The Heights, April 11, 2022

OPINIONS

In her final column, Grace Christenson reflects on finding her voice and how she realized she has stories worth telling. A8

Try Res walks, journaling, and other ways to beat academic burnout this semester.

Young Talent Shines in Spring Game

By Sofia LaBoy Asst. News Editor Beth VergheSe Asst. News Editor

Boston College accepted 16 percent of a record-high 40,477 applicants for the Class of 2026, according to a University release.

Four years ago, the University admitted the Class of 2022 with a then-record-low 27 percent acceptance rate. Now, that acceptance rate has dropped by almost 41 percent.

“BC is getting more ‘best-fit’ students than ever in our applicant pool, who see themselves as aligning with BC expectations and values,” said Director of Undergraduate Admission Grant Gosselin in the release.

Students averaged 1510 on the SAT and 34 on the ACT this year. Though BC is test optional, 67 per-

cent of admitted students submitted standardized test scores.

Forty-two percent of admitted students identify as AHANA+ students, with nine percent international and 11 percent first-generation college students.

Early decision (ED) students account for approximately half of this year’s admitted students. The introduction of BC’s ED I and ED II program in 2019 and the test-optional admission plan account for the recent trends in BC’s increasing selectivity, according to Gosselin.

“We have every reason to believe that the degree of academic excellence among our undergraduates will continue to rise,” Gosselin said.

Lucy Michael, a current senior at The Harley School in Rochester, N.Y. and MCAS ’26, applied ED II to BC, explaining that she would pick BC out

of all of the other schools she applied to “in a heartbeat.”

“I love the culture of it—the sports and academics balance,” Michael said. “And it’s also just the prettiest campus I visited out of all my college tours.”

Michael said the variety of classes BC offers also caught her eye.

“I was looking into the classes, [and] they all seem really interesting,” Michael said. “Not that I’m really looking forward to class, but they seem better than other schools I’ve seen.”

Giovanna Giuditta, a senior at Ridge High School in New Jersey and MCAS ’26, said she decided to apply to BC after hearing about her brothers’ positive experiences at the University and learning about BC’s strong Jesuit values.

By Jack Bergamini Assoc. Podcast Editor

No tackling. Quarterbacks can’t be sacked. Punts with zero pressure. Head coach Jeff Hafley crouching 10 yards behind the offense every play while standing on the field.

It seems like the NFL Pro Bowl, but it’s Boston College football’s annual Jay McGillis Spring Game.

“We ran like three or four offensive plays today,” Hafley said in his postgame press conference, alluding to the game’s relaxed tone. “The biggest takeaway is you have to teach those young guys that [the reason] you make practice harder than the game is so when you go out there, you can play confident and let it go.”

BC’s roster was divided into Team Boston and Team Eagles. Phil Jurkovec led Team Boston, while backup quarterback Emmett Morehead led Team Eagles with Alec Sinkfield at running back.

BC named senior Jaiden Woodbey the recipient of the Jay McGillis Scholarship, given to the defensive back that best exemplifies the qualities of team leadership and dedication. Woodbey, a 6-foot defensive back, recorded 55 tackles and two interceptions last season, his first year on the Heights, after spending three years at Florida State.

“I feel like this is such a great honor just for the simple fact that I didn’t start my career at BC,” Woodbey said. “So for me to come here and just get the trust and the development from the coaches and for them to reward me, you know, it’s amazing.

The first half featured a scrimmage style of play, while the second half featured a running, 35-minute clock with a more situational style of play. In the second half, reserve quarterbacks Jack Brandon, Matthew Rueve, and Daelen Menard switched in, and Team Boston earned a 22–10 victory.

Newton Joins MBTA Youth Pass Program

By caitLin cLary Heights Staff

The City of Newton has announced plans to join the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Youth Pass program, which provides some people from ages 12 to 25 with substantial discounts and affordable access to public transportation in Greater Boston.

An MBTA Youth Pass will allow eligible Newtonians to purchase one-way fares at a 50 percent discount and monthly LinkPasses for $30, according to an April 1 news -

letter from Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. A regular monthly LinkPass costs $90.

According to Nicole Freedman, the city’s director of transportation planning, the goal of the Youth Pass program is to accommodate the needs of lower-income communities in commuting to work, school, and other functions. Newton’s poverty rate is 4.3 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“There are substantial numbers of people in Newton that are low income, and we want to make sure that we are supporting them,” Freedman

said. “I think these people are overlooked. Newton is a higher-income town, but there are definitely people that are struggling. I absolutely feel that it is important that we focus on these people.”

The reduced-cost LinkPasses can be used at any area bus, subway, and Fairmount Line Zone 1A commuter station, according to the newsletter. The 50 percent one-way fares apply to Commuter Rail, Express Bus, and ferry rides purchased by Youth Pass holders.

FEATURED GRAPHIC BY ANNIE CORRIGAN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC Rebrands BAIC, Incorporates LGBTQ+ Resources

By erin shannon News Editor amy Palmer Assoc. News Editor and BeTh Verghese Asst. News Editor

Boston College will rebrand the Thea Bowman AHANA Intercultural Center (BAIC) as the Thea Bowman Intercultural Center starting this summer, dropping the AHANA acronym and incorporating resources for LGBTQ+ students under its umbrella.

“New ideas are not always well-received, and it can take time to achieve a positive impact, but our intention is to bring people together after a grueling pandemic and provide mentorship, support, and love to all of our students,” Vice President for Student Affairs Shawna Cooper-Gibson said in a University release.

Cooper-Gibson said the University plans to drop the AHANA acronym—a term BC students created in 1979 that stands for African American, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American.

BC community members have expressed concern that it fails to represent all students of color, she said. According to Cooper-Gibson, some students identify as Black and not African American, or Latino/a and not Hispanic.

“We want to recognize the term’s historical significance while ensuring that the nomenclature is fully inclusive,” she said in the release. “While I know that change can be difficult, renaming the BAIC as the Bowman Intercultural Center is important as we prepare our students to enter a global society with a common language.”

On April 1, before the University officially announced the changes on April 7, a group of five students made a plan to discuss several issues they

had heard about with Cooper-Gibson, including the BAIC changes, SANet— the Sexaul Assault Network—being moved from the Women’s Center, the cancellation of the annual Jamaica Magis service trip, and the University’s plan to move the BAIC to a new facility on Upper Campus.

About 70 students gathered at the BAIC to join them at Cooper-Gibson’s office hours. As the five leaders stepped into a conference room with Cooper-Gipson, the other students waited outside.

“Our goal was not to have a protest,” said Darnell Fils, one of the students who spoke with Cooper-Gibson and MCAS ’22. “It was to have a gathering to have folks come to the BAIC, explain to them what’s going on, and then, we bring them into the lounge area, just so we can take up space. That was the goal, to take up space so she knows we’re here.”

Angel Prado, MCAS ’25, said he was concerned about the BAIC poten-

tially being physically moved to another location.

“Having all these rumors and hearing that the BAIC might get moved … that’s what drew me here,” Prado said at the demonstration. “I felt kind of hurt because like, I come to a PWI, predominately white school, and the AHANA BAIC is like the only thing that we have.”

Srina Lacet, one of the organizers and MCAS ’24, said she first learned about all of these changes through her job at the Women’s Center but other students learned through Snapchat.

“The lack of transparency is so weird, because when we make decisions and when we want to put certain initiatives forward, it feels like we’re being ignored by [the] administration as a whole. But now it feels like [the] administration is taking control of things without having our input.”

Christie Louis, MCAS ’24, helped organize the demonstration and said it showed the sense of community among

AHANA+ students.

“[I] think it’s a testament to how much of a community the AHANA is at BC,” Louis said. “To see the community that the BAIC has built and the connection that has been made, and to then come in and change that physical space … it doesn’t make sense.”

Kudzai Kapurura, MCAS ’23, said their meeting with Cooper-Gibson felt “pointless and inefficient” as the University had already solidified its decisions.

“We as students are the greatest stakeholders,” Kapurura said. “Those decisions made by higher level administrators directly impact … us as students. … Our voice is so, so necessary.”

The changes to the BAIC are aimed at creating a true “intercultural” center, Cooper-Gibson said in the release.

“The mission of the BAIC is to create an inclusive and culturally diverse environment on campus by promoting equity, building commu-

nity, and supporting opportunity,” she said. “The inclusion of resources for LGBTQ+ students within the BAIC aligns perfectly with this mission.”

Lacet said the University’s decision to incorporate resources for LGBTQ+ students into the BAIC limits the physical spaces students have available to them.

“I feel like it’s doing a disservice to multiple groups of students, especially students that do identify with both of these identities or multiple identities,” Lacet said.

Prior to the University’s changes, resources for LGBTQ+ students were previously housed in the Office of Student Outreach and Student Services, but BC community members have called for an LGBTQ+ resource center for years. Cooper-Gibson said the center will hire a new full-time staff member and graduate assistant to serve the LGBTQ+ community. These adjustments, she said, will emphasize intersectionality.

Placing LGBTQ+ services under the umbrella of the BAIC makes sense and is consistent with how intercultural centers are structured at many colleges and universities,” Cooper-Gibson said.

In 2020, a petition calling for an LGBTQ+ resource center garnered 1,446 signatures. The petition said that LGBTQ+ students at BC deserve their own physical space on campus.

Fils said while he understands the decision to change the term AHANA, placing AHANA+ and LGBTQ+ students in the same center undermines LGBTQ+ students’ fight for their own resource center.

“[LGBTQ+ students] have been fighting for their own space for multiple years on this campus and for [Cooper-Gibson] to think that you can just combine the students together,” Fils said. “That doesn’t make any sense.” n

BC 2026 Acceptance Rate Drops Nearly Three Percent

2026, from A1

“I do volunteer work at my church now, and my volunteering and my faith are a really important part of my life,” she said. “I’ve seen my brother get involved with volunteer work through things like Appa at BC, and I really look forward to participating in the volunteer culture at BC.”

and it’s the perfect size—not too big, not too small.”

According to Duchnowska, this year’s college process has been unpredictable, with uncertainty surrounding admissions rates and whether standardized testing centers would be open due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Everything I thought I knew about the process seems to be wrong,” she said. “I have an older sister, so I was prepared for the stress of applications and writing essays, but with all the decisions coming back there’s so many things I didn’t expect. … For example, so many students are getting into their reach [schools] and then getting rejected from [safety schools]. It’s just crazy.”

Duchnowska said that although she submitted her test score to the University, she appreciated BC’s decision to be test optional this year.

“It’s probably a way more fair system now because the whole testing system is so messed up and not really valid or predictable,” she said.

Giuditta said she believes this year may have been particularly challenging because current high school seniors are competing with students who may have taken a gap year.

nior at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, Fla. and CSOM ’26, said he is most excited to continue his passion for playing soccer at BC.

“I’ve heard the club soccer team is competitive, but I’m up for the challenge,” Alvarez said. “I’m definitely looking to try out next year.”

If she attends BC, Duchnowska said she looks forward to growing

both personally and academically.

“I’m looking forward to learning things that will actually directly impact my future career,” she said. “And socially, I’m excited to meet new people. I love the people in my high school, but it’s going to be nice to break out and meet new people with different backgrounds and perspectives.” n

Ella Duchnowska, a senior at Newton North High School who plans to study neuroscience, said she had varying motivations for applying to BC.

Duchnowska was raised in Newton, Mass. and said she grew up going to BC football games.

“I’ve been here most of my life,” she said. “It’s a beautiful campus,

Michael also said the college application process was erratic, with a lot of initial deferrals before she received her acceptance to BC on Feb. 4.

“I noticed with every school, the acceptances seemed random at times,” Michael said. “Even my counselor told me that she thinks BC’s regular decision acceptance rate was like under 10 percent.”

“I think having kids that would be freshmen now taking gap years has just really boosted the amount of applicants that colleges are getting,” she said. “I’m really lucky and thrilled to have gotten in during such a competitive year.”

Anticipating the upcoming school year, Giuditta said she looks forward to meeting a diverse group of students on BC’s campus this fall.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting different students from different backgrounds and areas,” she said. “I’m so open to not just growing academically, but also socially.” Brandon Alvarez, a current se-

The heighTs

Mia Hamm, Olympic soccer gold medalist and women’s World Cup–winner, joins the Council for Women of BC this Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Margot Connell Recreation Center to celebrate 50 years of Title IX.

Join CAB, Start@Shea, and Kured this Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Vandy Cabaret Room to create your own charcuterie board.

Journey to the Mod parking lot at 10 a.m. to celebrate Marathon Monday and watch Jason Derulo perform live.

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC accepted 16 percent of the 40,477 applicants to the Class of 2026.

“I’m really lucky and thrilled to have gotten in during such a competitive year.”

VIKRUM SINGH / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The Thea Bowman AHANA Intercultural Center will lose the “AHANA” in its full title starting this summer.

Faculty Letter Critiques Survey Demographic Options

B y N aTalie a r N d T Newsletter Editor e ri N s ha NNoN News Editor

One hundred ninety-six Boston College faculty members signed an open letter to the University criticizing the demographic portion of its “Boston College Faculty & Staff Experience Survey” for excluding intersectional identities.

“In not providing diverse response options, Boston College as an institution fails to accurately capture the lived truths of its many diverse community members,” the letter reads. “What is the purpose of asking these questions and collecting this information if aspects of identity are intentionally excluded?”

The open letter called on staff and faculty members to utilize the open response section of the survey

to write in their identities, use a free response section to ask the University to better advocate for marginalized communities, and contact David Trainor, vice president for human resources, and David Quigley, provost and dean of faculties, to ask them to be better allies.

options.

“I know that the gender question in particular placed my nonbinary colleagues in an awkward and uncomfortable position of having to incorrectly sort themselves into a binary framework,” he said. “And even as a binary trans person, I felt intentionally excluded by the framing of the demographic questions.”

According to the letter, the demographic data section of the survey—which also asked for information about race, gender, marital status, and disability, among other affinities—failed to provide adequate response options.

excluding nonbinary, transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, agender, or any other gender identity.”

Bauer said there was a follow-up question in the survey about sexual orientation, but not one about transgender identity.

“The university was uninterested in collecting data about the thoughts or experiences of its transgender and nonbinary employees - which is an important first step in addressing the issues transgender and nonbinary employees at BC face,” he said.

The letter argues that the survey erased the identities of faculty and staff across the BC community.

in responding to the needs of the BC community.”

Members of LGBT@BC—a faculty association that supports the LGBTQ+ community at BC—raised similar issues with BC’s administration when the faculty experience survey was last administered in 2019, the letter said. In response, the University added a final short-answer question asking if any identities were missed in the survey.

Avi Bauer, co-writer of the letter and digital initiatives and scholarly communication specialist at BC Law Library, said that as a transgender person, he was uncomfortable with how the survey presented demographic

“The wording of the question asking about gender in the survey shows an intentional exclusion of the transgender, nonbinary and genderqueer community,” the letter reads. “The gender question offers only ‘Male’ and ‘Female’ as options,

“In excluding many identities, the data collected will provide fewer insights to understand the nuances of the BC community,” the letter reads.

“This will make policies, support systems, and institutional structures less equipped with the tools to be agile

“No consequential changes to the content or structure of the demographic section of the survey were made,” the letter reads. “This short answer question is not sufficient overall, as it puts the onus on respondents to list their identities that were excluded in the prior questions.”

Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com

BCGEU Brings Health Care Petition to Leahy

Blue Shield back then, which was alright,” Neville said. “It was perfectly sufficient.”

VIKRUM SINGH / HEIGHTS EDITOR

BC History Department, Professor Dana Sajdi Open Podcast Studio

B y Thomas Coder Heights Staff

The Boston College history department officially opened its podcasting studio on Thursday, which Dana Sajdi hopes will become a fundamental part of the department.

“The point is to institutionalize podcasting as a part of the history department,” Sajdi, an associate professor of history, said. “I’m hoping that podcasting will become a part of the history department’s DNA.”

Sajdi received two grants in May that she used to create the podcasting studio, which will help BC students adapt to the new technological age, she said.

“I am a firm believer that the print regime and books and papers, it’s only a matter of time before they stop being the main sources or the main media of knowledge transmission,” Sajdi said. “I firmly believe that we are moving to different ways of producing knowledge, and I want our students to be pioneers in that domain.”

According to Sajdi, students draw more value out of a podcast than a textbook reading.

“History is not written as textbooks, and it should not be understood as textbooks,” she said. “And so it dispels the idea which I’ve always tried to dispel with students that history is not about dates and names of political rulers. History is basically an investigation of the past

through clues and fingerprints.”

Sajdi said the studio will allow her to record a new podcast series to further support the History I Core course Podcasting the Ottomans— an elective course that currently uses the Ottoman History Podcast to examine the history of the Ottoman Empire.

In this course, Sajdi said she required textbook readings in addition to the podcast to familiarize students with dates and key events, helping them gain more from the weekly podcasts they listened to.

“[The students] didn’t want to just listen to podcasts, because they needed some framework to put it together, and so I found several [students] who were really enjoying the intellectual exercise of juxtaposing the reading with the podcast,” Sajdi said. “I think the combination and juxtaposition between the two will allow you to think in different ways.”

Sajdi also discussed a new podcast series with graduate students who will analyze various primary sources as part of independent study with Sajdi.

“We’re producing together another series called ‘History at the Source,’” she said. “Each of the graduate students will start with one primary source from their research, and we’ll make an episode about it.”

The studio will host another series where graduate students will interview professors who recently published books, Sajdi said.

“It’s called the ‘New Books’ series,” Sajdi said. “We have a few students who are graduate students who are participating in that by interviewing history professors [in] the department who have just published books.”

Sajdi also hopes to launch another series centered around the life stories of students with unique perspectives and stories.

“I really would love to see a new podcast series for BC students called ‘Your History,’ in which each of the students tell us their specific history and experiences, showing some kind of historical significance to their lives.”

Selim Kolat, MCAS ’25, said he appreciates the studio’s Ottoman Empire and Turkish style.

“I really like the studio because first of all, it’s very personalized to me because I’m Turkish, and this is a very Turkey [and] Ottoman Empire–based studio. … I’m excited to record here,” Kolat said.

According to Calvin Czapko, MCAS ’24, podcasting’s surging popularity reflects how knowledge might be shared differently in the future.

“I think the history department will have its own, I think every department will have their own podcasting studio for [undergraduate] majors to come in and share their relevant experience and knowledge, and I think this is going to be a developing force for colleges in the future,” Czapko said. n

Members of the Boston College Graduate Employees Union (BCGEU) gathered at O’Neill Plaza on Friday and marched to deliver a petition that demanded comprehensive health insurance with no out-of-pocket costs for graduate student workers to University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J.

“We are all on the front lines teaching freshmen with littleto-no tangible support from the University,” said Sabina Sullivan, a speaker at the protest and English doctoral student. “It’s compounding harm, and it’s literally pennies on the dollar for them to do the right thing.”

Protest attendees chanted “When we fight, we win” and “Health care is a human right” before three of the protestors dropped off the petition at Leahy’s office—which was signed by over 500 graduate, undergraduate, and faculty members, according to a BCGEU press release from April 5.

Sarah Neville is a fourth-year doctorate student who said that when she started working as a graduate employee in 2018, BC offered the Blue Cross Blue Shield health care plan to its graduate workers.

“I started the program in 2018, and we had Blue Cross and

In 2021, however, Neville said the University changed the health care plan offered to over 1,000 graduate workers.

“In the summer of 2021, all of a sudden, with no notice, our health care was switched to UnitedHealthcare StudentResources,” Neville said. “We had no heads-up, there was no solicitation of our input.”

Neville said the new plan offers significantly fewer benefits and forces graduate student-workers to pay out of pocket for more prescriptions and health care visits than before. Student-workers who had previously been on the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan may have had to switch physicians or find new ways to get their prescriptions as well, she said.

“I had to start all the way back to the beginning and try and figure out how to set [my prescriptions] up,” Neville said.

One of the largest issues student-workers faced as a result of the health care switch was the lack of University support, according to Neville.

“We didn’t have any support for this transition,” Neville said.

Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com

“I felt intentionally excluded by the framework of the demographic questions.”

B y a ida N F ra N kli N Heights Staff

AIDAN FRANKLIN / HEIGHTS STAFF

The Boston College Graduate Employees Union delivered the petition to Leahy’s office.

City Considers Using ARPA Fund for NPS

By Gavin ZhanG Assoc. Metro Editor

Newton Public Schools (NPS) may use recently allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to restore some proposed job cuts, said Liam Hurley, NPS assistant superintendent and chief financial and administrative officer, at a Newton School Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Hurley said NPS intends to lower its maintenance budget for the next fiscal year—part of which the ARPA funds can cover—and use the freed funds to sustain more jobs than previously planned.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in a Thursday update that she will allocate $1.51 million in ARPA funds to reimburse NPS for previous costs caused by one-time projects related to COVID-19, such as ventilation improvements.

Hurley said that the budget restructuring could restore up to 20 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions out of the 40 proposed cuts.

One FTE is equivalent to someone who works 40-hour weeks, and a 0.5 FTE means someone who works 20-hour weeks.

Paul Levy, Ward 6 School Committee member, said that the strategy might not be sustainable.

“[NPS’s] numbers showed [that], every year, we’ve been coming in, on average, $800,000 above budget

for maintenance,” Levy said. “To the extent you are choosing to use this one-time funding of maintenance to support staff positions, that’s problematic given the five-year pattern on maintenance.”

In a straw vote, the committee expressed a narrow approval for the tentative fiscal year 2023 budget, though details of what the budget will include are not set in stone.

Four committee members voted to approve it, three objected, and two abstained.

Several committee members said that their vote in the straw poll is preliminary, and they need further information to decide whether to support the proposed budget.

“This straw vote shows that we’ve got a little bit of work in order to make sure that everyone is comfortable with our final budget,” said Tamika Olszewski, School Committee member from Ward 4. “Understanding fully all of the changes and … some of that additional information would help to clarify the picture and clarify the changes that these additional funds have allowed.”

The Newton School Committee will convene on Monday, when NPS officials will present the updated version of the fiscal year 2023 budget.

Fuller and Olszewski said that the committee might convene again on Tuesday, in case it needs more time for deliberation before voting. n

Newton to Replace Water Meters

By ashley emanuel Heights Staff

The Newton Public Facilities Committee, composed of city councilors, met on Wednesday to discuss a recent proposal by the city to replace all of its water meters.

The committee amended and passed a motion to approve $16.55 million dollars allocated to the water meters project.

Mayor Ruthanne Fuller called on the council to consider the matter in a Feb. 14 letter.

“The requested funding will provide for new meters and endpoints for all residential properties, installation of these meters and endpoints, a software and billing interface including a customer portal, training, and associated meter reading equipment,” Fuller wrote.

The committee first discussed the proposal at an April 4 meeting. At Wednesday’s meeting, members of the facilities committee addressed lingering questions surrounding the system’s replacement.

Jim McGonagle, the commissioner of the city’s Department of Public Works, introduced the item and discussed it with the counselors.

The city last replaced the approximately 29,000 water meters located around Newton in 2009, McGonagle said.

Transponders—the radio systems that communicate issues in the meters—in the current system are malfunctioning, according to McGonagle.

But the meters themselves still work correctly, he said.

“So we’re proposing a full meter replacement, as we discussed on Monday night a little more in depth, which includes a customer portal which will allow customers to view their usages, receive alerts, [and] things of that nature,” McGonagle said.

Alison Leary, councilor-at-large for Ward 1, asked about how the changes would be communicated to Newton residents.

The city will create a dedicated webpage for the project and make a phone line available for residents to express any questions or concerns, according to McGonagle.

The city will submit contracts for the installation of the meters to companies for bids, according to McGonagle.

He said installation of the meters would begin in the summer of

2022 with a goal of completion by December of 2023.

Ward 3 Councilor-at-Large Andrea Kelley said the new meters seemed necessary, but she expressed some concerns that the city would not learn from past errors.

“I’m trying for us all to learn from past experience and figure out how we don’t repeat mistakes or errors or oversights or whatever happened in the past,” Kelley said.

Despite the issues with the current water meters, McGonagle said the city would have had to consider replacing the meters no matter what because the U.S Environmental Protection Agency recommends replacing water meters every 10 years. The new meters would last approximately 12 years, according to McGonagle.

McGonagle said the city’s current supply of meters—obtained from overseas providers—faced issues.

This time around, he said the city would not run into the same issue, as the distributor is located in Middlesex County.

”We met with their representatives, and they assured us that supply won’t be an issue with this,” McGonagle said. n

Some Newton Residents Eligible for MBTA Youth Pass

MBTA, from A4

To obtain a Youth Pass, riders must be between 18 and 25 and enrolled in a state or federal benefit program or in an alternative education program, according to Freedman.

Minors between age 12 and 17 can qualify for the pass if they are not enrolled in middle or high school, according to the newsletter.

Students enrolled in a Newton public middle or high school can qualify for a Student CharlieCard.

College students may be eligible for a separate semester pass, Freed -

man said.

Newton is joining the growing list of cities in the greater metro area that have joined the Youth Pass program, including Arlington, Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge.

After demand grew for the program, Fuller decided it was necessary for Newton to join the program, according to Freedman.

“We had heard from some of our constituents that they were interested in purchasing these types of passes, but at that time Newton was not a participant in the program,” Freedman said. “Mayor Fuller knew that this was important and wanted

us to sign up as quickly as possible. So we did, and we’ve already had some applicants go through the system. And I’m sure we will have many more.”

The program is set to roll out in the coming weeks, according to Freedman.

“So far we haven’t run into any problems,” she said. “Now that we’ve got the logistics up and running, our job is to start promoting [the program]. We want to make sure people who are eligible know that they can get the passes.”

Residents can apply for the youth pass through the MBTA website. n

STEVE MOONEY / HEIGHTS EDITOR

JULIA REMICK / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Twenty NPS positions could be saved by the latest proposed budget restructuring.

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Minors between 12 and 17 can qualify for the pass if they are not enrolled in school.

N THE MENU

Coming in Hot: New Dave’s Hot Chicken Impresses at Newton Grand Opening

By Victor StefaneScu Metro Editor

It was SoCal, 3,000 miles away from Venice Beach.

Temperatures were in the 60s, “Surfin’ USA” by The Beach Boys thumped in the background, and a long line stretched out of the propped-open doors.

Four best friends opened a hot chicken stand in an East Hollywood parking lot in May of 2017, according to Los Angeles Magazine.

From there, Dave’s expanded into a fast-casual chain with over 50 locations across the country, from California to New England.

Boston native Bob Quinlan—the co-franchisee of the Newton joint

The soft bun lets the chicken be the star of each bite without letting the whole sandwich fall apart.

“The buns … were warm and soft and just like feeling at home almost,” Anderson said.

The hot sauces at Dave’s seem similar to what iconic Nashville joints like Prince’s Hot Chicken offer.

Mashed reported that many people credit Prince’s as the birthplace of the dish first popularized in Nashville’s historically Black neighborhoods.

The extra hot sauce packs a serious punch. Compared to buffalo wings, the sauce is not messy, requiring just a one-napkin cleanup instead of a whole paper towel roll. It would have been nice to wash down the spice with some homemade lemonade, but Dave’s only offers the Hi-C version.

Quinlan likes a variety of sauces with his order.

“My go-to is Dave’s #2, which is the two sliders,” he said. “They’re so good. I usually get a mild and a medium— two different heat levels. I like the kale slaw. I like the pickle. I like the sauce.”

stretch across the walls and might make customers feel like they are walking down the Venice boardwalk. Even though the seating is mostly metal, the dine-in experience felt comfortable.

While the interior decorations of the restaurant feel busy—including a rubber chicken peering down onto the customers—the menu is simple.

In addition to three meals, Dave’s offers sides such as cheese fries and mac and cheese.

The crinkle cut fries are some of the best compared to other chicken chains, as they are crispy and topped with original seasoning.

The chain also typically serves milkshakes, and a cashier, on opening day, said those are coming soon to the Newton location.Out of many chains popping up right now, Quinlan said Dave’s stands out.

Breakfast Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 ripe medium-large bananas

1 cup rolled oats

¼ cup chopped nuts of your choosing, or sunflower seeds

¼ cup raisins (can be substituted for cranberries or chocolate chips!)

¼ cup coconut flakes (if you’re not a fan, this can be replaced with more oats and nuts)

1 tbsp. chia or flax seeds

½ tsp. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice Pinch of salt

Optional:

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Sweetener, such as maple syrup or sugar, to taste

1 tbsp. peanut butter (or any nut butter) Almond milk or apple sauce

*orange zest and a splash of orange juice goes well with cranberries and coconut!

RECIPE:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork until there are no large chunks. If you’d like, add in vanilla extract, nut butter, or sweetener, stirring until combined.

Add in the salt, cinnamon, and half of the oats. Stir until combined, then add the second half of the oats, allowing them to be completely coated by the wet ingredients.

But at Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles–based, fast-casual restaurant, the good energy is not what impressed customers the most at its Newton location’s grand opening—it was the food.

“They had super moist chicken, and when I bit into it, it was like biting into a slice of heaven,” said Joseph Anderson, a Bentley University student who attended the grand opening. “And when I did it, it was like a little bit of crunch but then just a full melt of flavors in my mouth.”

As part of a 10-location Greater Boston expansion, the new Dave’s location held an official opening on Friday at 141 Needham St., debuting its hot chicken tenders and sliders to some first-timers and others who got to know the chain back in Los Angeles.

David Park, a Newton Resident, learned about Dave’s grand opening through a Facebook post. But Park— from Los Angeles—has eaten Dave’s chicken before.

“[Dave’s is] just really good spicy fried chicken,” he said. “There’s a lot of spinoffs and knock offs too.”

and nine other locations opening in Greater Boston—went to Los Angeles with his business partner about a year ago to experience Dave’s for himself.

“It was awesome,” he said. “We did the undercover boss thing. We went around to all the Dave’s Hot Chickens before we met with the president, Bill Phelps. And, you know, we wouldn’t invest in it if we didn’t think it was great chicken, so it was mind-blowing chicken.”

The restaurant only serves three meals—two tenders, two sliders, or a hybrid with one tender and one slider, all of which come with fries. The chicken comes in seven heat options, ranging from no spice to reaper.

The tenders might make some customers cry—but in a good way. The skin is crispy but still holds onto the tender meat of the chicken.

Although Dave’s only includes a maximum of two tenders in a meal, they are much bigger than the alternatives found at chains like Raising Cane’s.

The sliders feel gourmet. Chilled kale slaw and pickles balance out the hot kick of the chicken.

Quinlan said Boston has been slower to adopt the hot-chicken trend when compared to other major met-

“There’s a big chicken war going on out in L.A. right now, and so we saw a lot of that before we went into Dave’s,” said Quinlain, who was sporting a Dave’s trucker hat. “And people love Dave’s. They saw the hats, saw the shirt everywhere, [saying], ‘Oh my God, Dave’s Hot Chicken.’ That’s

Add in raisins, coconut, nuts, and chia seeds. Stir until evenly distributed in the batter. If the batter is too dry, add a splash of a liquid like almond milk, orange juice, or applesauce to loosen it a bit.

Let stand for 10 minutes, allowing the chia seeds and oats to thicken the batter. (A bit like overnight oats!) The consistency should be a bit thicker than muffin batter but slightly softer than regular cookie dough. Add in 1 tbsp. more of oats or flour if the batter is too loose. Unlike regular cookies, you do not have to be as precise with this recipe!

Cover one to two cookie pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Spacing the cookies about an inch apart, scoop 3 to 4 tbsp. (a bit less than ¼ cup) of dough balls onto the sheet. With your fingers, flatten the cookies to your desired thickness, as they will not spread out in the oven.

Optionally, sprinkle with nuts, cinnamon, sugar, or seeds for extra pizazz!

ropolitan areas.

“We’re seeing it pop up [in] all different communities around the country,” he said. “And Boston doesn’t have that. Boston doesn’t have a place that has a good vibe, you know. That’s my opinion—and there’s some old, tired brands, and we wanted to jump in with this one.”

Green-and-black graffiti murals

awesome.”

In Boston, Dave’s joins the latenight scene. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday through Sunday.

Anderson ordered the two-slider meal at the hot level and said the food was delicious.

“Everyone should go,” he said. n

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. (Note: due to the lack of butter/oil, they will not brown as much as typical cookies!)

Remove the tray from the oven and allow cookies to cool completely. You may take the parchment off the tray, but do not take them off the sheet until they are cooled—they’re fragile!

Enjoy with peanut butter, Greek yogurt, dipped in milk, or on the go!

Lauren aLcock

Bright green graffiti wall art adds a fun and modern twist to Dave’s interior.

VICTOR STEFANESCU / HEIGHTS EDITOR

MC CLAVERIE / HEIGHTS EDITOR

VICTOR STEFANESCU / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Spicy seasoning and juicy meat sets Dave’s apart from other chicken restaurants.

AGAZINE

Beating Burnout 101: How To Deal With Finals Stress

B y a nnie C orrigan Graphics Editor

At a school that puts as much emphasis on academics as Boston College, students are no strangers to burnout. For as long as I can remember, academic burnout has been my worst enemy.

The feeling of pushing aside your exhaustion to write one more paragraph or finish one more page of reading before your class has become second nature to me. In high school, I drove myself to the brink of insanity to achieve good grades, and I brought that habit with me to BC. Given my long history with burnout, I hope to give you some of my tips and tricks to break free from this toxic relationship, especially as the end of the semester approaches. I’ve found that these have helped me deal with the emotional—and sometimes phys -

ical—stress of finals season and its good friend: burnout.

Check In With Yourself

I know that the “That Girl” mentality—the mentality that not having a clean-cut routine means you’re a failure—has been trending on TikTok and Instagram, and while I’m its number one hater, I have to admit that some of the habits it promotes have helped me deal with my own burnout. Firstly, as a communication major and journalism minor, it’s no surprise that I enjoy writing, so journaling in the morning and at night has helped me get some of these feelings of exhaustion off my chest. A journal is obligated to listen to your every thought and feeling, and you know that it’s not going to betray your confidence. It’s like a therapist but a lot cheaper. If you don’t like journaling, then I highly suggest doodling or making a comfort playlist, as these activities allow you to take a moment to check in with

yourself throughout the day. These activities help me channel my emotions in a positive way, rather than bottling them up.

Another great way to check in with yourself is to take a walk. Whether it’s a lap around the Res or a walk through the Quad between study sessions, getting outside and moving your body is a great way to deal with stress. It reminds you that there are things outside of your O’Neill study cubicle or the dim lighting of your dorm’s study room. Breathing in fresh air and basking in the sunlight gives you time to remind yourself that you’re more than a caffeinated, anxious work machine.

Create Routines That Motivate You

If you’re anything like me, your TikTok For You page understands you better than anyone. So, when @thejarr came across my FYP with her list of rules for a first date, I had to give her a follow. Since then, Eli Rallo—a.k.a. @thejarr—has soared to the top of my favorite influencers list. She gives the best advice in the most hilarious, charming way, and my favorite is to find a routine that makes you excited. Whether that be looking forward to having your favorite breakfast in the morning or attending a Taylor Swift–themed spin class at the Plex, finding some -

thing that makes you excited to start your day can really change your perspective.

When I began creating these routines, I’ll admit I thought that it was just going to be silly and that I would relapse back into my burnout. But, doing things that excite me first thing in the morning shifted my dayto-day attitude completely.

I say this not to show off how I am now a morning person—a part of my personality that my mother still finds unbelievable—but to give you an idea of how easy shifting your attitude can be. All of my friends think I’m insane for being at the Plex at 6:30 a.m., but it’s something that I genuinely enjoy. My routine gives me a sense of balance and excitement for no other reason than I love what I do every morning when I wake up. If you feel off or overwhelmed, a routine gives you the chance to find a sense of normalcy, especially when

you’re doing things you find fun. Academic burnout is not a fun feeling, but I hope that these tips help you find a way to cope with the inevitable stress that comes with the end of the semester. With finals creeping up and deadlines coming closer, it’s hard not to become overwhelmed with work and studying, but it’s important to remember that your mental and physical health should always come first. Even as I’m writing this, I’m experiencing some of the worst academic burnout I’ve felt in a while. I’m still learning how to take care of myself, but doing these things has helped me find a sense of stability even when it feels like I have a never-ending pile of work waiting for me. It can be hard trying to balance your schoolwork, social life, and taking care of yourself, but hopefully these tips can be a guide through your academic burnout. n

Flex at the Plex: Gym Culture and Workout Trends

By Steven Javier Dumeng Heights Staff

The gym, a.k.a. the Plex, may remind you of elementary school recess. Crowds of people are in a single place. Some people interact with others, but for the most part, everyone is doing their own thing. It’s kind of loud in certain ar eas, while other areas are noticeably quieter.

At the Plex, each floor represents different types of people and goals. From top to bottom, much can be said about the trends that occur on each floor.

First Floor

On the first floor, you will find three areas that explain why certain people prefer this floor: the con crete basketball courts, the pool, and, of course, the ping-pong tables.

Unlike the hardwood courts upstairs, the multi-activity courts on the ground floor are less crowded and usually consist of casual or inexperienced basketball players. These players rarely engage in a full-on five-v.-five game and typically stick to quick and friendly competition.

Just outside the courts are the ping-pong tables. What I have noticed is that many of the people playing ping-pong don’t go upstairs to workout, suggesting that the gym isn’t only a place to work-

out—everyone can come and find an activity and a person to socialize with.

Finally, there’s the pool. Those who swim in the pool can probably swim for longer than you can stay awake in your 9 a.m. class. The pool is usually open for recreational swimming when there isn’t a practice going on, and I highly recommend giving it a try.

Second Floor

The second floor is perfect for all of your stretching and cardio needs. While it is a bit louder than the first floor, it is, without a doubt, a calm envi ronment.

perience, I have noticed this floor is primarily occupied by young women. On one random day, I noticed that the women out numbered the men on this floor 28 to nine, respectively.

A friend of mine who’s an avid gym-goer told me that she believes the sec ond floor is mostly occupied by girls because they feel more com fortable on that floor, as there are

more opportunities for private work outs. Surely, this floor does a great job of serving those individuals who favor working out alone over more pop ulated workout spaces.

Third Floor

The third floor more closely resembles the environment of a traditional gym. This floor is primarily dominated by men lifting weights and performing high-intensity exercises. From the people doing squats to those grunting with every repetition, the third floor mainly hosts individuals hoping to gain

courts, three tennis courts, staff offices, and variety of weight lifting equipment. While the possibilities are endless at the Plex, this floor takes the cake when it comes to popularity, space, and sports.

Fourth floor

After climbing an endless amount of stairs, congratulations, you have finally reached the top floor, home of the punch ing bags, indoor track, racquetball

tor, I consider that a great workout in and of itself.

Takeaways

The gym caters to a broad range of people, each seeking their own unique goals. Nonetheless, the gym is an opportunity to improve both your physical well-being and your mental well-being. Aside from physical exercise, the gym also serves as a shrine for reflection. As we exercise, we look at ourselves in the mirror, we look at others, we look at the ground, and, at times, we may even close our eyes and look at nothing.

During these moments, it is important that we reflect on our past and envision our future goals. If you struggle to find motivation at the gym, consider this.

Perhaps the greatest feature of this floor is its beautiful views of the evening sunset. Three stories above ground, you’ll be pleased to see the views of Gasson, Maloney, and maybe even a freshman running to catch the Newton bus.

If you can make it to the top floor without the eleva-

As you reflect, think of your purpose and your goals. Concentrate. Breathe. Once you are in a zone, think of every repetition as a step closer to your dreams. In the end, you may find that by training our body, we also train our minds.

Through discipline, we can truly turn healthy diets and workout trends into a lifestyle. n

GRAPHICS BY ANNIE CORRIGAN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

By Josie McNeill Assoc. Arts Editor

Our lives are intertwined in infinite and unchangeable ways. Occasionally, these connections are obvious, like when you happen to meet someone with the exact same name. It just happens arbitrarily. But most of the time, these links are only noticeable through the lens of a third party, observing all the anomalies and seemingly coincidental events that happen in our lives.

In the book Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, the third-party narrator reveals all the connections between the lives of the characters.

Most science fiction novels are not subtle. But, reminiscent of the movie Interstellar, Mandel loops in the science fiction aspects of her book in a way so ingrained with the storyline, it feels nat-

ural and plausible to happen in real life. Her version of science fiction is not too outlandish or so confusing that it’s hard to follow, but it truly makes for a compelling story.

The novel follows the stories of Edwin in 1912, Mirella and Vincent in 2020, and Olive in 2203. Even across different millennia, their lives are connected through the same, seemingly impossible anomaly. This cross-generational format of Mandel’s novel is similar to her previous novel Station Eleven, in which characters jump forward and backward in time, with everything connecting at the end.

Similar to how it affected many other writers’ work during the COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 greatly influenced Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility. She includes subtle hints about the pending viral outbreak in the chapter “Mirella and Vincent,” as their story takes place as

the news of the disease hits the U.S.

In the chapter called “Last Book Tour on Earth” featuring Olive, a new, highly contagious infection is spreading in Australia. The contagion causes alarm for Olive and her husband, who are living on different planets while Olive is on her book tour. Olive resides on Earth, while her husband lives in Moon Colony 2. Olive’s book Marienbad is also based on a pandemic and seems to be written similarly to Sea of Tranquility

During Olive’s chapter, Mandel makes traveling by hovercraft seem like an everyday occurance for the reader even though they only exist in the fictitious world. But the hovercrafts still deal with the same inconveniences, such as traffic, as cars do in today’s age. Mandel combines these futuristic elements with the mundane to make them feel more relevant to a current reader.

While the interactive narration of

the novel worked well with the storyline, occasionally the narrator would be too inquisitive, asking too many rhetorical questions. It sometimes felt like these questions interfered with the flow of the story. Once in a while, the use of questions would be effective, but the more the author used it, the more repetitive it became.

One of Mandel’s strengths as a writ-

er is her ability to drop clues in the plot that connect each of the stories together. Sometimes, the characters say these details so nonchalantly that it feels as though the clue or detail is not as significant to the plot as it is.

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Thomas Rhett’s ‘Where We Started’ Leans on Cliche

By charley coNroy Heights Staff

Grammy Award–winning country artist Thomas Rhett made a mediocre return to pop country with his fifth album, Where We Started

While there are some catchy songs and interesting ideas on the first couple of songs, Rhett did not make strides to expand on his sound or to break from the constraints of pop-country, and the album runs out of steam by the second half.

Where We Started features a catchy first half of an album that, even on its own, is constrained by the limits of the country genre. The first half of the album, combined with a much weaker sec-

ond half, leads Where We Started to be a disappointing production from such a well-respected songwriter in the country scene.

Lyrically, Rhett did not depart from the topics of his previous work, filling his album with cliché songs instead. From songs about beer like “Anything Cold,” to songs about his faith like “Angels,” to a massive helping of love songs, Rhett didn’t branch out from the standard pop-country formula with his lyrics.

There is, however, one exception.

“Death Row,” a song about Rhett’s humanizing experience of meeting criminals, is a unique way for the singer to express his faith in God. Rhett recounts how he talked about both fishing and faith with the criminals.

“I thought that he would be a mon-

ster / It turns out he’s a whole lot like I am,” Rhett sings, planting the idea that people who have become outsiders in society still deserve a chance at redemption.

The message of “Death Row” is a tough one to convey and one that his audience may not necessarily agree with. Still, it includes Rhett’s most striking lyricism and storytelling of any song on the album.

“I can’t say that he’s in Heaven, who am I to judge his soul? / But Jesus don’t play favorites, ain’t a name that He don’t know,” he sings.

Beyond “Death Row,” the lyricism on Where We Started doesn’t do much to impress compared to the level of storytelling that is expected of a country artist.

While Rhett doesn’t drift too far out-

side his country comfort space soundwise, there are a few notable moments of interesting instrumentation. The catchiest and hardest-hitting riff is on “Anything Cold.”

The song builds to a fun chorus, as Rhett sings “I’ll even take a Zima, vodka in an Aquafina, or a margarita made in a can,” before asking for “anything cold.”

The riff on “Angels” attempts to communicate an insightful examination of his faith but wraps it in cliché lines.

“I don’t talk to God like you always tell me I should / I don’t live my life every day like you prayed that I would,” Rhett sings.

Another one of the biggest problems with Where We Started is that it feels too long. The crux of that issue is how topheavy the album is, which leads the five

By eriN PeNder Heights Staff

Maren Morris’ Humble Quest showcases a striking, powerful voice that solidifies her place in the country music industry. Humble Quest has an eclectic mix of songs about love and life. Morris reflects on her marriage, the birth of her son, and her path to stardom on the album with country charm and humor.

The album’s first track, “Circles Around This Town,” features Morris’ reflection on her steady-growing fame and route to success.

“I drove circles around this town /

Tryin’ to write circles around this town / Tryna say somethin’ with meanin’ / Somethin’ worth singin’ about,” Morris sings.

Morris is upfront about the struggles she initially faced in the music industry. The album contemplates the vast number of times she failed while watching others succeed. “Circles Around This Town” is the perfect opener for the album. It showcases Morris’ vocal skill and catches the listeners’ ears, opening with a simple drum beat and guitar that introduces the melody and Morris’ vocals.

Another standout track is “Background Music,” sharing features similar to a ballad with its slower tempo and

lyrics focusing on her relationship. Morris expresses total and infinite love for someone in the song.

“We all it forever but we know that there’s an end to it / You and I can dance our way through it / And I’ll love you till all that we are is background music,” she sings.

“Background Music” showcases the softer side of Morris’ voice, as well as her impressive range. She demonstrates the power of a love that can endure, even when it is no longer at center stage in someone’s life.

“Nervous” features the same themes of the strength and power of love but with more of an emphasis on desire and

the explosiveness of love. It opens with very little instrumentation and just the soft sound of Morris’ voice, gradually building to an explosive chorus. The chorus has an intense beat from the guitar and drums, and Morris belts out the lyrics almost as if they are being shot out of a cannon. These exciting elements make “Nervous” a standout on the album.

“Humble Quest” and “Good Friends” move away from Morris’ expressions of love, focusing instead on the broader trajectory of her life. The title track “Humble Quest” is about the universality of hardship in life and emphasizes the importance of perseverance. “Good Friends” is a recognition of friendship’s

Even these few semi-acceptable moments from the first half are not enough

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Mandel Balances Science Fiction and Family Drama Marren

By sofia Torres Heights Staff

Sandra Bullock looks stunning in the middle of the jungle, and Channing Tatum shows his softer side in The Lost City

But those are the biggest—and perhaps only—takeaways from the new comedy-action movie.

The movie, released in theaters on March 25, offers nothing unique. In fact, you get the sensation that you’ve already watched it a million times. It’s the typical adventure movie where the two main characters fall in love after fighting for their lives in the wilderness.

From the beginning, it was obvious that The Lost City would not be a revo-

lutionary or award-winning movie, but it doesn’t even get any redeeming points for being funny. The audience forgets the few moments worthy of laughter because they are overshadowed by the painfully unfunny scenes throughout the entire movie.

Bullock plays Loretta, a recently widowed, burnt-out romance novelist and former archaeologist. She is sinking in grief, unable to form connections with the people around her or to carry on with her career as an author.

In an effort to sell her book of the same title as the movie, Loretta’s marketing team advises her to appeal to a young audience. This young audience is a superficial fanbase that’s more interested in Alan (Tatum), the sexy man on the

cover of her book who plays the hero of her novel, than the actual content of her work.

Loretta is well-spoken and knowledgeable in archaeology, but she is frustrated because her readers dismiss these traits. Her frustrations led her to become arrogant and ungrateful both to her fanbase and to the viewer.

She thinks very little of Alan, believing he is shallow and vain because he is confident and attracts lots of women. But Alan’s character is charming beyond his physical attractiveness. His character surprises the viewer by demonstrating depth and complexity after his first seemingly shallow appearance in the movie.

Although Alan fits the archetype

of a “himbo” at first, he is much more than that. He is caring, thoughtful, and in touch with his emotions. Loretta, on the other hand, puts little effort into the things she does and says and goes along with anything her marketing team says, showing her lack of personality and ambition.

During her book tour, Loretta is kidnapped by Abigail (Daniel Radcliffe), a bizarre, wealthy man. The movie turns into a rescue mission that Alan orchestrates to find Loretta.

The plot is disorganized and sloppy. It includes a few poorly executed action and fight scenes that are predictable for the genre and therefore uninteresting.

The brief appearance of Brad Pitt as Jack Trainer shows the directors’ de-

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tracks following “Mama’s Front Door” to feel like filler.

COURTESY OF SONY MUSIC

COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT

MUSIC

MOVIE

ANNIE CORRIGAN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Goodbye and a Guy Named Steve

groping my way through the ether. I wanted the overblown confidence of the pre-med people.

I decided, armed with big-hearted optimism and an obsession with The West Wing, that I wanted to be a speechwriter.

We’ve arrived, inevitably, at the end of things. Three years and thousands of words have all been building to this moment: my final column. There are a few dozen versions of this where I rehash the past, settling scores or changing endings or vying for redemption. I don’t want to do that, though. I want to talk about Steve.

When I arrived at Boston College, 18 and anxious, I had no intention of becoming a columnist. I spent most of my time trying to adjust to new classes and the existence of men after 14 years at a small all-girls school. I desperately wanted to be liked, and, even more than that, to be seen as smart, capable. But, for the first time in my life, I was afraid to raise my hand. I remember lying awake at night in my Gonzaga double, listening as my fan clumsily pushed too-hot air around the room and wondering if things would get better—if college would ever really be as great as books and movies and second-hand stories led me to believe.

If I would be the kind of person who had stories worth telling.

By mid-September, I convinced myself that having some kind of direction would make me more interesting. I wanted to feel like I had found a path to somewhere instead of just

To that end, I spent an entire Saturday googling speechwriters. If you worked for a major politician in even a speechwriting-adjacent role, I didn’t just look at your Twitter or LinkedIn; I found your personal Facebook. Specifically, I found Steve.

Steve has an impressive speech-writing resume that I won’t detail here, but trust me when I say that I had no business talking to him. I especially did not have any business cold-contacting Steve’s personal account via Facebook Messenger to ask for an opportunity to grill him about his career. But against all odds, Steve overlooked the fact that reaching out to him that way was at best inappropriate and at worst, kind of crazy. He graciously offered to talk on the phone.

I took the call sitting on the windowsill, back braced against my dresser, looking out over Hammond Street. Steve took the time not only to answer my many questions, but to ask some about me in return. I like to think that he saw me when I couldn’t see myself: young, afraid, desperate to find my way. Misguided, but well-intentioned. Before we hung up, almost as an afterthought, Steve told me he thought I should write a column. He said that all speechwriters need a good voice, and a column would help me find mine.

Somewhere between talking to Steve on the phone and writing this, my column became inextricably bound up in my college

experience. It brought me friendships and first dates and adventure and heartbreak and pride and embarrassment. Love, even. I wrote the memories I had always wanted to have into existence. I camped on Brighton campus, hunted for skunks, met my neighbors, puzzled over eel sex, and stood up for myself and my beliefs. I stopped caring so much about being likable and started thinking about being good.

I realized I had stories worth telling.

When I feel grateful for my column and all of the friends and memories that came with it, I say a silent thank you to Steve. For seeing and believing in me when I needed it. Because even now, years later, I remember what it is to be young and afraid and lost on the way to somewhere else. It’s a place I still find myself sometimes.

With graduation looming on the not-sodistant horizon, I’ve been thinking a lot about what Steve told me when I thanked him for talking to me. He laughed and said that one day in the future, after years of people helping me, I would pay it forward. Now more than ever, I hope he’s right. I hope that one day I, too, get a hideously inappropriate DM from a lost college student asking me to talk.

If I do, I know one thing for certain. Just before we hang up, almost as an afterthought, I’ll tell them to write a column. I’ll say that everyone needs a good voice, and a column will help them find theirs.

If they’re half as lucky as me, it will change their life.

Grace Christenson is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at grace.christenson@bc.edu.

Closing Your Tabs

There is perhaps nothing more satisfying than clicking those tiny little X’s at the top of your browser, until all of your tabs are over and done with, and you can finally close your computer and breathe. When all of the sources for that 10-page paper, the screens split between your textbook and your notes document, and yes, all of your online shopping tabs are finally closed out, you’ll notice a calmness in your life (perhaps due to the fact that your computer has stopped making that overheating airplane noise). Read a book, take a nap, and blink a little bit—your eyes will thank you.

A Return to TV Time

episode might entail. Drugs, sex, tears, heartbreak, agony—anything was possible. My roommates and I relished the scenes where Lexi and Fezco exchanged stolen glances and grimaced at some of the more infamous plot lines. The experience was euphoric (ha, ha, ha).

Since returning to school for the spring semester, I’ve caught myself indulging in a new guilty pleasure. But unlike the typical guilty pleasure, I’m more than happy to share it with all of you. Usually, my drug of choice is candy, ice cream, or anything that has enough sugar in it to kill a small horse. But now, I have a new favorite substance: escapist television.

It started with Euphoria. Sunday mornings, I would wake up and without fail, my first stream of consciousness would be something along the lines of “It’s Euphoria Sunday.” With this in mind, I would kick my productivity into overdrive all day Sunday in order to ensure I was done with my homework before the clock struck 9 p.m. In the hours leading up to 9 p.m., I was manic and giddy at the same time. At the library, my thoughts would wander away from my course work and all the way toward Twitter memes about last week’s episode. At dinner, all of my conversations surrounded episode predictions, character analysis, and, of course, what snacks should be acquired in order to satiate stress-induced munchies. Without fail, at 8:55, I was seated on the couch ready for whatever the

To speak plainly, the Euphoria ritual was the best thing to ever happen to my college Sunday evenings. There is something very grounding and wholesome about spending an hour with your friends, bonding over a shared interest after a chaotic week. Although the subject matter of Euphoria may not be wholesome, the hour spent together indulging in ice cream, hot chocolate, and popcorn most definitely was. So, once Euphoria ended—with a few too many plot holes and cliff hangers might I add—I was distraught. My favorite Sunday evening pastime had vanished suddenly (I was expecting 10 episodes, not eight), and I was left with what felt like a gaping hole in my social calendar.

Now, over a month since the season finale of Euphoria aired on HBO Max, I have stumbled upon a new obsession: season two of Bridgerton. A completely different show, I must admit, but equally entertaining and consuming. Who will be the diamond of the season? What is the difference between a viscount and a duke? Will Eloise unveil and expose Lady Whistledown? Instead of teenagers, drugs, and glitter, Bridgerton engages its viewers with a chorus-style cast of British nobility and ornate costumes. Frankly, the two shows couldn’t be more different.

Although Netflix released the entirety of season two of Bridgerton at once, this has not stopped my roommates and I from allowing it to totally consume our conversations and free time. Instead of gathering together in the common room every Sunday evening to watch an episode, my roommates and I have been left to binge in our alone time and report back to each other to discuss major plot points, making sure not to spoil anything for those who are behind. Since the release of season two of Bridgerton, there have been memes shared, tears shed, and popcorn consumed. What more could a girl ask for?

Whether your choice of show is more along the lines of Euphoria or Bridgerton, I plead with you all that you give escapist television a chance. If you’re lucky, you too might get to disassociate from the Boston College bubble for a brief hour and escape to 19th century England or present day California. Although all episodes of Euphoria and Bridgerton are now available to stream at any time, and I am guilty of binging my favorite shows mid-week, I am still a strong proponent of Sunday night viewings. Think about it—is there a better, more relaxing way to end your weekend and start the academic week? I would go so far as to say, no. Cult-favorite television shows make great conversation topics among roommates and classmates alike. So, whether you’re looking to disconnect from reality or spice up dull conversations, give escapist television a try. I prom-

Cameron Walker is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at cameron.walker@bc.edu.

Double-spacing a Single-spaced Document

There is an age-old trick that college students often use to ease their mind and make them feel more productive than they perhaps truly are—writing your papers in single-spaced format before double-spacing them to watch as your page count magically multiplies. When writing a paper counted by page, the gratification that comes from watching the text grow on the page as if enchanted is nothing short of euphoric.

PDA

Public displays of affection are out. Not that they’ve ever been in, but now more than ever, they should be punishable by law. No one wants to see you eating each other’s faces on a machine in the gym that has a line of people behind it waiting to use it. No one wants to catch you in a Stokes stairwell with your significant other. Prospective students don’t want you and your hookup’s makeout sesh to be the first impression they have of campus. Do us all a favor and change the “P” in PDA from “public” to “private.”

Overhead Lights

There is something about a light that illuminates the whole room that is shocking and glaring. Once, our society lived by candlelight. There were less late nights spent toiling over work or reading because candles were valuable and were used only when necessary. As a society, the shift back toward something like candlelight is needed more than ever. Overhead lights disrupt our circadian rhythms and mess with our sleep. Candles might not be feasible in a dorm room setting, but lamps most certainly are. The soft glow of lamp light is so much more enjoyable than a blinding overhead light. Make the switch.

Grace christenson

cameron Walker

The opinions and commentaries of the op-ed columnists appearing on this page represent the views of the authors of those particular pieces, and not necessarily the views of The Heights

GRAPHIC BY LIZ SCHWAB / HEIGHTS EDITOR

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Boston College football’s annual Jay McGillis Memorial Spring Game, played in a relaxed, modified format on Saturday, gave a number of younger players the opportunity to showcase their talents.

joy from the Eagles’ sideline as players mobbed Summers on the field.

But in a game that was less about the score and more about giving younger players an opportunity to showcase their talents, many Eagles did just that.

Brandon hit redshirt freshman Luke McLaughlin for two consecutive catches in the second half, and the second resulted in a touchdown. He finished with four receptions for 38 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, junior Brandon Summers stood out and picked off Menard for 46 yards, creating an eruption of

“If you noticed how excited our guys got for [Brandon, McLaughlin, and Summers], that’s what I take away—how much this team cares about each other and enjoys each other,” Hafley said. “Not just for the superstars but for the guys who show up that none of you even know but make plays.”

Jurkovec played the entire first half for Team Boston. His biggest play came on a 47-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman running back Xavier Coleman. Jurkovec, under pressure, rolled out and

threw the ball across his body to a wideopen Coleman.

The game marked the first time BC’s offense played under new offensive coordinator John McNulty and new offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo. And with new coaches comes a new style of play.

“It’s a little bit different but similar concepts from what I’ve learned in the past,” Jurkovec said.

For Christian Mahogany, the only remaining starter from last season’s offensive line, the new system is a struggle, but it’s something the Eagles will learn

to adapt to.

“There’s a lot of growing pains,” Mahogany said. “But I’m up for that challenge. I’ve learned from three offensive line coaches in my time here, and they all have different views. I just take a little piece from everyone. … I think by the fall, it’s going to be just routine stuff.”

The new system did not stop Mahogany from scoring a touchdown, though, as the 335-pounder took a direct snap on a first-and-goal in the first half and pushed his way into the end zone. He and his teammates celebrated the score by acting out a keg stand in the endzone.

Hafley emphasized that his players need time to relax ahead of the fall season. BC will work out for about two weeks after Easter Break before taking May off to focus on finals and decompress, Hafley said.

But for Hafley, letting his players take a break doesn’t mean the work stops.

“I need to go back and watch the film for the offense, defense, and special teams,” Hafley said. “I need to get out, see some alumni, do some events that I’ve yet to be able to do in person that I’m excited about doing. So there’s always work to do. ” n

No. 2 BC Downs No. 18 Notre Dame on Senior Day

By Jackson Lutz For The Heights

When No. 2 Boston College lacrosse scored four goals within the first four minutes of Saturday afternoon’s matchup against Notre Dame, the tone was already set. Eleven minutes later, when the horn sounded at the end of the first quarter, BC had a sizable 7–2 lead, and the Eagles never looked back.

er-Weinstein praised the Eagles’ defensive effort for leading BC (12–1, 5–1 Atlantic Coast) to a 16–10 victory over No. 18 Notre Dame (5–8, 1–5), its fifth ranked win of the season.

“I think our defense made so many saves and so many stops that got the offense more opportunities than just the ones that you get after winning the draw,” Walker-Weinstein said. “So a credit to the defense for just playing really, really strong to help our offense get more opportunities to score.”

An hour-long rain delay between

the first and second quarters put a halt to BC’s offensive drive, but the Eagles put the downtime to good use.

“During the break, we went into Fish Field House and got some extra practice in,” Walker-Weinstein said. “We knew we were staring at a man down, so we did a couple of man-down balls just to make sure that they stayed focused.”

The practice paid off, and the Eagles scored three more goals in the second quarter to enter halftime up 10–3. BC never let its lead fall below five goals in

the second half.

Saturday’s game, along with being a crucial ACC matchup, was also the Eagles’ Senior Day. BC honored eight seniors before the game, and several of them created more highlights during the game. BC’s senior class has led the team all season, including the Eagles’ three top scorers—Charlotte North, Jenn Medjid, and Caitlynn Mossman.

In Saturday’s matchup, North led the way on offense with five goals and an assist, good for her sixth five-plus goal of the season. Medjid added three

goals and two assists, while Mossman and Cassidy Weeks contributed to the senior-led stat sheet with one goal each.

Senior goalkeeper Rachel Hall anchored the defense with nine saves, while senior Courtney Taylor recorded three draw controls, and senior Melanie Welch picked up two ground balls.

“I’m overall very proud of the team, and it was an emotional Senior Day as it always is,” Walker-Weinstein said. “I think the team fought … for the seniors, which is something that we love.” n

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Notre Dame Boston College

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC head coach Acacia Walk

MOLLY BRUNS / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC’s senior class scored 10 of the Eagles’ 16 goals in BC’s fifth win over a ranked opponent this season. Leading scorer Charlotte North scored five goals in the contest on Saturday.

Football, from A1

Late Comeback Falls Short, BC Drops Sunday Game

By ROBERt BRENNaN Heights Staff

A lefty power hitter coming up to bat in the ninth inning against a tired, right-handed pitcher trailing by one run sounds like a scene out of a baseball movie. As Boston College baseball’s Joe Vetrano stepped up to the plate in BC’s Sunday matchup against Pitt, the movie-esque scene was playing out.

The energy of the crowd and the bench provided a perfect background for what could have been a season-defining moment for BC, but unfortunately for Vetrano and the Eagles, not every baseball game is like a movie.

Despite cutting its deficit from as many as seven down to one, BC (14–18, 3–12 Atlantic Coast) failed to overcome Pittsburgh (18–12, 7–7) in the game’s final moments, closing out the teams’

three-game series with a 10–9 loss.

“Our whole goal that ninth inning was to get the tying run to the plate,” BC head coach Mike Gambino said after the game.

And Vetrano did just that, stepping up to bat with BC down one run, but a swinging strikeout ended the game.

Starting pitcher Mason Pelio didn’t give up a hit in his first time through the order, but Pitt’s hitters caught up to his 95 mph heater the second time they saw it. After a walk and two hits from the Panthers early in the third inning, Ron Washington Jr. hit a three-run home run just over the wall in left center.

Washington’s homer put Pitt up 4–0 after Tatem Levins hit an RBI double earlier in the inning. Pitt scored two more runs in the inning off a sacrifice fly and a double, giving the Panthers a 7–0 lead heading into the bottom half of the third inning.

“We were hoping for three to four

[innings] out of Mason, and we were thinking about 65 pitches,” Gambino said. “He got to 68 in the second, and I didn’t want to let him go.”

Charlie Coon came in during the third to try to stop the bleeding for the Eagles, and it looked like he would do so until Jeffrey Wehler cleared the bases with a two-out double that just barely stayed fair, skipping past third baseman Patrick Roche’s glove.

Pitt’s starter Billy Corcoran was also rolling until the third, and he struck out back-to-back batters to start the inning. An error by Panthers shortstop Tommy Tavarez with two outs prevented Pitt from getting out of the inning, and Vetrano and Parker Landwehr made the Panthers pay with back-to-back home runs, bringing in a combined four runs.

The two home runs brought the Eagles within two runs, as BC scored earlier in the inning off an error by Pitt’s shortstop. Pitt scored once more

in fourth and batted in two runs in the top of the seventh inning to go up 10–5.

The Eagles drew within three runs in the seventh, as the heart of BC’s order came up big against Pitt’s Baron Stuart. Luke Gold and Vetrano collected RBIs against Stuart.

Stuart closed the game out, collecting a three-inning save despite giving up four runs. BC came within one after a tworun homer from Cameron Leary. The homer brought up Gold and Vetrano, but

neither could cap off the big comeback.

Despite the loss, Gambino said he was pleased with the Eagles’ performance and their resilience this season.

“I’m really, really proud of the battle in our guys all the way through and being able to handle bad injury news what seems like every day to start the year,” Gambino said. “We looked good today, and I’m just proud of the fight and battle because these guys just kept going and going.” n

Eagles Shut Out Yellow Jackets for First Home Win

By Emma O’NEil Heights Staff

After grueling, back-to-back losses to Georgia Tech in Boston College softball’s first two games of the weekend series, BC took on the Yellow Jackets a final time on Sunday afternoon. BC refused to end the weekend quietly, earning its first home win of the season and first ACC win since beating Florida State at the end of March.

more than BC’s combined total from the first two games against the Yellow Jackets (27–12, 8–10 Atlantic Coast).

Tech Boston College 0 4

In Sunday afternoon’s game, BC (16–19, 3–12 Atlantic Coast) shut out Georgia Tech (27–12, 8–10 Atlantic Coast) at home in a 4–0 win. BC’s four Sunday runs were

Susannah Anderson pitched all seven innings of the shutout. It was a near-perfect performance from the senior pitcher, who allowed Yellow Jackets only one hit while striking out six batters. She pitched 18 of the Eagles’ 23 innings this weekend, appearing in both Friday and Sunday’s games.

The first two innings saw no hits or runs from either team. The Eagles had a chance in the second to score after Nicole Giery was hit by a pitch and Djhane Valido walked, but the inning ended with both stranded.

Kali Case led off the third inning for the Eagles. She walked, and, preparing for the run to second, she crouched down like a track sprinter ready to race. Case’s positioning paid off when she stole second as Ellie Mataya grounded out.

Third up to bat was Hannah Slike, who also walked to give BC runners on first and second. A single to right field from Abigail Knight loaded the bases.

Kamryn Warman then tapped a ground ball to pitcher Lexi Ray, and the Yellow Jackets threw Case out at home on a pitcher’s choice. With the bases still loaded and two outs, the Eagles needed Kennedy Labshere to step up.

She tripled to right field, scoring

all three runners and putting the Eagles ahead 3–0.

The Eagles played a defensively clean game, committing no errors and executing key plays to keep the Yellow Jackets off the scoreboard. It was BC’s first game with two double plays this season, as the Eagles doubled the Yellowjackets up in both the third and sixth innings.

Warman added to BC’s run total in the sixth with her first career home run to increase the Eagles’ lead to 4–0. The homer was a positive end to what had been a strong offensive weekend for the sophomore, who finished with a total of three hits and two RBIs in seven at-bats over the course of the series. n

BC Holds off Late Pitt Rally to Escape With Win

By mEgaN gENtilE Sports Editor

As Boston College baseball’s Travis Honeyman left the dugout after the Eagles’ Saturday matchup against Pittsburgh, he walked away gingerly with a boot on his foot. You wouldn’t have thought that an hour earlier, the sophomore hit an RBI single with one out to tie the game at four apiece and keep BC’s four-run, sixth-inning scoring streak alive.

But in a season in which injuries have plagued BC’s roster, Honeyman persevered and stepped up for the Eagles (14–17, 3–11 Atlantic Coast) in his first appearance in two weeks, helping BC to a 9–8 win over the Panthers.

“I don’t want it to get lost what Travis Honeyman did today,” BC head coach Mike Gambino said after the game. “He’s been hurt. For him to limp up to the plate and get a big hit and limp back to the dugout, that’s pretty special stuff.”

BC got out to an early 3–0 lead in Saturday’s contest, but Pitt (17–12, 6–7) recorded a four-run fourth inning to take a 4–3 lead. Tatem Levins and CJ Funk both homered in the Panthers’

fourth-inning effort.

But the Eagles rallied in the sixth, starting with a single by Joe Vetrano. In the next at-bat, Parker Landwehr hit a rocket that rolled all the way to the left-field corner but stayed fair, good for a double that advanced Vetrano to third.

Then it was Honeyman’s turn. He hit the ball to the opposite field to score Vetrano and tie the game at 4–4. Pitt’s Logan Evans walked Patrick Roche in the next at-bat to load the bases.

After Sam McNulty flied out, Barry Walsh then doubled down the left-field line, clearing the bases and putting BC back up 7–4.

The seventh and eighth innings were quieter for both squads, but BC remained tight on defense to prevent Pitt from closing the gap.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Vetrano tripled to right center but was left stranded on third, and the inning came to a close. The three-base hit was Vetrano’s second triple of the game, as he hit a shot to right field in the third inning for an RBI. Vetrano’s performance marked the first time a BC player hit two triples in the same game in nine years.

“He’s been swinging it great—two really great swings in big spots,” Gambino said. “He can really, really hit, and he’s

getting to the spot where you’ve got to game plan against him. … He’s still kind of getting the job done which is awesome to watch.”

BC scored two more runs in the eighth to go up 9–4 and was just three outs away from securing the win heading into the ninth. But BC’s comfortable lead quickly slipped away in the top of the ninth, as Pitt began to chip away at its deficit.

With one out, BC pitcher Brendan Coffey hit a batter, and then BC recorded back-to-back errors to load the bases. Pitt’s Jeffrey Wehler stepped up, hitting a

double that scored three runs and cut the lead to two. Then, Levins singled to score Wehler, and the Panthers were suddenly within one run.

But the Eagles pulled through and turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning, squeezing out their third ACC victory of the year.

“A lot of stuff’s gotten thrown at them,” Gambino said. “I’m really proud of how the boys reacted today. … It got a little bit hairy at the end, but they kept going, so I was proud of them for that.”

Despite a messy finish, BC’s dugout

remained

“I think there’s a very, very tangible closeness and bond in this group,” Gambino said. “The idea of a brotherhood is something that’s really important in the Jesuit tradition, and I think you can see in the dugout, you can see when you’re around these guys they take that seriously. This is a group that loves and cares about each other.” n

BC baseball fell to Pitt 10–9 on Sunday to close out the weekend series.

LEO WANG / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC bounced back from a Friday loss with a win 9–8 over Pittsburgh on Saturday after foiling Pitt’s comeback bid.

LEO WANG / HEIGHTS STAFF

Georgia

loud throughout the game, and cheers from BC’s bench echoed throughout the stadium all nine innings long—even in times when the Eagles struggled.