The Heights, Oct. 30, 2023

October 30, 2023

Swimmers Drop Lawsuit

By Natalie Arndt News Editor

MATTHEW MAO / HEIGHTS STAFF AND VICTOR STEFANESCU / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Cats and Dogs for Others

Emotional support animals provide companionship for BC students.

By Spencer Steppe Asst. Magazine Editor

In Stayer Hall, one eight-man has a ninth, non-human resident. Buddy, Jesenia Correa’s cat, has lived with her since freshman year.

“He has been very helpful in terms of mental health and in terms of homesickness,” Correa, MCAS ’25, said. “I am from so far away and I came here with no friends, not knowing anybody.”

From a cat in Stayer to a dog in Welch, several students at Boston College own emotional support animals.

Karen Jesch, a Ph.D. student who works at the BC Canine Cognition Center, said emotional support animals have a different function than service animals.

While service animals are trained to

provide medical assistance, emotional support animals provide their owners with psychological support.

“Emotional support animals are not task trained and they do not have public access rights, so they’re allowed to live in housing that is not for pets, but they’re not allowed to accompany their handler into public spaces like service dogs are,” Jesch said.

According to Jesch, emotional support animals are beneficial for people with psychiatric disabilities.

She said emotional support animals provide their owners with a type of support that they cannot get from traditional forms of therapy.

“They can be really valuable in that they give somebody a reason to get out of bed in the morning so that they can feed them or take them for a walk, and provide that

source of unconditional love,” Jesch said.

Isabelle Nikkhoo, MCAS ’25, said that in the mornings when she has trouble waking up or she forgets to set an alarm, her cat will wake her up by “making biscuits,” or nudging her with her paws.

“In the mornings when I can’t get up, she’ll knead, like make biscuits, and wake me up,” Nikkhoo said.

Having a cat on campus has greatly improved her mental health, Nikkhoo said.

She said that her cat knows when she is having a bad day and will sit next to her and purr.

“I think that no matter what, knowing that I have my cat at home, it’s a great thing to go back to at the end of the day,” Nikkhoo said.

See Registration, A2

See Judgment, A3

Eagles Edge Out UConn Despite Scoring Struggles

Opinions

Opinions

Voicing a message of unapologetic self-love, columnist Emmbrooke Flather explains her theory of making your own happiness wherever you may be.

Concerned by the distortion of the joke “girl math,” columnist Helia Attar gives a heartfelt commentary on how important it is to keep a joke a joke.

A7

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INDEX Vol. CV, No. 18 © 2023, The Heights, Inc. Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Established 1919

By Jack Bergamini Assoc. Sports Editor Will Martino Asst. News Editor

See Football, A11

KELLEN DAVIS / HEIGHTS STAFF

Nothing—not even a new leg wrap— prevented Boston College football quarterback Thomas Castellanos from carrying the Eagles to a two-score cushion in their matchup against Connecticut on Saturday.

Castellanos was not on the field for BC’s opening drive in the second half, as he emerged from the tunnel sporting an elastic leg wrap covered in a black sleeve while backup Emmett Morehead took over.

Up by just seven points despite leading in total offense by over 200 yards, that margin

Judge Denies Injunction

clearly didn’t sit well with the nation’s top non–running back rusher.

On the Eagles’ second offensive possession of the third quarter, Castellanos commanded an eight-play, 70-yard scoring drive with his new leg garment, which didn’t slow him down one bit. On the eighth play of the drive, Castellanos scanned the field and fired a dot to tight end Charlie Gordinier for a 30-yard pickup. Kye Robichaux trampled through a gaping hole for his second rushing touchdown of the game one play later.

See Cats and Dogs, A5

By Lucy Freeman Asst. News Editor Angelina Li Heights Staff

By Graham Dietz Sports Editor

See Lawsuit Dropped, A3

Judge Diane Freniere denied a motion for an emergency injunction that would have reinstated Boston College’s swim and dive program in a ruling on Thursday.

“Given the record before this court, I will not issue the extraordinary injunctive relief requested where the plaintiffs have substantiated their side of critical facts in dispute not on firsthand knowledge, but rather on information and belief allegations,” the ruling reads.

Thirty-seven student-athletes had filed a lawsuit against the University on Oct. 17 in Middlesex County Superior Court for allegedly imposing an unjustified blanket suspension on BC men’s and women’s swim and dive after recent hazing allegations.

Freniere also preliminarily ruled that the student-athletes’ claims of breach of contract, denial of basic fairness, estoppel, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress—which seek monetary damages—are unlikely to succeed in court.

The student-athletes’ motion for an emergency injunction called for the University to reverse the program’s indefinite suspension, issue a public retraction of its previous statements, and remove any notation of suspension from the University’s records or the individual records of the 37 members.

Freniere’s most recent ruling comes a day after she denied the student-athletes’ motion to maintain anonymity in court proceedings.

In a statement to The Heights, University Spokesperson Jack Dunn said BC is pleased with the judge’s decision, which he said affirms the “gravity of these allegations” against the swim and dive program.

Registration Process Revamped Boston College is switching to a oneday course registration period for each class year, according to an email University Registrar Bryan Jones and the academic services team sent to students on Thursday morning.

“In this new system, no one will have a bad pick time semester after semester, making the registration process more fair and equitable than before,” the email reads.

While each class year previously registered over a two-day period and received randomized pick times, the email said each class will now register on a single day, beginning with the Class of 2024 on Nov. 9.

Students in the Class of 2024 will receive randomized registration times, while students in the Classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027 will receive registration times based on their last names, according to the email.

Thirty-seven members of Boston College’s men’s and women’s swim and dive program dropped their lawsuit against the University Friday morning following Judge Diane Freniere’s decision on Thursday to deny a motion for an emergency injunction reinstating the team.

“Plaintiffs John and Jane Does 1-37, by their attorneys Nesenoff & Miltenberg, LLP, pursuant to Mass. R. Civ. P. Rule 41(a)(1), hereby discontinue the above styled action and dismiss the action without prejudice,” the notice of discontinuance reads.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS........... A2 OPINIONS.. A7 NEWTON....... A4 A R T S . . . . . . . . A9 MAGAZINE.. A5 S P O R TS . . . . . A11

NEWS

Monday, October 30, 2023

This Week’s Top 3 Events

1

The Heights

The Clough Center is hosting a viewing of the film Darwin’s Nightmare on Thursday night from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Stokes 195S. Following the film, there will be a discussion with the director, Hubert Sauper.

2

Join the Campus School as it celebrates the annual Trick or Treating in BC’s Mods. Campus School students, staff, and teachers will make their way around the Mods on Oct. 31.

3

A2

Mary Skipper will speak on her experience as an educator and how she navigates working with multi-dimensional students. The lecture, which is a part of the Formative Education Lecture Series, will take place in Gasson 100 on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

BC Implements New Class Registration System Registration, from A1 “Last names M–Z will be in Group A, and last names A–L will be in Group B,” the email reads. “Group A will be assigned registration appointments at random between 9 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., while Group B will be assigned slots between 1:00 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.”

Akua Sarr, vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs, said the decision to change the registration system came in part from feedback that some students were consistently receiving later registration times.

“With EagleApps, we can manage a 1 day registration period per class and we thought that rotating morning and afternoon would be a more fair process,” Sarr said in an email to The Heights. “So if you get the afternoon on this cycle, you know

that you are getting the morning the next time around.”

According to Jones and academic services, pick times will be assigned in an order of A, B, B, A. Group A will register for spring 2024 classes in the first half of the day, followed

by Group B receiving earlier registration times for the following two semesters.

Group A will then receive early registration times for the fall 2025 semester, and the cycle will repeat.

“Regardless of the student’s last name, the final semester of registration (during the Fall of Senior Year) will be fully randomized,” the email reads.

Ethan Sullivan, senior associate dean for undergraduate programs and chairperson of the Carroll School of Management, said having a rotation of early and later pick times will

even out the registration process for students and may help students better plan out their classes.

“Maybe, you know, ‘Hey, every fall I’m going to have an early pick time, so the courses I really want, really need, I’m going to put more weight on trying to get them in the fall,’” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said he anticipates that the new registration system will increase the volume of advising questions on registration days because more students will be picking classes per day.

“It’s basically going to double, possibly, the amount of volume in terms of questions and advising and other needs for resources,” Sullivan said.

Christopher F. Baum, chair of the economics department, said looking ahead to spring 2024 class registra-

tion, the department opened up additional seats in upper-level classes, as economics electives filled up very quickly during fall 2023 registration.

It also hired more faculty to teach elective courses and is offering four more electives than the current semester.

“We have 900 seats available, up from 837 [seats from fall 2023] for the coming semester, and we’re going to take special care to deal with seniors,” Baum said. “I’ve sent out messages to [economics] majors in the Class of 2024 saying, you know, ‘If you really need the major, please let us know and we’ll make sure that you’ve got what you need.’”

Anshika Agrawal, CSOM ’25, said she thinks the new alphabetized registration system will be more fair than the randomized system used in the past.

“It definitely seems better than last year’s because it was random and someone would end up getting bad pick times both semesters, so it’s definitely better than that,” Agrawal said.

Isabella Ayalew, MCAS ’27, said she does not think the new registration system is fair because she has a later registration time this semester and may not be able to take the classes she wants.

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s fair,” Ayalew said. “I don’t think I’ll be getting any of the classes I want.”

According to Sarr, though the new registration system will be an adjustment, it will make class registration more equal for all students.

“Sometimes change is hard, but we think this will be a more fair process and it will also shorten our registration period,” Sarr wrote. n

At Hearing, Lawyers Confirm Hazing in Swim Team

By Natalie Arndt News Editor

Karyl Clifford

Asst. News Editor Boston College filed court do cument s on Monday reaffirming the University’s earlier statements that hazing occurred within the men’s and women’s swim and dive program.

A Middlesex County Superior Court judge heard arguments Tuesday from Daryl Lapp, BC’s attorney, and a lawyer representing 37 members of BC swim and dive. The student-athletes filed a lawsuit against the University last week that called for the program’s suspension to be lifted.

Regina Federico, the program members’ attorney, asked Judge Diane Freniere to issue a preliminary injunction lifting what the student-athletes’ lawyers labeled an unjustified suspension. The swim and dive program remains suspended after the University accused its members of hazing in September, and the team’s request to be reinstated currently awaits Freniere’s decision.

“We’re here to remedy this grave injustice and irreparable

harm that has befallen [the swimmers],” Federico said.

BC Dean of Students Corey Kelly and Athletics Director Blake James both filed affidavits on Monday. Kelly’s affidavit said BC’s ongoing investigation determined a “Frosh” party occurred on Sept.

3 where freshmen were instructed to engage in drinking games and binge drinking. The affidavit alleged that freshmen were given vomit bags to wear around their necks and a number of students passed out. The event is an annual tradition, the affidavit reads.

James’ affidavit stated that BC’s initial investigation confirmed hazing that involved power dynamics and excessive consumption of alcohol occurred. It also said that James discovered members of the team were found responsible for hazing in Spring 2022. The evidence gathered in the initial investigation warranted BC Athletics’ decision to suspend the program, James wrote.

Lapp said some swim and dive members said hazing is a tradition on the team during an initial investigation.

“The way you stop a team tradition is to take action against the

NATALIE ARNDT / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Attorneys said the University confirmed hazing occurred within the program.

team,” Lapp said.

In the lawsuit, the swimmers and divers are referred to as “John and Jane Does 1-37.” The Tuesday hearing began with their lawyer, Federico, asserting that the student-athletes involved in the lawsuit should maintain anonymity for the sake of their reputations.

Federico said having their names attached to the lawsuit will affect their ability to attend graduate school and get jobs in the future.

“They will be required to talk about this in any graduate school applications or employment applications … and will fill them with shame and distress,” she said.

L app responded to these claims by arguing that no one on the swim team is being “vilified” for filing the lawsuit.

“The emotional distress of being a litigant is not enough,” Lapp said. “There are no claims here for the plaintiffs proceeding with pseudonymity.”

The judge is still deciding whether or not to grant anonymity to the plaintiffs.

The student-athletes are in part suing BC for breach of contract, saying B C denied them “basic fairness.” But, Lapp noted that the team is bound not only by the BC Student Code of Conduct, but also by a student-athlete compliance document that each member of the team is required to sign before the start of every season. These rules and the consequences for breaking them are clear, according to Lapp.

“Each of these students signed a compliance packet … acknowledging [the forbiddance of hazing],” Lapp said.

Federico said this is true, but the haz ing p olic y w ithin the compliance packet is not easily accessible.

“[The compliance packet] says that the [hazing] policy is accessible online, but it does not provide a link to a copy of it … and if you go to the Boston College compliance page, there is no readily available link at this time,” she said.

Many of the student-athletes planned to participate in the upcoming U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which is now not possible due to the suspension, Federico said.

“This opportunity only comes along every four years … for most of them this is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Federico said.

In its response to the lawsuit, BC said this claim is “self-serving,” arguing that BC swim and dive does not typically rank high among its competitors, and the members would likely not qualify for the Olympics.

“There is no evidence that any of the plaintiffs likely would qualify for the Olympic Trials or compete in the Olympics,” BC said in the filing.

James’ affidavit said that despite the suspension from formal team activities, program members are still free to utilize BC’s athletic facilities to continue their training, as well as use other resources offered by BC Athletics like athletic trainers.

In addition to the loss of training time, Federico said the suspension has caused mental health issues for many members of the team.

“A lot of them are seeking therapy,” Federico said.

Federico said BC’s decision to suspend the whole team is unfair because not all student-athletes attended the events where the alleged hazing occurred.

While he acknowledged that not everyone on the team may have participated in the hazing,

Lapp said hazing is inherently a team issue, resulting in the suspension of the entire team.

“Someone or a group of people are [abusing] the power of the team to perpetuate hazing against people who want to be a part of that,” Lapp said. “Not just membership on the roster, but fully a part of the team, considered one of us, part of the tribe.”

While no one at the hearing brought up the allegation that freshmen were forced to consume their own vomit, Lapp emphasized the statements from Kelly’s and James’ affidavits and said the freshmen were instructed to drink heavily.

“They gave [the freshmen] vomit bags … meaning they knew they were going to drink so much that they needed vomit bags tied around their necks,” Lapp said.

These actions pushed BC to take “swift action,” according to Lapp.

The University is currently investigating the allegations , which Lapp called “an enormous process.” According to Lapp, BC has hired numerous external lawyers and conducted over 80 interviews.

He said the University’s report is currently being prepared and then BC will go conduct individual student conduct hearings for the accused student-athletes.

Freniere said she expects to make a ruling soon, but even if she rules to issue an injunction lifting the team’s suspension, BC would have the legal right to suspend the team again once it completes its official internal investigation.

“The conundrum is [BC] could shut [the decision] down immediately anyway,” Freniere said. n Graham Dietz and Luke Evans contributed to reporting.

CJBC Holds Laudate Deum Vigil at Leahy’s Office

By Will Martino Asst. News Editor

Emily Roberge For The Heights

A group of students and community members gathered outside University President Rev. William P. Leahy, S.J.’s office on Friday morning with candles in their hands.

Gabriela Levitt, president of Climate Justice at Boston College (CJBC), walked up to the front door and dropped off a paper copy of Laudate Deum, Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation on the climate crisis and a follow up to his second encyclical, Laudato si’.

“Pope Francis is calling for climate action,” Levitt, MCAS ’24, said.

“Notably important to our cause is for Catholic institutions to divest

from fossil fuels and to emphasize that it is a Catholic social teaching to engage in climate justice.”

CJBC held a Laudate Deum vigil on Friday morning to share the pope’s call for environmental stewardship and divestment from fossil fuels with BC’s administration, according to a post on its Instagram account.

Attendees of the vigil met outside Gasson Hall before walking over to Leahy’s office, where they lit candles and shared poems and prayers before dropping off the copy of Laudate Deum on the doorstep. “[Laudate Deum] is further calling on Catholic people and institutions to focus on fighting climate change and climate injustice and furthering climate justice,” Levitt said.

Among the seven attendees were Strad Engler and Ann Arnold, two members of St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish’s “Green Team,” a climate-focused subcommittee of the parish’s Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation Commission.

“There are many pillars to the St. Ignatius Green Team,” Engler said. “In many ways, [the green team] is a faith-based approach to climate justice.”

Engler said that he and Arnold wanted to hear and join the voices of their fellow community members seeking climate justice.

“We are here to support these students who have been asking for a long time for BC to take seriously their Jesuit values and the Catholic values for social justice,” Engler said.

Levitt said that members of

St. Ignatius and its “Green Team” have done quality work to advance climate goals around the BC community.

“They’ve been greatly helpful to us and understanding the significance of organizing the local Catholic community for local climate justice issues,” she said.

Emily Ternynck, social media coordinator for CJBC and MCAS ’25, said that while the way the University conducts its business can be inconsistent with climate justice, Laudate Deum’s religious argument for climate justice aligns with BC’s Catholic identity.

“I feel like this is just a really great way to appeal to the University’s values,” Ternynck said.

One attendee recited “Once the World Was Perfect,” a poem by

WILL MARTINO / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Engler attended to support students. former poet laureate Joy Harjo.

“Once the world was perfect, and we were happy in that world, and then we took it for granted,” the attendee read. n

The Heights

Monday, October 30, 2023

A3

NEWS

Angelo Discusses Fight Against ‘Woke Culture’

By Lucy Freeman Asst. News Editor The woke movement in the United States began when businesses publicized their opinions on LGBT issues, according to Gregory Angelo.

“I truly believe that when we look at the so-called ‘woke’ movement in the United States, at least insofar as major corporations have involved themselves in it, the main catalyst for all of that—the inflection point when all of this suddenly became okay—was when corporations started weighing in on LGBT issues,” Angelo said.

Angelo, BC ’00, spoke at a Boston College Republicans event on Wednesday. He discussed his time as president of Log Cabin Republicans—a U.S. organization that represents gay Republicans and their allies—and his current role as president of the New Tolerance Campaign, which pushes against institutions that betray their own stated values, according to Angelo.

During his time at Log Cabin

Republicans, Angelo said he worked as a lobbyist to garner support from major corporations for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which makes it illegal to fire someone from their job solely based upon their sexual orientation. The bill for this act passed in 2013.

Angelo said his colleagues jokingly refer to him as the “godfather of woke” for his work as a lobbyist, but he maintains that he did not create a woke culture.

“It wasn’t even my intention to create any of this when I was lobbying those corporations,” Angelo said. “It was a strategy that worked and it was something that we were only focused on at the time, was passing this particular piece of legislation in the United States Senate. But looking back, I can’t deny that I did play a role in doing this.”

Angelo said his work as a lobbyist helped prepare him for his current position at the New Tolerance Campaign because he understands how companies can be swayed to take a political stance on certain issues.

“In some ways, I feel that I’m espe-

cially well-suited to this position that I’m in now—rallying people to push back against [woke culture] and fighting for corporations to colloquially divest themselves from these contentious social issues, and move back to a place of neutrality just focusing on their bottom line,” Angelo said.

According to Angelo, the New Tolerance Campaign aims to fight corporate activism and advocate for free speech on college campuses by taking a direct approach, such as emailing companies’ CEOs and boards of directors.

“We have taken the ‘call your Senator, email your congressman’ model, and we’ve repurposed it and turned the turrets onto the institutions,” Angelo said.

Academia began to experience a leftward drift in the 1960s as political uprisings took place on college campuses, Angelo said. He said the country paid a price for this shift because these former leftist students are now leaders of corporations and universities.

“Today, we are seeing those same

individuals who were leftist students on college campuses in the 1960s and 70s, have become the heads of these institutions today,” Angelo said.

During his three years at the New Tolerance Campaign, Angelo said he has seen more conservatives begin to push back against woke culture and “cancel culture.”

“We have seen conservatives finally waking up to the fact that the left has been using things like lawfare and the courts to try to push their ideologies onto the American public,” Angelo said.

According to Angelo, the country will be able to return to civil discourse when corporations return to a place of political neutrality.

“I think if we bring these institutions back to a place of neutrality with things like lawfare, political action, stockholder activity, and grassroots action, we will be in a much more healthy place in our country where things like civil discourse will return,” Angelo said.

Angelo briefly spoke about his time as a press secretary in the Executive

Office of the President in the former President Donald Trump’s administration. Angelo said although the number of overdose deaths decreased during the Trump administration, the media continued to criticize the administration for its work combatting the overdose crisis.

“It was really eye-opening to me that maybe even like the one component of the White House where you think, ‘Okay, like this is something that both sides can agree on, you know, people should not be dying of illicit substance use,’ that was not the case,” Angelo said. “So, it was a fight every day.”

Angelo said even though conservatives are currently losing the “woke culture war,” he still believes the work he is doing is important.

“I wouldn’t agree that we’ve lost the culture war,” Angelo said. “You know, I wouldn’t be doing the work that I’m doing right now if I thought it was a lost cause. I will agree that we’re losing big time. And like we’re on the hill right now, and if we lose this hill, it’s over.” n

Kennedy Talks Military Security

By Gabby Silva For The Heighs Sarah Vergura For The Heights Cybersecurity is a constantly developing field that requires skills relevant in both military and civilian life, according to U.S. Lieutenant General Kevin B. Kennedy, commander of the Sixteenth Air Force.

“What we’re trying to teach in the cyber domain is critical thinking, how you consume information,” Kennedy said. “If you haven’t necessarily had the training and the understanding that you’re being manipulated, anything from marketing to any rhetorical argument, you’re being manipulated in some way.”

Kennedy spoke at Boston College Law School on Monday evening about his role in managing the Air Force’s cybersecurity. Kennedy broke down the three key influences in military cybersecurity operations: strategy, authority, and policy.

“If you do not persistently en-

gage in trying to disrupt the adversary or deny the adversary access to your data, access to your networks, and access to your information, they will gain strategic advantage in competition that they will leverage for crisis and conflict,” Kennedy said.

To maintain authority, Kennedy said he outlines the specific lines of communication between ranked military officials when discussing sensitive information to ensure minimal data leakage.

“How that’s executed is classified, but in general the authorities are executed—the President establishes the overall objectives that are delegated down to the Secretary of Defense and then at some level, you delegate the authorities for execution,” Kennedy said.

Policy changes usually occur by elections, according to Kennedy, either by different personalities in a position or political appointees.

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

KAIT DEVIR / HEIGHTS ARCHIVES

Athletes Drop Suit Lawsuit Dropped, from A1 The student-athletes filed a lawsuit against the University on Oct. 17 in Middlesex County Superior Court for allegedly imposing an unjustified blanket suspension on the team after recent hazing allegations.

Freniere denied their motion for an injunction, saying the student-athletes’ claims were not backed by enough evidence and were not likely to succeed in court.

“We are disappointed with the decision as the goal of the swimmers was to practice and compete while the investigation proceeds,” said Stuart Bernstein, a partner at Nesenoff & Miltenberg, LLP, who represented the team members.

“Because that goal has not been achieved, the swimmers have decided to dismiss the lawsuit.”

The student-athletes’ decision to drop the suit also comes after Freniere denied their motion on Wednesday to maintain anonymity in court proceedings.

University spokesman Jack Dunn said BC is pleased with the student-athletes’ and their parents’ decision to drop the case.

“We hope that they will recognize the seriousness of these hazing allegations and join Boston College in its efforts to eradicate hazing from college sports,” Dunn said in a statement to The Heights.

In his statement, Bernstein said he hopes BC will still consider lifting the suspension despite the discontinuance.

“We continue to hope that the school will consider lifting the suspension and alleviating the mental health strain it continues to have on the entire team,” the statement reads. n

NATALIE ARNDT / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Judge Denies Motion to Reinstate Swim and Dive Judgment, from A1 “In the meantime, we will continue with our University investigation and conduct process in accordance with our established protocols,” he said.

“Boston College’s investigation revealed that certain [upperclassmen] were assigned to take care of freshmen who were sick or otherwise overly intoxicated.”

To obtain an injunction, the plaintiffs’ claims must show a likelihood of success, that irreparable harm will result from denial of the injunction, and that the risk of irreparable harm to the plaintiffs outweighs the potential harm to the defendant in granting the injunction, according to the ruling.

The student-athletes’ request for an emergency injunction was based on the allegation BC violated their Title IX rights.

They argued that other all-male BC teams have engaged in similar behavior without the University suspending them.

In his affidavit on Monday, Athletics Director Blake James states that the decision to suspend

the program had nothing to do with the fact that the team is co-ed.

Freniere ruled that the student-athletes’ claim BC violated their Title IX rights was not backed by enough evidence.

“These allegations are presented without any factual detail and reveal only what the plaintiffs hope to be able to prove based on second-hand information,” the ruling reads.

The ruling also said that the team’s suspension was warranted as the University discovered hazing occurred in 2022, and the “Frosh” event is part of an annual freshman hazing initiation.

“That Boston College’s investigation revealed that certain [upperclassmen] were assigned to take care of freshmen who were sick or otherwise overly intoxicated is an acknowledgement by those involved in the hazing activity that they understood the potential, serious consequences of their acts, but proceeded nonetheless,” the ruling reads.

Freniere also stated that members of the team were “clearly and repeatedly” made aware that hazing violated the rules of their team, BC Athletics, and Massachusetts state law.

As for the plaintiffs’ defamation claims, Freniere ruled that James’ affidavit substantiated BC Athletics’ Sept. 20 statement, which said the department discovered hazing occurred within the swim and dive program.

“Thus the plaintiffs have failed to establish a likelihood of success on the merits of their defamation claim,” the memorandum reads.

The plaintiffs failed to prove

BC intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon them, which requires them to argue the University’s conduct was “extreme and outrageous,” according to Freniere.

“These allegations are presented without any factual detail and reveal only what the plaintiffs hope to be able to prove based on second-hand information.”

“Conduct qualifies as extreme and outrageous only if it ‘go[es] beyond all possible bounds of decency, and [is] regarded as atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community,’” the ruling reads, citing Roman v. Trustees of Tufts College.

The judge rejected the plaintiffs’ claims that the University caused them “irreparable harm,” stating that the provided evidence did not prove any legal wrongdoing.

“Although the court acknowledges the personal pains reported by the plaintiffs resulting from the loss of their diving and swimming team association, they have failed to show that the defendants acted unlawfully,” the ruling reads. n

NEWTON

Monday, October 30, 2023

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The Heights

Community Members Criticize NPS’ Response to Israel-Hamas War, Bargaining Progress

By Annika Engelbrecht For The Heights Newton residents criticized Newton Public Schools’ (NPS) communications responding to the Israel-Hamas war and NPS faculty argued against teacher attendance policies and funding claims by the Newton School Committee (NSC) on Monday night.

Newton resident Ashia Ray said that NPS fostered an unsafe environment for Palestinian and Muslim students to speak out in schools after the onset of the Israel-Hamas war. “[My friends] told me stories of their children actively hiding their pain and terror at school, afraid to express grief over loved ones under siege in Gaza,” Ray said. “They’re not just afraid of bullying from students, although that is a very valid fear. They’re afraid of our administration.”

The immediate response to the conflict by NPS did not fully explain the situation to families, according to Rabbi Audrey Marcus Berkman, an NPS parent.

“The email sent by many of our schools did not name what happened as a massacre of Jews or make any mention of the immediate and constant rallies and rhetoric taking place

across the country,” Berkman said.

Palestinian American and Newton resident Eman Ansari expressed a desire for Newton to come together as a community.

“We are all responsible for the safety of our … community and belonging of all of our children, and in this circumstance, I would emphasize the belonging of Jewish children and Palestinian children and anyone that supports either side—we are all one side,” Ansari said.

Several NPS teachers also attended the meeting—and rallied prior to it—to condemn contract policies affecting the sick bank, which allows NPS staff to donate a sick day to others, and address how NPS funding is impacting the negotiations.

Current negotiations for the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) contract do not allow first-year teachers to have access to the district’s sick bank and reduce the number of allotted first-year teacher sick days.

The current contract negotiations between the NTA and the NSC come after a campaign to raise taxes, providing additional funding for the NPS budget, partially failed in the spring.

The district faced scrutiny after it announced plans to cut staff positions

earlier this year as a result of the failed override vote.

Newton North High School teacher Kathryn Teissier du Cros highlighted the benefit of first-year teachers accessing the sick bank by sharing her experience relying on the sick bank to support her family financially after giving birth.

She said NPS teacher Kristen Fucarile utilized the sick bank as a firstyear instructor while she had cancer, allowing her to continue teaching and receive an income.

“Kristen was immediately supported by families, colleagues, and most importantly the sick bank,” Teissier du Cros said. “This gave her the opportunity to focus on her health while still maintaining a biweekly paycheck.”

Teissier du Cros criticized the NSC for these attendance policies acting as a strong hand in negotiations and creating a harmful environment for teachers across NPS. “We used to work in an NPS that assumed best intentions rather than creating an environment where your staff is scared to take a day off for themselves or take care of a child or elderly parent,” she said.

Jayme Ellis, Burr Elementary

School art teacher and NTA webmaster, said the NTA rejects the NSC’s justification that a lack of funding is causing an impasse in negotiations between the union and NPS. “We reject the claim that there is not enough money to settle a fair contract with new educators,” Ellis said. “Money is available, $29 million in free or surplus cash, $26 million in an overlay account, $3 million per year in additional revenues from Eversource.”

Mike Schlegelmilch, a Newton

North English teacher and NTA Contract Action Team co-chair, said the NSC has made false updates to the Newton community, pitting families against teachers and lowering teacher morale.

“It’s time to stop the arcane legal maneuvers spearheaded by your lawyer—the misleading and divisive messaging, the cascade of directives that is killing educator morale—and come to the table and bargain in good faith,” Schlegelmilch said. n

ELLA SONG / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Several NPS teachers rallied before the school committee meeting.

Top 10 Things To Do in Newton This Halloween

By Kate Kissel For The Heights Laney McAden For The Heights Throughout the streets of Newton, passerbys may see front stoops adorned with jack-o’lanterns and yards filled with spooky decor. It’s Halloween season, and there are plenty of opportunities for Newton residents to celebrate the holiday this year.

From a drag brunch to a pumpkin decorating, here are 10 things you can do to make the most of Halloween in the city.

Halloween at the Park On Oct. 28, Coletti-Magni Park will host multiple events suitable for children ages two to 92, according to its website. The second Annual Community Pumpkin Decorating will occur from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Later, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the park will host a candlelit walk through its display of jack-o’-lanterns. Both events will be complete with spooky music, sweet apple cider,

candy, and frightening scares.

Halloween Spook-tacular Little Beats at the Dance Academy, which provides early childhood dance and music–based classes, will host a Halloween-themed dance party on Oct. 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at 94 Rowe St. Attendees should be sure to wear a costume to the event, which will include a dance party, dance class, open play room, and craft.

Registration must be completed in advance and is $40 per family.

Trick or Treat at Jackson Homestead Newton’s Jackson Homestead museum features the Archives of Historic Newton as well as rotating and permanent exhibits on Newton’s history and the Underground Railroad.

On Halloween night, the museum will open its doors at 527 Washington St. and dish out treats and coupons to be used for entry at a later date.

Spooky Suzuki The Suzuki School of Newton will host Suzuki violin performances at the Newton Presbyterian Church on Oct. 28 from 4:45 p.m. to 6 p.m. Jump up on stage yourself for only $10 and play your most spine-chilling tune. Friends and family are welcome to come watch for free and costumes are encouraged.

Boo~Tastic Drag Brunch at Moldova Restaurant Add Sunday brunch plans to your Halloween weekend to keep the party going. After selling out last year, this event, occurring on Oct. 29 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., is one many Newton residents likely won’t want to miss out on. Featuring performances from seven drag performers, attendees can expect lipsync battles, dancing, and all-around entertainment.

Halloweek - Trick or Treat at The Street If you find yourself sporting a costume and in the area of Chestnut Hill on Oct. 28, join the community on The Street as it celebrates the

spooky season with special treats from local businesses, fun character meet and greets, a live DJ, and so much more. Registration is free to the public and the event will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

feature performances by Los Sugar Kings and Mariachi Guadalajara.

Halloween Window Painting Residents and visitors walking the streets of any of the six Newton villages on Oct. 28 can see young artists paint the windows of participating local shops with ghoulish visages and haunting characters. This opportunity has been a tradition of the Newton community for 24 years and integrates the city’s art scene into Halloween festivities.

Newton’s Fourth Annual Pumpkin Smash Who doesn’t want to blow off some steam and throw a pumpkin?

On Nov. 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Newton residents will have the opportunity to do just that. Located at the War Memorial behind Newton City Hall, this event not only features pumpkin throwing, but information from experts on managing food waste and composting, food trucks, and opportunities to donate unwanted candy and costumes.

Be sure to remove decorations and candles from your pumpkin pre-throw.

Dia de los Muertos Community Cultural Day Join in on the festivities as the New Art Center hosts a Dia de los Muertos celebration for community members. On Oct. 29 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., attendees will remember the dead with dance, music, and art. Free and open to the public, this celebration will

Trick or Treating Don’t forget the most classic Halloween activity, trick or treating.

“Prince Street and Gibbs Street in West Newton and Oxford Street in Newton Centre are great spots,” Audrey Xiao, a resident of the City of Newton and MCAS ’27, said. “They really go all out.” n

Local Youth Paint Business Windows for Halloween

By Laney McAden For The Heights Newton’s 24th annual Halloween Window Painting event drew members from across the community to select businesses in the name of spooky festivities and community artistry.

Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture (NPRC) hosts the art event every year for children in grades three through eight to celebrate the Halloween season, according to its website.

Each child is assigned a participating business’ window to paint with their own Halloween-themed design.

Elsie Lim, Newton resident and mother of one of the artists, said she heard about the event years ago and was excited to have her child participate one day.

“I heard about it a while ago from my friend,” Lim said. “I told myself, once I have a kid and when I finally, hopefully, live in Newton, I will try it with them.”

LANEY MCADEN / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Jinny’s Pizzeria was one of many Newton businesses that participated.

According to Lim, there is a set of rules and guidelines participants have to follow in order to be involved, including laying down newspapers before painting, using specific paints and brushes, and limiting designs to a specific amount of space.

“It’s not through the schools,” Lim said. “Newton Parks and Recreation started the whole event and with the like 400 participants across town, they had to lay some ground rules.”

Lim’s daughter, third grader Gianna Chung, said she was eager to finally be old enough to participate in the event. She said she thought very hard about what she was going to paint, especially because it had to be Halloween-themed.

“I am doing a spider for my art,” Chung said. “I thought of an animal, and I also like black widow spiders, they’re one of my favorite animals.”

The Halloween painting tradition is important for more than just partic-

LANEY MCADEN / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Participants provided their own paint and brushes for their designs. ipants and parents, as the participating businesses are just as excited to be able to commemorate the Halloween season, according to a Jinny’s Pizzeria employee who declined to give his full name to The Heights.

“It’s really sweet to see the same regulars that we’re such fans of be fans of ours in return,” the employee said. “Our painting on the window even says ‘I love Jinny’s,’ right under a pumpkin and a slice of pizza.”

He said he was excited to see what artwork Jinny’s window would

feature, especially when he recognized the last name of one of the pizzeria’s assigned artists as a frequent customer.

According to the NPRC’s website, the event is a safe and fun way for local children to express themselves artistically and celebrate Halloween.

“It’s such a cool part about living in a smaller town,” the employee said.

“The fact that I recognize the family who’s decorating my job’s window just really makes Newton seem so small in the best way.” n

M AGAZINE Monday, October 30, 2023

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Emotional Support Animals at Boston College Provide Comfort, Enrich Student Experiences Cats and Dogs, from A1 Julie Totten, founder of Cat Companions, a nonprofit organization based in Newton Highlands, Mass. that pairs people with disabilities with emotional support cats, said that owning a cat has many positive effects on the owners’

dog on campus, Bonilla said he adds an extra responsibility to her life because she must ensure he receives the necessary mental and physical stimulation. She takes him outside roughly three times a day, so he can go to the bathroom and burn off some energy, she said. When she does take him out, Bonilla said they

MATTHEW MAO / HEIGHTS STAFF

Correa lives with her cat Bubby, who she's had since freshman year. mental health. spend one to two hours outdoors.

“Cats, they help you reduce “We just try to take him out as stress, reduce anxiety, depression, much as possible and also let him just petting a cat releases hormones play with other people as well, just that calm you,” Totten said. “They so he gets that attention and focus give you a purpose, something to that he needs sometimes,” Bonilla care for, and it’s just someone who said. always wants to see you and cares about you in return.”

Emotional support animals are especially valuable for college students, Jesch said. Because college is a time when a lot of One of the biggest challenges of having her dog on campus is the amount of attention he needs, Bonilla said. change occurs Because her dog requires a lot of in an indi- attention, Bonilla said that she gets vidual's life, worried about leaving him in her J e s c h s a i d room alone. emotional support “He gets very lonely when I’m animals can serve as a source of not in class even for an hour,” Bonilla said. “He’s also very mischievous, comfort.

“College is a really stressful time so we can’t leave anything on the for everybody,” Jesch said. “A lot of ground.”

Even though many pets, like Bothe time, you’re away from home for the first time, you’ve just lost a very nilla’s, demand a significant amount strong support system if you’re a of outdoor time, living in a dorm transfer student or a freshman, and room is not harmful to animals that transition can be really jarring most of the time, Jesch said—as long as they receive the proper care and really difficult.”

Ivy Bonilla, CSOM ’26, has an and exercise.

“I wouldn’t want to be a husky emotional support dog on campus this year. Having her dog at BC has living in a college dorm, but if I were helped her both socially and emo- a cat or a really lazy labrador, then tionally, she said. as long as they’re getting proper

VICTOR STEFANESCU / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Bonilla tries to take her dog outside three times a day so he can burn off energy.

“He’s such a people person and it enrichment and physical activity just opens me up to a lot of new peo- and social activity, then I think it's ple because I have anxiety and get good,” Jesch said. “But there are very anxious meeting new people,” some situations in which I would Bonilla said. “And when he notices be a little hesitant for the animal’s I’m sad he also comes over to me … welfare.” and he just snuggles up to not even To register her emotional support animal to live in BC’s on-camjust me but my roommate as well.”

Though she enjoys having her pus housing, Correa said she sub-

mitted an application through the Disability Services Office. The application asked why she needed an emotional support animal and how it would support her throughout the year, she said. Additionally, Correa said the application requires documentation from a medical professional.

“I got a letter from my primary care physician,” Correa said. “I think at the time it was my pediatrician … he just knew the details about my mental health.”

After submitting the application, Correa said she had a Zoom interview with a representative from Disability Services who asked her more in-depth questions about why she needed her cat.

This representative then met with other administrators and decided whether or not they would grant Correa the accommodation, she said.

“It was kind of lengthy but it sounds more difficult than it actually was,” Correa said. “It didn’t take up much of my time and I got results back pretty quickly.”

Nikkhoo said she had to go through the registration process a couple of times before she got approved and could have her cat live in her dorm.

“It was hard just because I didn’t know what they

were looking for and how to really express my need for an emotional support animal,” Nikkhoo said. “But I will say the process itself was simple to get through, it was just more making sure that your application and your story is thorough.”

The Disability Services Office did not respond to requests for comment.

Getting approval for her dog to live on campus was not difficult, Bonilla said. But, while registering her dog to live in her dorm, Bonilla said that she also applied for a single dorm, but she was assigned a random roommate at the last minute.

But Bonilla said everything worked out—her roommate loves the dog and even helps take care of it. But, she is still going to apply for a single again next semester, Bonilla said.

“I did want to be in a single just because it’s easier for myself and not to have that hassle for anybody else in case they don’t like animals,” Bonilla said. “Next semester, I’m gonna try to apply again, because … it’s just not anybody else’s responsibility for him to be there.”

During her freshman year, Correa said she had a random roommate who was not notified that she had a cat.

“She had never had a cat before, so she had never been around cats,” Correa said. “So, when she came to living with the cat, she ended up being allergic.”

As a result, Correa said her roommate moved out. The vacant spot was not filled, so she was left with a single room. Having a single during her freshman year was difficult, she said, because it hindered her social life.

“I didn’t like having a single,” Correa said. “It was very lonely, it was very isolating, and I was sad.”

The following year, Correa encountered more roommate difficulties due to her cat—two of her randomly assigned suitemates were allergic. This meant her cat could

VICTOR STEFANESCU / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Bonilla's emotional support dog helps her both socially and emotionally. not leave her bedroom, which she proper time, money, and space for said was an issue because he gets an animal, she said.

“If there is any problems that restless staying in such a small space. Because of this, she said come up, you’ve got to take care she was determined to select her of the cat,” Totten said. “So do you really have the time and the cost roommates herself for junior year. of buying everything?”

“This year, my main priority was finding a group B ecause of the of girls who were okay amount of work with the cat being free-roam because I was not going to deal with th at a g a i n ,” Correa said.

Though Correa said roommate issues are the most challenging part of owning a cat on BC’s campus, she said this year has gone smoothly. She was able to find seven other girls who were happy to live with her cat and have him roam freely in the room, she said.

“Now it’s amazing,” Correa said.

“My roommates are super sweet, super accommodating. They love him.”

Totten recommends that college students take roommate considerations into account before adopting an emotional support cat. She said students need to think about whether their roommates are allergic to cats and if they will enjoy living with a cat.

“When you’re thinking about adopting a cat, you think about the cats’ well-being, your own well-being, and then the people around you,” Totten said.

Besides roommate consider-

it takes to take care of her dog, Bonilla said it can feel like she is the one offering support to her dog.

“Sometimes he will come to me and support me, but then other times it’s like he needs the support,” Bonilla said.

While cats require less physical and social interaction than dogs according to Jesch, Nikkhoo said she still has a greater set of obligations than the typical college student because she is a pet owner.

“Taking care of her is actually not that difficult because she’s a cat, but there’s tough stuff where I’ve had to miss out on a pregame or a party to take her to the vet, like for an emergency situation or something,” Nikkhoo said.

Despite the responsibilities that come with having an emotional support animal on campus, Nikkhoo said it is worth it.

“At the end of the day, it’s all worth it because overall it has

MATTHEW MAO / HEIGHTS STAFF

Correa's seven roommates are happy to share the room with her cat, she says. ations, Totten said there are lots completely increased my mental of other factors students need to health, and it’s so great for my consider before adopting an emo- roommates too because she just tional support animal. Students makes everyone around so happy,” should reflect on if they have the Nikkhoo said. n

The Heights

Monday, October 30, 2023

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M AGAZINE The Procrastination of Texting and Responding

By Riley Davis Heights Staff

Texting is the superstar of the 21st century. It is an act full of affirmations, jokes, emojis, and memes, and it lays the foundation for conversation in 2023. Sometimes, it feels like we speak more frequently in texts than we use our own voice—the average college student spends 94.6 minutes a day texting. Phones, computers, and smartwatches allow us to be on call whenever and wherever.

So, after a text is sent, we expect an immediate response.

A response doesn’t always come immediately though. Sometimes it won’t come through until an hour later or a day or never. My roommate and I recently reflected on these tensions. Our generation is always so eager to hear back from others, yet we often find ourselves needing a minute to comprehend a text before we can craft a reply. Here is a reflection on the reasons why we might not get a response right away, the approaches we take to these delays, and some moments when a delay is and is not justified.

You simply don’t know the answer: Sometimes, you don’t respond to a text because you have no additional details to respond with. Perhaps you’re waiting to hear logistics for family plans or your work schedule.

Or you need approval from your roommates to host a club event. But,

it is better to admit you don’t have the answer than to not respond at all.

No one likes to be ghosted. In the long run of a relationship, it’s better if you are upfront about your situation.

Most people will appreciate your effort to keep them informed instead of ignoring the message altogether.

You want the perfect response: The satisfaction that comes from a captivating response is priceless, such as an epic comeback in a group chat or the comedic relief that spares a dull conversation. Sometimes these words flow naturally, but often for wordy writers like me, I find myself ruminating over finding the “perfect” words to send. Do I start a message with “hey,” “hi,” or “what’s up?” Will my satire be read as a joke? How many exclamation points should I use?

I find myself searching for the perfect response because words showcase our character. Sending a text message permanently ties words to your identity. We develop our “personal brand” through our vocal tone and diction, so we should care about the words flowing from our digital voices.

When we quickly write a message, we risk linking poor words to our identity. Rushing texts means we speak before we think.

It never hurts to think twice about the implications of your speech.

Think about how the words you are about to send affect how you’re

portrayed.

The book chapter: Perhaps you have a text chain going with your high school best friend, your roommate abroad, or your parent. These five-paragraph messages take you 10 minutes to read and another 30 minutes to respond to—that’s long enough to be a block in your Google Calendar!

Lengthy messages require time, care, and attentiveness, and they deserve more than a mere glance. When schedules get busy, it can be hard to dedicate a few spare minutes to sit with these precious words. Don’t procrastinate the response, but instead prepare it slowly, write pieces at a time, or reflect on how you are going to respond. After all, the sender took extensive time to write the message to you, and they deserve consideration in your response. It’s likely you’ll want to reciprocate similar details, so it’s worth waiting to respond until you have time to sit with the message and fully engage with its content.

Actions speak louder than words: The act of not responding to a text requires the least amount of cognitive effort, but its implications might hold the most weight. Even if you unintentionally don’t respond—phone dies, bad reception, or you accidentally delete the text—the act of not responding produces negative effects.

When I’ve been left “on read,” I feel hurt and frustrated, and a lingering strain is put on the relationship due

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

to the gap in communication.

A continued lack of responses creates an inconsiderate energy. It distances the individuals, and it hints that one party might not put the same effort into a relationship. Perhaps you purposefully don’t respond to show frustration or annoyance toward someone.

Or you leave the words lingering to let the sender know you don’t like what they just wrote and that it doesn’t deserve a response. While these situations have strong implications, it might pay to directly address any unspoken emotions if you want to salvage the relationship.

In these cases, it’s important to remember the centrality of technology in our lives. Technology dominates our world and is accessible everywhere—the classroom, workplace, and every crossroad in between.

Thanks to free wifi, hotspots, and the mobility of devices, there’s really no

excuse to “not be able to respond” due to poor service. Here’s a friendly plea to not let yourself down easily by using that excuse!

Non-stop responses!

These rapid-fire conversations are stimulating. There’s an energizing feeling when the three buttons that indicate your recipient messenger is typing remain constant. This attentiveness to the conversation makes the texting stream feel more natural in getting to know others. By keeping the messages flowing, you learn more about people, ideas, places, and beliefs that resonate with our values and keep us yearning.

It’s hard to be the person to break the momentum, but someone has to do it. The banter with the person

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

Campus Cocktails: Apple Spice Sangria

By Stephen Bradley Heights Senior Staff

GRAPHIC BY PARKER LEAF/ HEIGHTS EDITOR

Yoony’s Workout Class Guide

By Yoony Kim Heights Staff

From daily hunts for empty treadmills to monotonous routines, most Boston College students eventually tire of their typical workouts at the Plex. Whenever I find myself craving a good workout, my excitement eventually turns to dread as I think about heading to the Plex and going through the motions of my usual routine. If you’re like me—hoping to branch out and find new ways to stay active—here are some options you can explore near campus.

SLT If you’re looking for an intense workout that goes at a slower pace, SLT on Newbury Street is the place for you. SLT—which stands for “strengthen, lengthen, tone”— offers 50-minute “Megaformer” classes that combine cardio, strength training, and toning.

While the workouts are low-impact, they incorporate high-intensity movements and will definitely leave you sweating. For me, SLT’s workouts can be difficult to keep up with due to the diverse types of equipment and machines you use.

But, an SLT class is definitely one of the most well-rounded workouts you can find in Boston because the classes target every muscle group.

Barry’s Bootcamp Barry’s Bootcamp classes are by far the hardest workouts I’ve ever done. At Barry’s, you spend half of class on the treadmill

running at different speeds and inclines. The other half of the class is focused on resistance training. The combination of running and weight training makes this a high-intensity workout. Engaging in a challenging and fast-paced workout is always rewarding, and the dynamic among the participants in Barry’s classes is electric. If this sort of environment sounds enticing to you, stop by Barry’s Chestnut Hill location and try out a class.

SoulCycle SoulCycle’s 45-minute spin classes offer participants a cardiocentric workout. While you’re pedaling away, the instructor also leads a quick weighted arm workout toward the end of the class—this allows you to get in a high-intensity cardio exercise while also toning your muscles. Some people refer to SoulCycle as a cult due to the strong sense of community among riders. Booming music and dark lighting create the perfect ambiance for you to spin to the rhythm and push aside all your worries. The SoulCycle in Chestnut Hill offers artist-themed rides like “Best of Taylor Swift” in addition to other fun themes like “Sunday Scaries Shake-Off.” These festive rides allow you to personalize your workout experience to your liking.

Personally, SoulCycle is one of my favorite workout classes and has been my go-to since freshman year.

It will always be the place I go to de-stress.

CorePower

My current favorite workout spot is CorePower, which has 12 locations in the Boston area.

With various types of classes— like yoga sculpt, a yoga class that incorporates weight training, and hot yoga—CorePower is the place to check out if you are looking for a routine that incorporates cardio, weights, and yoga all in one. The heated studios and dimmed lights also create the perfect atmosphere to de-stress while you get in tune with your body—every workout class ends with a song that everyone meditates to. I highly recommend the 60-minute yoga sculpt class, where you will find yourself doing traditional yoga poses in addition to HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, moves. [solidcore] [solidcore] is similar to a traditional Pilates class but with a heightened focus on resistance training through slow movements.

There are five locations of the chain scattered throughout the Boston area. In a 50-minute [solidcore] class, you will find yourself targeting every part of your body through various Pilates-like circuits. These circuits can be challenging— whenever I go to [solidcore], I really have to push myself to complete the session without a break. The colorful lighting and upbeat music curate an energizing vibe in each class. [solidcore] classes are very intimate, so you will be able to get help and attention from the instructors if any of the movements are confusing you. n

This Halloweekend is going to be warmer than typical.

With temperatures hovering around the high 70s, I assert that we should put our pumpkin-spiked lattes and warm Fireball ciders on hold this weekend. Though these are cornerstones of the fall season— especially when you’re a college student—let’s embrace the unusual sun.

To do so, here is my take on the traditional sangria: the Apple Spice Sangria. This beverage incorporates traditional fall flavors—such as apple and autumnal spices—but its cool temperature and refreshing taste pair well with the warm weather. A glass of the Apple Spice Sangria perfectly encapsulates the 2023 Halloweekend spirit.

I suggest serving this cocktail in a wine glass (to add some class), but any beverage vessel works.

DRINK: Apple Spice Sangria INGREDIENTS: Yields 10 servings 5 cups red wine 2 ½ cups tequila (either silver or reposado works) 2 ½ cups apple cider (room temperature or chilled) 1¼ cup Cointreau, or any other orange liqueur Ground cinnamon Ice Optional: Chopped apples, oranges, peaches, or pears RECIPE: Combine all liquid ingredients in a pitcher and stir with a large spoon.

Dash in cinnamon to your liking and stir to incorporate.

Add fruit to the mixture.

Place into the refrigerator and let it chill for around an hour.

Add an ample amount of ice, serve, and enjoy! n

GRAPHIC BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

OPINIONS

Monday, October 30, 2023

A7

The Heights

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

Carpe Every Single Diem

Emmbrooke Flather I swear I don’t believe in signs. But what else do you call it when the first thing you see at college is a billboard flashing posters of not only your favorite comedian but also your favorite musical artist? Both individuals are coming to perform at this new place, and suddenly your logic-loving, destiny-hating mind is betraying you, deciding that of course this is a sign—a sign that maybe this foreign place might transform into a home.

All at once, I could envision it so clearly.

The faces that seemed strange becoming familiar, and the twisting, confusing roads transforming into memories of late-night adventures. Somehow, I could already feel nostalgia, as if I could remember the future.

So, seven months later, when Carrie Underwood came to perform at Penn State University, I dutifully scored tickets 10 minutes prior to the show’s opening act. But there was a problem.

This hypothetical home—which had seemed an inevitable place of security at first—had, in the months leading up to the concert, become the exact opposite. Night after night strung together as I collected contacts and names and stories. I met people everywhere—in elevators and frat houses and dining halls. They would invite me into their world, teach me all about it, introduce me to their friends, and then I’d leave as quickly as I had come. “Meet as many people as possible” is classic college advice. And boy did I take that advice and run with it. But soon, running became sprinting, until I was going round and round in circles like a cat chasing its own tail. I filtered through a constant revolving door of people, places, clubs, and sports. Nothing seemed to stick.

So that’s how I found myself, on this particular Friday night, without anyone to attend the concert with. The person who was meant to accompany me had a last-min-

ute engagement, and with 10 minutes to showtime, I couldn’t recruit anyone else. So, I had to decide … do I ditch the concert? Or fly solo? I hesitated only for a moment, then decided of course I had to go. To do any less would betray my younger self—the one who positively adored Carrie Underwood.

Let me take you back to that night. I stride confidently into the stadium, sporting a blue crop top, air forces, and a golden barrette. I look like the last person in the world who would be going to a Carrie Underwood concert alone, but here I am. I find my seat and instantly turn to the girl on my left, asking for her name and story. It was almost laughable how fast we connected. But by that point, I had become extremely well acquainted with forming instant friendships wherever I went.

An hour later, the lights dim, everyone jumps to their feet, and a booming drum electrifies the crowd. The floor vibrates as 100,000 voices sing in unison. Suddenly, I’m a kid on Christmas morning again, grinning with excitement every time my dad hands me a rectangular-shaped gift (because I know it’ll either be a book or a Carrie Underwood album). In the next heartbeat, I’m back in middle school, drilling tennis strokes for hours with her songs on repeat in the background.

And then I’m back in the stadium, having the time of my life dancing to “Church Bells” live. Three songs in, a more obscure, muted number starts playing. Like clockwork, all of the upper sections sit down. I am literally the last person standing. Right away, this sets off a million social conformity alarm bells in my head. But I know myself very well, and there is nothing that will stop my fun.

I have a confession. As much as I love dancing with other people, I can never completely let loose with them because I’m so focused on making sure they feel included—either by giving them my hand as a fake microphone, spinning them in circles, or just cheering them on wherever possible.

But in this moment, as every single person in my section sits down, all of that pressure is lifted. I am free. And I start to do more than just dance. I become a performer.

One minute I am a cowboy casanova leaning up against the record machine, the next I am slipping something in my husband’s

Tennessee whiskey that no lawman is ever gonna find.

Suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder, and a girl my age climbs over the seats into my row. She laughingly hugs me and says, “You’re having so much fun and my friends are being lame, so I’m going to join you here!”

Then we’re off, swaying and singing and twirling in our empty row, until another person joins us, and another, and another.

Suddenly, a night I am meant to spend alone becomes one where I have the chance to bring people together.

Then the song “Two Black Cadillacs” starts playing. Instantly, I scramble up and over our seats into the now empty row above me—“Two Black Cadillacs” is my favorite song, and I need to have my moment. So, I waltz my way through a car crash, stomp a make-believe rose into the ground, and plot with my husband’s mistress over the phone.

It was the most magical, dramatic rendition I’d ever done. It was exhilarating.

That night lives vividly in my mind. Just take a moment and imagine it. Imagine going to a concert alone, meeting a group of people, and still wanting to celebrate by yourself.

You see, I fundamentally disagree with the idea of “finding” happiness. I believe you should make your own happiness, no matter where you are. At Penn State, I decided every day to lean into joy in spite of the overwhelming sense of unsteadiness I felt there.

As a new transfer to Boston College, I now decide each day to transform nervousness into excitement as I eagerly pursue every opportunity BC has to offer.

So I’ll leave you as I always do, with a message of self-love. Do everything you can to fuel your own joy. Go to breakfast and inwardly cackle at how unhappy everyone looks shuffling aimlessly so early in the morning. Go talk to the Comm. Ave. bus drivers, and if you run into Peter from Ecuador, tell him Brooke says hi! Rather than waiting for some major milestone, carpe the living daylights out of every diem and create happiness in each wonderfully mundane moment.

Emmbrooke Flather is a columnist for The Heights.

She can be reached at emmbrooke.flather@bc.edu.

Costume Core

Despite long having outgrown the Halloween trick-or-treating tradition, Boston College students continue to celebrate the holiday with a costume or two … or five. Whether you decided to dress up as a Disney princess, donned a onesie of your favorite cartoon character, went all out in embodying your best friend in costume, or planned an epic group costume, Halloween is honestly so freeing. It is a time to try on a new face and laugh with all your friends over your somewhat comical appearances. In fact, we at Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down would encourage you to wear your favorite costume to class this Halloween!

Library Nap Sessions

One highly underestimated form of rest for BC students during mid-semester busyness is the peace found in a library nap session.

Regardless of if your nap is intentional, it can make for a refreshing power up before you continue to grind out your piles of unfinished work. So find your favorite library nap spot this week and claim it as your own! There are so many options available to you—including comfy armchairs near the windows of O’Neill, cubbies tucked away in the back of the library, and big tables to lay your head down in Bapst.

No matter where you study, you can find a place where you feel comfortable hitting snooze. And please, if you aren’t a library-napper, don’t judge your exhausted friends when they need a quick library power rest.

Seasonal Sadness

GRAPHICS BY PAIGE STEIN AND PARKER LEAF / HEIGHTS EDITORS

Girl Math, TikTok, and Sexism

Helia Attar While TikTok began as a way to escape the realities of our everyday lives, the true reality is that TikTok has wormed its way into every facet of our lives.

One fascinating phenomenon that stems from TikTok is the creation of unique slang and jargon. And this lexicon, born of catchy trends and memes, has woven itself into the fabric of day-to-day conversation. The rise of phrases like “girl walks,” “girl dinner,” and now “girl math” highlight the app’s ability to shape contemporary youth culture. But these popular terms are not always a good thing.

“Girl math” is the newest phrase to rise from the string of “girl (blanks),” such as “hot girl walks” and “girl dinner.” For those of you who have decided not to spend hours scrolling on your TikTok For You page, “girl math” is a particularly intriguing concept.

It involves justifying an action, especially spending money, by drawing connections to seemingly unrelated events.

For example, according to girl math, if I return something to a store, the amount of money I get back would be considered a profit. Or, I justify buying a $100 pair of boots because—as my feet aren’t growing anymore and I will wear them every winter day for at least five years—it will basically cost less than a dollar a day to wear the boots, and that’s practically nothing. So really the boots are free—or so says girl math.

Only a few weekends ago, I learned this joke is not all that funny. I was out at dinner with another girl and a couple of our guy friends when the phrase “girl math” was dropped in the conversation. Questions and judgment arose, and what started as a comical mention turned into a lecture from the boys on how nothing is free—and that girls are ridiculous for believing in “girl math.”

The “girl math” line of reasoning was an easy and stress-relieving way of justifying certain decisions in life, like eating another sweet treat after dessert. But, in one video after another, small silly decisions spiraled into (mostly) girls justifying objectively large purchases using “girl math” logic.

While people in on the joke understand that the girls justifying big purchases or

illogical decisions are not actually serious, this joke could easily be used as a weapon of sexism. The ideas that “girl math” jokes engender can break down perceptions of female financial literacy—pushing the agenda that women cannot be trusted with money because they just spend it on ‘sweet treats’ or things deemed unnecessary by, traditionally, men.

Men demeaning and undermining women in the financial sector is an enduring barrier for those in the industry. And “girl math,” which started as a silly little joke created by women, could easily be wielded as a weapon to degrade, break down, or make fun of women in real life.

With finals season fast approaching, everyone has a lot on their plate, and sometimes, a lavish sweet treat or a spendy study break is exactly what one needs to get through a tough day or a mentally straining class. So sometimes, “girl math” is a good thing.

But, people should not reference the lighthearted idea of “girl math” to insult the financial decisions and literacy of women.

It is simply a joke, and it should be treated as such.

Helia Attar is a columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at helia.attar@bc.edu.

After this weekend’s beautiful weather, it seems seasonal change has finally hit for real. The newly piercing cold appears to be a consistent theme for the coming weeks, indicating the beginning of the winter season. For some, the promise of white flurries is a joyful thought, but for others, the impending longer nights and colder walks bring feelings of sadness. Try to find ways to warm your heart as we move into this season—from your favorite hot beverage to your coziest sweater to a kind hug from a loving friend.

Tomforkery

BC dining halls offer different meals to students every night, but one element of each facility remains frustratingly the same: At peak hours, there are no forks to be seen! Even if you’re willing to downgrade to utensils of plastic (as opposed to utensils of steel), BC Dining’s coffers are often empty from the hours of 6 to 7:30 p.m.

We can excuse the mysterious water puddles and greasy leftover napkins on our tables, but when we can’t pierce our chicken, our first side, OR our second side with the force of a fork, we draw a line. So, BC Dining: Where is America’s favorite mealtime implement?

EDITORIAL The Heights

Monday, October 30, 2023

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Boston College Should Commit to a New Financial Aid Transparency Initiative Boston College prides itself on addressing the full financial need of its students. It has an opportunity to further its commitment to supporting low-income families by joining the College Cost Transparency Initiative.

Spurred by concerns about the complexity of financial aid, the leaders of 10 universities came together in fall 2022 to form the College Cost Transparency Initiative (CCT), a task force dedicated to improving “the clarity, accuracy, and understanding of student financial aid offers by producing a set of guiding principles and minimal standards to be used when communicating aid offers.”

The CCT was founded after a 2022 U.S. Government Accountability Office report found that hundreds of colleges and universities do not follow government-recommended best practices in their financial aid offers. As a part of its call to action, the CCT created a comprehensive list of standards that partner institutions are committed to following.

One such principle is a commitment to transparency, an understanding that financial aid offers should be designed for clarity and comparison. This includes a detailed breakdown of the components—from itemized scholarship amounts to estimated transportation costs—that should be “displayed prominently” on each financial aid offer.

BC should become a partner institution of the CCT to double-down on its commitment

to delivering “clear and effective communication” to students with financial need. BC’s standard financial aid award structure already adheres to many of the CCT’s principles and standards—but it misses an important one.

As a need-blind institution, BC is “committed to admitting students solely on the basis of their academic and personal accomplishments, and without regard to financial need.” This means that BC is also committed to meeting 100 percent of students’ demonstrated financial need—but it uses its own institutional formula to calculate this need.

The CCT suggests that schools use the publicly available federal formula.

BC adequately summarizes scholarship and loan totals on its financial summary page, but it does not fully explain the weights of each factor included in its stated “cost of attendance.” Additionally, BC provides no information on the exact “institutional methodology” it uses to calculate need-based aid for students.

As a part of its financial aid mission statement, BC emphasizes its reliance on three key principles: counsel, access, and equity.

With “counsel” specifying “clear and effective communication, customer focus, and mutual respect,” BC already emphasizes transparency as a core element of its financial aid process.

As such, there is no valid reason BC should avoid publicizing its commitment by signing

the CCT. In the year since its creation, over 350 higher education institutions have partnered with the CCT. By signing the CCT and agreeing to reform their financial aid processes, these institutions demonstrate “their dedication to promoting fairness, accessibility, and clarity in the financial aid process, ultimately contributing to a more equitable higher education landscape.”

Some of BC’s peer Jesuit institutions, such as Marquette University and College of the Holy Cross, are part of the hundreds of schools that have already partnered with the CCT. Others—including Georgetown University, University of Notre Dame, and Fordham University—have yet to join.

On the surface, the financial aid websites of schools like Marquette, Georgetown, and BC are relatively similar. All three provide comprehensive information of the application process and award distribution. Marquette, however, sets itself apart from other Jesuit schools by signing and adhering to the CCT. BC has the 11th highest undergraduate tuition of any college in the United States. It also has one of the nation’s largest endowments. The University already commits itself to providing millions in financial aid to its students through these funds. BC can further affirm its leadership in need-based scholarship by signing the CCT.

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

EMILY AHERN / HEIGHTS STAFF

BC football wide receiver Lewis Bond leapt over UConn defenders in the Eagles’ 21–14 homecoming win on Saturday, October 28, 2023.

The BC Dramatics Society’s production of Little Women, directed by Arianna Horan, MCAS ’25, opened on Thursday, October 26, 2023.

SHANE SHEBEST / FOR THE HEIGHTS

KELLEN DAVIS / HEIGHTS STAFF

A new member of Sexual Chocolate, Boston College’s all-male step team, danced at Rookie Showcase on Friday, October 27, 2023.

Editorial

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College Victor Stefanescu, Editor-in-Chief Catherine Dolan, General Manager Erin Shannon, Managing Editor Megan Gentile, Dept. Managing Editor

Vikrum Singh, Visual Director Onur Toper, Digital Director Natalie Arndt, News Editor Graham Dietz, Sports Editor Erin Flaherty, Magazine Editor Connor Siemien, Newton Editor Josie McNeill, Arts Editor Tommy Roche, Opinions Editor Eliza Hernandez, Projects Editor Madelyn Lawlor, Copy Chief Nicole Vagra, Photo Editor Liz Schwab, Multimedia Editor

BC men’s soccer tied Syracuse 1–1 in its final game of the regular season on Friday, October 27, 2023.

Paige Stein, Graphics Editor Parker Leaf, Graphics Editor Isabella Pieretti, Podcast Editor Seeun Ahn, Online Manager Sofia Laboy, Newsletter Editor MC Claverie, Newsletter Editor Jack Bergamini, Assoc. Sports Editor Beth Verghese, Assoc. Magazine Editor Ella Song, Assoc. Newton Editor Sofía Torres, Assoc. Arts Editor Meadow Vrtis, Assoc. Opinions Editor Chris Ticas, Assoc. Photo Editor Ben Haddad, Assoc. Multimedia Editor

Elizabeth Dodman, Assoc. Podcast Editor Karyl Clifford, Asst. News Editor Lucy Freeman, Asst. News Editor Will Martino, Asst. News Editor Luke Evans, Asst. Sports Editor Spencer Steppe, Asst. Magazine Editor Jack Weynand, Asst. Arts Editor Annie Ladd Reid, Asst. Newton Editor Callie Oxford, Asst. Photo Editor Amy Palmer, Copy Editor Connor Kilgallon, Copy Editor Lyla Walsh, Copy Editor Ernie Romero, Editorial Assistant

Business and Operations Conor Richards, Assoc. General Manager Matt Najemy, Asst. General Manager Ethan Ott, Outreach Coordinator MC Claverie, Alumni Director

ARTS

The Heights

Monday, October 30, 2023

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Weynand: ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Belongs to Halloween, Not Christmas

By Jack Weynand Asst. Arts Editor The Nightmare Before Christmas is currently peaking in popularity for the first of its two annual resurgences: now during Halloween and next during Christmas. After all, the movie’s title literally has “Nightmare” and “Christmas” in it, so it’s a double-holiday film … right?

You should not be watching The Nightmare Before Christmas during the Christmas season. The people who do are sorely mistaken. Don’t let the sparing Christmas undertones of the movie fool you—The Nightmare Before Christmas is definitively a Halloween movie.

Disney released this classic film in 1993, and it has since become a pop culture phenomenon. The film follows Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon), also known as the Pumpkin King, during an existential crisis. Jack is sick of Halloween and yearns for something more. His grand idea is to dress up as Santa and take over the responsibilities of Christmas.

Admittedly, the film does take place in “Halloween Town” and “Christmas Land” with both having a unique Tim Burton aesthetic—uncommon shapes and a pale color palette define both places. The ratio of time spent in

Halloween Town is far greater than in Christmas Land but Christmas Land does feel like an authentic representation of Noel.

While The Nightmare Before Christmas is first known for its animation aesthetic, its iconic soundtrack is a close second. The soundtrack isn’t shy about favoring Halloween over Christmas.

The song “What’s This?” has a niche home on my holiday playlist and feels like a real effort at creating a Christmas song. The melody is catchy and the instrumentals are jolly and wondrous, as a good Christmas song should be.

The lyrics, however, don’t quite match the same energy because of Jack’s Halloween background.

“What’s This?” is the song Jack Skellington sings when he discovers that Halloween isn’t the only holiday to celebrate. The lyrics are chock-full of Halloween references and darker images that a typical Christmas song would never dare to include.

“There’s children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads,” Jack Skellington sings. “They’re busy building toys and absolutely no one’s dead.”

It’s not the typical Christmas song, but it still captures the wonder of Christmas in the sense that Jack Skellington is amazed by all of the festivities and joy. He’s like a child on Christmas morning opening up his new gifts un-

der the tree—every discovery he makes is better than the last.

As sweet and merry as “What’s This?” is, it still falls short of “This Is Halloween.”

“This is Halloween” is a defining s ong of the Halloween season and emits the best qualities of Danny Elfman’s music. The song’s crashing beat and the way each measure blends into the next creates the perfect Halloween song.

“This is Halloween” does much more to represent Halloween than “What’s This?” does to embody Christmas. In the category of music, The Nightmare Before Christmas has stronger roots in the genre of Halloween because even its attempt at a Christmas song with “What’s This?” has underlying Halloween references.

Then there’s the question of the characters associated with each holiday and their respective popularity. The Nightmare Before Christmas creates a plethora of original spooky characters like Jack, Sally (Catherine O’Hara), and Oogie Boogie (Ken Page). As for Christmas characters, the film includes the man himself: Santa Claus.

If only Santa Claus had the chance to spread holiday cheer or bring joy to the world like he would in a typical Christmas movie.

Oogie Boogie kidnaps Santa Claus, gags and binds him, and then tries to

torture him. On Christmas Eve, this Santa Claus was busy fighting for his life instead of delivering toys to kids around the world. In the meantime, Jack Skellington steps up to save Christmas in the most Halloween way possible.

The Christmas that comes from Jack is basically just Halloween in December—he puts scares under the tree instead of gifts, his reindeer are made of skeletons and ghosts, and he even puts on his own makeshift Santa Claus costume. Jack puts on a Christmas the way he knows how, but that doesn’t make it the Christmas viewers know and love.

Jack’s Santa Claus costume is the antithesis of the actual costume. He asks Sally to create the costume, and she does her best after getting a quick look at the kidnapped Santa Claus’ suit.

The costume is tight-fitting on Jack’s skinny figure instead of round like Santa Claus, and his fake beard lingers visibly below his chin. Jack’s Christmas comes to a close once Jack finally acknowledges that he should stick to Halloween. Santa Claus is set free and saves the day, but that’s about the last we hear

of Father Christmas. His holiday was stolen and he was kidnapped—I don’t think Santa Claus would consider this a successful Christmas.

To be fair, there are plenty of great holiday movies where Christmas winds up being a disaster, but Jack’s Christmas can barely be consid-

ered a mas. The Christmovie’s Halloween elements are strong , but what’s more important is that its Christmas elements are lacking. The Nightmare Before Christmas can only be seen as a Halloween movie, so enjoy it during the spooky season and save the holidays for something a little more jolly. n GRAPHIC BY PARKER LEAF / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Torres: Horror Films Provide Space for Female Leads

By Sofia Torres Assoc. Arts Editor You’ve probably seen the TikTok video of Mia Goth screaming “Please I’m a star!” in the movie Pearl or Toni Collette yelling “I am your mother, do you understand?” to her son in Hereditary.

These audios are often played over slideshows of quotes or photos displaying female rage.

But what is the significance of this trend?

Men in the film industry have historically been able to express their emotions through physical and verbal violence. It is less often that we see a female character unleashing her anger toward the world. Rather we see her crying, staying silent, or suppressing her own feelings before she reverts back to the collected character that society expects her to be.

Movies like Carrie, Midsommar, Hereditary, and Jennifer’s Body stand out with gruesome but honest portrayals of unhinged women reacting to the world around them.

In the horror and thrill-

er genres, the monstrous transformations of female protagonists are a hyperbolized representation of women’s responses to the male-dominated world.

Viewers end up empathizing with these protagonists, even after they become darker anti-heroines, because it is clear they are a product of society’s cruel expectations and demands from them. Through blood and murder, these female protagonists manifest their feelings of powerlessness in a world that objectifies and subjugates them.

Exposure to these characters is important, as it shows the often underlooked and repressed emotions of women. Through watching these films, viewers can understand the subtle but poignant ways in which women are psychologically and emotionally affected by the way they are treated in their day-to-day lives.

Here are some movies that explore the female condition in the horror and thriller genres to watch during the Halloween season.

The Love Witch

I

n

this horror comedy from 2016, Elaine (Samantha Robinson) has been abandoned by her husband because of her failure to take care of their house and her physical appearance. In turn, Elaine joins a witch cult that promises to teach her how to make any man fall in love with her.

The cult’s methods work, but only because Elaine uses beauty and sex as commodities for love.

In this way, the movie satirizes the erroneous belief that a woman can be empowered or find fulfillment by exploiting her physical appearance to get what she wants. Even though Elaine is in control of her many lovers’ hearts, in the end, it is her who ends up being controlled by their desires.

“You might say I’m addicted to love,” Elaine says in the beginning of the film. “I wonder if all women feel that way.”

The beautifully quirky sets, careful makeup, and vintage costume designs make the movie a visual feast, reinforcing the idea of beauty’s importance.

Elaine is not a moral person, or even a woman most would like to have as a friend. Her worst crime is when she seduces her only friend’s husband. She feels no remorse when he later kills himself, proving her ruthless nature lying underneath her beauty.

A t the same time, her desperation to b e love d make s her a character viewers can sympathize with. Elaine joins the witchcraft cult, led by an old perverted man, with the purpose of “taking what [she] need[s] from men, and not the other way around.”

Elaine initially believes that she is learning how to be loved by men,

but really, she is learning how to be used by them. Elaine is just another woman who wants to be loved and, like many other women, she is willing to take drastic measures to obtain it.

Elaine attempts to be the ultimate male fantasy, but this mission only caters to male needs and dismisses her own. Her transformation into a murderer is an extension of her desire for love.

X and Pearl A24’s 2022 films X and Pearl are two movies that tell the continuous story of Pearl, a young woman secluded in her isolated farmhouse with a controlling mother and sick father. She spends her days at home, taking care of her father and waiting for her husband to return from the war. She’s a caring person, but she doesn’t feel like her life is fulfilled.

Pearl wants to be a movie star.

This ambition, explored in Pearl, leads her to risk everything.

On the road to getting a dancer’s audition for a role in the movie industry, Pearl must kill several people who stand in her way. Unfortunately, even after doing all of this, her dreams are shattered when she’s not selected.

Following her failed dream— and set some time later—X shows the story of the same protagonist, Pearl, who now goes by the name of Maxine. She becomes a porn actress and travels to a cabin in the woods with other porn actors and a crew to record a video.

Even if it is a different type of movie star than she thought she would be as Pearl, Maxine’s desire to be seen in the world justifies the unapologetic person she becomes later.

When facing a horrifically monstrous woman who haunts the cabin, Maxine does not run in fear but instead confronts her with anger.

“I will not accept a life I do not deserve!” Maxine screams in a murderous rage.

Her character exposes the

amount of things a woman may have to sacrifice to achieve her dreams while suggesting a dark side to sexual work.

Raw In this French drama-horror, viewers follow the innocent, naive, and shy Justine (Garance Marillier) as she settles into veterinary school and leaves home and her parents for the first time.

This surreal movie uses the veterinary school to represent the chaotic college culture and the things that it pressures people to do: drinking, taking drugs, and having sex.

Justine, who has been raised as a vegetarian, begins to develop cannibalistic traits while in veterinary school.

It all begins when she is forced, as an act of initiation, to eat a rabbit’s kidney to prove she belongs in veterinary school. Her spiral quickly escalates when she eats her sister’s fingers, and soon, she is tempted to eat—especially in sexual contexts—any man and woman’s flesh.

The movie doesn’t shy away from grotesque and almost unwatchable scenes. It is only through cannibalism that viewers understand Justine’s desperation to fit in and own her sexuality as a woman. By eating humans, Justine consumes her victims’ identity and becomes in control, a feeling she lacks outside of her cannibalism.

This metaphor becomes more interesting when Justine’s older sister, who has already been through her first year of veterinary school, is revealed to be a cannibal too.

In a late scene, the sisters get into a fight over a guy, surrounded by all the other veterinary school students. It begins as a normal physical fight, but then, they begin biting each other brutally, almost eating each other.

ALBUM

‘Javelin’ Released Read the rest ofOct.6

GRAPHIC BY PARKER LEAF / HEIGHTS EDITOR

this story at www.bcheights.com

The Heights

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ARTS

Dance Groups Draw Crowds at ‘Rookie Showcase’ B y K at h y L u Heights Staff If attendees of Rookie Showcase arrived at the Margot Connel l Recreat ion C enter when doors opened at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night, they would have been greeted by a flock of people already lined up in the front of the building.

Students filled the Plex on Friday as Sexual Chocolate, Boston College’s all-male step team, hosted the annual dance event, highlighting the newest members of 15 Boston College dance groups.

Rookie Showcase displayed a range of dance styles, representing the diversity of dance groups on campus. The energy of the crowd increased throughout the night, as students cheered louder and louder as each dance team

showed off their passion, creativity, and skill.

The stage, placed in the center of the venue, allowed dancers to integrate the audience into their performances.

Audience members could view the show from all angles, which many dance teams took advantage of by shifting formations and directions in their choreographies.

Sexual Chocolate opened the show with a quick routine and Scooby Doo–themed skit. The group got the crowd laughing with Dunk in’ Donuts–related jokes.

The first to perform was BC on Tap, BC’s first and only tap dance group. Although the sound of the tap dancers’ shoes wasn’t audible over the loud music, the group moved swiftly between formations, engaging with the audience

KELLEN DAVIS / HEIGHTS STAFF

Sexual Chocolate hosted the annual event, which featured 15 dance groups.

from all sides of the stage.

Phay mus, a hip-hop dance team, followed. Its moves were very defined and it wore pants with the words “Rooks” on them to match the theme of the event.

Pulling out its iconic pompoms, the Golden Eagles Dance Team danced to a Taylor Swift melody, hitting every beat with impeccable synchronization.

AEROdynamiK, BC’s hip-hop dance crew, then broke into two groups and did a thematic performance that featured strong teamwork, impressive acrobatics, and break-dancing skills.

Fuego del Corazón changed the mood as it swept the stage with its dazzling outfits.

The team demonstrated spectacular teamwork through its partner dancing and did justice to t he v ibra nt Latin music it danced to.

Dance Organization of BC wowed the crowd with its high-level choreography. Its performance featured complex spins and other ballet- and acrobatic-inspired techniques.

Nex t , BC I r i sh D a nce exhibited stunning footwork and group formation, demonstrating its ability to mobilize on all four sides of the stage.

Unlike the other teams, Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (F.I.S.T.S.), BC’s all-female step team, started its performance with a skit.

Its strong a nd sha rp steps

KELLEN DAVIS / HEIGHTS STAFF

UPrising coordinated interactions among members during its routine. made quite an impression on the crowd. F.I.S.T.S.’ two costume changes were the cherry on top, bringing the whole performance together.

Then, Masti, BC’s Bollywood f usion dance team, drove the crowd wild with its energetic routine.

It engaged the audience in all directions by putting a modern t wist to the traditional dance form.

Later, BC Dance Ensemble showed of f it s h ip-pop sk i l l s with agility and a sassy attitude followed by VIP’s salsa dancing, which exhilarated the crowd with an impressive body toss in the second half of its set.

UPrising weaved small interactions between team members through its performance, while Presenting Africa to U showed off each dancer’s unique personality

through its flowing movements.

Next was Synergy, who rolled up with clean hip-hop choreography. Its groovy and bouncy routine demonstrated its high-level dance skills and ability to work as a team.

Finally, the night ended with Sexual Chocolate’s rookies, who closed the show with relaxed but engaging choreography. They closed the show with crisp step chore og r aphy t h at m ade t he whole room roar.

Lighting elevated the entire showcase and the music resonated among the audience as the dancers hit each beat.

As at tendees lef t the Plex, chatter filled the air.

“It was incredible to see the diverse sets of dance and talent present i n t h i s yea r ’s rook ie class,” Gianna Novello, MCAS ’27, said. n

Troye Sivan Ponders Love in New Album B y Paol a R osa r io G r aci a For The Heights Sy nt hw ave a nd elec t ro -pop sounds haunt and enrich each song on Troye Sivan’s new album, Something to Give Each Other. The two genres are elevated through Sivan’s lyricism and musical prowess and are presented under an unapologetic queer lens and with an underlying sexiness.

Something to Give Each Other marks Sivan’s third full-length album and was released on Oct. 13, five years after his album Bloom.

The intimacy of the newly released album is immediately displayed in its length—the album is only 10 songs, with each song tied to a different story. Despite the unique independence of each song, all are connected through the theme of love and how the human experience is affected by it.

“Can’t Go Back, Baby” narrates the competing feelings of love and betrayal toward a previous rela-

tionship with pained annoyance.

Contrastingly, the weight of the heartbreak does not deter Sivan from the love of his previous partner, a partner whom he describes a confusing post-relationship meeting with.

“Can’t Go Back, Baby” repeats its title over and over in a melancholic tone, a haunting reminder that Sivan’s partner brutally destroyed the love they shared.

This love that’s being described is not only referring to a love for another person—it can also indicate a love for life. Such love is exemplified in the album’s first track, “Rush.”

An energizing tune from start to finish, the song immediately transports the listener to the club with its electronic dance music–adjacent beat while retaining the sexiness vibing with a stranger at the club.

Keeping with the theme of love, Sivan then muses about a particular queer experience and its difficulties in “One of Your Girls.” On this track, Sivan describes feeling like

he is being led on by someone who is still figuring out their identity, and so he agrees to hide the relationship.

“One of Your Girls” is a prime example of Sivan’s musical genius presented through the usage of sound production and music theory. He strategically uses the relationship between major and minor scales to help get the narrative point across.

The track starts in a major key when Sivan is gushing over his lover’s handsome face and then turns to a minor key when the main conflict is revealed at the end of the chorus. The robotic effect placed over the chorus is a deliberate choice by the artist as it best reflects his feelings at the time.

“Like I was expected to be there when they wanted me, then disappear when they freaked out, then be there again when they wanted,” Sivan said in an interview with Apple Music. “Like this emotionless object. And yet there I was time and

time again.”

The mellow track “How to Stay With You” ends the album with a tale of separation, where Sivan writes about feeling lost and cloudy in a relationship to the point of not knowing what to do or say to make it work. Even as the album ends on a sad love story, the hope of new connections and an exciting new day lingers. The song winds down as Sivan alludes to the difficulty of a fresh start in the very last verses of the album.

“Startin’ again when I got all I wanted / Startin’ to feel a little bit despondent,” Sivan sings.

Something to Give Each Other presents how the c ycle of love and heartbreak can be composed of both exhilarating and painful experiences. Sivan still chooses to love all of them despite their resolutions. He believes that people need to stay hopeful when they need love the most.

In Something to Give Each Other, Sivan manages to capture the duality of life, but leaves the listener ecstatic and positive. Through this analysis of connections in his life, Sivan places the listener at the scene of the events, creating a soundtrack to accompany them. n

ALBUM

‘Something To Give Each Other’ Released Oct. 13

‘Little Women’ Provides Fresh Take on Classic Story B y A sh l e y Va l enz u el a For The Heights Lit tle Women is a n icon ic, empowering story that has stood t he test of t i me si nce L ou i sa May Alcott released the novel in 1868. Boston College Dramatics Society’s production of the play adaptation of the novel upheld the legacy of the original.

The play, directed by Arianne Horan, MCAS ’25, opens with Jo March (Chase Kerman, LSEHD ’26) as she writes stories of wizards and damsels in distress. Jo’s sisters Beth (Molly Casper, MCAS ’26) and Meg (Margaret Rankin, LSEHD ’26) listen to Jo adoringly as the sisters join the rest of their family at the kitchen table. Their ba nter i s a sou rce of comedy throughout the play.

The scene stuck out because it brought warmth to the characters right from the opening of the play.

The simple scene showed a real-

istic sisterly dynamic, and Horan said it was based off the same scene in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film adaption of the novel.

“I wanted a more central focus on the sisters and their adolescence similar to how Greta does in the movie,” Horan said.

Hor a n s a id she w a nte d to highlight Beth in her production of the play because she played the character in her high school’s produc t ion of t he show. Th is focus was evident, with Casper’s stage presence as Beth bringing a heartfelt tenderness to the play.

The scenes that fol low the show’s opening are at the heart of the meaning of Little Women— morality and kindness, with the theme of family tying it together.

Jo’s mother Marmee, played

by Dia na Ma rsa n, MCA S ’ 25, comes back home and asks the girls if they would be willing to give up their Christmas presents so that their poor sick neighbors,

the Hummels, would have food.

The girls all reluctantly agree but decide that they shall spend $1 on themselves for gifts. The girls head into the market singing a small tune.

“Glory, glory Hallelujah / Glory, glory Hallelujah / Glory, glory Hallelujah / His truth is marching on,” the sisters sing.

The song, “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” was written by abolitionist writer Julia Ward Howe during the American Civil War. Characters sing the hymn many times throughout the play, giving the audience context into what the March family believes in, but also foreshadowing the hard times that will befall the family later in the play.

Dramatics Society’s iteration of Little Women gave prominent roles to Beth and Meg, who are rat her u n noticed a nd g lossed over in the movies. Little Women is a story of sisters in their ado-

lescence and growing out of it, so Horan’s decision to spotlight some of Jo’s other sisters is something powerful to watch.

Each of the actors brought something new yet familiar to each of the characters, which is an accomplishment for a play with so many iterations. The delivery of each March sister might have

left the audience wanting more.

Kerman brought a familiar f ier y spi rit to Jo, a nd Ra n k in brought new depth to Meg with her fleshed out character arc. The actresses captured the dualit y between naivety and ambition, reminiscent of Florence Pugh’s performance in Gerwig’s adaptation. n

EMILY AHERN / HEIGHTS STAFF

Little Women depicted the March sisters’ realistic family dynamic.

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The Heights

CHRIS TICAS / HEIGHTS EDITOR AND PAUL CRIADO / HEIGHTS STAFF

“WE’VE BEEN HARPING ON GOING 1–0 EACH WEEK”

After Boston College football’s fourth straight win, Alex Broome said the Eagles’ weekly mentality is to treat each game like a one-game season. BC now leads the ACC and is No. 12 in the nation in rushing yards per game.

Football, from A1 With just over three minutes remaining in the game, Castellanos converted a crucial 4th-and-5 with a gain of nine yards, Connecticut 14 essentially Boston College 21 icing the game. BC (5–3, 2–2 Atlantic Coast) carried out its 21–14 win over the Huskies (1–7), and its fourth straight victory, leading in total yards of offense 433–222.

“I just told the team that we’ve won four in a row and it’s not easy to do,” BC head coach Jeff Hafley said. “It’s not easy to win a game. … It’s a game we should win when we play [UConn]. We kept UConn in that game.”

The Eagles converted their first fourth-down situation of the game to get over the 50-yard line on a short gain.

Offensive coordinator Steve Shimko staged a run-fake, and Castellanos carried the ball to the flat with a bludgeoning effort from the offensive line less

than two minutes into the first quarter.

Three plays later, however, Castellanos let go of the ball while switching into his throwing motion, and UConn recovered the ball on the 49-yard line.

The Huskies converted on two third downs en route to a nine-play, 51-yard scoring drive. Defensive tackle Jelani Stafford subbed into the backfield and stuffed his way over the goal line to gain a 7–0 advantage for UConn.

“I think he’s got six or seven touchdowns this year,” linebacker Vinny DePalma said of Stafford. “It’s almost like talking about the NFL stuff with the Eagles’ sneak.”

BC displayed a swift response time on its next offensive drive, and Castellanos would not let the game get out of reach. Another fourth-down conversion from inches away led to a 5-yard rushing touchdown from Robichaux—his fifth of the year.

“The biggest key I’d say was the O-line,” Robichaux said. “Our O-line does an amazing job, they make every-

thing easy for me. So all I really gotta do is go through my reads and execute.”

With the help of a pass interference call against UConn on a Lewis Bond slant, BC danced into the red zone with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. From the 16-yard line, Castellanos drew a facemask penalty on the Huskies after a zig-zagging scramble, losing his helmet in the process to set up first and goal.

On 3rd-and-goal from six yards out, Castellanos shoveled a rainbow-arching pass to an unmanned Alex Broome by the short-right pylon to seal a 14–7 advantage.

“They brought a blitz and didn’t take me,” Broome said.

BC brought the house on a pass rush, which resulted in a batted-down pass, to force another UConn punt, and the Eagles got right back into a steady offensive rhythm on the back of freshman receiver Jaedn Skeete. Skeete made a one-handed snag for 34 yards on third down, but the Eagles couldn’t

convert for a turnover on downs.

After getting the ball back with under a minute to go in the half, the Eagles approached scoring territory again. But a careless throw into double coverage resulted in a Castellanos interception to send BC ahead 14–7 into halftime.

“I grabbed him right after the play—that’s situational awareness, you can’t do that, you can’t throw the ball up,” Hafley said. “We’re in field goal range, it’s the red zone, we have one timeout. Throw it out of bounds or run it. He can’t throw a pick down there, it’s inexcusable. At the same time, he’s a sophomore and hasn’t been in a lot of situations like that.”

Castellanos didn’t step onto the field for BC’s opening drive in the second half, and Liam Connor couldn’t drill a 44-yard field goal to hand UConn the ball back at its 26-yard line.

While Robichaux capped off BC’s third scoring drive of the game with his longest rushing touchdown of the season for 13 yards, handing the Eagles

Notebook: BC Curbs Self-Inflicted Wounds

By Jack Bergamini Assoc. Sports Editor After arguably earning its best win of the season last week against Georgia Tech, Boston College football seemed to have turned a corner. With a 1–6 Connecticut squad next on its schedule, many expected the Eagles to steamroll the Huskies at home on Saturday.

While BC dominated the Huskies in the stat sheet, the game’s final score told a much different story.

The Eagles held an advantage in first downs 30–10, total plays 83–43, total yards 433–222, and time of possession 40:44–19:16.

Yet the final score clocked in at 21–14.

“We kept UConn in the game,” BC head coach Jeff Hafley said. “It’s as easy as that. ... I say that with no disrespect [to UConn].”

Part of how the narrow victory unfolded was because Saturday may have been quarterback Thomas Castellanos’ first true dud as a starter.

That isn’t saying much, considering the sophomore transfer still threw for 151 yards and a touchdown on 16-of24 passing, along with picking up 45 rushing yards.

Some crucial mistakes and self-inflicted wounds kept UConn in the game, a game that BC didn’t fully win until Castellanos rushed for nine yards on 4th-and-5 on UConn’s 32yard line to seal the victory with 3:13 left in the game.

Here are three observations from BC’s fourth straight win.

Keeping UConn Within Reach According to Hafley, a big emphasis after last week’s 38–23 win over Georgia Tech was BC’s ability to finally pull away in the fourth quarter and knee the ball with a large cushion.

But the exact opposite was the case on Saturday, as BC went down early and kept UConn within distance for the

entire game.

BC didn’t waste any time with its offensive mistakes. The Eagles were marching down the field on their first drive of the game, reaching UConn’s 36-yard line, but Castellanos simply let go of the ball, appearing to lose his grip, which handed it back to the Huskies on their 49-yard line.

UConn went on to score nine plays later to go up 7–0.

Ahead 14–7 in the middle of the second quarter, the Eagles had a prime opportunity to extend their lead after forcing a UConn three-and-out.

Castellanos orchestrated a 50-yard drive to reach UConn’s 31-yard line.

But Castellanos’ 3rd-and-10 pass sailed through the hands of tight end Jeremiah Franklin, forcing a fourth down.

Hafley clearly didn’t trust Liam Connor with a 48-yard field goal, as BC’s offense stayed on the field.

Castellanos bought time and hauled a pass to a wide-open Joe Griffin Jr. in the end zone, but the pass was too deep. Griffin couldn’t catch the ball in bounds, resulting in a turnover on downs.

BC’s rock-solid defense gave Castellanos and co. a chance at redemption after forcing another three-and-out to give BC possession on UConn’s 40yard line with 1:07 remaining in the first half. Castellanos once again led a strong initial part of the drive, getting the Eagles to UConn’s 17-yard line with 17 seconds remaining.

Castellanos, however, threw into double coverage, and UConn corner Malik Dixon-Williams easily intercepted his throw leaving BC without a touchdown or a short field goal heading into halftime.

“I grabbed him right after the play—that’s situational awareness,” Hafley said. “You can’t throw the ball up. We’re in field goal range, it’s the red zone, we have one timeout. Throw it out of bounds or run it. He can’t throw a pick down there.”

BC left even more points on the

board in the third quarter. Still ahead 14–7, backup Emmett Morehead led a 13-play drive to get BC on UConn’s 26-yard line as Castellanos nursed a leg injury. Connor, however, sailed his 44-yard field goal attempt wide and right for a BC turnover on downs. The miss marked the second straight week Connor has missed a field goal, as he missed a 47-yarder last week.

also had 433 yards of total offense, marking their fifth game of over 400 yards of offense this season.

Even further, the Eagles are No. 1 in the ACC and No. 12 in the nation with 215.6 rushing yards per game, while Castellanos is third in the ACC with 84.1 rushing yards per game, and Kye Robichaux is fourth with 70.7 rushing yards per game.

New Receiver?

It wouldn’t be a surprise if most BC fans hadn’t heard of freshman receiver Jaedn Skeete before Saturday’s game. It would be a surprise, though, if they didn’t know who he was after.

The Hyde Park, Mass. native recorded the first four receptions of his career on Saturday, good for a team-high 61 yards. No reception was bigger than Skeete’s one-handed, 34-yard catch at the end of the second quarter. Skeete managed to bat the misplaced ball as he was running in the opposite direction, turned his body, and controlled the ball to blast down the field.

“Skeete’s a guy that keeps showing up,” Hafley said. “I think he’s really, really talented. I’m glad he got his moment. I think he has some of the best hands on this team.”

Skeete’s presence was a welcoming sight to see considering BC’s other receivers were held in check throughout the game. Griffin had four catches for 45 yards, Dino Tomlin recorded three catches for 22 yards, and Jaden Williams recorded two catches for 20 yards.

Lewis Bond, BC’s leading receiver with 437 receiving yards this season, was ineffective all game, totaling just two catches for nine yards. And while it should be noted that Castellanos only threw 24 times, limiting BC’s wideout potential, the Eagles’ dominance on the ground allowed them to win without big plays through the air.

BC registered 246 rushing yards compared to UConn’s 92. The Eagles

Somehow, Someway, BC Has Four Straight Wins After starting the season 1–3 with a season-opening loss to Northern Illinois and a near-loss to Holy Cross, not much looked promising for the Eagles.

It’s possible that Hafley was on the hot seat, and a blowout loss to Louisville in Week Four didn’t make matters better.

But, BC now finds itself 5–3 on the season, seventh in the ACC standings, just one win away from bowl game eligibility, and even still in contention to make the ACC Championship.

Besides last week’s showing against Georgia Tech, BC’s other three wins during its streak have come by a margin of seven points or less. Just like on Saturday, there were opportunities for the Eagles to pull away and win comfortably, but there were also opportunities to roll over and lose. They did not.

Last year’s squad would have likely given into the Huskies considering how many mistakes BC committed on Saturday. Last year’s squad did, in fact, lose to UConn for the first time in program history. But BC is a different program in 2023, one that can still squeak out wins when the result isn’t necessarily pretty.

“The beauty of it is, for four straight weeks, our guys have found a way to win,” Hafley said. “I don’t care who you’re playing. This wasn’t going to be, because UConn beat us last year, a rollover, walk in the park. You’ve got to go beat teams.” n GRAPHIC BY PAIGE STEIN / HEIGHTS EDITOR

a 21–7 lead in the waning minutes of the third quarter, the Huskies soon responded. A 30-yard Cam Edwards run a minute into the fourth quarter brought the deficit back to seven points.

Trading back-to-back penalties on third down with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter handed UConn a first down on BC’s 39-yard line. Another holding call on the Huskies, though, backed them up to the 49-yard line for 2nd-and-20.

The Eagles prevented UConn from gaining the first down, and kicker Noe Ruelas came up way short on the 54yard field goal attempt. Castellanos’ clutch fourth-down conversion from five yards out paved the way to the Eagles’ fourth straight victory.

“We’ve been harping on going 1–0 each week, treating each game as [a] one-game season,” Broome said. “You have to put your all into that, into this one game, get this one opportunity.

When you get that chance, you go out there and make that play.” n

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SPORTS

Hoag Pavilion Provides BC Basketball New Future

By Jack Bergamini Assoc. Sports Editor For the past two years, if Boston College men’s basketball center Quinten Post wanted to practice shooting or receive rehab treatments, he had to go through the hurdles of scheduling a time with staff in the limited facilities at Power Gym. Now, with the addition of the Hoag Pavilion, Post can venture to shooting practice or rehab sessions whenever he pleases.

“It’s just like such a difference in professionalism,” Post said. “We’re really excited.”

The nearly 40,000-square-foot facility, which was shown to the media during BC’s men’s basketball’s preseason media day on Friday, is built off the footprint of Conte Forum, and is about 80 percent completed, according to Associate Athletics Director for Athletic Communications Mike Laprey. Players said the new complex has already made a world of difference.

The Hoag Pavilion features new player locker rooms and lounge areas, a sports medicine center, and a nutrition center on the first floor. The second floor features a 10,700-square-foot practice gym that previously consisted of Power Gym. A fresh strength & con-

ditioning center and team video rooms outline the new gym.

All that’s left in the facility’s construction is for some branding advertisements to be placed on the interior walls and Noah Shooting System technology—a system that tracks every player’s shot with statistics on depth, arc, location and more—to be fully implemented on both main baskets, according to Laprey. The technology is currently set up on the south basket.

University Trustee Michaela “Mikey” Hoag, BC ’86, and her husband Jay Hoag made the pavilion possible with a $15 million gift—the largest in BC Athletics history. In total, the project is estimated to cost around $37 million, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The creation of the facility follows a recent trend in improvements to BC’s athletic facilities. BC football received a $52.6 million practice facility, The Fish Field House, in 2018, and baseball and softball received new fields in 2018 with the Harrington Athletics Village along with an indoor practice facility, the Pete Frates Center, in 2022.

The Hoag Pavillion’s practice gym consists of six total baskets. A massive television screen is planted on the wall horizontally to the court and can be connected to a smaller screen. Coaches’

drawings on the smaller screen are then projected onto the bigger one for all the players to easily see.

The court itself features a smooth, maple-wood gloss. The gym is illuminated by a glass wall that allows players to look out to Lower Campus all the way to the Mods, and vice versa for students looking in from the outside.

“This facility is refreshing,” BC head coach Earl Grant said. “For two years, we didn’t have this. We used what we had, didn’t complain about it, but this is like a facelift.”

The 1,400-square-foot strength and conditioning center sits parallel to the court, lined with squat racks, bench presses, and free weights, with its own glass view that looks out to campus.

The narrow walkway is not meant for the entire team to use at once. Instead, it is meant for individual players to work on specific areas with the program’s strength and conditioning coach Marc Proto.

A stairwell leads downstairs to an unfinished hallway that will be used for recruiting—the walls remain unfinished with white paint. Adjacent to the hallway is a sports medicine center, named the Hayes Family Basketball Sports Medicine Center, which features hydrotherapy and an underwater treadmill for rehab. A glass wall pres-

ents a view to campus, but there’s an option for players to lower shades to have privacy.

Grant said the facility is not only helping BC recruiting-wise in the present, but has also helped in the past. Grant mentioned it as a potential reason Prince Aligbe, Donald Hand Jr., and Chas Kelley III all committed to BC. “I was selling it from day one because [the University] sold it to me in the interview process,” Grant said.

Down the hallway is the new 1,400-square-foot nutrition center with long, cafeteria-style tables surrounded by counters and elevated seating. On the main counter lies different food options with a calorie count laid out for each, and a QR code with more nutritional information.

The fridge, meanwhile, is stocked with Powerade, BODYARMOR, Fairlife milk, Core Power, fruit, sandwiches, and more. Players have 24/7 access to the food service and also receive daily catered meals in the nutrition center.

Liz Wluka, BC’s director of athletic nutrition, runs the nutrition center.

Across from the nutrition center is the Tusa Family Players Lounge, a recruiting haven where players can take a nap, watch sporting events, and even connect a gaming system to play with friends. Three televisions line the wall,

and reclining, BC-branded chairs fill out the rest of the room.

“It has helped us build chemistry even more,” forward Devin McGlockton said of the lounge.

The men’s basketball’s locker room is next door—a bright, open, and modern addition. Each player’s locker has their picture illuminated at the top with their position and hometown highlighted. Each player has individual athletic and academic goals posted to their lockers. The ceiling features a glow-in-the-dark court with the BC logo embedded in a thick font. The front wall features a smart board for going over plays and a whiteboard as a complement.

Lastly, the bathroom looks like it’s straight out of a Ritz Carlton, shiny from ceiling to floor with large mirrors and massage guns for recovery. In total, the locker room and attached lounges make up 2,100 square feet of the pavilion.

Players said they have taken advantage of the improvements in facilities.

McGlockton, for instance, gained about 20 pounds over the offseason working out in the new pavilion. Players said the additions have made them more committed to improving.

“We live in here,” guard Claudell Harris Jr. said. “Weight room—live in there. Locker room—live in there.” n

Clemson Sweeps BC in Eagles’ Fifth Straight Loss

By Matthew Capaldi Heights Staff A year removed from capturing the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, Boston College volleyball 3 seemed Clemson Boston College 0 primed to take the next leap and ascend in the ACC. The Eagles have struggled in conference play this season, however, and Sunday’s matinee at the Margot Connell Recreation Center against Clemson was another reminder of that.

Capitalizing on sloppy play and countless BC errors, Clemson (14–10, 5–7 Atlantic Coast) rolled over the Eagles (14–12, 3–9) in a convincing 3–0 victory by scores of 25–20, 25–23, and 25–16. Despite recording three more kills, BC totaled 21 total errors in the match and never took command. Aźyah

Dailey led the Tigers with a teamhigh 11 kills.

“I think we made too many errors in this match,” BC head coach Jason Kennedy said. “I think we were the aggressor—we had more kills than they did—but we had 50 more hitting errors.”

BC hit .164 in the match, totaling 39 kills and 21 errors on 110 attempts. The Eagles have now lost four out of their last five matches 3–0.

Clemson proved to be the crisper team in the first set. The Tigers committed just one error, compared to the Eagles’ nine. BC struggled to find consistency and never took command of the set. The Eagles hit just .175 during the entire opening set.

With the Eagles leading 15–14, Clemson head coach Jackie Simpson Kirr called a timeout. The Tigers responded with an immediate 5–0 run to distance themselves from BC for the first time all match. Clemson

maintained the momentum to seal the first set 25–20.

“They’re a good serving team, and when they could get on a run, they were, unfortunately for us, pretty effective,” Kennedy said.

BC cleaned things up a bit in the second set, as the Eagles hit more efficiently in the highly competitive second frame, finishing with a .378 hitting percentage. Neither squad led by more than three points, and the teams traded points back and forth for much of the set. BC tied the set 15 times.

With the score deadlocked at 23–23, Adria Powell—who finished with seven kills in the match—registered a kill to give the Tigers a match-point opportunity. An ensuing Kennedy Wagner ace closed out the set and gave Clemson a two-set advantage.

“We had to make a change in our lineup a little ways through due to some injuries, so it wasn’t really

MOLLY BRUNS / HEIGHTS STAFF

The Eagles recorded a .164 hitting percentage and 21 errors in the match.

something we were prepared for and it was an unfortunate reality,” Kennedy said.

The Tigers controlled the third set and sealed the three-set sweep with ease. Trailing 10–8, Clemson went on a 12–1 run to take a sizable nine-point lead, and the Tigers never looked back.

BC played sloppily in the third frame, and many of the issues from

the first set resurfaced. Nine errors and a -.091 hitting percentage summed up the Eagles’ struggles.

Katrina Jensen, who led the match with 16 kills, was one of the lone bright spots for BC throughout the match.

“I thought [ Jensen] was the aggressor all night,” Kennedy said.

“You know, I thought she was probably the best player on the floor.” n

No. 3 BC Tramples No. 8 Spartans

By Robert Brennan Heights Staff Boston College men’s hockey’s second goal on Saturday all started with a tough shift from freshman forward Ryan Leonard late in the second frame.

Leonard skated deep into the neutral zone, and the costumed crowd appeared to beg for a penalty after Leonard got 1 tripped up.

Michigan State Boston College 5 Rather than staying down and pouting, however, Leonard got up and followed the play into the offensive end.

From there, the right-handed stick got a fairly open look, but he couldn’t beat Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine. The puck stayed in the zone, and while grinding for it behind the net, Leonard drew a holding penalty on Tommi Männistö. On the ensuing power play, Gabe Perreault made a nifty deke that he seamlessly turned into a lay-off pass to Cutter Gauthier.

Gauthier fired a rocket into the topright corner past a frozen Augustine, which sailed over the netminder’s shoulder and glove.

No. 3 BC (5–1) defeated the No. 8 Spartans (5–3) by a score of 5–1, completing a weekend sweep thanks to 38 saves in net by freshman goaltender Jacob Fowler and two power-play goals.

“Yeah, I think obviously anytime

you jump up a level, it’s a little bit of an adjustment,” Fowler said. “So kind of settling into things has been a little bit harder than at different levels, but [I’m] pretty fortunate to have the staff and the groups we have in front of me, so they make my life easy.”

Fowler credited his teammates for battling out in front of him.

“Yeah, had a lot of big blocks for some [penalty kill] having their sticks

rebound spilled out to Mike Posma, who shot it across the face of the net.

Augustine could do little to stop the gliding puck, and BC took a 1–0 lead 13:28 into the game. A non-traditional unit was also on the ice when Gauthier scored his power-play goal. Perreault, Jellvik, Jack Malone, and Eamon Powell complemented Gauthier for a brand new lineup.

“We weren’t clicking especially on

ALINA CHEN / HEIGHTS STAFF

The Eagles scored 11 goals in their two games against Michigan State.

in lanes,” Fowler said. “So all those little details add up to our success tonight.”

The lone goal of the first period did not come from either of BC’s top two prolific scoring lines, nor did it come from Oskar Jellvik’s red-hot third line.

It came from the fourth line—just its second on the year as a unit.

Connor Joyce put a shot on goal and Augustine couldn’t control it. The

the power play—the first two power plays,” Brown said. “They just had no rhythm and didn’t create any offense.

[We tried] and mix it up a little bit, get some new combinations.”

After the power play, Brown decided to switch Andre Gasseau and Perreault, marking the first big change in the offensive lineup since Gentry Shamburger replaced Jamie Armstrong

after Armstrong suffered an injury at Quinnipiac. BC returned to its normal, even-strength lines during the third period. But the switched-up power-play unit got on the board once again in the final frame when Malone skated in on net and beat Augustine on his glove side 2:24 into the period.

“I don’t think we were tremendous on those power plays, but they had good finishes,” Brown said. “It was nice to get two goals out of it. Same with the lines, I thought they weren’t flat, but it wasn’t as crisp as we had been in the past. So sometimes you do change things up a little bit. … But it seemed to help us for a little while there. We changed the momentum.”

Karsen Dorwart got one back while Fowler was sprawled out after trying to stop a previous attempt from Isaac Howard 9:38 into the third period, but that would be it in terms of scoring for the Spartans. Malone tallied his second goal of the night a minute before Dorwart’s goal, and Gauthier scored on an empty net with 52 seconds left, wrapping up the contest at a final score of 5–1.

“Most of the night there was pressure all the time, and then we just kind of had to battle and grind and find ways to get the puck out because there weren’t a lot of clean tape-to-tape exits,” Brown said. “Good credit to Michigan State. That’s a heck of a hockey team.” n