The Heights, Feb. 6, 2023

February 6, 2023

Pipes Burst, Flood Dorm Rooms Amid Arctic Freeze

Carney Dining Hall also closed Saturday when a frozen pipe sent water gushing across the floor

BY NATALIE ARNDT Assoc. News Editor OLIVIA JOUNG News Editor

By the time Haraden Bottomley and his roommates woke up in their Mod Saturday morning, none of their showers were turning on.

“We were like, ‘That’s pretty strange,’” Bottomley, MCAS ’23, said. “And then we realized that only cold

water was coming out of our bathroom sinks and then no water out of our kitchen sink at all, so we’re like,

- 8°F

Friday

‘Ah, pipes are frozen.’”

Bottomley said their shower upstairs soon started working again.

Upon walking downstairs, however, he and his roommates saw water pouring out of an electrical outlet mounted on the ceiling.

And the events at Bottomley’s Mod are not an anomaly—pipes froze throughout Boston College’s campus due to dangerously low temperatures from the arctic blast that swept the Greater Boston area this weekend.

On the other side of campus, Car-

Students Seek Balance Amid National Job Insecurity

For many students, the start of the spring semester marks the beginning of employment searches. But after the emergence of COVID-19 and the resulting economic fallout, Boston College students are entering the workforce during uncertain times.

ney Dining Hall temporarily closed due to flooding caused by frozen pipes this morning, according to an

- 10°F

Saturday

Instagram post from BC Dining.

“It’s crazy,” Nicolas Farrell, LSEHD ’25, said. “I really didn’t know

what was going on … but then I saw the water, and I heard people talking about the break, and I don’t know how it happened. I guess with the cold weather, maybe they just weren’t prepared for it or something.”

Upper Campus resident Olivia Gaibor, MCAS ’26, also described her surprise upon rst seeing steam and water spewing out of the oor.

See Freeze, A2

Eagles Fall to Orange in Front of Sellout

BY JACK BERGAMINI Assoc. Sports Editor

In Boston College men’s basketball’s matchup against Syracuse on Saturday, the Eagles let up a 10–0 run about five minutes into the second half.

BC faced a similar situation on Jan. 31 against No. 20 Clemson— the Tiger went on a 10–0 run, but BC recovered and went on to defeat Clemson 62–54.

BC (11–13, 5–8 Atlantic Coast)

also managed to claw back against the Orange (14–10, 7–6) on Saturday, taking a 59–56 lead with 8:33 left to play.

But unlike its performance against Clemson, the Eagles couldn’t finish when it mattered most, as a 10–0 Syracuse run proved too much to handle. Amid a sold-out Conte Forum, BC failed to convert down the stretch and dropped a 77–68 loss.

BY LUCY FREEMAN Asst. News Editor KARYL CLIFFORD Editorial Assistant

Shereen Marisol Meraji, the keynote speaker at Boston College’s ninth annual Women’s Summit, rst delved into the world of storytelling as her family taught her the importance of listening.

“It was, you know, my grandpar-

ents who taught me how to listen, sitting there listening to those stories,” Meraji said. “But my dad, he’s the person who really introduced me to the news, and public media, speci cally.”

On Saturday, the BC Women’s Center held its rst fully in-person Women’s Summit in two years.

e event featured workshops and panel discussions that aimed to empower attendees and engage

in meaningful conversations, according to the Women’s Summit website.

Meraji, an audio producer and reporter, co-hosted the NPR Code Switch podcast—which uses humor to discuss issues related to race—until 2021. Meraji began her keynote speech by discussing her childhood with her grandparents.

At ‘Living in Color,’ Poets Celebrate Black Experience

Listen

This Week’s Top 3 Events

Tune into a panel discussion with professors of law and civil rights as they cover the history and future of a rmative action in college admissions. This event will be held on Zoom Tuesday from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Boston College’s annual Women’s Summit will feature keynote speaker Shereen Marisol Meraji, senior producer and co-host of NPR’s Code Switch podcast, this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m in Gasson 110.

Students Report Damages After Arctic Blast

“I think Mac had a few res and other technical di culties before, so it’s not totally out of the blue, [but] it caught me by surprise a little bit on Saturday morning, rst thing,” Gaibor said. Also on Upper Campus, residents of Claver, Loyola, Xavier, and Fenwick Halls (CLXF) received an email from the O ce of Residential Life on Saturday notifying them of a leaking pipe on Loyola’s fourth oor.

“On the 4th oor of Loyola, signi cant water from a ceiling pipe has leaked into the 4th oor, and there is potential water damage throughout several oors,” the email reads. “As of now water is o for the building, and we will notify you when we are able to return water to the building.”

Fourth- oor Loyola residents and roommates So a Pfe er, MCAS ’26, and Kelly Julio, CSOM ’26, said they were on the rst oor of their building when they heard the re alarm go o When they returned later, they found their room had ooded and several of their belongings were damaged.

“My computer doesn’t turn on,”

Pfe er said.

Julio said they received an email with a spreadsheet to log any items damaged by the burst pipe so they could be compensated. e two said they did not know where they would be temporarily housed until later in the night.

“We didn’t know where we were supposed to go because they didn’t let us stay in [the dorm room],” said Julio. “It was like nine or 10 when ResLife called us, and they were like, ‘Oh, do you have anywhere to stay or do you need a place to stay?’”

First- oor Loyola resident Matthew Crowley, MCAS ’26, said the water from the pipe is leaking down other oors, though the fourth oor remains the most a ected.

“So, we saw just a lot of water in the hallways,” Crowley said. “Fourth floor Loyola—there [were] puddles, and people’s rooms were just completely ooded, water dripping from the ceiling, and even down here on the rst oor, two kids down the hall, their room was completely ooded.” ResLife also advised those who were

impacted by the ooding to respond to its email for assistance and to reach out to Facilities Management, the Boston College Police Department, or other campus sta for any other concerns. e University was very responsive to the pipe issues the artic blast caused, according to Bottomley, who said that Facilities Management answered and came right away when he and his roommates initially reported the leaking in

their Mod.

“We called the facilities people, and they got there actually very quickly, so that was pretty impressive,” Bottomley said. “ ey were there in I want to say within two or three minutes, and then he went down to the basement and shut the water main o .” Facilities was also able to x the pipe issue, according to Bottomley, though the Mod now has several holes

in its ceiling.

“As of now, which is like 6:00, we have all of our water back, and … the pipe is repaired—the only thing is we have a couple holes in our ceiling but that’s something we can deal with,” Bottomley said. “You know the Mods are already not exactly the most pristine living conditions, so an extra hole in the ceiling is not going to kill anybody.”

Women’s Summit Speaker Shares Love for Storytelling

all of our stories before it’s too late.”

After Meraji’s keynote speech, the summit also held various workshops for its attendees, ranging from “The Mystery of Recycling”—which discussed the intricacies of daily recycling—to the “Art of Quitting”—which captured the fear of failure that comes with quitting something as large-scale as a job or as small as a mindset.

“I was the only grandchild for a few years, which is one of the reasons why I have this really strong and unique bond with the elders on the Puerto Rican side of my family,” Meraji said. “I was always around them, and I did a lot of listening growing up because in my family at that time, children should be seen and not heard.”

Through her career, Meraji said she aims to share the stories of those who may be underrepresented in traditional news media.

“I have tried really hard to center the people at the margins who’ve been underrepresented and not heard,” Meraji said. “And I don’t like tying things up in a nice, neat bow at the end, and I’m really proud of that. I’m really proud of the work that I did on

Code Switch.”

Meraji said she recently stepped down from the Code Switch podcast to focus on teaching and mentoring. She is now an assistant professor of race in journalism at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

“I love it, and I’m physically closer to my family now,” Meraji said. “And I’m really just trying to make up for lost time and gather

“We’re really going to talk about those times in your life when you realize that you have to quit something, which can be a really scary feeling, but how beneficial it can be and how it can open the door for something really new,” said Tess Murphy, a workshop leader and BC ’19.

After participating in two workshop sessions, attendees chose between listening to two mainstage panels, “Navigating Life After Graduation” or “Feminism and Spirituality,” where panelists spoke about their experiences as women in male-dominated spaces and answered questions from the crowd.

“Navigating Life After Graduation” emphasized the importance of self-advocacy when planning for the future, while “Feminism and Spirituality” centered on how to incorporate ideals of feminism and self-worth into the Catholic faith.

Janasia Little, one of the panelists, said she wanted to return to BC to speak at the 2023 Women’s Summit as a way of giving back to the Women’s Center.

“I think the short answer is I love the Women’s Center,” Little, BC ’22, said. “But I feel like in the past year it was hugely impactful to hear other people’s perspectives. So you need advice not only from your mentors but also from your peers. And so I feel like if I benefited so much from that I hope to be back and do that as well.”

The 2023 Women’s Summit wrapped up with a dance performance from Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step, a poetry performance from Emme Mackenzie, MCAS ’25, and a student vendor fair that took place in

SA Discusses How to Better Work With Administrators

BY WILL MARTINO Asst. News Editor

The Student Assembly (SA) brainstormed ways to deepen its communication and relationships with University administrators in its meeting on Tuesday night.

“We kinda have to put our foot out there rst,” said ompson Penn, chair of the Student Life Committee and CSOM ’25. “If we do that, they will start to, like, trust us more and approach us—rather than us going to them, they’ll come to us in the long run.”

Jake Kau man, SA representative and CSOM ’24, suggested the SA seek out and assist the administration’s agenda proactively.

“I think that one of the things we do a lot in SA is just try to come up with policies on our own,” Kau man said. “I thought that maybe we can look into seeing how we might be able to communicate better with o ces on campus in terms of meeting them in the middle of nding out things that they want to achieve through us.”

Jonah Kotzen, the Council for Students with Disabilities’ policy coordinator and MCAS ’24, proposed inviting administrators like Vice President of Student A airs Shawna Cooper

Whitehead to sit in on SA meetings.

“We could always reach out to certain administrators, including Shawna, and ask them to attend an SA meeting like this so they can hear us talk or dialogue and kind of gain some more insight into what we’re feeling and how we kind of want things to go,” Kotzen said.

Chrishawna Johnson, AHANA+ Leadership Council (ALC) policy coordinator and MCAS ’24, said some administrators have been dismissive of UGBC’s e orts in the past.

“Just from being an ALC rep., from our times with trying to meet in the middle with certain administrators, they don’t respect the work that we do, simply,” Johnson said. “ at’s just from my department. I would just say that it seems very one-sided.”

Johnson then clarified that she would support a strengthened connection between the SA and the administration provided the correct boundaries are established.

“I believe that could be a very bene cial relationship, especially for administrators and students in the future,” Johnson said. “So I just think that we should be very careful because they’re very my way or the highway. But I’m pro—we just have to be careful.”

Various representatives around the room snapped their fingers in agreement with Johnson’s remarks.

“I think your honesty is really heard and appreciated in this room because I think we all feel that way too a little bit,” Kotzen said in response. Kotzen also noted that when SA representatives eventually leave UGBC, individual relationships with administrators are often lost.

“If you know you’re not returning or if you know someone else is going to be taking up your position, then, like, ensuring that there is a continuation of our relationship with a speci c person

or with a speci c o ce,” Kotzen said. “I feel like that’s the best way to gauge impact or gauge their advocacy or issues they want addressed.”

e SA later discussed the Student Life Committee’s progress helping to create a mental health resource tab for the Agora Portal.

“As of ursday, I can gladly report that IT has o cially approved the Agora Portal tab,” Penn said. “On this tab, there will be three boxes: one for CSW, one for UCS, and one for UHS.”

Members also revisited the University’s e orts to digitize Eagle IDs, making them available to students via

their smartphones.

Kotzen said Kevin Coleman, manager of integrated security and information systems at BC, explained to him in September that BC was still planning the installation of necessary hardware for digital IDs across campus. e rollout of digitized IDs should begin later this semester, according to Kotzen.

“I reached out to them, and their response was, ‘We’re already in the process of digitizing all BC IDs, and it should be good by spring 2023.’ So yeah, spring 2023—so around now,” Kotzen said.

to Vandana Shiva, the founder of Navdanya Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology in India, discuss environmental and science policy. This event will take place on Monday at 6 p.m. in Robsham Theater.

Summit, from A1

NICOLE WEI / HEIGHTS STAFF

In addition to Meraji’s keynote, the summit also held workshops and two mainstage panels for its attendees.

VIKRUM SINGH / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The Student Assembly brainstormed how to improve its relationship with administrators in its Tuesday meeting.

ILA Hosts Forum About ChatGPT in Schools

Y I SABEL S ULLIVA N Heights Sta ff

Despite its controversial presence in the academic world, ChatGPT will not radically transform the higher education system, according to Paula Mathieu, an associate English professor at Boston College.

“In what ways is ChatGPT a new problem?” Mathieu said. “What are the new challenges we’re facing that we’ve never had before? And in what ways is this a form of a problem we’ve seen 100 times?”

In a forum hosted by the Institute for the Liberal Arts on Thursday, BC faculty members discussed the implications, limitations, and benefits of using ChatGPT in the classroom.

“I think rather than only banning or fearing ChatGPT, thinking about what happens when we include it in the conversation,” Mathieu said. “What happens when we get our students becoming critical readers and writers of ChatGPT?”

ChatGPT—or Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer— launched as an artificial intelligence chatbot in November 2022. The website immediately sparked controversy about its potential role in plagiarism and academic dishonesty, according to Brian Smith, associate dean of research at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development.

“We essentially frame machines to look at probability,” Smith said. “It’s paying attention to every word that comes in in a way that no machine model has

done before … and not only does it have this sophisticated attention, it’s been trained incredibly on enormous amounts of data.”

According to Smith, ChatGPT follows a strict set of language rules to create text based on users’ prompts. ChatGPT’s syntax, however, does not account for natural human speech patterns, thus limiting the text it can produce, Smith said.

“So, the language model … is [like] ‘I’ll take any kind of text you have, and I have this set of rules that structure the language in a way, and I’m always going to give you an answer back that looks reasonably good until you start pushing it,’” Smith said. “All these models will eventually break at some point.”

Nirmal Trivedi, a digital peda -

gogy consultant at the Center for Digital Innovation in Learning, said using ChatGPT prevents students from utilizing critical thinking in their writing and coursework.

“You can pass [class], but can you think critically?” Trivedi said. “Can we think about the logic, the context, the external schema in our minds that makes things more tangible, more personal, more acute?”

As a result of the ongoing societal conversation about ChatGPT, Mathieu said she is rethinking the way she interacts with her students, as well as the work she assigns them.

“Are we going to have a relationship that is about policing them and being worried about the texts they produce or creating

a process where we really work with them as writers and human beings every step of the way?” Mathieu said.

According to Mathieu, teachers and professors need to adjust to the growing prevalence of programs like ChatGPT by assigning work that focuses less on the final product and more on the experience of writing itself.

“We try to teach writing as a tool for living,” Mathieu said. “And if it really is a tool for helping students manage their lives, manage things interpersonally, understand, ask questions of the world, then it might be a little less likely that they’re gonna want to turn to an AI all the time.”

According to Trivedi, ChatGPT may also have implications beyond the classroom, specifically in

perpetuating inequalities between socioeconomic classes.

“Those who can afford it are going to be able to use it, those who can’t afford it won’t be able to use it,” Trivedi said. “And this is something that I’ve heard a lot and read about, and it’s very true that nobody really cares about cheating until poor people try to cheat.”

Although ChatGPT presents many challenges, Smith does not believe it will have a drastic impact on education in the long run.

“I haven’t seen it happen—that some particular piece of technology will change everything about the way that we do education,” Smith said. “So I think there’s a lot of overblown takes on both sides, but we’re going to find middle ground.”

BC Professors Talk Religion and Politics in the U.S.

B Y A DI T YA R AO Heights Sta ff

For the first time in American history, white Christians no longer represent a majority of the general public, according to political science professors Kay Schlozman and David Hopkins.

“The relative optimism of the Reagan and even George W. Bush eras that the real America was firmly on the side of traditionalist Christianity has given way to perceptions of a nation in severe moral decay, that is being fundamentally transformed into something unrecognizable by the forces of secular liberalism,” Hopkins said.

At an event hosted by the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life on Wednesday night, Schlozman and Hopkins discussed the relationship between political affinity and religious

identity in the United States.

“A growing amount of academic evidence suggests that, for some Americans, political identities are influencing religious identities,” Hopkins said. “And this is important because there’s reason to believe that the effect of political identity on religious identity is itself working to deepen social divisions and party polarization in the American public today.”

Schlozman examined the changing landscape of religious affiliations, asserting these shifts reflect the intersection of three key processes.

“People switch: you grow up in a household that has one set of religious commitments, and maybe when you’re in your twenties, you decide that that’s not for you,” Schlozman said. “We also see the effects of migration: people coming to and leaving the United States. … Finally, we have to think

about generational replacement: even if nobody changes their mind, people move through the life cycle, they enter adulthood, and eventually, alas, they leave.”

According to Schlozman, roughly two-thirds of America’s population is Christian, but this is rapidly decreasing.

“It means that the share of the population that is unaffiliated is likely to grow over time as they move through the lifecycle and are replacing [older folks],” Schlozman said. “At some point in our current century, the nation will no longer be majority Christian.”

The assumption that religious identity forms in childhood is not always accurate, Hopkins said.

“We assume that religious identity is formed first, often in young life, where we’re socialized by our parents into a particular religious tradition,” Hopkins said.

“We really reach full membership in that religious community as an adult, prior to the period at which we reach full adult membership in the political community.”

Hopkins said it’s common for people raised in religious households to veer away from religion in early adulthood and discover their true political identity.

“It’s very common for people to move away from religion during adolescence and young adulthood,” Hopkins said. “But during that time away from religion, they’re forming political identities, so it’s then natural that those political identities will then affect their later decision about whether to return to the faith of their youth.”

Hopkins added that political affiliations have become such a core value for Americans that people now adopt religious beliefs to accommodate political beliefs.

“This helps explain the rise of effective polarization, the growing gap between the positive feelings that Americans have for their own partisan or ideological allies, and the antipathy they maintain for the other side,” Hopkins said. “This means that political identity is increasingly reinforced by social relationships and networks just as religious identity can be.”

Ultimately, the future of American politics is unclear as secularism grows in America, according to Hopkins.

“We should all be aware of the potential for religion to reinforce existing political and social divisions, rather than forming a distinct set of communities that cross boundaries,” Hopkins said. “As time goes on, it may become harder to promote the view that what separates us as political beings is less important than what unites us as human beings.”

ALINA CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Four BC faculty members discussed the potential implications of using ChatGPT in an academic setting in a forum on Thursday.

KELLEN DAVIS / HEIGHTS STAFF

NEWTON

Newton Girl Scouts Build Skills Through Cookie Sales

BY ELLA SONG

Asst. Newton Editor

It’s an annual tradition. In McElroy Commons or Maloney Hall, young girls stand behind a table stacked with cookie boxes, handling change and passing o boxes to customers. It can only mean one thing—Girl Scout cookie season has arrived at Boston College.

“It’s a great opportunity, you know, for girls to be on col lege campuses,” Erin Sul livan, senior director of product program and retail for Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA), said. “It’s a great thing for them to be able to see, to be able to interact with college students, especially with women on a

college campus … we’re so grateful for universities that let us on.”

e Girl Scout cookie season in eastern Massachusetts lasts from Dec.

6, 2022 through March 10 in order to maximize the involvement of the various troops in the area, according to Sullivan. About 1,500 girls in GSEMA sell cookies each season, she said.

“We want to give the girls the opportunity to participate in a schedule that works for them,” she said.

Newton Girl Scouts began in 1918, according to its website. Today, Newton is home to over 30 Girl Scout troops, and according to Jenna Vincenzo, a Girl Scout ambassador, there are many opportunities for Newton-based community service as well as collab-

oration between Newton troops.

“In terms of the older troops, we always help out the younger troops with things, like we host events and stuff that we do together, just to kind of bring all the troops together in Newton,” Vincenzo said. “But in terms of the community stu , we usually just stay local in Newton.”

While the presence of Newton Girl Scouts on BC’s campus is well known among students, it is a relative rarity compared to other institutions. BC is one of the few universities that allows Girl Scout cookie booths, according to Sullivan.

“ ere’s very few campuses that allow Girl Scouts to sell at this point, and, you know, of course that probably

has to do with contracts that universities have with their food vendors and all that,” she said.

e opportunity to sell on BC’s campus speci cally is a coveted one, according to Vincenzo.

“It’s such a hot commodity with Newton troops, and who gets to do what day and for which slot,”

Vincenzo said. “We get so much support from the whole BC community, and everybody comes down … BC’s by far one of the best spots to sell in terms of how many we sell, because they just sell like hotcakes.”

With each box priced at $5 a piece, 18 percent of proceeds go to the troop, 5 percent go to funding cookie prizes, which are given to scouts that achieve a certain amount of cookie sales, 23 percent go to paying the bakers, and the rest goes to the GSEMA council, Sullivan said.

All of the troop-specific proceeds go to a troop activity and a troop community service project, according to Jessica Ber ry, the leader of second-year Brownie troop, Troop 70123, and mother of one of the girls.

The division of proceeds between recreation and service is a way to facilitate both growth and group fun, she said.

“I showed them a learning A to Z video on wants and needs and then they, together, compiled a list … and voted and narrowed it down to what causes they wanted to purchase things for or donate money to,” Berry said. “Last year, they donated about $250 worth of toys and supplies to the animal shelter. … e year before that they donated $300 worth of toys to Newton-Wellesley Hospital.” e act of selling cookies itself is

valuable in terms of personal growth, according to Vincenzo.

“It’s a great life skill in general, just like how to do a transaction when you don’t know, and you’re young, how to handle money about the products you’re selling,” she said. “Organization is key.”

From a developmental standpoint, being in Girl Scouts can play a major role in healthy social and emotional growth in young girls, according to Jacqueline Lerner, a developmental psychology specialist and professor of applied developmental and educational psychology at BC

“They’re learning life skills, strategies, agency about themselves,” Lerner said. “Increasing con dence and getting that environment, adult mentors, to support them along the way. And those are the key ingredients to healthy and successful outcomes.

Given Girl Scouts’ 105-year history in Newton, it has become a prevalent part of the community experience, according to Berry.

“So my mom was a Girl Scout, and so was my grandmother,” she said. “It’s been a great place for girls to build friendships but also recognize needs in the community and help ll those needs”

According to Berry, speaking with BC students and administrators and bonding with other troop members gives Girl Scouts the opportunity to form new connections and relationships. It is this connection that motivates her to continue as a troop leader, she said.

“Our last meeting, my daughter looks at me, she goes, ‘See mom, aren’t you glad you decided to do it again this year,’ because all the girls were engaged and having fun,” she said. “They love to be there. They want to be there. You only meet twice a month, but we’ve become a group.”

Local Cultural Group Celebrates Lunar New Year

B Y B RENDAN O’F RIEL Heights Sta ff

The Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association (GBCCA) hosted its annual Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday night in West Newton as a part of the 15-day celebration of the Jan. 22 holiday.

Shirley Wong, president of the GBCCA, said the organization hosted its celebration on Feb. 4 to give members ample time to celebrate the holiday in the days following Jan. 22.

“You really want to go see family because that’s where you get your envelopes, and, of course, good food,” Wong said.

The tradition of gifting red envelopes filled with money, symbolizing good fortune for the coming year, is a highlight of the holiday, according to Wong.

“The most important thing [as a kid] was waking up to that red envelope,” she said.

When it came to planning this

year’s celebration, Wong said she was initially unsure if the celebration would happen.

“We started about two months ago,” she said. “Just because, you know, with the new variant coming out, we weren’t sure whether we wanted to do this virtually or in person.”

While the GBCCA held the past two years’ celebrations online, the group decided on a hybrid-style event for 2023. Performing groups who were comfortable enough, performed in person, and others opted to provide recordings of their performances.

The night began with Lion dancing, a tradition that symbolizes warding off evil spirits and having luck in the new year.

The event also featured musical performances, including performances of drums; guzheng, a wooden, stringed instrument; and the dulcimer, an instrument with up to 12 strings.

Wong said she has 20 years of

experience playing the dulcimer and serves as the instructor for the drums and dulcimer classes the GBCCA offers.

Other performances included those of kung fu and diabolo—a juggling toy similar to a yo-yo—as well as a virtual performance from the Melody Dance Troupe.

Following the performances, the GBCCA held a raffle. Three participants landed one of three

prizes: a basket of snacks and an Amazon gift card, a basket of tea, and a basket of noodles.

After the raffle, the GBCCA held a buffet of classic Chinese dishes from Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen, a restaurant in Boston. Dessert featured a Mandarin orange cake from May’s Cake House in Chinatown.

Brianna Greenlaw, a close friend of Wong for over five years, joined the GBCCA community in September and has already become highly involved with the organization, now serving as an executive committee member.

“You can just see the camaraderie,” Greenlaw said. “I mean, I put all this stuff [these decorations] up like myself, but I didn’t have to take it down because everyone collectively comes together as a community, and they get the job done.”

While not a part of the Chinese community nor from Greater Boston, Greenlaw said she still feels welcomed.

“You don’t have to be a part of the Asian community or the Chinese community to be involved,” she said.

Anny Zhou, a Newton resident who serves alongside Greenlaw as an executive committee member, said the GBCCA provides a vital resource for Newton.

“I think it’s important to have a space, to have a platform for Eastern culture, Chinese culture, and Asian culture communicating with Western culture,” Zhou said. As the youngest GBCCA president in history, Wong said she hopes to expand the GBCCA’s online presence and gain more community members from younger generations.

“I’m hoping to do a lot more social outreaches and, of course, to establish a social media presence for the building,” she said.

GRAPHICS BY ALYSSA ANDERSON / HEIGHTS EDITOR

PHOTO COURTEST OF JENNA VINCENZO

Jenna Vincenzo, a Newton Girl Scout, credits the organization with helping her develop communciation skills.

BRENDAN O’FRIEL / HEIGHTS STAFF

Leaders in GBCCA said the organization serves as resource to bring people from different cultures together.

BRENDAN O’FRIEL / HEIGHTS STAFF

The event, which had in-person and virtual performances, was part of the 15-day celebration of Lunar New Year.

Starfoods Serves Homemade Hot Pot in Newton Centre

BY ELLA SONG Asst. Newton Editor

Warm light floods out the windows of Starfoods—a quaint restaurant offering Chinese noodles and hot pot—onto Centre Street in Newton. The restaurant’s red brick exterior and the colorful posters against the windows invite passersby in, promising both comfort and food.

“We want to make this restaurant like a shared kitchen, you know,” owner Sofia Tang said. “If you don’t want to cook … but you just want to eat something like [you’d] eat at home. Very simple but very fresh, like your mom made some soup for you.”

Tables line the walls of the restaurant in two neat rows, each equipped with a hot pot stove, a mini hot pot wheel, and carefully wrapped utensils. By the entrance, an elec tronic kiosk offers cus tomers the option to order their food via a touchscreen, while an employee mans the regis ter for those who’d rather order face to face.

“It’s, yeah, a very clean, comfortable place,” Jennifer Yang, a restaurant employee, said. “I like the cleanness everywhere.”

The sprawling menu offers a variety of noodle options, including udon bowls, ramen bowls, and fried noodle plates. The spinach and tofu noodle soup is a warm and filling vegetarian option—the savory broth paired with crunchy bean sprouts, thick fried tofu squares, and ramen noodles make for a delicious mouthful.

When Starfoods opened in October, it only offered noodle dishes. The restaurant added hot pot to its menu in January, and the addition has been successful, according to Tang.

“It’s more popular because around us, they have many noodle soups already,” she said. “But … the traditional Chinese taste of hot pot—I think in Newton Centre, we are the only ones who have [it].”

Tang said Starfoods’ broth only uses fresh ingredients and requires six hours of cooking.

It represents the restaurant’s warm and welcoming environment, according to Tang.

“It’s fresh ingredients, like the whole chicken, and the beef bone,” she said. “If you have our broths, you can feel how we treat you. We treat you like a family member.”

This commitment extends beyond the broth, according to

Tang, who said that all menu items are handmade with fresh ingredients.

The original bubble milk tea, for instance, is made with whole milk and real sugar instead of the powder drink mix used at typical boba shops. It is one of Starfoods’ most popular orders, according to Yang.

A perfect ratio of tapioca pearls swim in the milky, sweet drink, which is served in a colorful plastic cup, the way it would be in a classic boba shop.

The scallion pancakes also taste fresh. Crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, the doughy appetizer complements

the tang of its dipping sauce perfectly. Its arrangement on the platter is emblematic of the Starfoods experience—clean pre -

sentation and good food.

Tang said as she gained experience as an owner, her confidence in the business grew. Customers that show up stay, she said, as they are drawn in by the welcoming ambiance and satisfying dining.

“I can say people always come back … some people will come once or twice a week,” Tang said. “I have a customer, he brings his kids every day, every evening.”

Starfoods is open for dinein, takeout, and delivery at 19 Pelham St. from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday to Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Webinar Details Benefits of Electric Vehicles

B Y C AI T LIN C LARY Heights Sta ff

Kelly Shin and Devan DiLibero from the Green Energy Consumers Alliance advocated for a widespread transition to electric vehicles to limit emission of carbon dioxide at a webinar hosted by Green Newton, a local organization that supports conscious environmental practices.

“A typical gasoline vehicle produces 381 grams of carbon dioxide emissions per mile in New England,” Shin said. “That’s a lot compared to a plug-in hybrid vehicle which only emits 176 grams or a fully battery electric vehicle

which would only produce 96 grams. If you’re driving a battery electric vehicle running on green power, there would be no carbon dioxide emissions whatsoever.”

Emissions from gasoline vehicles account for 29 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and that number is higher in the commonwealth, according to Green Newton.

“In Massachusetts, gasoline-based transportation consists of a huge chunk of our overall greenhouse gas emissions, about 42%,” Shin said. “So, driving electric and having the mindset of clean transportation would decrease a lot of those emissions.”

In addition to talking about

gas vehicles’ effect on the environment, Shin said electric vehicles are not nearly as dangerous to public health when compared to gas-powered transportation.

“Since there are no tailpipe emissions on an electric vehicle, there aren’t going to be any particulate matter entering the air and that’s going to decrease the risk of respiratory illnesses like asthma attacks,” she said.

DiLibero said common efficency concerns about electric vehicles are no longer as relevant due to their increased technological capacities.

“If you’re worried about the range of your vehicle not being able to cover your daily commute,

we like to consider that a thing of the past because car companies are coming out with better and better ranges every year,” DiLibero said.

DiLibero also acknowledged one of the aspects of owning an electric vehicle that may feel more daunting to gas-driving car owners: charging the car.

“Charging is one of those things that can seem kind of daunting when you’re first thinking about switching to an electric vehicle because it’s just a different mindset but it is pretty easy when you get the hang of it,” she said.

Owners of electric vehicles can charge their car with three basic levels of charging that power the car at different rates, according

to DiLibero.

“Level one charging you can find at home and is a typical wall outlet you may plug your phone into, but is quite slow,” she said. “Level two is like a dryer or stove outlet and would need to be installed at your home. Level three can be found at a public charging station and is very fast.”

The goal of organizations like Green Energy Consumers Alliance is to educate the public on green energy, and encourage a shift to more sustainable practices, DiLibero said.

“Our mission is to harness the power of energy consumers to speed the transition to a low-carbon future,” she said.

NewMo Offers Free Rides After Ridership Milestone

BY SHRUTHI SRIRAM Assoc. Newton Editor

To commemorate reaching 1,000 all-time rides, NewMo— Newton’s low-cost rideshare service—is o ering Newton residents a free ride until Feb. 15.

“It’s been a tremendous program to particularly help people who have limited transportation options,” Nicole Freedman, parttime transportation coordinator of Newton, said.

NewMo was created as a transportation service for seniors in 2019 but has since expanded to serve all Newton residents. Last year it expanded its service to rotate nine cars instead of eight.

The expansion helped the company reach 100,000 rides, according to Mike Vaccarino, head of partnerships at Via Transportation, NewMo’s managing company.

“Adding in that ninth vehicle added in a lot more capacity into the system, which allows us to carry more riders and increase the e ciency of the service overall as well,” Vaccarino said. “Yeah, de nitely contributed to the milestone.”

e City of Newton hopes to see NewMo transition to a fully electric eet, according to Freedman.

“I hope we are able to transition vehicles to electric vehicles to lower our carbon footprint,” Freedman said.

NewMo shares this goal, although there are some obstacles in the way of achieving a fully electric eet, according to Vaccarino.

“Electric car manufacturers only manufacture sedans at the moment,” Vaccarino said.

“In a shared ride service like NewMo, you know, we want to maximize the seat availability to carry as many passengers as possible. So we’re being calculated about incorporating electric vehicles. Once there are larger capacity fully electric vehicles, we will be the rst to acquire those and build them into the service.”

Newton is also analyzing the feasibility of expanding NewMo outside of Newton’s limits.

“We are looking to expansion to key centers in Watertown and Waltham, to help people get transportation to other areas,” Freedman said.

Via is looking for federal funding from programs like the community transit grant program, the congestion relief program, and the carbon reduction program, according to Vaccarino.

“For all those programs, NewMo is technically eligible, so we’ll

be pursuing those funding streams to hopefully grow the program as well,” Vaccarino said. is funding could help NewMo reach its next ride milestone, according to Vaccarino.

“Right now, we’re serving about 1,500 riders per week, and

we just hit the 100,000 ride milestone,” said Vaccarino. “Achieving 200,000, 500,000, a million, is certainly on the horizon as ridership increases, and receiving funding from the federal or state government will help accelerate that process quite substantially.”

ELLA SONG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The restaurant, which opened in October, serves dishes such as noodles and personal hot pot.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLEN ISHKANIAN NewMo recently surpassed 100,000 total rides and decided to offer a free ride to customers to celebrate.

Students Seek Balance Amid National Job Anxiety

BY ELIZA HERNANDEZ Projects Editor

When Shannon Liu envisions her future career path, she thinks of ikigai—a Japanese concept that translates to “reason for being,” combining what people love, what they are good at, what the world needs, and what they can be paid for.

“For me, [it’s] teaching—it’s something that I love, but it’s also practical for me, so I’m good at what I like to do,” said Liu, a graduate student in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development.

Ikigai helps Liu balance practicality and satisfaction in her professional life. But despite feeling secure about her current work opportunities, she said she has concerns about future employment in a city with a competitive job market.

“I think I feel both, de nitely secure in the sense that I have enough work right now, but it’s still not a long term position post-grad,” Liu said. “So there are still concerns about whether or not I’ll be able to get a job post-grad, especially being in Boston.”

For many college students, the start of spring semester also marks the beginning of employment searches— ranging from summer internships to post-graduate jobs. But after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting economic fallout, and rising levels of mental distress, college students are

anxiety have disseminated to the Heights—and students are treading to nd a balance between pragmatism and passion.

Rachel Greenberg, director of career education and strategy at the Career Center, said that during COVID-19, less students visited the Career Center’s o department to quickly pivot its work to understand students’ changing needs.

Even as the initial e pandemic wane, Greenberg said stu dents and Career Center employees are still having conversations about the struggling economy and students’ anxiety about nding jobs.

“What I’m hearing from our sta general is that there is a bit more anxi ety, again because there have been lots of rumblings for some time about what is the state of the economy,” Greenberg said. “So we would encourage students who are feeling that to come in and talk to us and really kind of get a lay of the land.”

Greenberg said that while students’ fears and anxieties are understandable, she thinks students are often more worried than they need to be.

“We have not yet seen an impact on hiring of our students or activity of em ployers, and we’re continuing to hear from employers that they plan to hire,” Greenberg said. “So while we know that there’s a lot of conversation about the potential for recession—while we know there are layo s happening in in

less daunting and more manageable. ey leave feeling less anxious, less worried, like they have a concrete set of next steps that they can take to make progress,” Greenberg said.

While she has not visited the Career Center, Gemma Hopkins, MCAS ’25, said she has used Handshake as

employment trajectory—also creates uncertainty about the future.

“If you’re an education major, like you’re pretty sure you’re going to be a teacher, you know,” Hopkins said. “For bio majors, I mean, because I’m not pre-med but I’m like pre-health, I’m not really sure. So it makes it a little

Exchange. Beyond this, Greenberg said students should be more open-minded around the types of job opportunities they consider.

“Within your control is sort of like your mindset and your willingness to sort of explore opportunities where you may not even know the name of

In a survey conducted by Hand shake—an online networking platform utilized by the Boston College Career Center—about 1,400 university students in the classes of 2022 and 2023 were asked about their feelings toward the economy. Seventy- ve percent of those students said they prioritized nding stability in jobs. Fifty percent also said that current economic news is impacting how they view their future careers.

“This fall, the class of 2023 will enter their nal year of college having experienced a global pandemic, an unprecedented shift to remove instruction, the Great Resignation, and rising in ation,” the survey reads.

While BC students have access to the Career Center and its resources, the national waves of job-centered

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Amy Donegan, assistant dean for Undergraduate Career Advising in the Carroll School of Management (CSOM), wrote in an email to The Heights that stability and securing dream jobs are not mutually exclusive endeavors for students. Rather, it is possible that students are simply valuing higher levels of stability from employers than they were before.

“And stability can present itself in any number of ways—high base salary rather than commission, opportunities for progression and advancement within the company rather than moving externally, a longer funding runway for startups and entrepreneurial organizations, and more,” Donegan wrote.

Generally, after a student visits the Career Center to ask questions, Greenberg said they feel that job searches are

research to nd job openings.

“Honestly like I’ve just been doing a lot of my own independent research and like, I’ve been like, meaning to reach out to more people,” Hopkins said. “But like I just keep looking, I just keep refreshing, I’ll be like ‘internships near me,’ and some have actually worked out—or shown up at least.”

Robert Smith, CSOM ’23, said he has also used Handshake, but found it di cult to take the platform’s automated job opportunity emails seriously. And after having a meeting at the Career Center once, he does not think he will seek out the center’s help again.

“I found it helpful from an inspiration standpoint, but it didn’t necessarily help with a concrete like ‘you should approach this company’ necessarily,” Smith said. “It was mostly just for understanding that a lot of people have the same struggles to try to get a job.

Hopkins said she started searching for summer internships for this year, but nds it di cult to nd positions that are both accessible and well-paying.

“We still need to work because we’re in college obviously,” Hopkins said. “Ones that are like—because I’m not going to be in Boston over the summer—more local where I live are harder to nd, but I found one that seems really [interesting] and it doesn’t pay great, but still pays which is better than nothing.”

She added that majoring in biology—rather than a major with a linear

with certain majors have greater diculty nding jobs than others. While college students are seeking employment in a competitive job market, Smith said he thinks it is possible for students to eventually nd jobs.

“I think it’s really challenging right now,” Smith said. “I think it’s harder to nd a job immediately, but I think everyone will end up having a job by the end of the semester.”

Smith says his most successful outcomes while searching for jobs were the result of networking and informal phone calls.

“I’d say the least successful has been just throwing a resume into a big application portal,” Smith said. “I’ve had much more success and learned a lot more from talking to people and caring about their experiences rather than just throwing in my resume.”

Similar to Smith, Hopkins said she has taken advantage of networking with experienced professionals. Endeavor—a free three-day career exploration program held during Winter Break—was an especially useful mode of networking, Hopkins said.

“I thought Endeavor was really helpful for myself and like I’ve already been able to talk with some alumni and stu which has been really cool,” Hopkins said. “BC does have good alumni network connections for sure.”

In terms of strategies, Greenberg said she advises students to prepare early, seek advice about their resumes, and network—especially through Eagle

Donegan wrote that students who have graduated from BC within the past few years had to navigate a di erent career landscape than their predecessors. Despite this, she wrote that BC students are typically successful with their job and internship prospects—if not by graduation, then by three months after.

“ e fears of recession and layo s tend to a ect those a little further in their careers than new graduates,” Donegan wrote. “And it is always a good professional practice for new graduates to be aware of what is happening in the news that might have an in uence on their career plans and aspirations.”

When asked to describe his condence levels while nding jobs, Smith said he thinks there is a 95 percent chance he will get a job straight out of college, but 50 percent for getting the right t. Hopkins said her con dence in nding a job out of college is a three and a half out of ve.

“I feel like, all right, but also like I haven’t been at the Career Center yet or anything, which I know people say is a lot of help,” Hopkins said.

Ultimately, Hopkins said that she hopes to nd a job that she enjoys.

“I really think for myself, it’s so important to do something that I love,” Hopkins said. “But it’s also so hard because now, money is such a big thing and jobs you actually enjoy aren’t going to pay as well, typically.”

Karyl Cli ord contributed to reporting.

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Leddy Tells Story of Mental Health, Grief, and Healing

BY JULIANA PARISI Heights Staff

Children almost always have fantasies about who they want to be when they grow up—they idolize astronauts, movie stars, and athletes.

Growing up, Kyleigh Leddy was no exception. From a young age, Leddy knew she wanted to be a writer, and an exceptional one at that.

“I remember I told my mom that I wanted to write books, turn those books into movies, and then help other authors turn their books into movies too,” Leddy, BC ’19, said. “It’s always been my dream since I was like seven.”

Eighteen years later, Leddy made her childhood dreams come true. Her novel, e Perfect Other: A Memoir of My Sister, was published in March of 2022, and she was recently named to the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 media list for her work as a writer. She is also writing a screenplay for her novel, which will soon become a lm.

After her older sister’s mental health deteriorated and she eventually disappeared, Leddy said she hoped to combat harmful stigmas surrounding mental health through her writing. With this goal in mind, she decided to study English and psychology at Boston College. But, she said the thought of pursuing writing professionally was daunting.

“I was really discouraged by what people tell you—how hard it is to make it,” Leddy said. “I was really pursuing psychology more so. I did a thesis in the cooperation lab at BC, and I was thinking I’d maybe get my Ph.D., write a psychology-type book.”

While Leddy was taking a creative non ction class, professor Suzanne

Berne said she sensed her potential. In this course, Leddy wrote about her emotional journey as she learned to cope with her sister’s disappearance. Not only was Leddy’s story emotional, but Berne also said she wrote extraordinarily.

“She wrote at the beginning of the semester: ‘ e cruel promise of possibility is harsher than any certainty could be,’ [and] I thought, ‘My God, this is someone who is so wise and who is thinking on such a sophisticated level about something that is so hard to contemplate,’” Berne said.

Throughout the class, Berne watched Leddy’s writing process evolve. She said the other students were fascinated by Leddy’s storytelling and wanted to understand more of her story.

“A number of Kyleigh’s early exercises were focused on descriptions of her sister and her family after her sister’s disappearance,” Berne said. “I started to realize I was seeing fragments of a very large and signi cant story.”

For years, Professor Berne has advised her students to take advantage of the New York Times’ Modern Love College Essay Competition, where students can submit essays about the current state of love and relationships. Few of Berne’s students actually enter the competition, but

“I had said aloud to my sister— which I don’t usually do—‘If you don’t want me writing about your life, have this essay get sucked into the void of the submission pile and I’ll stop writing about you,’” Leddy said. “And then

so angry.” As she dove further into writing her new book, Leddy said she began to recognize the closure that came with opening up about her experiences.

structures, styles, and techniques she preferred.

“It’s hard to believe in yourself and to believe in your own ability to produce creative work,” Leddy said. “It’s a hard battle sometimes, but if

Berne said Leddy jumped at the opportunity to submit her work.

As Leddy contemplated her submission and future prospects as a writer, she made a deal with herself.

ough Leddy said her chances of winning were slim, she decided to let the contest decide if she would continue writing her and her sister’s story.

I found out that I had won the contest pretty close to her birthday. I was like, ‘Okay, like this feels like a sign.’”

As her story drew public attention, Leddy’s writing moved readers. Her story is unique, but the underlying themes of grief and love are ones many readers can relate to.

“I was inundated with messages from people around the world thanking me for being so honest and vulnerable, and how much it helped them to see somebody else express their grief and their experience,” Leddy said. is positive feedback motivated Leddy to continue writing about her sister, detailing her full story into a new book.

“In the modern love contest essay, I was kind of holding back so much,” Leddy said. “I didn’t feel like I was being vulnerable. I felt like I was hiding the major part of the story, which is mental illness, mental health. Hearing people tell me how I’d help them, I thought, ‘I could do more, I could help more people if I was just more honest.’”

Writing about love and loss can be exhausting for any writer, whether or not the author personally relates. So as she continued documenting her sister’s story, Leddy began to reprocess an array of once-retired emotions.

“I feel like it, in some ways, was setting me back where I [once] was,” Leddy said.“It was like I was back in that headspace I was when I was seventeen. People would say to me, ‘It must be so therapeutic for you to write this book,’ and I would get

“Looking back, it was so helpful to be able to physically close the book and say my truth and honor my sister and her life and her legacy,” Leddy said. “And then also be able to walk away from it in a sense and say ‘I’m kind of done with this chapter in my life, and I’m ready to move on.’ So in the end it was really healing.” rough writing her novel, Leddy said she forged a deeper spiritual connection with her sister.

ere were so many weird moments of synchronicity, where things felt aligned and when I really felt my sister’s presence with me,” Leddy said. “I don’t think I could have written this book if I didn’t feel like she was in some way with me or wanted me to do it.”

Katherine Tague, Leddy’s roommate and friend since her freshman year at BC, said she witnessed how Leddy’s writing process developed throughout her time at college.

“I watched this amazing ourish happen when she started writing about it,” Tague, BC ’19, said. “You know, even though it’s her life and her story, I think she spends a lot of time asking the big questions, right? ‘How will this a ect others around me,’ those kinds of things.”

Since Leddy had never been trained through an MFA program, she took it upon herself to develop her writing skills as she wrote her novel. She pulled inspiration from a plethora of memoirs and non ction writing, especially those of Joan Didion, David Foster Wallace, and Dani Shapiro. Reading these works helped Leddy decide what writing

you love it, it’s also fun. I think I’m the rst person to try to encourage young writers.”

Despite her lack of professional experience, Leddy said she knew her passion and skill set could carry her to great heights. Five months after publishing e Perfect Other, Kyleigh Leddy found out she was being considered for the Forbes 30 Under 30 media list.

“I heard nothing for months— e email saying that I had made the list had gone to my spam folder,” Leddy said. “I was like ‘What is this! Is this really happening?’”

Throughout her journey as a writer, from when she won the New York Times’ contest to when she made the Forbes 30 Under 30 Media List, Tague said Leddy has always maintained a sense of humility and honesty.

“You can feel the honesty and the levity and the hope in the writing,” Tague said. “She doesn’t want to be a spectacle. She doesn’t want to dramatize. She just wants to be honest about what it’s been like to have this experience.”

rough her transparent storytelling, Leddy has not only helped her readers who are experiencing grief, but she has also helped herself heal and connect with her sister.

“My sister and I are in a really good place,” Leddy said. “It doesn’t sound totally sane saying out loud, but it does feel that way sometimes. In my heart, we did this together. I wouldn’t have been able to beat the odds of publishing a book if I didn’t have her permission.”

What Your Choice of Water Bottle Says About You

BY KATIE BAFFA Heights Staff

As advocacy for environmental protection and sustainability has increased in recent years, I’ve noticed a notable in in reusable water bottle use. Over the last few months, certain “trendy” water bottles emerged on social media. Influencers carry expensive —and usually massive—water bottles as if they are designer purses. People form deep emotion al attachments with their bottle of choice. e water bottle craze is skyrocketing in popularity.

e water bottle you choose from the vast array of options can reveal a lot about you. While there are endless water bottles on the market nowadays, I’ve identi ed some of the most popular styles at Boston College and what they say about

those who carry them.

e Hydro Flask:

If you sport a Hydro Flask as your bottle of choice, you definitely fall into the “ ashy water bottle” category. You’re bubbly and personable, and you probably went to sleepaway camp growing up.

You’re probably way too emotionally attached to your Hydro Flask. The greatest sign of excessive attachment is putting hundreds of stick ers—which usually symbolize elements of your personali ty—on your bottle’s exterior.

Despite being made of stainless steel, your Hydro Flask is proba bly severely dented and scraped like you’ve gone into battle with it. In fact, you prob ably would go into battle with your Hydro Flask, as it practi

cally never leaves your side.

e BlenderBottle:

If your go-to water bottle is a BlenderBottle, you defi nitely partake in the “gym bro” culture here at BC, and you want everyone to know it. You probably work out at the Plex every day—bo nus points if the dreaded third oor is your favorite spot—and you likely have a collection of locker room post-workout mirror sel in your camera roll. Your water also has a per manent after taste from the pre-workout or protein powder you mixed in your bottle last week.

e Plastic Disposable Water Bottle:

If you still rely on plas-

tic water bottles to stay hydrated throughout the day, you’re defi nitely a bit behind the times. You’re undoubtedly con venience-oriented and frequently in a rush, so you grab a water bottle from the vending machines on your commute. An anomaly amid the modern water bottle craze, you probably look down on the people who drop $80 on a ashy, fancier vessel. You’re also not super environmen tally conscious—it’s 2023! Do the planet a favor and purchase something reusable.

e Stanley: If you own a Stanley—congratulations! You are the bottle craze’s latest victim. You de nitely keep up with the trends and are easily in-

uenced by others. In fact, your favorite TikToker likely inspired you to purchase one of these bottles. Unlike the plastic water bottle users, you are drawn toward flashy items rather than conventional ones. Yes, the Stanley can fit in a cup holder, but carrying it is basically the equivalent of lugging around a small child. You also drink a lot of water— the most popular Stanley bottle boasts an impressive 40-ounce capacity. is purchase cost you an arm and a leg, as the 40-ounce Stanley averages a price of around $70 on Amazon, so you probably sway on the impulsive, slightly irresponsible side when it comes to spending.

In her book, Leddy fought harmful stigmas surrounding mental health.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLEIGH LEDDY

PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLEIGH LEDDY Leddy said she has forged a deeper spiritual connection with her sister through writing her book.

Ready, Set, Let’s Go for a Run Near Campus

BY BETH VERGHESE Assoc. Magazine Editor

If you’re anything like me, running around the Res makes you feel like a hamster in a wheel. When I set off on a run, I’m motivated not only by the desire to earn a new badge on my Garmin running watch, but also by my eagerness to explore the new path I configured for that day’s run. Running laps around the Res simply does not do it for me. So, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite routes I’ve traversed near Boston College’s campus over the past year.

If You Enjoy Residential Runs:

BC’s placement in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood offers students the luxury of running in residential areas.

I take full advantage of this fact as I plan my runs. The suburban setting includes safer roads to run alongside, and you can admire the plethora of charming houses on each street.

My favorite roads can be accessed by turning right onto Reservoir Road, crossing the bridge over the train tracks, and exploring the many streets springing off Elliot Road and Dean Road.

If You Run with an End Goal in Mind:

Sometimes exploring a new route isn’t enough motivation to go on a run, so I like to set an incentive in my mind. If you like to run with an end goal of testing out a new coffee shop, forming a new wardrobe, or treating yourself to a sweet treat, then there is a perfect path for you.

Start your run past Cleveland Circle and continue east down Beacon Street. You’ll pass a multitude of coffee shops, thrift stores, bookstores, delis, and more! My favorites include Cafe Fixe, Brookline Booksmith, Temptations Cafe, and Michael’s Deli. You can even stop in at Down Under School of Yoga if you want to try a class after your jog!

If You Enjoy the Res but Want to Try Something New:

I will admit, running around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir does have some positives—it’s easy to gauge the distance of your run, and you never stray too far from where you started. Sometimes, though, it’s nice to get a little further outside of the BC bubble. So if you enjoy these aspects of the Res, but also want a change of scenery, try out the Brookline Reservoir. Located southeast of campus, the Brookline Reservoir is a perfect 1-mile loop.

If You Want a Hill Run:

If you like to add a little more of a challenge to your run by adding an incline, the perfect route for you is right at BC’s doorstep. Gate House Road, Chestnut Hill Road, and Essex Road all offer a steep slope, making them the perfect streets for a challenging and rewarding hill run.

If You Live on Newton Campus:

As a former Keyes resident, I frequently explored routes that started at Newton Campus. Head west down Mill Street until you reach Bullough Park. Turn left and

you’ll soon see Bullough’s Pond—a tranquil space to sit and relax. If you want a longer run, run south down Walnut Street and then turn left on Lakewood Road to arrive at Crystal Lake, a small, scenic lake where you can swim and cool off during the warmer months.

If You Really Want To Explore:

If you have your sights set on a long run, try out this path—head south down Chestnut Hill Avenue and continue until you get to the Brookline Reservoir. Turn left onto Dudley Street, and on your right you’ll see the Frederick Law Olm -

sted National Historic Site. This site offers remarkable architecture and landscape. Continue east on Walnut Street and eventually turn right onto the Emerald Necklace, a chain of parks in Brookline and Boston, to arrive at Olmsted Park. This park is a serene place to stop and admire the ponds and green spaces. Head east on Perkins Street then south down Centre Street to check out the charismatic neighborhood of Jamaica Plain. Stop and grab a coffee in Tokava, or browse the bookstore and music shop in Tres Gatos before sitting down for some Spanish tapas.

Finding Home Amid Uncertainty: Navigating BC Housing

BY RILEY DAVIS Heights Staff

e Boston College housing process is not something most students look forward to. Sandwiched in the middle of spring midterms, the process is usually associated with stress and drama. e uncertainty of the lottery system gives students little time for re ection— if a student’s rst choice does not work out, they have less than 24 hours to nalize an alternative plan. Housing should be exciting, hopeful, and unifying, but it’s an annual burden to many instead. I’ve gone from crying to laughing to smiling as I’ve frantically navigated the changing dynamics of the process. As my nal housing lottery approaches for my senior year, I’ve re ected on my housing journey. Regardless of where you fall in the process, I hope to provide a transparent and empathetic perspective on housing selection at BC.

To the Anxious Freshman:

Perhaps it feels like every freshman besides you had their eight-person suite gured out by Winter Break. Or perhaps you already have an eight-man group gured out. Either way, the glori ed “eight-man” dominates the

sophomore housing conversation, with quads, six- and nine-person suites, and traditional-style housing consecutively following as backup.

I remember the idealization of eight-man suites with their personal common rooms and non-communal bathrooms. Jumping from a freshman double on Upper or Newton to an eight-person suite feels exceptionally spacious, and if you like to spend your spare time among others, an eight-man might be the right choice for you. But do keep in mind how the transition from one direct roommate to seven suitemates might affect you— eight-mans entail more day-to-day shared experiences and possibly more room for distraction from your schoolwork.

My sophomore housing process did not go as planned. I followed the common trend and formed a group of eight, but the lottery did not work in our favor. Unfortunately, I did not receive a pick time for an eight-man, quad, or nine-person suite, and I felt frustrated because the decision was out of my control. Little did I know 66 Commonwealth Ave., the hidden gem of Lower Campus, would become the perfect home for myself and many other students

left disheartened by the housing process. Traditional housing allowed me to live near the friends I blocked rooms with, but it also gave me the space to unwind—I could always call it a night when I was ready to exit the Walsh party scene. I enjoyed participating in floor mixers and community events, and, looking back, not having to clean my own bathroom was a blessing.While the housing possibilities for sophomores may seem overwhelming, the variety of locations means you will likely know someone living in every dorm. No matter which building I stepped into throughout this past year, I always found a room where I was welcome.

To the Overwhelmed Sophomore:

Junior year provides a greater breadth of housing options. Some students are granted four years of on-campus housing and tend to reside in four or six-person apartments in Stayer, 2000 Commonwealth Ave., or 2150 Commonwealth Ave., and sometimes in Gabelli or Voute. Others with three years, including myself, live off campus in the nearby Brighton and Newton communities. On-campus living provides convenience and se-

curity, with amenities fairly similar to the underclassman years. e

“2K” apartments are a happy medium between the on and o -campus dynamics—they are located near popular off-campus streets and have full kitchens, but BC is still responsible for their maintenance.

While often requiring a longer walk to class, o -campus housing allows students to nd a living situation suited for the size and needs of their group.

But, the conversations surrounding off-campus housing frequently create pressure to sign leases absurdly early, with some students putting pen to paper as early as freshman year. I was overwhelmed when this stress hit me in April of my freshman year, when I wasn’t even sure if I would study abroad during junior year. Come fall of my sophomore year, I signed a lease when I decided not to study abroad. As the semester continued, I learned that I likely would have found o -campus housing even if I had waited longer to sign a lease because many students sublet their rooms while abroad.

While living o -campus this year, I’ve learned useful management and negotiation skills, from paying bills to petitioning a landlord for door locks. I’ve had to

meticulously manage my schedule, making sure I leave enough time to catch the Commonwealth Avenue bus every day and get groceries each week. I enjoy having the space to welcome friends, host club meetings, and get a taste of adulting through the upkeep of my home. at being said, I do miss the closeness and comfort I felt being a short walk to class and experiencing the community evident amid the chaos of Lower at dinner time.

To the Nostalgic Junior: The final chapter awaits. In light of my last housing lottery, I have much more gratitude and resilience than I would have expected to gain from housing setbacks. When I think about the tears shed under Stokes bridge freshman year after reading “unfortunately you did not receive a pick time” for the third consecutive day, I look back and feel empathy for my past self. But, I also remind myself how little I recognized the hope and opportunity on the horizon. Sometimes the greatest treasures come when we least expect them. While I kindly ask you to join me in manifesting a Mod for my roommates and me, I know that no matter where I call home as a senior, my BC experience will not be de ned by it.

To all Eagles:

I wish I could give you a stepby-step list on how to successfully conquer the housing process. But in reality, navigating the housing experience has simply taught me to be open to uncertainty. Some of my greatest experiences at BC have come when I least expected it. e housing process also helped me learn more about myself and peers. I recognized my abilities as a leader and friend and deepened relationships. Honest communication was key through it all. e stress and drama of housing, coupled with pressures of everyday college life, can distract us from a process that should be rooted in unity.

Where you call home does not de ne your BC experience—it is the people who make the place, the mentalities that make the ambience, and the memories that make it home.

EDITOR

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

GRAPHIC BY ALYSSA ANDERSON / HEIGHTS

Degrees of Separation

I’ve started being secretive.

I have a running list in my head of people I share everything with, unconditionally. Everyone else gets the usual: a dose of small talk, sprinkled with mentions of classes, weather, clothes, and perhaps a drop of Boston College drama. ere’s nothing really wrong with this—yes, people have their issues with small talk, but today, that’s not my struggle.

My struggle is the secrets I’m keeping.

I never wear my hair in natural curls.

I only answer “how are you?” with “good,” when that is rarely the case. I stay away from voicing my strong liberal views in class. No one knows when I ght with my roommates or worry about my brother or put my soul into a paper. No one knows when I feel free, full of life, and wholly con dent. No one knows when I am breaking at the seams. No one knows what sparks my brightest joys or my deepest sorrows. Very few people can recount my favorite color (unless, of course, I’ve let you into my innermost circle).

And just like you don’t know these things about me, I don’t know them about you.

But here’s what I—a self-proclaimed people person, who genuinely wants to know about all the little things that make people who they are—have come to understand.

My social world, as my perfectionistic brain views it, is laid out in perfectly

concentric circles. ere’s my friends, their friends, their friends’ friends, and so on, with only a few connecting lines in between. But, as college has shown me, my supposedly circular map is more accurately layed out as a jumble of zig-zagging lines and intersecting arrows. Everyone seems to know everyone. Since uncovering the knotted mess that is my social life, I realize that I have begun to curate the “me” that I share with this tightly connected world. My favorite small-world story starts like this: “So I ran into my ex-home best friend’s college friend who I met at a party because he’s my ex-boyfriend’s college best friend’s home friend … ”

Which brings me back to all my little secrets. Since returning to BC’s campus this fall, I have been operating from behind an invisible wall. Because I could no longer tell whose zig-zagging lines intersected, I thought it made sense to limit what I shared to that sworn-to-secrecy list in my head. And so my secrets grew.

But I now see the error of my ways. By blocking my true self from others, I’ve made it impossible to accomplish my life’s mission—getting to know other people and forming real relationships.

So, because I hate the idea of New Year’s resolutions, here’s my Feb. 5 resolution: as cheesy as it sounds, I want to be authentic.

I don’t have to be an open book. I just have to have a few pages easily accessible and add a few more words to the author’s blurb on the back.

BC, You Are My Sunshine

I’ve surely, by now, lost a few of you. But the idea is this: If you are in some convoluted way connected to me, then you have probably heard my name and I have probably heard yours. I feel we have about two degrees of separation (in at least 10 di erent directions) from everyone on this campus. And if this slightly scary interconnected microcosm exists, I decided long ago that I would like the grapevine to carry a message about me that I endorse—a message that was carefully crafted and perfectly curated.

So, hey! My name, which my dad gave me, is Meadow. I’m 5-foot-3-and-¾, but I’ll insist I’m 5-foot-4. I’m weirdly terri ed of slime, and I have two weighted stu ed sloths that I cuddle at night. I’ve never successfully made it through more than 10 pages of any journal that I’ve started, but writing is my passion—it’s in the stories I write that I feel most at home. I love my younger brother more than anyone else in the world, and I’m working to heal some of my friendships. I don’t handle stress well, but I’ll ght you if you tell me that. Neither home or school make me completely happy, but I see so much good in both worlds.

So there’s a random, convoluted start to me. And, if you’ll share, I want to know all the little pieces of each one of you.

We’re in college. We’re still guring out who we are. But until we start revealing those secrets, no one will ever know who that really is.

New Month’s Resolutions?

change. If we want to form good habits— like going to the gym or working harder in school—the longer we delay beginning these journeys, the more accustomed we become to lying in bed and watching reruns of ’90s sitcoms.

A new year equals a unique opportunity … to not follow through with our goals.

The Plex might be packed for the month of January, sure. But when the clock struck 12 on this month of insincere promises, we all disappeared from the Plex and turned back into pumpkins.

Frankly, I should be the poster girl for breaking New Year’s resolutions. Last year, I lasted literally 12 hours before I broke every single promise I made to myself. I hyped myself up so much just to return to my old habits, thereby wasting another valuable chance to improve myself. So this year, I’m proposing a new system for changing habits—one that moves away from the all-or-nothing New Year’s model.

Simply put, New Year’s resolutions are dumb. Why do we need a new year to make changes in our life? If you don’t like an aspect of your life, change it then and there. When you wait until New Years to improve your habits, you’re just making an excuse to postpone a necessary

I’ve always wondered why New Year’s resolutions aren’t strong enough to stop bad habits or kick-start good ones. To diagnose the issue, I find myself thinking of Sherry Turkle, the author who virtually attended BC’s Class of 2025 convocation. Although I only skimmed the first five chapters of her book and paid no attention to her address on technology (like the majority of my classmates), she might have had a point.

Many people in our generation require instant gratification, whether it’s from social media or retail addictions.

In blunt terms, we have no patience— it seems like Generation Z requires everything now or not at all. So, when new Plex attendees don’t see instantaneous changes in their bodies, or when people find it more challenging than expected to quit bad habits, many resolution-ers revert to their pre-resolution selves.

The question then remains: what can be done?

Personal change is not impossible, but it requires discipline. And discipline is not formed overnight.

With that in mind, I believe I’ve formed a possible solution to the ineffectiveness of the New Year’s resolution. Let’s forget making a comprehensive list

of all the items we want to change about ourselves. That is too much to do all at once. Instead, pick one per month so your goals become small, digestible nuggets. When your new resolution begins to feel natural and easier to maintain at the end of the month, you add a new project. This way, your journey to change seems manageable instead of inevitably headed toward failure.

The only caveat to this battle strategy is that you have to keep your prescribed goals after their designated month ends.

In other words, as the “train” of your new life rolls down the tracks, it slowly carries more aspirations—or box cars of further self-improvement.

Despite the additional weight, we become accustomed to the cars that have been there, making the transition bearable.

As month one of 2023 comes to a close, I now see hope in the New Year. Instead of anticipating the worst, the gradual improvements that I started in January help me see the brighter side of life. This one small change has already improved my college experience and made a difference that my closest friends have begun to see.

So make a change, no matter how small, no matter how slowly. By the end of the year, these changes will add up to a whole new you—one step at a time.

Despite freezing temperatures, Boston’s gray skies are gone—and the sun is shining over Gasson once again. Sure, it’s not quite warm enough to go on a picnic or take a leisurely stroll through the Quad, but there’s something nice about feeling the sun on your face as you walk from class to class. And if you don’t like to wake up with the sun, then perhaps the resurgence of colorful sunset pics from the Res will bring you joy. Our campus is always beautiful, but there’s nothing quite like seeing it lit up and radiant. So put on a smile and let the sun warm your heart on these otherwise icy days.

February Is at Much Shorter February might be the worst month of the year. e height of winter, the middle of the school year, and the holder of perhaps the most controversial holiday (Valentine’s Day), February is simply not the best. But the good news? It’s also the shortest month of the year. And thanks to the absence of leap year in 2023, it just got even shorter! So for the next three weeks, let’s put on our best fake it till you make it smile, give our friends an extra tight squeeze, and look forward to the glimmer of hope that is March 1.

Cold Days, Cold Hearts

The New England winter became intense this weekend with the arrival of negative temperatures and winds that would not quit. After BC’s several cold weather warnings, students were far from happy to trudge to their 9 a.m. classes on Friday morning. It was too cold to snow or even to allow for a contented deep breath. And as if the addition of 10 layers to our wardrobes wasn’t enough, burst pipes swept through campus. Now, with the arctic blast in the past, we have never appreciated 40-degree weather more—but we have our mittens and hats ready for the next time the wind starts up again.

Crash, Bang, the Market’s Down e metaphorical stock market of the BC business world came crashing down with the return of CSOM’s infamous Bank Week. With spi y tailored suits ooding onto campus, BC’s business students put on their best faces for a series of networking events last week. But, alongside their crisp new ts, CSOM guys and gals had to endure waves of internship stress on top of their heaping platters of schoolwork. Now that it’s over, we can all breathe easy in our favorite pair of jeans.

MEADOW VRTIS

MARY PEREZ

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

GRAPHICS BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Meadow Vrtis is the associate opinions editor for The Heights. She can be reached at vrtis@bc.edu.

“I don’t have to be an open book. I just have to have a few pages easily accessible and add a few more words to the author’s blurb on the back.”

Life, Flexibility, and the Pursuit of Oak Dressers

before jet-setting across the world for the fall semester.

is summer, as I moved into my new o -campus house, I faced a great challenge: a solid oak dresser surrounded by its giant, removed drawers stared down at me.

It looked like a seasoned boxer with a few missing teeth, and I was the idiot rookie who decided to take it on. Even with my two friends, who graciously agreed to assist me, lugging it to my room was still a match between David and Goliath.

It took three people an hour—with Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” playing on full volume— to get that dresser from the driveway all the way to my new bedroom. Once the dresser was exactly where I wanted it to be, I grew relieved it would never be my job to move it again. Now, I promise this column isn’t going to turn into some weird furniture rant where you question if I’ve ever heard of IKEA. Instead, I’m going to move things around.

e main thing I moved last year was myself. I was about to embark on a semester abroad in Milan, away from my friends, family, and all of the familiar comforts of my life at home. I didn’t anticipate going abroad in the fall. As a matter of fact, I only applied to spring programs. And yet, here I was, tussling—and losing—with a dresser

I also wasn’t even supposed to have this dresser because I wasn’t supposed to spend the summer in Boston. I was supposed to be working at home. Instead, I accepted an internship in Wilmington, Mass., and through some demonic intervention this dresser landed smack-dab in the middle of my life. A dresser with stupid knobs that always came loose and un nished edges that dug into my hands as I heaved it up the back steps.

So much had refused to go my way. Abroad, internships, friendships, clubs, and oak dressers—they all teamed up against me. rowing wrenches in my beautifully designed plans. I had it all gured out, but of course, of course, things could just never, ever, go my way. It was as if Life couldn’t see that I was a master of interior design, perfecting my future as if it was a Pinterest board for my bedroom.

But, the thing is, the future simply isn’t a bedroom. You can’t plan out every little detail and expect it all to materialize exactly as you envisioned it. In fact, if you treat life like it’s a showroom, you’re inevitably going to be disappointed and frustrated. Some things are just out of your control.

Now, this isn’t to say you shouldn’t have lofty dreams or life goals. Because you absolutely can. Sometimes you’ve got to grab life by the drawer-less frame and drag it up the stairs! But, sometimes, you can’t. And when you’ve met your match, whether it’s in the form of unexpectedly heavy furniture or a fall semester abroad, what matters most is how you handle it.

At rst, I did not handle things well. At all. No matter how many times I heard “everything happens for a reason” and you can “only control what you can control,” being bested in Life’s gambit sucked. It felt as if Life had icked me across the chessboard like a pawn. I was bewildered, frustrated, and helpless. Clueless to my next move.

It wasn’t until I nally stopped raging against the inevitable that I realized I’d actually gotten it all wrong. Perhaps I was more like the oak dresser than I thought. If I had just been willing to see things di erently, to be more exible and open, I would have noticed that everything I had planned was needlessly short-term. I was busy picking out Target organization cubes when I could’ve been shopping in the big oak dresser leagues. What Life had planned for me was, unbelievably, even better than I could have planned myself. As it turned out, I loved liv -

ing in Boston for the summer. I met amazing people and had a blast spending weekends at the cape. I loved Milan too, even in the fall. I made lifelong friends I would’ve never met otherwise, and I got to experience the world with them. I wouldn’t change anything about the last six months of my life, or any of the months and years before, even if I could.

Of course, it’s still upsetting when things don’t go the way I plan them to. But now, when I’m too focused on how I would like things to be, I try to shift my direction to what could be. Sometimes all it takes is switching a few pieces of furniture around to realize the space you’re living in has so much more potential. ere might even be room for a large oak dresser with stupid loose knobs.

Olivia Franceschini is a columnist for The Heights She can be reached at olivia.franceschini@bc.edu.

OLIVIA FRANCESCHINI

Left to right: A panelist, Kay Schlozman, speaks on religion and American politics, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Eagles forward Jenna Carpenter makes her way to the goal in their battle against Providence, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. Graduate guard Makai Ashton-Langford dunks in the Eagles’ upset over No. 20 Clemson, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023

People gather to celebrate the launch of a new book, Catholic Women Preach, that highlights Catholic women’s homilies, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023.

KELLEN DAVIS / HEIGHTS STAFF

The Dance Organization of Boston College premiers its winter showcase “REPUTATION,” which was led by director Gianna Laura, MCAS ’23,

Twain Loses Her Crown as the Queen of Country Pop

BY LEAH STITZEL Heights Staff

Canadian-born Shania Twain has earned her place as the queen of country pop. Despite having just six albums in her discography, she remains the best-selling female country artist of all time. Her newest album Queen of Me, however, fails to live up to her royal title.

The opening track, “Giddy Up!” establishes Queen of Me as a typical comeback album early on. Released as the rst single from the album, the song has a carefree feel to it, and is t to play on a road trip. Fast acoustic guitar strumming accompanies Twain’s lyrics about packing up and leaving home with no destination in mind.

“I got a fast car with the 90’s on / Not a soul on the road, but the road is home,” Twain sings.

e signature twangy rock style of songs like “Giddy Up!” and “Not Just a Girl” are reminiscent of Twain’s earlier

albums that pulled her into the mainstream. Early in her career, she perfected the transition from classic ’90s swing ballads to country pop and rock with her album Come On Over. Long before Taylor Swift shocked listeners with Red Twain was adding electric guitar ri s and bass lines to her own ddle-heavy music. She is often cited by Swift as the inspiration for her switch to pop.

Much like Swift’s recent discography, most traces of country roots are gone from Twain’s new album. e title track “Queen of Me” begins and ends with a harp glissando, which feels out of place among the heavy electric instrumentals and message of independence.

Compared to Twain’s past albums, there are fewer songs about breakups or unrequited love. When she does touch on the topic, it is out of nostalgia. “Last Day of Summer” sounds like a bittersweet memory in the best way, but its soft and slow pace is out of place in a much bolder lineup. Even

by “Brand New,” Twain’s new musical direction is clear.

“Cause you’ll always be the same old you / But I’m a brand new me,” she sings. Her lyrics are free-spirited, but they often repeat themselves, and it’s hard to distinguish this track from the three others about self-love on the album. Few personal verses stand out between repetitive choruses, so what starts off as inspiring and liberating soon feels forced. Alone, the tracks are empowering, but one is indistinguishable from the next.

ere’s no doubt that Twain has a powerful singing voice, but across the album, it’s been edited down. Her natural rasp and soulfulness are overpowered by background vocals or bass. “Waking Up Dreaming,” also released as a single for the album, is energetic and fun. It has a dance intro reminiscent of “Walking on Sunshine,” giving the song a strong start, but Twain’s impressive vocals are ultimately shadowed by the music.

With the exception of a few standouts, Queen of Me was an attempt to reinvent something that didn’t need reinvention in the rst place. Country music is about storytelling, which is what makes songs like Twain’s 1997 “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” a permanent xture of karaoke catalogs and country music stations. With its repetitive lyrics and overpowering instrumentals, Twain’s intention is clear, but her story is lost.

MUSIC

Swift’s New Music Video Lacks Plot

BY ALEXANDRA O’NEIL For The Heights

Fans of Taylor Swift have come to expect new content at a moment’s notice, as the star often announces albums, singles, and videos mere hours before their release. True to her style, Swift announced the music video for “Lavender Haze” on Jan. 26 and dropped it at midnight on Jan. 27. To portray the rst track of her new album Midnights, Swift blends surrealism with cozy, vintage scenes to create a “sultry sleepless ’70s fever dream,” rich in aesthetic power but lacking the storytelling prevalent in her other work.

e video opens with an old alarm clock striking 12 as Swift’s voice echoes.

“Meet me at midnight,” she sings.

The introductory line is an ideal gateway into the world of both the song and its corresponding album. As the video opens, Swift traces a galaxy pattern on the back of her co-star Laith

Ashley who is asleep, and then crawls through a eld of lavender in her living room. She dances in a purple fog as lush as the soft, layered vocals in the song’s chorus.

e use of surreal elements paid o in creating a unique aesthetic experience. Notably, the recurring motif of koi sh swimming in a galaxy pond provides a sense of playfulness that contrasts the maturity of the song. e most visually compelling scene of the video, however, arrives in the track’s resonant second chorus. Swift’s blue eyes and dark lipstick pop as the singer lies in a lavender-hued pool with lavender petals floating around her. While short lived, the scene is memorable and artistically distinct from the other shots.

In true Taylor Swift fashion, fans

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

Weynand: Netflix, Stop Canceling Shows Early

BY JACK WEYNAND Heights Staff

Dear Net ix, My message is short and simple. Please stop canceling shows after one season. It’s creating a massive problem for your content and your viewers.

Time and time again, I nd myself in a tough spot when deciding how to spend my free time as a college student. Between classes, clubs, intramurals, and a social life, the chances that I have to watch television are sparing. With the way Net ix carelessly massacres its television catalog, I can’t use my TV time the way I want to. I’m coerced to watch the popular o erings rather than the projects that actually peak my interest.

Frankly, that’s not the way TV watching should be.

What got me thinking about Net ix’s show renewal habits, was the recent cancellation of 1899 after only one season. 1899 seemingly did everything right, and the concept had me captivated. e show was a period piece that followed a boat full of immigrants traveling from the United Kingdom to the United States. It was billed as a suspenseful mystery series, and coming from the creators of Dark, 1899 had every reason to be among my favorite shows.

If only I had the chance to watch it.

1899 lived a little over a month— it premiered on Nov. 17 and was axed

on Jan. 2. In that short month(ish) period, I was grinding for nals, enjoying the holiday season, and catching up with my home friends when I went back home for Winter Break. I barely had a moment to myself, let alone time to watch TV. In the meantime, 1899 received solid reviews from critics and built up a passionate following on social media. Now that it’s been canceled, I struggle to nd a reason to watch it.

When I have such little time to watch TV, why should I waste that time growing attached to characters who won’t be returning for more stories? It doesn’t make sense for me to watch 1899 when the plot will remain unresolved and the character arcs will never be completed. Net ix is discouraging me from watching its own series, and it has me convinced. is isn’t the rst time Net ix has done this to me. I have similar grievances with the streaming platform when it comes to shows like Blockbuster and Resident Evil. Both are shows that fell o my radar once they were canceled after their rst seasons.

I think Net ix expects me to watch the wildly popular and complex Stranger ings once every few years and be satis ed. On my Top Picks For You Page on Net ix, I nd shows like e Crown or Cobra Kai. Net ix probably says to itself, “he’s got plenty of options with countless seasons to last him for months at a time.” I enjoy

the prestige of e Crown, and Cobra Kai is a fun show to fall asleep to, but I’m trying to diversify the shows I watch. Sometimes I’m looking for hidden gems that don’t get the attention they deserve. e problem is that these hidden gems don’t really exist past a season or two.

From Net ix’s point of view, I understand why it would think to cancel smaller shows that don’t initially attract a larger audience. At the end of the day, it’s a business, and so it makes sense to spend less money where there’s less of an audience. at being said, there are breaks in this airtight business model that Net ix has adopted.

Net ix charges people based on a general subscription, rather than charging customers for each speci c show they watch. It makes more sense to diversify Net ix’s catalog

to satisfy more innovative content. What’s more, Net ix doesn’t account for shows increasing their creative potential—and as a result, viewership—throughout multiple seasons.

A great example of a show growing its audience over time is HBO’s Game of rones (GoT) e rst season’s budget was between $50 to 60 million, yet the series only garnered an average of 2.52 million viewers throughout its rst season. Compare that with the rst season of HBO’s e Sopranos, which garnered an average of 3.43 million viewers per episode on a budget of under $30 million. e viewership versus budget alone for the rst season of GoT is discouraging at best, and by Net ix standards, it probably would’ve been canceled.

Everyone knows that the story doesn’t end there for GoT. By its nal season, GoT averaged nearly 12

million viewers per episode, a feat rarely seen by a television series. Net ix isn’t network TV, so its viewership data is somewhat of a mystery, especially when it comes to shows that it cancels. Regardless of a show’s viewership, Net ix isn’t giving these canceled series a chance to become a future GoT, or in Net ix terms, the next Squid Game. is show renewal habit discourages creativity in the entertainment industry. Not only are existing stories cut short by cancellations, but the shows that do survive o er unoriginal or recycled content. e new hits on Net ix tend to be shows like Wednesday, a spino of e Addams Family.

Net ix is also known to swoop in and save canceled shows from other networks, like Lucifer, which originally premiered on FOX. ese stories are often fun, but creative boundaries aren’t being pushed when the content already has a strong base in pop culture.

In the new streaming world, I wonder if original content has a place in television anymore. Although it doesn’t realize it, Net ix is slowly changing the way TV operates for the worse. I’m still looking for my hidden gems—the shows that are innovative, unique, and worthwhile.

In the meantime, I’ll guess Net ix expects me to anxiously wait another two years for Stranger ings season ve. I can’t wait.

“Do You Like Me?” is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head after one listen. Daniel Caesar builds a sultry mood with his mellow vocals and proposing lyrics. e single’s chorus, “I wanna be in love again,” creates a longing, romantic outlook for the listener.

ALYSSA ANDERSON / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Say No to Lagerfeld

‘Reputation’ Showcase Promotes Inclusivity

BY ERIN PENDER Heights Staff

The Dance Organization of Boston College (DOBC)’s showcase Reputation , held on the Robsham mainstage on Feb. 3 and 4, was a night about empowerment and kindness, according to Gianna Laura, director of DOBC and MCAS ’23.

Laura said when choosing a theme for the showcase, the officers of DOBC were thinking about words that aligned with empowerment and felt “reputation” fit the bill.

“DOBC wants to have a repu

-

tation of being friendly and people who love to dance and love each other,” Laura said.

The performance featured dances from 20 different student choreographers, including eight of the nine officers. Before each dance, a video played featuring the dance’s choreographer introducing the song and giving background to the choreography. The dances were in a variety of styles, including lyrical, jazz, tap, and hip-hop.

Laura explained that the choreographers are selected at the beginning of the year. Members auditioned with 30 seconds of prepared choreography.

The nine officers choreographed the finale, which honed in on the reputation theme and included solo sections from each class year. The finale’s music was a mash-up of “...Ready For It?” by Taylor Swift, “Diva” by Beyoncé, “Can’t Be Tamed” by Miley Cyrus, and other songs.

In every dance, both audience members and performers looked as if they were enjoying themselves.

“People are really excited to share what we have been working on,” Laura said.

The dancers were in sync throughout every performance, matching their movements to the music of each song, telling a story.

“A Little Party Never Killed Nobody,” choreographed by Amy Guggenberger LSEHD ’24, was a hip-hop number, portraying a style not widely represented in the show. The upbeat music was matched by the enthusiasm of the dancers, evident on their faces and fast-paced movements.

“A Sky Full of Stars,” choreographed by Catherine Hazard, MCAS ’23, and Emilie Vieaux, LSEHD ’23, was a ballet piece

that featured fluid yet powerful movements, alluding to themes of strength and grace.

The dancers changed costumes in order to fit the theme or mood of each song. For the lyrical and ballet numbers, the dancers wore flowy, gauzy skirts that moved with their motions.

For the jazz numbers and upbeat dances, the performers mainly wore black leggings or shorts with colorful, sometimes glittery tops, which fit with the more energetic music.

Two groups, the Bostonians and the Heightsmen, made guest performances at the show. The Bostonians performed “I Want Love” by Jessie J, “Masterpiece” by Tori Kelly, and “Evergreen” by Omar Apollo. The Bostonians’ clean and emotional performance matched the style of the dance performances.

The Heightsmen performed in the second act, donning their signature jackets and ties. The group performed “Beautiful Soul” by Jesse McCartney, “Honeymoon” by the Shadowboxers, and “Because Of You” by Ne-Yo.

‘Living in Color’ Celebrates Black Poets

Poetry, from A1

After an introduction to the event from CARAMEL, three poets took the audience by storm.

The first performer was Benedita Zalabantu, MCAS ’25. She kicked off the night with poems about herself and her experience growing up as a Black American. She highlighted her connection with her brother in her poem “Drop of Melanin and Blood.” Zalabantu’s ability to instill emotion—whether it be joy, sadness, or fear—into her words elevated her poetry to a new level.

Second up was Weatherspoon, a guest poet who kept the audience engaged with their poetry. Weatherspoon’s words continuously elicited snaps and claps from the

audience as the poet discussed the ups and downs of their life.

In between poems, Weatherspoon regularly interacted with the audience. A memorable moment of the night was when Weatherspoon instructed listeners to turn to their neighbor and express self-love. The request connected to the theme of the poem but also helped the audience to connect with their poetry.

“My poetry is rooted in having to live a little bit, you know, and then really recycle those experiences,” Weatherspoon said after their performance. “Luckily, I have a vivid imagination and I can sort of reimagine and put the puzzle pieces together.”

To close the night, Krysten Hill shared her work with the

audience. The power of her words was undeniable as she spoke about a range of her experiences, from teaching to loss to fear. Her final poem, “Nothing,” resonated with audience member Emmurliana Joseph, LSEHD ’26.

“I’m kind of speechless,” Joseph said. “I feel like the poem just did a great job of pointing out how there’s a lot of pain and silence that just isn’t talked about.”

Hill discussed where she finds inspiration for her poems.

“Taking from the world around you, and taking from the experiences of your community, and maybe sometimes the communities that are difficult to talk about,” Hill said. “And I think that’s real, like speaking on your experience is really hard to do.”

After the poetry section ended, CARAMEL emphasized the importance of events like Living In Color: Spoken Word Poetry Night

“I thought the perfect time to do this was, you know, February, Black History Month, because the Black community has such a deep rooted talent and there are just so many wonderful people within the black community that perform incredible things,” CARAMEL said.

The theme of the night was one of power and importance as the poets were vulnerable with the audience, and the audience was vulnerable in return.

“I think all the thread of tonight was like people’s narratives and like speaking on where you’re coming from, and like, maybe those experiences are difficult to get in touch with,” Hill said once most audience members had filed out of the Cabaret Room. “And so sometimes to get there, like those poems take years because you’re trying to sift through a lot of difficult, hard stuff, but you also realize why it’s important to speak on it.”

e 2023 Met Gala is set to honor the late Karl Lagerfeld, a designer famous for his work with a variety of major fashion houses and reviving Chanel as the house’s creative director. ough widely regarded as a legend in the fashion world, the decision to celebrate Lagerfeld at this year’s Met Gala through the theme “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” and the dress code “in honor of Karl” has sparked backlash due to controversial remarks and actions Lagerfeld made before his death.

e Met Gala, hosted by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, commemorates the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual fashion exhibit. Attended by prominent celebrities, designers, and fashion icons, the event always has a theme and dress code for its attendees, coinciding with the clothing on display within the Costume Institute’s exhibit.

Anna Wintour, editor-inchief of Vogue and one of the chairs of the Gala, approves each year’s theme, which typically centers around various abstract and cultural fashion in uences. For example, 2022 and 2021’s respective themes of “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” and “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” centered around the progressivity of American designers and their impact on fashion around the world. But honoring a member of the fashion community in the event’s theme is not unheard of. In years past, the Gala has honored the contributions of Alexander McQueen, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Gianni Versace, and Christian Dior.

But Largerfeld di ers from each of these fashion moguls— his o ensive remarks, including Islamophobic comments, derogatory remarks about women’s appearances, and defense of a designer accused of sexual misconduct—outweigh the impacts he made on the fashion world.

Born in Germany, Lagerfeld moved to Paris in the early ’50s to begin his career in fashion design. In Paris, he launched his career in the fashion world by working as an assistant and apprentice with Pierre Balmain. He grew to serve as a creative eye for a variety of fashion houses throughout his career including Chloé, Valentino, Charles Jourdan, and Fendi. Lagerfeld made a name for himself through his groundbreaking designs, which included the use of mole, rabbit, and squirrel fur and large silhouettes inspired by ’40s and ’50s fashion. Lagerfeld refused to adhere to a singular, uniform style.

In the 1980s, Lagerfeld was tasked with bringing life to the House of Chanel, which had been considered obsolete after the death of the founder Coco Chanel just a decade prior. Credited with the popularization

ERNEST ROMERO

CARAMEL and Zalabantu hug during the event celebrating Black arts.

ALINA CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR

NICOLE VAGRA / HEIGHTS EDITOR

The Bostonians make a guest appearance at the Reputation showcase.

SPORTS

2023 BEANPOT PREVIEW

BC HOCKEY SET TO FACE HARVARD

IN

SEMIFI NALS

Boston College men’s and women’s hockey will both take on the Crimson in the 2023 Men’s and Women’s Beanpot semifinals on Monday, Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., respectively.

BY NICK PULICE Heights Staff

Over the past 70 years, the Beanpot has become one of Boston’s most anticipated sporting events, with current students and proud alumni filling up TD Garden each year. The midseason tournament gives the four crosstown participants—Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern, and Harvard—a taste of postseason play on the city’s biggest stage.

After falling in the first round of last year’s tournament to the Huskies by a final score of 3–1, BC men’s hockey will open the 70th Beanpot against No. 8 Harvard on Monday, Feb. 6 at TD Garden. In its 133rd all-time meeting with the Crimson, the Eagles will seek their first Beanpot Championship since 2016 and 21st overall.

The Eagles currently hold a 9–10–6 record under BC head coach Greg Brown, who replaced Jerry York, the winningest coach in Beanpot history, prior to this season. York won nine Beanpot

BY GRAHAM DIETZ

Sports Editor

Twenty-seven years after the Beanpot made its first appearance in 1952, the Women’s Beanpot was introduced, and since then, the annual tournament has woven itself into the fabric of women’s college hockey.

On March 16, 1979, Boston College women’s hockey defeated rival Boston University 4–1 in the semifinal, but fell to Northeastern 3–1 one day later in the inaugural Women’s Beanpot Championship. Since then, college hockey has witnessed tightly contested battles and chippy, rivalry matchups between the four crosstown foes.

The last time BC hosted the Beanpot was in 2018, and a 4–3 overtime victory against the Terriers sealed a third-straight championship victory for the Eagles. BC has yet to win another Women’s Beanpot since, but lost to Harvard 5–4 in the championship last year.

The Eagles—led by BC head coach Katie Crowley, who entered her 16th season in 2022—have had a hot-and-cold start to the season.

After sprinting to a 6–3–1 record through 10 games, BC dropped four consecutive contests, and

titles with BC, including five straight titles from 2010–14. A win would mark Brown’s first Beanpot win at the helm of the program.

The Eagles have struggled with consistency this season, but freshman Cutter Gauthier has taken college hockey by storm, leading BC’s roster with 13 goals and 23 points. The Eagles sit with a sub.500 record, however, and captain Marshall Warren—the only Eagle who’s skated in multiple Beanpot semifinals—will look to lead BC out of its rut at the Garden.

Who is BC playing?

Harvard

When is BC playing?

Monday, Feb. 6 at 5 p.m.

Where is BC playing? TD Garden, Boston, Mass.

How to Watch:

The game will air on NESN and WEEI 850 AM.

Tournament and Series History:

Reigning Beanpot champion BU has the most tournament titles with 31, while BC is in second

then captured seven consecutive wins before losing to Northeastern in overtime on Jan. 13. The Eagles rebounded with a 3–0 decision over Holy Cross, but have gone 2–4 in its last six games.

Captains Cayla Barnes and Hannah Bilka will look to navigate the team’s inconsistencies to string together a couple of wins ahead of postseason play and bring the Beanpot trophy back to Conte Forum.

Who is BC Playing?

Harvard

When is BC Playing?

Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Where is BC Playing?

Kelley Rink at Conte Forum, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

How to Watch:

The game will be streamed live on NESN.

Tournament and Series History: BC will host this season’s tournament at Conte Forum, and the first game of the doubleheader on Feb. 7 will feature BU and Northeastern at 4 p.m. Harvard will then square off against the Eagles at 7:30 p.m. in a rematch of last year’s championship, and the winners will go head-to-head in

place with 20, followed by Harvard with 11, and Northeastern with seven. Prior to the 2021–22 season, Northeastern had won three Beanpots in a row before BU snapped its streak, defeating the Huskies 1–0 in the 2022 Final.

The first-round matchups rotate every year, but the electric atmosphere created by the student sections remains a constant. The winners of both first-round games compete in the tournament final on Monday, Feb. 13, while the losers from the first round will face off for third place in a consolation game on the same night.

The Eagles meet the Crimson on Monday evening before BU takes on Northeastern for a championship rematch three hours later. BC and Harvard fans will still be trickling out of TD Garden as BU and Northeastern fans make their way to their respective student sections, and the crossfire between the four schools will be at its most hectic point.

The Eagles went undefeated against the Crimson in their Beanpot matchups between 1999 and

the 44th Women’s Beanpot Championship the following Tuesday at 4 p.m.

For the first time since 2015, Harvard brought the Beanpot trophy back to Cambridge after quieting the Eagles in the 2022 Women’s Beanpot Championship. Becca Gilmore’s game-winning goal with less than four minutes left to play put Harvard out ahead despite the contest being neckand-neck for the majority of the game. Abby Newhook netted her 16th goal of the season to knot the game at four with seven minutes left on the clock, but it left enough time for the Crimson to overcome BC’s resiliency.

In Women’s Beanpot history, BC has claimed 10 of the 22 total Bertagna Awards—handed out to the top goaltender in the tournament—while Harvard boasts six of those finishers. Abigail Levy won the award in 2022. BC has captured eight MVP awards in the history of the tournament, while the Crimson have captured 14. Gilmore was last tournament’s winner.

Most recently, the Eagles handed Harvard a 5–1 loss on Nov. 22, 2022, and have historically had the upper leg in the series

2017 before falling to Harvard in overtime in the 2018 consolation game. The two squads also met in the consolation game of the 2022 Beanpot but played to a 3–3 stalemate.

What to Expect from Harvard:

Harvard sits atop the ECAC with an 8–1–0 conference record. The Crimson average 3.6 goals per game, good for sixth in the nation.

Junior forward Sean Farrell leads Harvard’s high-powered offense with 12 goals and 34 points. Harvard complements its offensive output with strong defensive play, averaging just 2.38 goals against, which is good for 11th in the nation. Starting goaltender Mitchell Gibson has allowed 2.24 goals per game this season with a .919 save percentage. The Crimson’s power-play unit is hot and cold— it converts 21.2 percent of the time—but its penalty kill is among the nation’s best, killing off 85.5 percent of the penalties it faces.

Outlook:

The Eagles will have to pick up

during Crowley’s tenure. Crowley is 14–8–1 against the Crimson all time.

What to Expect from Harvard: Harvard took a steep turnaround from its 2021–22 season, in which the Crimson boasted a 22–10–1 record. So far this season, Harvard has dropped well below .500—it currently holds a record of 7–14–3.

Two bright sports for Harvard this season have been senior forwards Anne Bloomer and Kristin Della Rovere, who account for 40 of the Crimson’s 108 total points. The Crimson skate heavy in the offensive zone and have the ability to pile on shots but haven’t glued in consistent goaltender play.

Alex Pellicci starts in Harvard’s crease—she’s played and started 24 games this year—but the Prior Lake, Minn. native has registered a 2.88 goals against average, which Bilka and Newhook will look to make quick work of.

The Crimson average just 1.8 goals per game while opponents have averaged 3.0 goals per game against them. Harvard’s power-play conversion percentage is .064, while BC’s is higher at .077.

their play on offense to compete with the Crimson. BC averages just 2.7 goals per game this season, which will not cut it on Monday night. The Eagles’ power play will have its work cut out for it against the top-notch Harvard penalty kill, so special teams could make the difference in this matchup.

Considering two of BC’s top four points leaders are freshmen—Gauthier and Andre Gasseau—few members of BC’s roster have significant Beanpot experience.

It should be interesting to see whether the veterans or the young guns will show up for BC on Monday.

Gauthier scored the opening goal of Frozen Fenway under the bright lights of Fenway Park on Jan. 7, and all eyes will be on the emerging superstar on Monday.

While BC has been struggling as of late—its last victory came on Jan. 14 at Sacred Heart—there is no better place to end its six-game losing streak than a jam-packed TD Garden.

Outlook:

If the Eagles can capitalize on early shots and effective neutral zone play, this game can be decided shortly.

Turnovers in the neutral zone will be especially crucial, and being able to knock the puck away from Harvard’s Bloomer and Della Rovere in transition will be paramount to stopping the Crimson’s breakouts.

Levy is as experienced as they come, and the biggest difference between the two rosters this year stands right in between the goalposts.

The Eagles can be an imposing team, and it’s only a matter of time before they break through f or a massive run—one that lasts beyond just a couple of games. The Beanpot is the place to start. If there are two players that are going to lead the run, it’ll be Barnes and Bilka. But as of late, it’s Newhook who’s turned the jets on. Surely an award beyond Hockey East Rookie of the Year is on the horizon for her, and the Beanpot is a conduit for Newhook to solidify herself as one of the Eagles’ alltime greats.

The Orange Cranks Out Win Over BC

BY BRENDAN MOGAN Heights Staff

e day after freezing temperatures overwhelmed the Northeast, Syracuse women’s basketball’s rsthalf 3-point shooting against Boston College warmed up JMA Wireless Dome.

e Eagles (14–12, 4–9 Atlantic Coast) failed to overcome Syracuse’s 46.2 percent rst-half 3-point shooting and 18 made free throws, and fell to the Orange (15–9, 6–7) 79–72.

Syracuse’s success from deep was in full e ect from tipo e Orange opened the game on an 11–2 run, scoring nine of its first 11 points on 3-pointers, resulting in BC head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee calling a timeout.

“We just talked about playing harder, playing a little bit more focused, and playing inside out,” Bernabei-McNamee said.

Her message worked, as BC immediately went on a 13–0 run to give itself a 15–11 lead with less than four minutes remaining in the rst quarter.

But the Orange responded with an 11–0 run of its own to take a 24–17 lead entering the second quarter, led by four Dyaisha Fair points. Fair nished the game with 24 points, leading all scorers.

Syracuse’s Georgia Woolley heated up in the second quarter and nished the rst half with 18 points on 4-of-6 shooting. But Maria Gakdeng managed to keep the Eagles a oat, using her 6-foot-3 frame to position herself for open layups. Gakdeng nished the rst half with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

“We wanted to definitely play inside out, and there’s really, they don’t really have a player that can guard her.” Bernabei-McNamee said.

“De nitely not one on one. And so, just trying to pick apart that zone a little bit and get the ball inside to her was one of our keys.”

But the Orange’s 6-of-13 rst-half shooting from behind the arc propelled it to a 45–30 lead at halftime. Bernabei-McNamee said she thought BC could have executed better on defense.

“We got caught on just like really, in my opinion, not hustling to make those shots tough, and I thought we did a lot better job of that in the second half, but rst half, we were a little lackadaisical,” Bernabei-McNamee said.

e Eagles failed to close the gap to start the third quarter, with Syracuse’s Dariauna Lewis converting on a layup to extend the Orange’s lead to 22 at the 7:21 mark.

But Gakdeng, who nished the game with a season-high 20 points, notched a layup to pull BC within eight at the 1:30 mark in the third quarter, capping off an 11–0 BC run that featured four BC fast-break points. BC recorded 24 total fastbreak points all game.

“We de nitely wanted to push in transition,” Bernabei-McNamee said.

“I feel that’s one of the things that we could have some easy scores in transition when they’re trying to set up in their zone, is to push on them.”

e Orange maintained its lead throughout the fourth quarter, with the Eagles never coming closer than within eight points until there was less than 30 seconds left in the matchup. Taina Mair, who posted her fth double-double of the season by notching 16 points and 10 assists, cut Syracuse’s lead to just 77–72 with 19 seconds left, but the e ort was too little too late.

“When we ran hard, when we ran and did what we were supposed to, I thought we had good opportunities,” Bernabei-McNamee said.

Eagles Can’t Stop Syracuse Despite Post’s 18 Points

Justin Taylor’s third 3-pointer of the night capped off the Orange’s first run and extended Syracuse’s lead to 49–41. But fresh out of a BC timeout, Chas Kelley III—who subbed in for Jaeden Zackery due to foul trouble—and Makai AshtonLangford nailed back-to-back shots at the 8:33 mark of the second half to gain a three-point advantage.

“I think we responded well,” BC head coach Earl Grant said of Syracuse’s first run.

Syracuse, however, took back the lead amid the second 10–0 run. And this time, the Eagles had no answer.

“The second one, we turned it over, kind of lost our poise a little bit, they were deflecting some of our passes with their length,” Grant said. “And then they just made some execution plays at the end of the clock, where we weren’t sound enough.”

The Eagles turned the ball over three times during Syracuse’s second 10–0 run that materialized when Quinten Post—BC’s leading scorer with 18 points—was subbed out alongside Kelley for Zackery and Devin McGlockton. Kelley was productive all game, finishing with five points in 11 minutes.

“I blame myself a little bit,” Grant said. “We ha d a rhythm, I had a cluster of subbing, when I look back on it and watch the

fi lm I’ll probably question should I have stayed with that group or not, but I thought those guys were fatigued.”

The Orange used the zone against BC’s soft passes to fuel its run, and BC couldn’t recover after Syracuse took a 66–59 lead with 4:37 left to play.

The Eagles shot 31.4 percent from deep, and took a seasonhigh 35 3-pointers, making 11 of them, tied for their season high.

Five different Eagles drained at least one shot from beyond the arc, but Grant said the team may have overdone it.

“I thought we took a few too many,” Grant said. “You gotta be disciplined, you gotta be mature. And we were, for most of the ga me.”

Zackery’s fourth personal foul came after a late whistle, causing Conte Forum to erupt and Grant to rush over to the referee.

Zackery landed near Syracuse’s Joseph Girard III—who shoots 83.1 percent from the charity stripe and finished with 18 points Saturday—and Girard nailed both free throws to put the Orange up 72–64 with just over 90 seconds remaining.

The Eagles notched 11 personal fouls in the second half. Syracuse had two.

“Maybe there was a call or two, maybe three,” Grant said of potential calls against Syracuse.

Center Jesse Edwards was a problem all night for the Eagles. He finished with a team-high 27 points on 12-of-15 shooting. No matter what BC threw at him—7-

foot Post or a zone defense— Edwards could not be limited.

“We wanted to make sure he didn’t get any deep catches, which we did a good job of that,” Grant said. “His talent just showed up.”

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim offered a similar take.

“He made two or three shots that I’ve never seen him make in practice or games,” Boeheim said.

With DeMarr Langford Jr. out for a second straight game, BC leaned on starting guards Zackery and AshtonLangford—who combined for 25 points Saturday—and reserve guard Kelley. McGlockton has started the past two games for Langford, switching freshman Prince Aligbe into the starting small forward spot for the first time all season.

“It’s been a heck of a year in terms of adjusting,” Grant said. “I thought other guys really stepped up.”

Zackery and Aligbe connected on two highlight-reel plays. The first featured Aligbe slamming down a dunk on a fastbreak pass from Zackery, but the main course was served when Zackery found Aligbe once again for an alley-oop dunk to tie the game 26–26 in which Aligbe looked as if he froze in midair.

Moving forward from the loss, BC will look to focus on growth, according to Grant.

“We want growth and prosperity,” Grant said. “You just got to prepare to the best of your ability and go out and play to your standards.”

Eagles Tie UMass Lowell 2 – 2 , Drop Shootout

BY NICK PULICE Heights Staff

Entering its matchup against UMass Lowell, Boston College men’s hockey had gone ve games without a win. Even though the Eagles have not been extremely overmatched during this stretch— their biggest deficit being a 6–3 loss to Boston University on Jan. 27—BC has not been able to nd the win column. A similar story occurred Friday night in Lowell.

The Eagles (9–10–6, 5–7–5 Hockey East) earned a point in the Hockey East standings on the road, with regulation and overtime ending in a 2–2 tie. But it was UMass Lowell (15–9–2, 9–5–2) that came away with the extra point, winning the four-round shootout.

Special teams were at the forefront in the rst period, as the River Hawks had two power play opportunities while BC had one. e rst power play was awarded to BC four minutes and 39 seconds into the opening frame, but the Eagles could not generate any quality scoring chances during the advantage.

Just 20 seconds after the BC

power play expired, it was UMass Lowell’s turn to play a man up.

Mike Posma initiated head-to-head contact with the River Hawks that the referees determined to be a major penalty. Despite being tasked with an extended, ve-minute power-play, Mitch Benson and the BC penalty kill unit stood tall, keeping the game scoreless.

It had appeared that the Eagles gained some momentum after killing o the major penalty, with both Colby Ambrosio and Lukas Gustafsson nding chances right in front of UMass Lowell’s goaltender.

But Gustavs Davis Grigals, the nation’s leader in save percentage with a .934 save percentage, denied the Eagles’ shots.

Oskar Jellvik was called for a cross checking penalty that gave the River Hawks another power play opportunity with less than four minutes in the first period. And this time, UMass Lowell cashed in. Scout Truman received a cross-ice pass and wristed a shot above Benson’s glove and into the back of the net to put UMass Lowell up 1–0 with 2:53 left in the rst.

e Eagles leveled the score in the second period that stemmed from Cutter Gauthier winning a faceo play. Andre Gasseau then

kicked the puck over to Trevor Kuntar, who ri ed a hard shot from the top of the left faceoff circle past Grigals, who could not react to the shot quickly enough. The goal marked Kuntar’s ninth of the season. Neither team scored until the Eagles struck with just under ve minutes to go. On a strong BC shift, junior Eamon Powell passed the puck from the right point to his younger brother Seamus Powell at the left point. Seamus skated inward and red a hard wrist shot from the left faceo circle that beat

Grigals to put BC ahead 2–1.

The goal not only gave BC the lead, but it was the rst goal of Seamus’s collegiate career.

“It was pretty special,” Powell said at the second intermission during NESN’s broadcast. “We did that a million times in the basement and outside. For it to become a reality was pretty cool.” e Eagles’ late-period struggles, however, continued. A tripping penalty on Liam Izyk put the River Hawks back on the power play with 1:21 to go. It looked like BC would escape into the second intermission

ahead, but Filip Fornåå Svensson scored on a hard wrist shot with just ve seconds remaining in the period to tie the game back up. A scoreless third period left the game to be decided in extra time.

Powell scored first in the shootout, but it was just not enough as the River Hawks were able to squeak in back-to-back makes against Benson. UMass Lowell’s Brian Chambers sealed the win for the River Hawks in the round four of the shootout, extending BC’s winless streak.

KELLEN DAVIS / HEIGHTS STAFF

Newhook’s Two Goals Lead BC Past No. 11 Friars

BY JACK BERGAMINI Assoc. Sports Editor

In 14 games this season, Boston College women’s hockey has only lost once when entering the third period ahead. The Eagles continued this feat Friday night by solidifying a 3–0 shutout win against No. 11 Providence.

“ ey know that Providence has some big wins on their schedule and they’ve had a really good season,” BC head coach Katie Crowley said. “I think they were focused from the puck drop and all the way through the end, so I was really happy with [how] they played.”

Despite trailing in shots and faceo wins, the Eagles (16–12–1, 14–10–0 Hockey East) came out on top against Providence (18–9–4, 13–7–4) 3–0 thanks to Abigail Levy’s 42 saves. In over a year since BC’s last matchup against the Friars, the Hannah Bilka-Abby Newhook tandem bookended the matchup.

“We knew they were gonna be a big, strong team—they are,” Crowley said. “We were trying to come out just like we do [against] any other

team, and try not to focus on that part of it. I thought we handled it really well.”

Both teams scrambled to set up in their o ensive zones, making for a slow start to the rst period. After Sara Hjalmarsson went to the box for interference, BC seized its rst power-play opportunity of the night.

But the Eagles were unlucky on the man advantage, taking just two shots.

Providence had its chance on the man advantage halfway through the frame, but the Friars’ power-play unit failed to match Bilka.

After a turnover by the Friars, Bilka swept past Providence’s defense and red a pass to Newhook, who registered her 15th goal of the season to give BC a 1–0 lead.

“For her to nish on the shorthanded, that was a great goal for us,” Crowley said. “It gets the team pumped up, gets momentum going our way. I think that helped carry us through the game.”

Providence was inches away from tying the game as Maddy Coene backhanded a shot that oated into the crease, but Levy denied the puck with her stick.

“I think I honestly got really lucky,” Levy said. “I think the ice

was a little snowy so it stopped right before it crossed that line for me. It gave me a little bit of con dence.”

e Friars only got scrappier with time, unleashing shots and ghting for rebounds on a power play in the nal minutes of the rst period.

“Overall, I think the team just played great in front of me,” Levy said. “ ey were blocking the shots that I wasn’t seeing so, all credits to them.”

Levy was the benefactor for BC in the second frame, making 15 saves while often losing her stick and sprawling her pads across the crease to stop loose pucks.

Bilka found a breakaway with just eight minutes left in the period and tried to sneak it past Providence goaltender Sandra Abstreiter but failed to convert.

e tide turned in favor of Providence as the Friars weaved passes with o ensive pressure and continued to lead in shots 25–12.

But with just 15 seconds remaining in the frame, BC extended its lead to 2–0. Cayla Barnes retrieved the puck from the boards and slid a breakaway assist to Gaby Roy. Splitting the defense, Roy landed a backhand shot for her seventh goal

of the season.

“I really like that goal by Gaby after they hemmed us in there for a little bit,” Crowley said. “When you get an opportunity, you gotta bury it. She was able to do that there.”

Less than ve minutes into the final period, Bilka and Newhook were back at it again. With tic-tactoe passing, Newhook found the back of the net and captured a 3–0 lead over the Friars, establishing her fourth career two-goal game.

“Bilks gave her a couple really nice passes there and she was able to put them home,” Crowley said. “She’s one of those players that gets a lot of those opportunities. She’s not going to hit on every one, although I think she did tonight.”

After the game, Newhook spoke

of her dynamic with Bilka.

“I think that playing alongside of Bilka helps, for sure,” Newhook said. “I think that we’ve had a lot of chances and now they’re nally going in for us.”

e Friars pulled Abstreiter from the net with just under a minute remaining, looking to utilize the man advantage against Levy, but fell short and left the scoreboard empty.

Providence’s Caroline Peterson shot the puck at Levy after the buzzer rang, causing her to receive a 10-minute major penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I thought that was a good win for us,” Crowley said. “ ey’re a very good hockey team and I thought we did a good job of nishing on our opportunities.”

No. 9 Notre Dame Downs BC 72–59

BY BRASSIL MORAN Heights Staff

Before Boston College women’s basketball’s conference matchup against No. 9 Notre Dame in Conte Forum began, the Eagles celebrated Black History Month, donning warm up shirts that displayed the names of prominent Black gures who the Eagles look up to.

“Using their platform and being able to use their voice in a productive way is super important,” BC head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee said. “Anything where there can be a better call for justice, if they’re able to do it I know they really take advantage of that opportunity.”

But in a game that meant more than basketball, BC failed to defeat the Fighting Irish, who—with a roster of six players standing over 6 feet— proved to be too tall a task for the Eagles. BC (14–11, 4–8 Atlantic Coast) failed to capitalize on its 20-point second quarter and collapsed in the second half en route to a 72–59 loss.

Notre Dame (18–3, 9–2) ourished in

the transition game, totaling 44 points in the paint in its road victory.

A stagnant rst quarter led to a 4–0 Notre Dame lead, with all four points coming from the free throw line. Fouls, travels, and out-of-bounds balls led to an underwhelming start from the Eagles. In under ve minutes, Notre Dame took a 13–3 lead, using its height advantage to drive the ball and grab o ensive rebounds. Notre Dame scored 12 points in the paint in the rst quarter.

“We really did want to do a better job blocking out but we didn’t,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “ e one thing that faltered in this game today was our rebounding.”

A JoJo Lacey floater and Notre Dame turnover helped the Eagles regain speed. BC came within ve, but was hurt by ball handling mistakes and missed shots. e Eagles made zero shots on four attempts from beyond the arc in the rst quarter.

“We can’t get stagnant o ensively,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “When we get a lead we have to value that possession and realize how important that is. We need to really just work the ball.”

The Eagles started the second

quarter with four straight points.

Lacey swished a jumper and Andrea Daley made two free throws to bring the score to 19–18, Fighting Irish. e game’s pace quickened and both teams thrived in transition, but BC struggled to defend Notre Dame’s quick breakouts, leading to six fast break points for Notre Dame in the rst half.

The Eagles’ defensive struggles and minimal o ensive rebounds put Notre Dame ahead by seven with two minutes left in the rst half. Daley and T’Yana Todd hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring the Eagles within four, and Todd closed the gap to two heading into the break. BC outscored Notre Dame 20–13 in the second quarter, but Notre Dame totaled 19 rebounds in the rst half alone.

“I saw patience in that second quarter,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “I wish we could have just maintained that through the whole second half”

Sonia Citron, Notre Dame’s 6-foot1 guard, led the Fighting Irish’s offense with 23 points. Citron, along with Olivia Miles—who notched 22 points—played fast in transition and attacked the rim.

Notre Dame scored six straight

points to start the second half, but after a quiet first half, Taina Mair nailed a 3-pointer to bring BC back into the game. With 2:58 to go in the third quarter, Mair tied the game. BC continued to struggle against the height of the Fighting Irish, though, who reclaimed an eight-point lead to end the quarter.

Needing baskets to drop, BC came out with a renewed energy to start the fourth quarter. But whenever the Eagles got close, Notre Dame pulled away.

With six minutes left, the Irish had a 12-point cushion. BC struggled to defend the arc and let up back-to-back open Notre Dame 3-pointers. Shots weren’t falling for BC, and its de cit dropped to 19 points with 3:25 left to play. e gap proved too great to overcome, handing the Eagles their rst home loss to Notre Dame since 2019.

“I think it’s a big improvement from the rst time we played Notre Dame,” Bernabei-McNamee said. “I still want to see more and I want us to grow up as fast as humanly possible because I think that we do have a dangerous team when we’re running on all cylinders.”

Student Drains Half-Court Shot at Clemson Game

BY JACK BERGAMINI Assoc. Sports Editor

Joseph Kearns doesn’t remember anything from immediately after he hit a $2,500 half-court shot during Boston College men’s basketball’s matchup against Clemson on Tuesday.

“Right when I saw that swoosh, I honestly kind of blacked out,” Kearns, MCAS ’23, said. “I straight up don’t really remember it.”

Kearns, a devoted BC basketball fan, said he entered the ra e just before the game started.

But Kearns’ shot was almost not meant to be.

Kearns said he expected the winner of the ra e to be announced at halftime—not at the beginning of the game—causing him to miss a notication on his phone that he had won.

Sean Cullen, Kearns’ friend and CSOM ’23, showed up to the game later than Kearns and attempted to enter himself into the ra e. But the sta that was operating the ra e denied him. A winner had already been selected, according to Cullen.

“I was like, ‘Can I ask who it is?’” Cullen said. “And she goes, ‘his name’s Joseph Kearns.’ She said she texted him a few minutes ago and if he doesn’t respond in a few minutes they’ll have

to do another one.”

Cullen said started frantically texting Kearns to try and get his attention, not wanting him to lose out on the opportunity.

“A friend texted me and was like, ‘yo, you got picked to go up,’” Kearns said.

“And I thought they’re all like messing with me.”

But they weren’t. Kearns said he nally believed he had won the ra e when a worker came down to his seat and told him face to face.

ey’re like ‘congratulations, you won,’” Kearns said. “‘You get two shots, and then if the crowd wants you to have a third, you can get another one.’”

A former shooting guard for Del-

barton School’s varsity basketball team, Kearns said he was confident in his chances—especially with three potential shots.

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve de nitely taken half-court shots before,” Kearns said. “I wouldn’t say I’m a master at it, but I de nitely believe in my skill set and knew I could come close.”

Kearns’ first attempt certainly came close.

“ e rst one actually was pretty on target,” Kearns said. “It was just a little left. I think if it was more centered it actually would have went in off the backboard.”

Kearns said that above all, he was just glad to have not missed the shot

badly in front of a packed Conte Forum.

“All I wanted was to not airball it,” Kearns said.

Kearns said his close rst attempt only made him more con dent.

“I was feeling pretty good,” Kearns said. “And then, the second one, I just wanted to go right away because I knew I was going to get it.”

According to Kearns, all it took was some realigning.

“I moved a little bit right or just centered myself a little bit better,” Kearns said of the second shot. “And then just threw it up there.”

Just like the rst shot, the second shot also felt good coming o his wrist, Kearns said.

“I knew it was on line,” Kearns said. “It was just a matter of if it was going to bounce in or out.”

To Kearns’ amazement—with $2,500 on the line—his shot swished through the net, and he ung his hands up in celebration.

“It took a while to settle in,” Cullen said. “We were all sitting there videotaping courtside, freaking out.”

Regarding the money, Kearns said he has no idea what he will choose to spend it on.

“Honestly, I have no idea,” Kearns said. “But, you know, senior year spring semester, it will definitely be put to good use.”

To make matters easier for Kearns, he doesn’t have to make a decision yet, he said. As of ursday, Kearns had not been paid his $2,500.

“Yeah, so right after they all kind of looked at me and they’re like, ‘look, we honestly didn’t expect you to make that, so we don’t have your money right now,’” Kearns said of BC’s marketing team. “But honestly, I didn’t even really care at that moment.”

But according to Kearns, Coca-Cola will be contacting him in the next few days about receiving the money.

“I think I just gotta wait for it to hit the bank account,” Kearns said. “And then we’ll just kind of go from there.”

Abby Newhook registered her fourth career two-goal game on Friday.

KENNETH CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF