the sport,” says Valerie.

“It’s so surreal being a senior. It’s crazy to think that we’re coming down to the final meets,” says Caroline.

One thing she is looking forward to is a vacation.

MUSIC

Photo by Alex Lake // Provided by Sony Music

Hozier Steps Out of Church and into the Wasteland on His Sophomore Album Hozier is back with new depth on 'Wasteland, Baby!'

Julia Davies In 2013, Irish musician Andrew Hozier–Byrne, known as Hozier, released his single “Take Me to Church” as part of his debut EP of the same name. At the time, Hozier was a struggling musician, writing and recording his music in the attic of his parent's home. Originally available as a free online download, this single went on to be a massive success. Contributing to the single’s popularity was its music video featuring a relationship between two men and the bigotry that they face. Paired with religious terminology, this soulful ballad reflects Hozier's frustration with the broader societal institutions that shame sexuality. Despite its contentious nature, the song tied with the Imagine Dragons’ "Radioactive" for the longest–running number–one song on Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart and was certified five times platinum in the US. “Take Me to Church” is as musically significant as it is culturally significant.

Following this international success, Hozier released his self–titled album in 2014 featuring his famous single, along with other hits like “Cherry Wine” and “Work Song.” After the release of this first album, Hozier remained fairly idle for four years. Unlike musicians like Frank Ocean who fuel anticipation and buzz for their album drops during times of hiatus, Hozier quietly released his EP Nina Cried Power in 2018 with little marketing or press coverage. Yet among devoted fans and music critics, the EP re-

ceived overwhelmingly positive feedback. The songs on the EP contributed to his latest album, Wasteland, Baby! released on March 1 of this year. Similarly, for this release, Hozier let his musical talent do the talking.

On March 6, Hozier sang for New York commuters at the Rockefeller Center Subway Station with just his guitar and rich vocals. This impromptu performance postsed on Twitter and Instagram went viral, not unlike his first Youtube video. Days after this stunt, Wasteland, Baby! is currently number one on the Billboard 200 Album chart— and for good reason.

Opening with the single "Nina Cried Power" (feat.

Mavis Staples), Hozier does not shy away from addressing political themes with this classic protest song. Referencing Nina Simone, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, and several others, Hozier pays tribute to inspiring artists of the 20th century. The song features one of these legends, Mavis Staples, an activist and gospel singer whose soulful vocals pair well with Hozier’s. With this album, Hozier is clearly returning to the politically–fueled messages that made “Take Me to Church” so successful. On “To Noise Making (Sing)” Hozier recycles the religious themes of “Take Me to Church” with the aid of a gospel choir. However, this proves to be less successful, as the song lacks substance. The song “Be” repeats the same mistake. It’s a watered–down version of his hit–song as he sings

of a lover full of sin.

“Shrike,” is a slowed–down song that shows Hozier’s new depth. The lyrics are complex, almost disturbing, as he calls himself “the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn,” (a shrike is a bird that impales its prey on thorns). The darkness of this song is a sharp contrast to the lighter love songs “Almost (Sweet Music),” “Movement” and “No Plan.” Together the three successive tracks are rather nondescript, but slow and folksy, full of hand claps that create a feel–good coffee

house vibe.

“Dinner & Diatribes” and “Would That I,” build up the album’s strength. Both songs feature Hozier’s powerful and passionate vocals. Honest and raw on these tracks, Hozier sings of a new love in the former and a lost one in the latter.

The last song, “Wasteland, Baby!” is the most intriguing.

In a slowed tempo, Hozier compares falling in love with an apocalyptic event. Listening to the softness of his voice and the lyrics of his song, he’s not necessarily negative, but rather sees

love as a new beginning. Hozier demonstrates that he’s at his best when he’s exploring and not trying to reference the sounds that made him so famous.

Hozier’s vocals on the album are impeccable. The themes of the album are at times conflicting, bouncing between seriousness and lightheartedness as Hozier grapples with balancing the old with the new. You won’t find another “Take Me to Church,” but Hozier is starting to explore deeper and further.

It will be interesting to hear where he goes next.

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MUSIC

I Outgrew My Local Scene and You Will Too

Old punks never die, they just stand in the back.

Melannie Jay

stage, a man with a salt–and– pepper beard showed me the tooth he lost during that same show.

The average Dropkick Murphys fan, from my personal experience, is a 6’5” burly Irish or Irish–American man in his mid– forties or fifties, capable of slamming down eight or nine Guinnesses and then throwing his body around in a circle pit with other similarly–sized fans. I’ve always had the common sense not to throw myself into the pit, fully aware that a crowd like that could eat me alive. Instead, I stare transfixed at them for a time, silently hoping that I can maintain that kind of momentum into my middle age, still able to throw my weight around with the rest of them even when my hair turns gray.

I have not been kind to my body. I had a friend tell me once that I give not 100, not 110, but 130 percent to everything I do. I’ll ignore minor pains in Exp.2/23/12 4/11/12 Exp. my shoulder and wrists to play guitar or do computer work For Fast Delivery Call 215-386-1941 longer than I should, and I pay the price for it the next day. Half the time, I’m so blinded by the 4004 chestnut street | (215) 386-1941 energy of the situation around me, whether that’s playing in the Penn Band or attending my Exp. 4/11/12 Exp. 2/23/12 eighth Flogging Molly concert, For Fast Delivery Call 215-386-1941 that I don’t notice how badly I injured myself until the next day.

I won’t accept that I’m too old to dance with the kids until I wake up after a show and find myself in too much pain to get out of WITH THIS AD bed.

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I wasn’t the oldest non–parent seeing Set it Off at Union Transfer on March 3—that honor belonged to my twenty–one– year–old friend—but I was the tallest, often several inches above the brace–faced and pimply high school students surrounding us in the pit. I came from the punk and hardcore scenes, and my friend from metal, both genres prone to raucous shows with headbanging, moshing, and even a few walls of death.

We had survived acts like Descendents and Marilyn Manson.

Surely we could go just as hard as an audience not yet old enough for a driver’s license. Instead, we left that show with no voice, agonizing pain from neck to lower back, and the uncomfortable realization that we might be get-

ting too old for this.

Punk, and especially the pop punk that Set it Off inhabits, is a genre of the youth, filled with angst and ire and ready to release it by screaming and slam dancing, but I never thought that I would pass my wonder years by the ripe old age of eighteen.

Still, the warning signs are clear when looking back in retrospect.

I traded my combat boots in for an infinitely more comfortable pair of Adidas sneakers. I stand at the rail not necessarily to be close to my favorite artists but so I have something to lean against when my back starts to hurt. More often than not, I hope a show wraps by 11 p.m. so that I can shower and head to bed before midnight. The death knell was when I started holding

my leather jacket folded over my arm to act as a buffer between myself and errant moshers.

Set it Off was, comparatively, a respectful crowd: teenage girls would pump their fists, wave their arms, and jump up and down, but kicks and punches were kept to a minimum. I know how bad shows can get; the worst injuries I received were both at Dropkick Murphys shows. First, a questionable sound mix at the From Boston to Berkeley Tour in Milwaukee left me deaf in my right ear for two days. Two summers later, I took a jackboot to the head during the Murphys’ co–headlining tour, courtesy of a crowdsurfer, that left me dizzy and nauseated.

Later that summer, while waiting for Rise Against to take the

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lowing Dorothy’s performance at TLA. Although the two events were disconnected, I developed temporary tinnitus as a result of the infection that I initially attributed to the concert. After seventeen years of standing at the rail and avoiding using earplugs, I became convinced that my poor choices had caught up to me and I was saddled with a permanent ringing in my ears.

The ringing dissipated, but I have yet to find a pair of earplugs that don’t bother me. I’ve begun choosing my locations strategically, far enough away from the speakers that I can walk away with my hearing intact.

We all outgrow the scene that first drew us into music, whether that be pop punk, hardcore, or even metal. The moment is so inevitable that Frank Turner, who made "old punk" part of his image, even wrote about it in “Love, Ire & Song.” At some point we stop convincing ourselves that we can jump and scream and mosh for four hours and come away unscathed. Depending on how much Guinness you drink, that realization might come at eighteen or at fifty, but to quote the shirt I saw a man wearing at an Offspring show last summer, “Old punks never die, they just stand in the back.” Someday I’ll have another wake–up call, injuring myself enough against the rail that I take as my spot away from the chaos, leaning against the balcony to help my bad back. Until that day, those teenagers better save me a spot in the pit, right against the rail.

MUSIC

Sigrid Explodes into the Pop Scene with Her Debut Album And — spoiler alert — she may have written 2019’s greatest breakup banger.

Beatrice Forman In a recent interview with Teen Vogue, Norwegian wunderkind Sigrid said she “wants songs with three emotions in one,” layering pop's classic bubblegum softness with feelings of anxiety, hopefulness, and liberation. At only 22 years old, Sigrid has an ironclad grip on her emotions.

Named BBC's Sound of 2018, she bounces between emotive peaks and valleys all in the span of a verse on songs like “Strangers” and “Don't Kill My Vibe,” echoing the upbeat catharsis of ABBA—the most iconic Scandinavian crossover group. Sigrid's debut album, Sucker Punch, which she co– wrote and arranged, delivers more of her signature style, exploding with the sentiments and wide–eyed optimism of a girl poised to become pop's next darling.

The album opens with the titular track, “Sucker Punch,” and, true to its name, it leaves you breathless. With an eye for arresting imagery, Sigrid paints the moment of first love with cool indecision and warm addiction. The chorus feels like the pinnacle of a rollercoaster ride, a burst of energy between candid verses. Sigrid's voice, which sounds like Björk's younger sister, is natural and effortless. She’s speechless and afraid and happy all at once. Most notably, however, she's herself.

This authenticity drips over the whole album. “Mine Right Now” tears itself from

the dog–eared pages of a journal, encapsulating the fleeting beauty of a fling. Uniquely stamped with Sigrid's pattern of pensive verses and airy choruses, this song, like all the others, sonically captures the moment a bubble bursts.

Her voice builds pressure, crescendoing with the certainty of more–seasoned performers, and then pops. Sigrid's a cinematic songwriter, too, putting the listener through a plot teeming with anticipation.

With a knack for narration, Sigrid spins yarns to envelope fans in a world where it's just her, them, and an endless array of almost–lovers.

The album's singles don't divert from her brand of bold emotion, either. “Strangers,” which sounds like the kind of breezy bop that soundtracks vlog montages, tells a tragedy you can dance to. A bass– heavy beat sets the backdrop for Sigrid to decimate the notion of a convenient relationship. Lyrics like, “I don't want you, all you want is someone” hit hard despite her voice's soft edges. Meanwhile, “Don't Kill My Vibe,” which claps back at people in the industry who don't value her contribution to the creative process, disguises itself as ballad full of self–doubt. Building against an echo of a drum beat, the song turns into a victorious power banger. Her confidence feels genuine—unlike the commercialized “fempower” of heavyweights like Ariana

Grande—and all the more relatable.

Sucker Punch isn't all frenzied excitement and a–ha moments, either. Songs like “Level Up” and “Sight of You” offer a nice respite and are tracks to cherry–pick for times when you crave quiet power.

“Level Up” is a cute acoustic ditty about overcoming a relationship's unspoken tension.

With the quiet struts of a lullaby, Sigrid's voice is ethereal, lulling all of us into a positive mindset.

And yet, Sucker Punch is at its best when it isn't simple.

Thriving off youthful optimism and a penchant for anthems, Sigrid has crafted the break–up song 2019 needs.

“Don't Feel Like Crying” is delightfully self–aware and danceable, turning vulnerabilities into bits of confetti. Set against a melody that sparkles with measures of orchestral violins, Sigrid reminds us that sadness is something that can be danced through. She swaps the image of the lonely dam-

sel–in–distress, wallowing in takeout boxes and memories, for one of herself: a woman confident enough to admit her shortcomings and celebrate them.

Pairing the sounds of the Top 40 with the sentiments of an indie album, Sigrid turns pop into a flexible space, where artists can write songs that are big and sad, or small and unabashedly happy.

Sucker Punch is exactly what it sounds like—a swift hit to the music industry.

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MUSIC

Ten Songs Discovered Through Spotify's Pollen Playlist As described perfectly on Spotify, the music streaming platform's playlist "Pollen" is "a playlist beyond genre. Quality first always."

Updated a few times a week, "Pollen" presents a mix of genre–bending songs and artists that would be hard to discover otherwise. Here are ten artists who deserve more recognition that Street found by listening to "Pollen" over the last few months.

"Rollercoaster" by Ivy Sole Ivy Sole graduated from Wharton in 2015 and has been pursuing her musical career since her time at Penn.

Her music is all about love and honesty, while she takes inspiration from jazz and indie chords. This particular song, “Rollercoaster,” is grounded by pulsing syncopated beats that ground the lyrics describing a rollercoaster relationship.

"Nana" by Polo & Pan Nothing is better at lifting your spirits than listening to the music of electronic pop French duo, Polo & Pan. “Nana” is the upbeat track that everyone wants to listen to, with bright, heavy, fast beats, and the repetition of the lyric, “Sou de Nanã, euá,

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A unique Spotify playlist that's perfect for discovering new artists. euá, euá.”

"Proud of U"

by EARTHGANG This vibrant hip–hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia is bursting with energy and catchy rhythms. “Proud of U” honors the women who are important to EARTHGANG by recognizing their hustle and hard work. It’s a tribute that makes you want to smile and dance.

"Deadass" by Kemba Starting off as an underground hip–hop artist in the Bronx, Kemba’s breakthrough came in the form of his album, GNK, released in 2013.

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His sound is cool and unfazed, with a hint of shadowy darkness. “Deadass” presents a raw account of Kemba repeating “Bullshit, I’m calling bullshit” on people's expectations of him as a black man from New York.

"North Face" by ODIE The 21–year–old Toronto singer, ODIE, brings a sound that blends both Afrobeat and R&B. His song, “North Face” describes the artist in a trance after seeing a beautiful face while working at The North Face. ODIE’s entrancing voice slowly massages through this calming, wavy track.

"23 (feat. Caroline Smith)"

by Rejjie Snow Rejjie Snow takes from soft R&B as well as hip–hop, similar to artists such as Noname and Smino, but with a heavier focus on melodies. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, Snow brings a vibe that’s not quite one genre, but rather a mix of electronic sounds and rap features. “23” comes from his longest and most recent album, titled Dear Annie.

"Drive and Disconnect"

by NAO NAO’s music is funky and fresh. Her sound is feminine and assertive as she switches through her different vocal abilities, ranging from a higher wispy voice, to a rapper riding succinct beats. She

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compares her will to escape a toxic relationship to driving, and “Drive and Disconnect” was released as a single in 2018 off her album, Saturn.

"Weekend Friend"

by Goth Babe If Goth Babe were a place, he would be the fun–loving, quirky city of Portland, Oregon. A combination of folksy sounds and old indie, Goth Babe is a calming and reassuring presence. His song, “Weekend Friend” is a little different, with a more hyped– up, summery, electronic sound.

"You" by Mk.Gee Finding inspiration from artists like Blood Orange and Jai Paul, USC School of Music senior Mk.Gee incorporates dynamic styles into his music.

“You” is a fuzzy combination of unstructured, free–flowing sounds that seem to come from an old stereo. It’s groovy in the funky plucking of guitar strings and lyrics about a past summer relationship.

"MICHUUL" by Duckwrth Duckwrth’s music is charged with hip–hop energy that’s hard to shake off. At 26 years old, he has worked with artists like Lana Del Rey and A$AP Rocky, easily molding his style to that of others. “MICHUUL” paints a carefree picture of a love story with the vibes of a fun summer day.

ST YLE

The Philly Roundup

The Philly dumpling scene goes beyond just dim sum.

Karin Hananel

There’s something special about doughy pockets containing savory or sweet fillings, also known as dumplings, that can solve just about any craving. They can be light or heavy, savory or sweet, and just about every country and culture has their own version of them. With the cultural influences in Philadelphia, you’re sure to find tasty dumplings with origins from China, to Poland, to Georgia, to a train away in Lancaster.

Dim Sum Garden If you’re looking for a classic Shanghai soup dumpling (xiao long bao) in Philadelphia, look no further. Located in Chinatown and usually always filled to the brim with diners on a Friday or Saturday night, Dim Sum Garden is a no–frills eatery where you will have what is objectively one of the best soup dumplings in the city. The dumpling is delicious and has a great ratio of soup to meat, with neither being overwhelmingly dominant. The two best picks are the pork soup dumplings and the crabmeat and pork soup dumplings, and the most difficult task you’ll have there is to try not to break the dumpling on its way to your mouth.

Address: 1020 Race St.

Dutch Eating Place Located in the Reading Terminal Market (which is a pleasant culinary experience in the off–season, sans fanny pack and Hawaiian shirt sporting tourists), Dutch Eating Place is one of the Terminal Market’s most iconic vendors serving the cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsylvania’s Amish population with roots in Germany, not The Netherlands). With one savory and one sweet dumpling dish, the options are limited but meaningful in their isolation. Their chicken pot pie contains dumplings cooked into the thick gravy of the soup. Their famous warm apple dumpling features an entire apple (with the core removed) wrapped in pastry, flavored with cinnamon, baked to perfection, and served with cold heavy cream. No, these aren’t diet–friendly in the slightest, but they are Pennsylvanian comfort food classics at their finest.

Address: 51 N 12th St.

Georgian Bread If you’re looking to get out of the Center City area and break out of the classic Rittenhouse–University City weekend routine, head over to Northeast Philly to Georgian Bread for classic Georgian food (the country in Eastern Europe, not the American state) and sumptuous soup dumplings. Thick, doughy, large, and meaty, Georgian soup dumplings (otherwise known as khinkali) are a heavily indulgent meal in and of themselves. They’re filled with meat broth, contain a mixture of beef and pork, and are huge, making them an interesting and more filling alternative to what usually comes to mind when you think of soup dumplings.

Address: 10865 Bustleton Ave.

Buddakan Stephen Starr’s Buddakan, known for their pricey Asian fusion, tends to stay slightly closer to tradition when it comes to their extensive dim sum menu. While the price point is nowhere near what a college student would want to pay on any given night, if you’re gonna ball out, you want to do it here. From General Tso soup dumplings to edamame dumplings in a truffled sauternes–shallot broth, to shrimp dumplings, to mushroom potstickers, the options are endless.

Address: 325 Chestnut St.

4207 Walnut St Philadelphia, PA 19104 BistroPerrier.com

Mom–Mom’s Kitchen A food cart turned brick–and–mortar store, Mom–Mom’s Kitchen in Bridesburg in the Northeast area of the city specializes in Polish food and, more specifically, pierogi. They have classic pierogi filled with potato or cheese, but also innovative savory flavors like Philly cheesesteak. Every now and then they also have special dessert pierogi, recent flavors being chocolate peanut butter and dark chocolate with farmer's cheese. They also do occasional pierogi– making classes and private lessons if you want to learn how to make the real thing at home.

Address: 2551 Orthodox St.

215-222-4200 Tuesday - Saturday 5:30pm - 10:00pm

Traditional French fare and tableside service, right around the corner.

Free on-site parking | Full bar & wine list

Bing Bing Dim Sum Bing Bing Dim Sum, located in East Passyunk, is not for the traditionalist. Self–identifying as unique Asian cuisine, Bing Bing is known for their fusion of flavors unusual to dim sum, from matzo, to tahini, to chimichurri. While they do have miso–flavored pork soup dumplings, they also offer four more: hot lamb dumplings with tahini, jade dumplings with shrimp and peas, scarlet dumplings with beet, tofu, and garlic, and cheesesteak bao.

Address: 1648 E Passyunk Ave.

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Hurrah for the Red, White, and Blue ROTC students commit to the military life early.

How does that shape their Penn experience?

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8:30 to 10 a.m. On Wednesdays, the ceremonial NROTC Color Guard Team occupies her from 6 to 7 a.m. After that, she attends Leadership Laboratory, a workshop meant to build leadership and military knowledge, until 8:30 a.m. The same Naval Science class tops off her morning. “[ROTC] forces you to always be at the top of

Reagan Bracknell

By Srinidhi Ramakrishna Photos by Ethan wu It’s 4:15 a.m. on a Thursday when Heewon Kim (C '22) jolts awake to the first of nine alarms. Groggy from two hours of sleep (better than last semester, when she used to pull all–nighters), she tiptoes around her still–slumbering roommate. The sky is still pitch black as she gets ready for the day and heads to her hall lounge, her “Warrior Knowledge” manual clutched in her hand.

I am an American Airman. I am a Warrior. I have answered my nation’s call…

Kim repeats the Airman’s Creed to herself under her breath. The hefty “Warrior Knowledge” handbook is jam–packed with mission statements, honor codes, and core knowledge about the Air Force. She must carefully memorize this handbook in preparation for weekly oral quizzes or risk having her entire flight—military unit— be scolded.

Kim dashes out of English House at 5:30 a.m., barely making it to the carpool she shares with the other Air Force ROTC cadets. They drive from Penn to Saint Joseph’s University (SJU), which sits on the northwestern edge of Philadelphia. Most SJU students are still in their beds as the group enters campus. The classroom is filled with people marching and practicing drill exercises before AS100, their aerospace studies class.

ROTC, or Reserve Officer Training Corps, students at Penn are midshipmen in Penn’s Naval ROTC (NROTC) unit housed on–campus in the Hollenback Center, as well as cadets in Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) and Army ROTC (AROTC), housed at SJU and Drexel University, respectively.

Among members of this social and professional subculture are Reagan Bracknell (C '21) and Connor Blend (W '22), midshipmen in NROTC, who, on graduation weekend, will be commissioned as naval officers and owe five years of service to the U.S. Navy. Junney Kang (C '19) and Jack Stinger (W '20) are two of approximately eight Penn cadets in Drexel’s AROTC. They will have an eight–year commitment either on active duty or in a reserve military force like the National Guard or the Army Reserve. Only three cadets make up the Penn contingent of SJU’s AFROTC unit, including Kim; if they are selected for Field Training and success-

for recognition… I want to use the talents that I’ve been given and whatever advantages I’ve had to help save lives and help accomplish our nation’s mission.”

For many, the tuition scholarships that ROTC grants are a major incentive. Branches of ROTC have different levels of scholarships, including full–tuition scholarships, which applicants compete for prior to college. Alternatively, one can join ROTC and then try to compete for a scholarship after arriving to Penn, although this is more rare. Each interviewed student mentions that they’re on a scholarship; Bracknell and Stinger say they wouldn’t be able to attend Penn without it.

When asked about the values that ROTC instills in students, Kang and Stinger rattle off qualities—integrity, trust, leadership, discipline, and responsibility. As Stinger puts it, “If you’re setting up an assault and the bad guys start shooting at you, you have to know what to do.”

ROTC relies on rankings—including peer rankings—to make decisions.

While some may think this breeds rivalry, Kim and Blend characterize their community as extremely supportive. “It’s not a competitive thing where ‘I don’t want to help you because I want a better flight ranking.’ You’re a team—that’s so important in the military,” says Kim. As Bracknell says, the down–to– earth atmosphere of service is humbling, “especially at a place like Penn where you can get super caught up in the pre–professionalism and competitiveness.”

This collective mindset is apparent in the close–knit group of ROTC cadets and midshipmen. One of the first things Blend does in his interview is pull up a picture of what his hair looked like before he joined ROTC. His previous loose “hockey flow” is a sharp contrast from his current close–cropped military cut. Sharing these before–and–after transformations serve as a ROTC bonding experience, he chuckles. Upon meeting, everyone “pulls out pictures of their hair, and we all compare.”

The majority of ROTC activities take place in the early morning. Mondays for Bracknell mean physical training (PT) from 7 to 8 a.m. and then a Naval Science class from

fully complete the Professional Officer Course (POC) during their junior and senior years, they will be contracted for four years post–graduation.

Bracknell, Blend, Kang, Stinger, and Kim—ROTC peers refer to each other by last name, in true military fashion—undergo intensive training for their eventual role as commissioned officers.

ROTC students live dual lives—sometimes traips-

ing around campus in full uniform, other times presenting just like their non–ROTC friends, roommates, and classmates. Caught between two worlds, they balance traditional student life with preparing for life in the Armed Forces.

And while the ROTC experience is not the same for everyone, students are all united by one important fact. While Penn undergraduates spend four years searching for internships and jobs, ROTC students have already committed themselves to a different path: serving in the U.S. military upon graduation.

Most of the ROTC students interviewed didn't decide to join ROTC until their junior year of high school.

The early wake–ups and training commitments notwithstanding, legally committing to years of military service requires serious deliberation.

Bracknell rushes to this interview directly from the Hollenback Center, still wearing her Navy cap. She’d been into sports in high school—diving—and only decided to pursue ROTC when that didn’t work out. “I realized I wanted to serve in some capacity after college.

Once I realized I had a strong interest in international affairs, and particularly the affairs of the Middle East, I realized: what better way to serve than the military?”

A Modern Middle Eastern Studies major and Legal Studies and History minor, Bracknell is interested in international law.

She says, “A lot of the perception that the military has now is people thinking that it doesn’t act ethically and that we impose on the sovereignty of nations and people… I

Once I realized I had a strong interest in international affairs, and particularly the affairs of the Middle East, I realized: what better way to serve than the military?

Junney Kang

– Reagan Bracknell thought it was important for people who are passionate about justice, law, and ethics to join.”

Others have planned this path for a long time. Kang’s father joined ROTC in college but quit, and Kang wanted to complete it on his father’s behalf and serve his country.

“I wanted to be self–sufficient and not rely on my parents for tuition, and become more disciplined,” he explains.

Stinger, a self–described “military brat,” grew up in a family with a long history of military service. “[ROTC] was something I wanted to do since day zero. I wanted to jump out of planes and get paid to do it by the US Army.” Besides being given a management role right out of college, “The real reason is service… We don’t do it

Jack Stinger

your game. You have to be up early, you have to be able to go to PT twice a week, you have to be able to do well in your classes, because if you don’t do well in your classes, you could lose your scholarship,” Bracknell says.

But beyond their morning duties, ROTC students operate much like regular Penn students. In the free time they do have, they party, they sleep in, and they’re part of student groups. Some of Stinger’s best friends on campus come from his lightweight rowing team, and he spends more time with them than he does with ROTC students.

Bracknell comments that even though most of her best friends are from ROTC, if she didn’t have Bloomers to balance them out, she would drive herself crazy. “And the other way around as well,” she quickly adds.

Of course, ROTC responsibilities always linger at the

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back of their minds.

Kim has “Accountability Checks” every Sunday, meant to emphasize how each cadet has to be there for others. As soon as her flight commander sends out a message on GroupMe sometime during the day—“Like this for your Accountability Check!”—she dives to her phone to comply, no matter where she is.

On top of regular Penn courses, ROTC students also take classes each semester on military science, history, navigation, and more. Bracknell notes that her ROTC classes, which are taught by her unit’s officers, are similar to her Penn courses. “The biggest difference is that [my course materials] are things that I know I’m gonna have to do in the future…

It gives you a little bit more motivation.”

Stinger’s classes, in addition to lectures, also focus on practical exercises. On Thursdays, “we’ll saddle up with our 35–pound rocks, go over to Fairmount Park across the Schuylkill and do some ambushes and raids.”

Kim, however, finds that her ROTC classes are “totally” different from the Penn curriculum. If cadets are unprepared, there are consequences, including collective punishment. “Last semester, I messed up on an oral Warrior Knowledge quiz.

Because I messed up, my whole flight was yelled at because of me! We got

make up 51.4% of the general population at Penn, in Bracknell’s class of sophomore midshipmen, there are 17 men and only six women. Even in their interviews, ROTC students often use the broad term “boys” or “men” when referring to groups.

“There are definitely challenges that you experience innately, being a woman in the military,” begins Bracknell.

“Although the guys generally—very generally—do a good job of making us feel welcome, you’re definitely aware of it all the time. I do notice when I’m the only girl in a group, and I do feel like I have to regulate myself in things that I say, or the way in which I portray myself.”

This inequality even manifests itself in seemingly mundane aspects of ROTC, like uniforms. “They cut them for women, and the person who cut them obviously doesn’t know what a woman’s body looks like. My khaki pants literally touch my top rib. It’s absurd. I can’t tie my shoes when I have my pants on...

We look like kangaroos.” She mentions that womens’ shorts needed for uniforms only just started being made.

Bracknell uses this added difficulty as motivation and also as preparation for the future.

“The girls learn that when you enter the fleet, there are going to be people

Connor Blend

It's alleviating�I have a guaranteed job. But at the same time, it's a little bit worrying.

Because I know that the next nine years of my life are planned out.

– Connor Blend our name changed from Bravo Flight to No Name Flight. I felt so much responsibility—because of me, my whole flight had to suffer,” Kim recounts.

ROTC students are not insulated from many of the problems that have historically plagued the military, including gender bias. While women

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Heewon Kim who will underestimate you and who will believe that,

because you are a woman, you cannot be as capable of leading and serving as well as a man could… That motivates me even more to say ‘Okay, I know people are going to underestimate me, so I’m going to prove them wrong.’”

ROTC changes those who pass through it, transforming its members from high school graduates to officers leading troops. Beyond practical or physical training, its cadets and midshipmen are integrated into a culture of service and teamwork, and are placed on a predefined path that will shape both their time at Penn and their life post–graduation.

“It’s alleviating—I have a guaranteed job. But at the same time, it’s a little bit worrying. Because I know that the next nine years of my life are planned out,” Blend says.

Still, he doesn’t regret his decision.

“I came in thinking I was going to be the best, and then I realized that it’s not about that at all. The military is a team.

Every single person in ROTC, I consider my brother and sister.”

Srinidhi Ramakrishna is a freshman in the College from Montgomery, New Jersey. She is a features staff writer for Street.

ST YLE

Why Do We Love Horoscopes, And Can We Actually Trust Them?

A meditation on why we use horoscopes as a means to understand ourselves.

Zoe Young

I’m a Taurus. By definition, that means I’m bold, extroverted, strong, and stubborn—the last being ironically true. Taurus is the zodiac sign for birthdays between April 21 and May 21, my birthday being May 16.

In high school, I checked my horoscope excessively. I had a morning routine: wake up, turn on my iPhone, go on Snapchat’s explore page, and check my horoscope on Cosmopolitan—where else? My obsession escalated from just reading Cosmo to the point where I now have not one, but three horoscope apps on my phone. At some points, I've even given my horoscope the power to set my mood for the day. Looking back now, that was clearly excessive, but it does bring up an important question: Why are we all so obsessed with our horoscopes?

To start—it’s reassuring. Everyone can relate to fearing the unknown. It’s normal, natural, and common to be scared of what is coming ahead. That’s exactly why when our horoscopes say something that feels relatable and possible, it feels amazing. We feel validated in what we’ve been thinking all along but were too scared to claim for ourselves. Most of us don’t trust our subconscious, so it’s sometimes more convenient to rely on something tangible—a horoscope—to validate what we already know.

Horoscopes hit close to home for me because my aunt is an astrologer, so I grew up with a family member who believed in the stars and the moon as important predictors of our lives. I remember my aunt telling me that the stars and planets affect us, just how the moon moves the tides and the sun controls the crops. My aunt always reminded me to trust myself, and know that what my horoscope said about me was nothing new—rather, it was saying things I had already known deep down but was too afraid to explicitly accept.

It seems like maybe we need to check our horoscopes daily because we simply can't just let the future happen. We want to prepare ourselves, as if some app we download for $0.99 can possibly have all of the answers. The point is we want control over what is going to happen to us and how we are supposed to feel about it— which our horoscope neatly lays out for us.

Perhaps we like our horoscopes not just for their supposed foresight, but also because they help us identify with our strengths and weaknesses. However, since horoscopes are so generalized maybe we should instead focus on why we feel the need to check them in the first place.

Joseph Kable, a Psychology professor at Penn study-

Nancy Kang | Design Associate ing psychological and neural mechanisms of choice behavior, says “People spend a lot of time, mentally, outside of the here and now, imagining the future or remembering the past.” Thus, it can be fun to dream about the type of day, week, or year, you may want to have. Kable claims that “horoscopes provide another impetus to do this.”

Kable says that “most horoscopes are what psychologists call ‘Barnum statements’– statements that are vague and generalizable enough that most people (including people who don’t share your sign) endorse them as true statements about themselves.”

Because Barnum statements are relatable in their essence, Kable believes, “it’s easy to

think that the predictions are more personal, unique, and accurate than they really are.” Since horoscopes are so generalized maybe we should instead focus on why we feel the need to check them in the first place.

Ask yourself the next time you feel the urge to look at your horoscope, why are you searching for validation today? Do you want your horoscope to say something you already feel or know?

Sure, there are undoubtedly people who reject the idea of a horoscope completely. But, it’s a comforting feeling–believing that the stars are working in our favor. We’re all on some sort of path whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. A horoscope can't necessarily predict that path, but a per-

son’s zodiac sign is unique for a reason. Maybe what it really does best is serve as a reminder that we're all different people with different futures, but we're all just striving to know ourselves better.

You don’t need a $0.99 app to remind you that you are loved, a good person, or heading in the right direction. You also don’t need an app to validate that maybe life’s shitty right now. Trust yourself; if you feel something, that feeling is valid simply because it is felt.

You may not have control over what happens to you– no one does–but, you most certainly have control over how you handle anything that comes your way. There is great power in trusting yourself.

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ST YLE

Center City's 'Pleasure Chest' is the most Sex–Positive Store in Philly Owner Susan Mannino stresses that self–pleasure is important for everyone.

Zoe Young

The outside of Pleasure Chest strikes fear into the hearts of many passersby. Squeamishness, yes, but also pure terror.

Why? Because walking through the doors of this obscure, underground Philly sex toy shop is like stumbling into another world—a vast assortment of erotic toys, sexy costumes of all colors and themes, condoms galore, and lip–shaped red leather seats—most of which intimidate people.

I trespassed into this oblivion

was going to be doing,” Mannino explains. She studied nutrition at Drexel in the '80s. Her husband passed away years later.

For the 45 years that Pleasure Chest has been in business, Mannino hasn’t been exposed to the type of fear or discomfort around self—pleasure that is seemingly prevalent among teens and young adults.

It’s common to hear about guys “jerking off,” but “weird” or even "gross" to hear that a girl masturbates. Conversely, if a guy

almost always view their own masturbation as a norm.

Mannino shares her perspective: “I don’t really understand either extreme, you don’t really need to be out there telling everybody you’re [masturbating]," she says—adding that you also shouldn’t purposefully avoid it—“but you should certainly know where you can go and get what you need if you want to.

There’s no reason you can’t have the best orgasms in the world.”

Perhaps people are uncom-

sometimes sex is treated that way. In these scenarios, one partner is treated as a vessel—a means to an end. Mannino says that women can’t just sit around waiting for an orgasm. That would be too easy! “It doesn’t just happen, it’s not like digestion,” she says.

Although her remark is humorous, Mannino has a critical point. When women haven’t had an orgasm because they fear masturbation, “they don’t know what they’re fighting for,” Man-

It is frustrating, Mannino admits, when people come into the store for the wrong purposes. She explains, “When people are with their friends they can be ridiculous—it’s more of an entertainment thing.” Obviously visiting a sex toy shop is fun, but people throwing dildos and vibrators around quickly becomes disrespectful.

Surprisingly enough, men used to dominate sex toy shops back when Pleasure Chest was first opened in the mid–70s.

Ethan Wu | Media Director

on a foggy Tuesday two weeks ago. Thoughts scattered through my mind as I pushed open the door: What if someone from Penn sees me go in here? Are people going to think I’m some crazy sex fanatic? The fear of others purely knowing I was in a sex shop and the resulting judgment that would occur nearly deterred me from entering.

When I shared my initial fear with Susan Mannino, the owner of Pleasure Chest, she was surprised.

Mannino got involved with Pleasure Chest after going on a date with the then–owner of the store, who later became her husband. “This is the last thing you’d think in the world that I

doesn’t jerk off, that’d be weird.

While this strong stigma does dissolve a bit in college, some of the underlying social tones remain. Either way, orgasming is a bodily function, yet people are still freaked out about it. So why is self–pleasure normalized for men in American culture and not for women?

Perhaps the answer lies in education. Girls are not typically taught when they are young that masturbating is normal.

Some are shocked that girls even masturbate, and can feel guilty, disgusted with their own actions, judged, or even scared.

Others are entirely comfortable with the idea. The spectrum is vast in comparison to boys who

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fortable with the idea of toys for the purpose of orgasms because, for some, orgasms largely rest in the realm of the unknown. Mannino says, “If I had known about this place if I was in college, I would have better grades.” She believes that regular masturbation for students can lead to performing better in school.

When I explain to her that some young women have become complacent with having sex without having an orgasm—or in some cases, faking them—she exclaims, “What the hell is going on?”

To Mannino, when one person finishes, sex shouldn’t be “over.” It’s not one–sided, yet

nino explains.

On the other side of the spectrum, some partners feel threatened. Men always ask Mannino, “Are you putting us out of business?” Her response: “If you’re a lousy crap, yeah.”

And the business of orgasms isn’t exclusive to young people.

“People always asks who shops here, and the spectrum is everybody. It’s from 20 to 80. If they can walk down those steps...

I mean we’ve wheeled people down those steps,” Mannino adds. She loves the idea of a safe environment where any type of person, regardless of age, gender, race, socioeconomic class, body size, or sexuality can positively receive sex education.

Running Pleasure Chest now is empowering for Mannino. She loves her job.

While everyone has different sexual preferences, the goal of Pleasure Chest is for people to get what they want and deserve in sexual interactions. The point is that if you want to have an orgasm, you have the power to advocate for yourself.

People like Susan Mannino remind us that prioritizing your own pleasure regardless of the status of your sex life is vital. If your partner is finishing, you should be too. Like Mannino says, “You’re in charge of your sex life. It’s up to you to decide what is acceptable and what is not.”

FILM & TV

Season Three of

is More Inspirational Than Ever The Fab Five is back with their signature advice and charm.

By Calista Lopez

Netflix has officially released the highly anticipated third season of the Emmy award–winning reboot, Queer Eye.This season we're following the Fab Five—Tan France (the fashion guru), Antoni Porowski (the food and wine connoisseur), Jonathan Van Ness (the grooming specialist), Bobby Berk (the design whiz), and Karamo Brown (the culture expert)—as they travel through the Midwestern city of Kansas City, Missouri to offer advice and make people over from the inside–out. This is the reality TV series' best installment yet— and this is why.

This season is a huge tear– jerker, more so than previous seasons, and that's because the people chosen by the Fab Five to receive makeovers are just so damn deserving. They select people that are relatable, lovable, and have been through some rough situations. From a widowed husband and father of two, to a strong black lesbian woman ousted from her home by her religious adoptive parents at 16, the participants' stories of resilience and their respective journeys to happiness through their week–long makeovers with the Fab Five exceed the surface–level "rags to riches" trope present in a lot of makeover reality TV. Instead, it preaches messages of strength and growth. In short, Queer Eye's newest candidates make the show worth watching, leaving you feeling inspired and in need of a box of tissues.

The Fab Five themselves have also upped their game. They're funnier and fresher than ever.

Jonathan continues to be the most outspoken and the tallest (even without his signature high heels) of the group. Bobby

has definitely stepped it up by showing off more of his lovable personality and creating some seriously beautiful home makeovers. Tan and Antoni give simple, yet effective advice that the candidates actually adhere to while Karamo introduces relevant cultural experiences.

What truly makes this season is that the group is the most compassionate they've ever been on the show. Maybe it's due to the type of candidates they feature this season, but all of the members of the Fab Five, at one point or another, delve into meaningful heart–to– hearts with the Midwesterners, bringing a level of understanding, emotional intelligence, and personal vulnerability that is usually reserved only for culture expert, Karamo. But they never overstep their boundaries, and the respect with which they navigated the harsh circumstances of those on the show was admirable and moving, emphasizing the importance of self–care and confidence– building.

Oh, and did I mention the Fab Five introduced a new member? An adorable white French bulldog named Bruley who has arguably stolen Antoni's spot as the cutest of the bunch.

At the height of their fame, the Fab Five have managed to top themselves with their third season by combining the nostalgic satisfaction of old makeover TV shows like What Not To Wear and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition with personal narratives of vulnerability, self–love, and acceptance. All this comes together to make Queer Eye the most fun, necessary, and heartwarming series of the decade.

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Isabel Liang | Illustrator

FILM & TV

What's Causing the Resurgence of the Horror Genre?

Over the past decade, horror has gone from a B–movie gore fest to an artistic landscape for directors to show off. Why?

by Samantha Sander

Horror has always been treated as somewhat of a lesser genre. '90s and 2000's horror, for example, is famously formulaic. At best, horror movies seemed like a way for the stars of teenybopper television to prove they could "act" with a capital A, and for studios to make a quick buck unfettered by the laws of good or logical cinema. Simply put, they epitomized the term “B–movie”.

But the latest additions to the genre have cast horror in a newer, slightly more twisted light. From Jordan Peele’s revelatory Get Out (and upcoming movie, Us) to Darren Aronofsky’s divisively thrilling Mother!, or Ari Aster's Hereditary, the genre has become more artful than ever before—horror has gotten its groove back.

Nothing illustrates the new path of the wayward genre better than Netflix’s Velvet Buzz-

saw, a misanthropic little critique of the art world that has all of horror’s typical tropes with the actual teeth to back it up. The film, which follows Morf Vandewalt (played by the ever–masterful Jake Gyllenhaal) is not only a campy romp through art’s dark side, but also a deeply funny and well–done take. Buzzsaw is neither the first nor the last of its kind: smaller films like It Follows and Hereditary have made a huge splash alongside much bigger budget horror flicks like A Quiet Place and It. And while it is clear that the horror genre has made a significant turnaround in recent years, its much less clear why and how. How are Hollywood’s elite—execs and directors alike— cashing in on what was largely a spurned production model until now?

One possible answer may be Blumhouse Productions, the

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plucky underdog company behind cash–cow successes like Happy Death Day and Paranormal Activity that produces films with minuscule budgets to ensure financial success. It is entirely possible that horror’s resurgence is owed to companies like this which manage to bring in great content under budget that translate to larger profit margins. Paranormal Activity, the aforementioned cash–cow, was made for only $15,000 and grossed nearly $200 million in the box office, earning it's franchise status and solidifying its place in the American horror canon.

But even if money is the reason so many actually decent horror films have been released lately, what explains the fact that so many people are watching them?

Maybe Marvel is to blame.

Seriously. Superhero movies

have given audiences an unquenchable thirst for onscreen action. The massive profitability of action films has made the new cinema landscape impossible to navigate for some and untenable for others. For a while, the world of “good movies” was relatively two–note: there was the indie and then there was the blockbuster. But in a world increasingly obsessed with tentpoles and the phenomenon of fandom, those looking to make a splash have moved further and further away from the obviousness of the mainstream. Enter: horror. A genre so diametrically opposed to the generic, cast so far out of the mainstream, so disparaged by artists in general that there was nowhere left to go but up.

It provides a space for upcoming filmmakers to create and innovate at a time when the mainstream is oversaturated.

So it’s not so much that horror is some newfangled thing we’re just beginning to appreciate. It’s more that horror has received a new lease on life from film execs and audiences alike: we finally want to watch all this ridiculous stuff go down on screen.

Why? Because it’s what we’re accustomed to at this point.

Somehow, in the last decade, horror has become the genre that's sharpening our eye to society’s misgivings.

It’s become the counterpoint to the mainstream instead of a watered down gorefest.

Horror—rather than soapy indie drama—has become the place where new filmmakers are discovered. Instead of being a place where young starlets try to prove they can "act" with a capital A, horror is now a place for directors to prove they can "direct" with a capital D.

FILM & TV

Ricky Gervais' New Show 'After Life' Is a Disappointment This show, which he writes, directs, and stars in, just proves his critics right.

By Ana Hallman Photo by: Natalie Seery / Netflix Comedian Ricky Gervais has always been a controversial figure. His typical brand of humor is mocking, and can come across as insulting. In hosting the Golden Globes on four separate occasions, he consistently received hotly mixed reviews, seeing as his performance was largely based on the ridicule of many of the celebrities in the audience. However, his routines can also be sharp and hilariously relatable rather than mean—sometimes. Unfortunately, his newest Netflix Original After Life, released on March 8, crystallizes his resentful attitude, but without any of his redeeming wit.

Gervais has played David Brent in the British version of The Office, Dominic Badguy in Muppets Most Wanted, and done various stand–up performances, but the character of Tony in After Life is his the darkest role yet. The show is centered around his wife's death and and his attempts at coping with this life–altering event. The question is: How can Gervais make this dark subject funny? His answer appears to be completely unrelated to the topic of the show.

The show, which he wrote and directed, is a platform for him to indulge in his self–absorption. Tony almost never stops talking about himself and his loss. The purpose of the other characters is not to have their

own lives, but rather, to give Tony fodder for his cynicism or to tell him that he's a decent person, although it's unclear how anyone could arrive at that conclusion. Homemade videos of him and his wife before her cancer are meant to be cute and display his more fun–loving side, but they instead just made me realize that I would want to divorce him. I don’t think anyone would want a husband that wakes you up to a foghorn several times, or pours water on them while asleep.

The show also serves as a venue for Gervais to tell his critics off. This appears to be a theme with which he has become increasingly concerned.

His stand–up special Humanity in 2018 was largely dedicated to anecdotes about some of the tweets that had berated him for some of his more contested positions, such as his loudly self–proclaimed atheism. Humanity, however, was a great routine in which he simultaneously makes fun of some of his more extreme critics while also poking fun at his own childish need to respond.

In After Life, he also dedicates long bits to some of his twitter critics, which can be seen in his lecture on atheism and his condemnation of the stand–up comedian he watches one night after work. Here, however, his mockery is crude and cheap, relying too heavily on mean

jokes about his overweight coworker and on the shock factor of vulgar swear words.

It’s like watching a spoiled bully get rewarded with candy.

In interviews, Gervais says that the show is meant to be liberating. Viewers can live vicariously through the character of Tony, who vocalizes the annoyances of everyday life rather than "biting his tongue." There is some merit to this argument—it’s funny

to see Tony rebuke the waitress who refuses to serve him anything on the kid’s menu.

But these moments are few and far between, and the satisfaction is diminished by the petulance of the character.

It might be liberating to see a quick jibe at the waitress’s refusal, but it sours quickly when the jibe essentially turns into Tony childishly asking “Why? Why?” again and again.

At the outset of the show,

people wondered how Gervais would use his renowned humor to discuss the existential crisis of a widower. The answer, though, is that he didn’t. He had all the tools to do so, with a fantastic comedic cast and his highest budget yet, but he could not properly execute the material in the format of a deadpan show. I’m still a Gervais fan, but After Life just validated the complaints of his critics.

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FILM & TV

'Captain Marvel': A Promising Prototype

By Calista Lopez Marvel’s first female superhero origin story is finally here: Brie Larson stars as extraterrestrial Kree warrior fighting a war between her people and the evil, shape shifting Skrull people.

All the while, she struggles with keeping her emotions in check at the direction of her Kree comander, Yon–Rogg (Jude Law), and working through recurring snippets of her past life that she can’t quite piece together. After a mission goes bad, she finds herself on Earth in 1995, where she meets future SHIELD director, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and enlists his help to end the war with the Skrulls. She eventually uncovers her true identity as U.S. air force pilot Carol Danvers and realizes her true power to become Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvel is an important milestone in Marvel history.

But that doesn't mean it's perfect. Here's why Captain Marvel is a promising Marvel prototype that can be improved on in fu-

Photo By: AntMan3001 // CC by 2.0

One small step for Captain Marvel, one giant leap for Marvel–kind.

ture female–led productions.

Let's start with Brie Larson.

As Captain Marvel, she’s cool, clever, and powerful. Her effortless wit is charming and her get– shit–done attitude is energizing.

But Carol Danvers' character and backstory is undeveloped and flat. As an amnesiac, Carol struggles for the majority of the movie to remember her past, and we only get short glimpses of her as a child and her relation-

ship with her father. I awaited a scene or two that'd delve deeper into Carol's past (this is, after all, an origin story) but nothing about her origination is ever revealed beyond these flashbacks.

As for Carol's relationship with side characters, the most notable is with Nick Fury, pre– eye–patch. Their unlikely friendship and playful banter were reminiscent of a buddy cop film and was almost as endearing as

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Fury’s attachment to an adorable tabby cat in the film named Goose. I can appreciate this type of humor (it’s a staple of Marvel films), but there were some scenes, funny as they were, that felt a little too much like "Fury and Goose featuring Carol on the side." It wasn’t until the introduction of Maria Rambeau, Carol’s best friend and a badass fighter pilot, that we get a chance to see more of Carol’s personality and her capacity for love, loyalty, and support.

The absence of a love interest, however, was refreshing and satisfying as the film followed Carol through her journey of self–discovery and realization. The revelation of Carol's true enemy— Yon–Rogg, her commanding officer who, while pretending to be her friend and mentor, lies and manipulates Carol to prevent her from realizing her full potential—was a compelling and relevant allegory for gaslighting.

Set in 1995, this film did a great job of turning back the clock with references to Blockbuster, grunge fashion, and The Fresh Prince of Bel–Air. Marvel also excelled in the music department with a killer 90’s soundtrack featuring classic bands like Nirvana, TLC, Salt–N–Pepa, and

No Doubt. Cue the nostalgia.

Captain Marvel was also a great prelude to the upcoming and highly anticipated Avengers: Endgame. As the most powerful Avenger and superhero in the Marvel Universe, Captain Marvel is prophesied to be the universe’s saving grace from super villain, Thanos. This film simultaneously answers enough questions presented in Avengers: Infinity War and drops enough hints and teasers to create hype ahead of the April 26 release of Avengers: Endgame.

At the end of the day, Captain Marvel is decent. I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to and you probably won't either.

But I’ve concluded that my lack of fulfillment is due to the film’s prototypical nature and the exceedingly high expectations I set for it as the first Marvel film of its kind. As a woman, I wanted so badly to finally see myself in Carol Danvers, and the notion of a film based on an ultra– powerful female hero was exciting. But the actual execution of her character didn’t leave me awestruck. The formulaic writing, characteristic of all Marvel movies, was underwhelming here because I felt a groundbreaking movie like this one deserved a revamped version of the trusty Marvel formula.

But with all that said, I’d still go to the theater to see it a second time. As viewers and (especially female) Marvel fans, we should support and appreciate a milestone movie like Captain Marvel for the much–needed diversity and inclusion it brings to the table. At the same time, we should also be able to constructively criticize its flaws while calling for the continuation and improvement of a diverse Marvel Universe in the future.

ARTS

The Value of Taking an Art Class at Penn An art class could be just what your schedule-and inner artist-is missing.

Tara O'Brien With the rigid Penn curriculum, most students take classes to fulfill requirements. While schedules very quickly become full, there might still be a little

plore my creative side," she said.

Durga explains that, in the class, students have done activities like building dioramas based on songs or reading a play and

er classes are related to STEM— but his theater class provides a stark contrast to these. "It's the one class where I can express myself," he said.

While this isn't the first time Anirudh has been interested in acting, it wasn’t until he got to college that he had the opportunity to actually try it. This was the first semester that he actually had the time and flexibility to take this class. He emphasized how it has provided him with the freedom to express himself.

With the multitude of required courses that engineering students must take, art classes allow students to access their

creative side. “I think, especially for engineering, that we take so many STEM courses that are very similar, and sometimes it is good to explore other sides,” Durga said. All students, STEM or other, could benefit from going out of their comfort zone— taking an arts course is an ideal way to do so.

Durga expressed the same sentiment. “I think being able to explore a different side and explore everything is the whole point of college," she said.

While many students do feel passionately about—and challenged by—the classes they are taking, an art class has the

unique potential to push people in a different way. “I like [computer science], but it’s not entirely who I am,” Anirudh said. “If I’m concentrating on CS, I need something else that I like that is testing my creative side.”

Many courses at Penn push students academically. Art classes, however, encourage students to push their creative limits. They not only offer a break from the typical problem sets, midterms, and finals, but they also allow students to explore another side of themselves and their interests—a side that may be just as important.

Photo by Emma Boey

something missing—perhaps a little soul. At Penn, it's almost too easy to forget that our creative side needs some of the attention that we usually devote to our academics—but there are solutions. One is through taking art classes—yes, it's possible to take them just for fun. Students blessed with a bit of room in their schedule who have taken such classes can attest to just how important it is.

Durga Srivatsan (E ’22) majors in systems engineering, but this semester she is also taking intro to stage design. All of Durga’s other classes are in STEM fields. "I like that [the stage design class] lets me ex-

thinking about how they would stage it.

"I’m not necessarily the most artistic person, but I want to become more artistic," she said.

"It allows me to relax and have fun.” These classes that focus on creative expression allow for personal development that a class focused on statistics or memorization may not allow for.

Anirudh Agrawal (E ’22), who is in the Networked and Social Systems Engineering (NETS) program, has recently joined an improv club and is taking a theater class. The class has only 12 members who often meet outside of class to practice.

Like Durga, all of Anirudh’s oth-

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ARTS

'CECLILIA VICUÑA: ABOUT TO HAPPEN': THE ART EXHIBIT THAT CAPTURES MOTION THROUGH INANIMATE OBJECTS This Institute of Contemporary Art exhibition addresses global climate change through multimedia work.

Jess Araten Stones and thread–covered fishbones hang from the ceiling, suspended by clear, barely–visible twine. They sway, their movement made apparent from the large shadows cast on white gallery walls. Spanish and English poetry wraps around through the walls and

natural, and working fluently across mediums of sculpture, drawing, video, text, and site– specific installation, Vicuña “stages a conversation about discarded and displaced materials, people, and landscapes in a time of global climate change.”

work.

Held at Philadelphia’s Institute of Contemporary Art, Cecilia Vicuña: About to Happen “represents the first major U.S. solo exhibition of the influential Chilean–born artist and poet.” Through utilizing found objects both manmade and

By working across disciplines, Vicuña crafts an environment that lives and breathes despite being made with inanimate objects. According to the ICA's website, she “has long refused categorical distinctions, operating fluidly between concept and craft, text and textile.

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Photos by Jess Araten

In doing so, Vicuña’s practice is at the intersection of conceptual art, land art, poetry, and feminist art histories.”

Upon entering the exhibition, the viewer first finds a large sculpture composed of objects found by Vicuña in the Mississippi River, described as “a poetic response to the rising waters of our Gulf Coast.” The piece, entitled "Balsa Snake Raft to Escape the Flood" (2017) includes debris, bamboo, willows, rope, net, Styrofoam, feathers, and a deflated basketball. Objects are suspended from the ceiling and sway gently, creating illusions of lively activity from otherwise inanimate objects. Through focusing on discarded objects as sources of art, Vicuña “suggests that the wreckage and refuse of consumer culture may serve not only as the reason for an impending cataclysmic disaster, but also as a useful material to be used in its wake.”

Though shown on a relatively small screen in comparison to "Balsa Snake Raft," Vicuña’s “seven short films on loop” (2012–2015) equally engage and absorb the viewer.

Here again, Vicuña imbues inanimate objects with movement and emotion. In "Umbilico "(2012), Vicuña unfurls a long and thick piece of fuzzy, red fiber (while everything else

in the film is black and white) over the side of an industrial building, knotted together like a still–connected umbilical cord. While the artist's medium is just fabric, the red fiber snaking down the side of the building appears anatomical and alive. The viewer watches as the two pieces of fiber separate from one another in one film before the next begins. The rest of the films include footage of the artist picking seeds and singing, rope filmed in x–ray style footage, and objects in battle with and embracing one another. By anthropomorphising inanimate objects, Vicuña brings the human body and its accompanying motion into her work, making one aware of their own presence or role within the piece.

In her "Precarios" (19662018), Vicuña creates small temporary sculptures from objects found while walking.

Originally created with objects found on the beach that were meant to be erased by the ocean, “she has since incorporated them into her studio practice.” Vicuña began making the sculptures while in exile from Chile in the 1970s, during the dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. In response to Pinochet's dictatorship, the Precarios “functioned as a commentary on the way that

Pinochet treated people like rubbish; simultaneously, the fragile, beautiful sculptures became charms or amulets for resisting his rule.” Down–trodden, like trash, yet beautiful— Percarios is the epitome of how Vicuña’s work employs duality.

In our contemporary era of global climate change, Vicuña’s work is a public call to action. From the discarded plastic, to wooden skewers perhaps picked up on the streets, to worn rocks pocketed from the roadside, Vicuña pushes viewers to confront the consequences of climate change by crafting art out of found objects—the very things we have thrown aside, deemed of unworthy of keeping. In addition, About to Happen raises audiences' awareness of the body’s relationship to our environment. By calling into question the body's role as an object through anthropomorphising the inanimate, Vicuña sparks necessary conversation regarding how we might not only take note of the world, but also how we might care for the environment and each other.

Cecilia Vicuña: About to Happen is on display from Feb. 1—March 31 at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia.

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