The Observer, Volume LIV, Issue 24, 4/7/23

Observer The Case Western Reserve

CWRU Footlighters production of “Chicago” was an immersive experience

Shivangi Nanda Copy Editor

Noah Henriques Staff Writer

The CWRU Footlighters’ spring production of “Chicago” was incredible, showcasing the impressive talent of student vocalists, dancers, actors, musicians and production crew members. Performances were only bolstered by the venue, the newly reopened Eldred Hall, which provided a better theatrical experience for actors and audiences alike. Selling out almost every show this weekend, “Chicago” is another feather in Footlighters’ hat and the culmination of 11 weeks of planning and rehearsing. “Chicago” tells the story of Roxie Hart, a wannabe vaudevillian who dreams of fame and fortune in 1920s Chicago. When she is arrested for the murder of her affair partner, she finds herself in jail alongside another performer, Velma Kelly. The two navigate the corrupt criminal justice system and accompanying media frenzy—headed by reporter Mary Sunshine—surrounding their cases. Along the way, they get help from slick lawyer Billy Flynn and their Matron “Mama” Morton. The show is a beloved classic, and one we were excited to see performed by Footlighters.

A recent addition to Footlighters’ productions has been Eldred Hall, a new home for their operations. Instead of having to plan months in advance just

to reserve the Thwing Ballroom, the crew now has a creative space dedicated to their needs. Finally, shows can take place in an authentic auditorium with in-house seating and lighting fit for a professional performance. In addition to technical benefits, Eldred Hall has a designated storage space and access to a scene shop where students can create the detailed sets. These resources not only helped the production run more smoothly, but also gave the cast and crew peace of mind along with more time to focus on the creative components of the musical.

And, the work that went into building and polishing these aspects were nothing short of remarkable. Students involved had to balance their full-time student responsibilities with that of “Chicago.” 93 people were involved, 85 costume pieces were made, 700+ square feet of wood were used and there were 17 instruments played by the pit, among other astounding statistics. Not only that, this was fourth-year student Max Welsh’s first production as director, making the achievement all the more impressive.

Of course, the production would be nothing without its stellar cast. Each actor embodied their character perfectly, resulting in a seamless performance. Roxie’s (Elizabeth Javorsky) cute, ditzy exterior was well-balanced by her manipulative and ruthless personality, a perfect foil for her loyal yet neglected husband Amos (Keira Celebuski). Kelly’s (Mary Coulter) ambi-

How new Ohio voting laws impact college students

On Jan. 6, 2023, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 458, which originally intended to eliminate August special elections in Ohio. After going through the Republicancontrolled Ohio Legislature, it later morphed into an overhaul of Ohio’s voter ID laws and timelines.

Previously, all one had to do in order to vote in Ohio was prove an Ohio address. For Case Western Reserve University students, this normally meant printing a residency verification from the MyHousing website, or presenting a bank statement or utility bill.

Yet, as Democracy Fellow for Campus Votes and leader for CWRUVotes Sabrina Wicker notes, “Ohio has the strictest voter ID laws in the nation. Beyond military ID, you can only use an Ohio state ID, Ohio driver’s license or a federal passport.”

She went on to explain, “Now, instead of being so focused on ‘Are you registered at the right place; is it where you currently live’ now they [ask] ‘Are you the actual person who is voting?’” Wicker also notes that 80% of CWRU’s student population are not from

the state of Ohio, thus obtaining an Ohio state ID might not be super feasible for most students. According to Rob Nichols, press secretary of the Ohio Department of State—the office that oversees elections—if a student from Pennsylvania, for example, “[Has] a Pennsylvania license, wants to vote in Ohio, and goes get an Ohio license or state ID, it invalidates their home life” as it is a “Federal law that you can not hold two drivers licenses.”

“It’s always been a choice a college student has to make regarding to vote in their home state absentee... or whether they are going to vote in Ohio,” Nichols mentions about the dilemma now facing students.

Both Wicker and Nichols agree on a common workaround to showing ID at the polling place: voting absentee, as “you are not required to provide a driver’s license or state ID card” as you instead provide the last four digits of your social security number.

“This campus does not have a polling location. You have to go to the Board of Elections and navigate the voter ID laws, knowing most students have an Ohio state ID or driver’s license, so the easiest way to vote is absentee,” states Wicker.

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Billy

Courtesy of

tion for a bigger, better life and her subsequent jealousy of Roxie’s theft of the spotlight created a point of conflict. While “Mama” Morton (Desir’ee Neal) kept the peace as the motherly warden, Flynn (Milo Cassarino) acted as the greedy lawyer who frequently became exasperated with the vaudeville murdereresses. One shining light was Mary Sunshine (Mariah Hamburg), who brought some much need-

ed optimism and levity to the show with her colorful clothing and bright personality. Each member shone in their respective musical numbers and their clear passion for theatricality. At the end, we both were in awe at their ability to capture the essence of “Chicago” while also bringing a personal flair to every character.

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A run-through the history of the Hudson Relays on page 3

Zachary Treseler Staff Writer

Flynn (Milo Cassarino) holds Mary Sunshine (Mariah Hamburg) as both of them sing and reach for their guns in a comedic performance.

@cwrufootlighters

The CWRU class of 1974 celebrates their victory at the 1972 Hudson Relays Courtesy of Lee Davis/CWRU

A comprehensive guide to Trump’s felony charges

Grace Johnson News Editor

Former President Donald Trump has made the news recently due to an indictment involving 34 counts of felony charges by a Manhattan grand jury. These felony charges have to do with falsifying business records to cover up other crimes. According to NPR, “each check was processed by the Trump Organization and disguised as a monthly payment for legal services under a retainer agreement, prosecutors say.”

These checks included a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 right before the presidential election. She allegedly had an affair with former President Trump during a 2006 golf tournament. In addition, a $30,000 payment was made to a doorman in 2015 when he threatened to tell the public of a child fathered by Trump illegitimately, though those claims were eventually found to be false.

Where did this investigation come from?

Originally, Trump’s former per sonal attorney, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty in 2018 for issuing hush money payments to people such as Daniels from his own per sonal credit line, with reimburse ment checks coming from Trump’s personal checkbook as well as the

Trump trust. Since then, Trump and his supporters have questioned Cohen’s legitimacy, though those mumblings were quashed during the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs’ press conference following the arraignment Tuesday. Braggs stated, “That is exactly what this case is about: 34 false statements made to cover up other crimes. These are felony crimes in

While there are a number of other felony counts, these are a couple of the major ones, which caused Trump to be indicted and arraigned. But what do these terms mean?

Indictment means to be “formally accused of or charged with a crime,” while arraignment is the official reading of these crimes in court to the defendant, where the defendant (in this case, Trump) is allowed to

to indict the defendant. As for the plea, Trump is already pleading not guilty to all 34 charges.

Formal indictment and arraignment usually includes steps such as a mug shot and fingerprinting of the defendant, but in Trump’s case, this is a bit of a different process. Because of his Secret Service detail and safety concerns, there was no actual mugshot taken or fingerprinting done. In addition, because Trump is well-known, he is not considered a flight risk, so he was ultimately not taken into custody. Rather, after leaving the arraignment in New York City, he flew back to his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where he can await the next steps in the criminal proceeding.

So what are those next steps?

For now, those include a number of closed-door conversations with lawyers on both the prosecution and defendant sides. Both will be gathering more evidence in support of each claim and formulating arguments based on the discovery of the case. This is not the last we will hear of this, as the next court date is set for Dec. 4 of this year—and, seeing as this is the first president to be charged with a felony when not holding office, it is interesting to see how this will play out and who rallies where. Finally, we will have to wait and see if this affects his reelection prospects, as he has yet to drop out of the race for the 2024 presidential election.

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Former President Donald Trump sits for his arraignment in Manhattan for 34 alleged felonies, an unprecedented indictment of a former commander-in-chief. Courtesy of Seth Wenig/Associated Press

A run-through the history of the Hudson Relays

Cameron Ward Staff Writer

The Hudson Relay is Case Western Reserve University’s oldest campus tradition, a mark in history that makes it a favorite among many in the CWRU community. For those currently on campus, the 26-mile long relay race marks the coming of spring and the ending of the semester. Recently it has acted as the highlight of CWRU’s Legacy Week. But where did this tradition get its start? Most of us know the spiel, learned from our first campus tours: The Hudson Relay commemorates Western Reserve University’s 26-mile move from Hudson, Ohio to where the federated university sits today. Visiting the old campus location started as a tradition way back in 1882 when Reserve first moved. This was usually upheld by the Reserve senior class, but in 1910 third-year Monroe Curtis launched the idea of supplementing the tradition with a relay race, to “fill in the hitherto blank observance of the Undergraduate Day of Commencement Week.” Thus, the Hudson Relays were born. The teams were to be made of at least 24 people per class, with each runner completing one mile in their section, and the class president completing the last leg. Following months of logistical planning, the race day finally came in June 1910, despite muddy dirt roads acting as the route. The Class of 1912 was the

first official winner of this race, with their time being just over 2 hours. The Class of 1910 unfortunately had two runners get lost on the way and hopped on a car to make up for it, disqualifying them. In this same spirit, many classes in the following years have gotten disqualified for hitching a car ride instead of running. It was said in 1914 that using a machine to transport runners “detracts from the dignity of the school,” a statement which stopped few from doing so anyway.

Following this exciting start, the rules of the race evolved as with the times. Originally, only students of the Adelbert College of Reserve participated, but this was eventually expanded to include all schools of Western Reserve University, and later Case Institute of Technology in 1978, following the federation of the two universities. When the women of Mather College were allowed to compete in 1972, their laps were only 0.5 miles, but this changed when classes started competing as a whole in 1975. The race has been run nearly every year, with some skips here and there, such as during World War II and COVID’s virtual race in 2020. In 1946, following World War II, all teams were disqualified for riding in a car. The race has also rotated in its timing and placement of campus festivities, being involved in Undergraduate Days, May Days, Greek Week and now Legacy Week, to name a few. After years of stagnancy and missed races, the tradi-

OHIO VOTING from page 1

“We also always recommend absentee [ballots] for very busy college students…you take the time, sit with your ballot and do your research.”

HB 458 further changed the deadline for absentee voting: Now a voter must request their absentee ballot earlier, and it only has four days after election day to arrive at the Board of Elections. Rob explains that this change was instituted by the legislature “As people were inadvertently disenfranchising themselves as they try to do all these mail procedures too close to election day.” Further, on the last day of early voting, Monday’s hours have been distributed to other days, curtailing available voting hours.

In the runup to passing HB 458, many supporters of the bill claimed that it would make voting in Ohio safer, and that it is a popular change. Nichols stated, “Voter ID law is supported by the overwhelming majority of Ohioans. People believe, in Ohio, that you should have to prove who you are to vote.”

Yet, Representative Darnell T. Brewer (D-18), whose district covers part of CWRU, noted that now, “Voter suppression is real in Ohio! They know the value of your voice and vote.” He considered HB 458 to be a

general attack against higher education in Ohio, connecting it to SB 83, which seeks to regulate universities. “HB 458 was just the beginning. SB 83 is just another attack on Ohio universities, its students and faculty and is cold-hearted.”

Brewer hopes that “college students, especially in the Cleveland/ Cuyahoga County area, research, take action and come and voice their concerns during the process.”

At CWRU, one of the main offices responding to this change is the Center for Civic Engagement and Learning (CCEL). Rachel VanArsdale, a coordinator at CCEL, noted “We are using the information we’ve gained to update all of CCEL’s voting resources.” This includes updating CCEL’s “Elections and Voter Resources” website, new training for CWRUVotes and “beginning outreach to student organizations to provide educational sessions around the new legislation.”

Once Election Day rolls around, VanArsdale notes that CCEL will still focus on “three areas of the voting process: voter registration, voter education and voter turnout.” She reminds students that the CCEL office still has all the various forms, absentee ballot requests and various graphics of the changing laws.

tion was revamped in 1972. Prizes other than getting the class number engraved on the Hudson Relay Rock were added, including t-shirts, the Curtis Cup and a grand steak dinner on the university president’s dime for classes who win four years in a row. The champagne was added to the steak dinner in 1979. The Class of 1982 was the first class to win this coveted prize, with the Class of 2017 winning it most recently.

In 1990, due to road conditions, traffic laws, and disgruntled citizens, the university was forced to confine the race to University Circle. The modern race consists of 5 laps around the university of 0.5 miles per leg, with 6 groups, including alumni and graduate students. In 2004, the 26 miles was shortened

to 24.5 miles so the route could run through North Residential Village for student’s viewing pleasure (to the chagrin of avid runners). And that brings us to where we are today!

This year, the Hudson Relays are happening on April 29 at 10 a.m. If you want to engage with this exciting history, sign ups are currently happening through the Class Officer Collective (COC). Even if running is not your thing, you can sign up to be an event volunteer as well or go to the watch party at the Jolly Scholar. All runners or volunteers will receive Hudson Relays merchandise and meals throughout the day. If you have more questions about the event or its history, reach out to COC or the office of Student Activities and Leadership.

This past January, Ohio Governer Mike DeWine signed House Bill 458 into action, changing Ohio’s voter ID laws and impacting many CWRU students’ ability to vote. Courtesy of Phil Ritzenberg/Adelbert

“We’ll continue to provide voter registration tables, voter education sessions, and transportation for voting early in-person and on Election Day to make it easier for student voters to get to the polls. We additionally plan to expand our programming

about vote-by-mail by hosting events for students to complete absentee ballot request forms and taking trips to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections for students to drop off their absentee ballots,” VanArsdale noted about the voting resources at CWRU.

Courtesy of Phil Ritzenberg/Adelbert

PhiDE’s got talent

Shivangi Nanda Copy Editor

Noah Henriques Staff Writer

Phi Delta Epsilon (PhiDE), Case Western Reserve University’s co-ed medical fraternity, hosted their first ever Phi Phactor last Saturday, April 1. Taking a unique spin on the traditional talent show, CWRU student performances were judged by some of our most beloved STEM faculty— Dr. Drew Meyer, Dr. Barbara Kuemerle and Chris Butler, along with a popular vote. From start to finish, it was clear that each performance was meaningful to its performers, with their effort being relevant.

As third-year student Rishi Chiratanagandla began to introduce the event, second-year student Joel George interrupted, insulting its quality. This incited the first performance of the night: an impromptu rap battle, showcasing the pair’s unfortunate lack of rhyming experience. However, from roasting each other’s outfits to bonding over their shared love of Tobey Maguire as SpiderMan, the performance took on a comedic yet wholesome feeling. Emcee and fourth-year student TJ Disabato soon took over for the real introduction of the event, along with its stakes: winning the Judge’s or Fan-Favorite Awards by majority vote.

First up were third-year students Noah Slobodin and Alex Cleofe on bass guitar, who showcased their charisma and love for performing onstage through their matching jean shorts and cover of Prince’s “The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room.” Switching to more dramatic music, second-year student Ishika Kanakath sang “Rolling in the Deep” acapella, with skill comparable to that of Adele. Both performances were well received by audiences and judges alike.

Second-year student Shayaan Shaik’s spoken-word poem “Imposter Syndrome” was up next. His garb of a traditional Indian kurta matched his story of growing up as a child of immigrants. The whole performance

was a touching tribute to Shaik’s ancestry and upbringing. The judges were impressed with his skill, with Butler encouraging him to continue pursuing his passion.

First-year students Pranav Nampoothiripad and Sohan Muppidi, showing off their shiny gold glasses and sleek black shirts, brought a cool confidence and humor to the stage. This was made even more apparent when they started their performance with “1, 2, 3: Clicker question go!,” one of Dr. Meyer’s popular catchphrases. Both their rendition of “Slide” by the Goo Goo Dolls and the infamous “Wonderwall” by Oasis were a smooth blend of vocals and guitar, garnering no small amount of praise by the judges for their choice in music.

Up next were the second guitar pair of the night, second-year student Gabe Dias and third-year student Jack McVeety, who played an original electric guitar piece over Tom

Cochrane’s “Life is a Highway.” After their performance, the judges teased them about how their roommates must hate their guitar practice. Dias and McVeety gladly played along, claiming that they only practiced Metallica and at 3 a.m.

During intermission, members of PhiDE asked Dr. Meyer and Dr. Kuemerle to record themselves reacting to some of their RateMyProfessor reviews. One of the standout comments was a student who simply wrote “DADDY DREW” in all caps, which obviously made Dr. Meyer a little uncomfortable. However, he later revealed that his wife has also read his RateMyProfessor, so this wasn’t news to him. Kuemerle’s reviews were similarly bleak, with students criticizing her “pointless” lectures—one student even telling their peers to run away if they don’t need to take the course— and stressing the need to stay on top of work. While she agreed with the importance of not slacking off, she

disagreed on the quality of her lectures, even joking that one student probably had “damage to their amygdala.”

First-year student Anish Singh immediately followed the intermission, making a statement with his cowboy attire and brass trumpet. He performed “A Fistful of Dollars” from the titular spaghetti western, giving the song the dramatic undertones it deserved. Fourth-year student Travis Dumas, a saxophone performer— similarly dressed for the part with a tux, matching pants and a fedora—played an instrumental cover of “That’s What I Like” by Bruno Mars to general applause from both judges and the audience. When Dr. Kuemerle asked what inspired him to play a Bruno Mars song, he revealed that it was his mother’s recommendation. Slobodin appeared once again, this time for a solo of “Rainbow Connection” by Jim Henson, interestingly on the accordion. At the behest of Butler, Slobodin explained how out of the seven different instruments he knows how to play, the accordion is probably the most interesting, as it is a unique blend of both bass and accompaniment. Last but certainly not least, second-year student Sydney Rubin and Dias—making a reappearance—shared their rendition of “Hey There Delilah,” but with a twist. Their version was from the perspective of Delilah, and is a story of longing inspired by the pain of Rubin’s own long distance relationship.

With performances complete, Disabato announced that participants would now await the final decisions from the audience and judges. Those in the crowd voted for their favorite artist by sending in donations through CampusGroups, while judges continued to deliberate. As chance would have it, both the audience and judges voted on Dumas and his fanfavorite saxophone performance as the winner; he received an enthusiastic round of applause and cheers.

Regardless of who won, all the performers did a fantastic job and gave the audience ample entertainment with each of their unique talents. Overall, the event was a success, and we hope to see Phi Phactor become a time-honored CWRU tradition.

Pranav Nampoothiripad and Sohan Muppidi played and sang along to both “Slide” by the Goo Goo Dolls and “Wonderwall” by Oasis during their performance at PhiDE’s first-ever talent show. Courtesy of Charles Shaffer

Chris Butler, Dr. Drew Meyer and Dr. Barbara Kuemerle (pictured, left to right) served as judges for PhiDE’s Got Talent, eventually choosing Travis Dumas’s saxophone performance as the winner. Courtesy of Charles Shaffer

“CHICAGO” from page 1

However, one of the most impressive numbers was one consisting of mostly ensemble performers. “Cell Block Tango,” performed by Kelly and the ensemble, is the audience’s introduction to the murderesses of Cook County Jail. As the song begins, each lady identifies with a single word—”pop,” “six,” “squish,” “uhuh,” “Cicero” or “Lipschitz”—that relates to their respective murder. As the story of the murders are told and loosely acted out, these nonsen-

sical phrases are repeated, creating a roguish and irreverent feel. Tied with the raunchy dance performance and crisp choreography, it was certainly one of the most complicated numbers of the night, as well as the most memorable. Making the cast performances and musical numbers complete was the pit orchestra. Tucked away in the lower level of Eldred Hall, they worked hard to produce the music live. In addition, the technical crew’s

precise timing and attention to detail made the show flow seamlessly from one scene to the next. The costume and set designers also deserve recognition for their excellent work, as the props and costumes perfectly fit the time period of the show, transporting the audience back to 1920s Chicago. From Roxie and Velma’s vaudeville costumes to the background reporters with their handheld cameras, all were dressed to the theme.

All said, the CWRU Footlighters’ production of “Chicago” definitely deserved its acclaim and strong attendance. The seamless blend of sets, vocals and cast performances created an immersive audience experience and proved the dedication of CWRU’s student performers and production crew. And with the perfect venue, the Footlighters were able to deliver another top-notch performance, making us eager to see what they’ll be bringing us next year.

All that glitters is gold: “The Tudors” sparkle on at CMA

Elie Stenson Staff Writer

Swathed in velvet and dripping in diamonds, “The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England” sumptuously displays some of the most iconic combatants in the centuries-long battle for the British monarchy. This collection, born from a collaboration between the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, revisits the short and turbulent reign of the House of Tudor, whose legacy was a popular subject amongst European Renaissance artists. Through an assemblage of artifacts including full-length portraits, suits of armour, bejewelled cups, hidden watercolours and floor-to-ceiling length tapestries, “The Tudors” weaves a story of fantastic wealth, triumph and the ruinous consequences of desire.

The House of Tudor took the throne in 1485 with the crowning of King Henry VII, a Welsh native who garnered vast political support during the War of the Roses. Following his death in 1509, the sovereignty was bestowed upon his son, the infamous King Henry VIII. Remembered most chiefly for his unconventional approach to marital commitment, Henry VIII’s reign also saw the Protestant Reformation and subsequent formation of the Church of England, the strengthening of the British Navy and the extensive reworking of the country’s orally transcribed Constitution. Upon his death in 1547, the throne passed quickly between his three children: the ailing King Edward VI who ruled for six years before dying at the age of 15; Queen Mary I, whose violent and bloody struggle against Protestantism made her unpopular with the public; and finally Queen Elizabeth I, whose 45-year reign ushered in a period of great success for the nation.

“The Tudors” recounts the history of this exalted age with stunning visual narration. The Tudor regents were significant patrons of the fine arts, and they frequently used the medium to convey their accomplishments. The artistic conventions that they popularised were widely copied by high-status individuals connected to the court, creating a distinct iconographic canon that is now closely affiliated with the royal house. Perhaps the most recognisable example of this canon is the widely reproduced portrait of “Henry VIII” by Hans Holbein the Younger. The original painting was lost in a fire at Whitehall Castle, but many copies remain in circulation, including one likely created by Holbein’s studio around 1537

and loaned to “The Tudors” by the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. The image is immaculate, portraying Henry VIII as an irrefutable subject of power. His commanding frame is tailored with luxurious furs and fabrics flecked with gold and gems, he poses atop a Persian rug of the finest quality and the walls behind him are decorated with slabs of expensive stone. Paintings like these served as visual reminders of Henry VIII’s power as king of England and his right to rule as a man of incredible distinction, presence and natural aptitude.

Queen Elizabeth I, who achieved a level of fame that directly rivalled— if not surpassed—that of her notorious father, also relied upon art to distinguish herself as the ideal ruler. Many works in “The Tudors” celebrate Elizabeth I’s triumphs, but none so elegantly as “The Heneage Jewel” (ca. 1595-1600). The piece is a golden locket studded with diamonds, Burmese rubies and crystals featuring a carved profile of “The Virgin Queen” Elizabeth. It is likely that the miniature bust was awarded by Elizabeth I to a wealthy courtier who subsequently had it encased in the brilliant setting as a prideful display of the favor that they had received from the queen. Nearby in the exhibit is a vellum square elaborately decorated with metal threads, silk, seed pearls and glass beads to form an image of “Elizabeth I in a Garden” (c. 1590). It is complete with blushing roses in the background and curls of real human hair atop the queen’s head. The inventive nature of the piece, with its imaginative setting and impeccable craftsmanship, indicates that it may have been a prized gift given by a courtier to the queen herself.

Other essential figures in the story of the Tudor family make recurring appearances throughout the galleries. Queen Mary I, the devout Roman Catholic, was angered by her father’s separation from the Pope and attempted to reverse it when she was Queen. However, her rejection by the largely Protestant British population greatly impeded her efforts to reconcile with Rome. Nonetheless, her short rule is remembered in the “Design for Queen Mary I’s Great Seal,” drawn in Antwerp in 1553, which uses the powerful theme of Classical architecture to commemorate her as a steadfast, dependable regent.

Towards the end of the exhibit, the preparatory sketch and final portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger of Jane Seymour are hung side-by-side. This portrait, painted around 1536-7 of Henry VIII’s third wife and the mother of King Edward VI, is a fascinating study of the artist’s creative process. Depicted with striking realism, Queen Jane

is outfitted with the usual trappings of Tudor wealth, but her attitude appears reserved and demure in comparison with those of her royal in-laws, perhaps reflecting her position as a woman ushered into power rather than one born with it.

“The Tudors” is an extravagant affair of historic importance that presents the Tudor family as obsessed with the curated projection of power. The elegance of the exhibit is both awe-inspiring and overwhelming, emblematic of the

House of Tudor itself. Yet a sense of uncertainty lurks beneath the layers of opulence. It feels like a fear of competition, aversion and reckless abandon haunted the royal family in their campaign for historic preservation. “The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England” is on display in the Kelvin and Eleanor Smith Foundation Exhibition Hall until Sunday, May 14, and Case Western Reserve University undergraduates receive free admission.

This portrait of Queen Elizabeth I titled “The Rainbow Portrait” is one of the many art pieces currently on display in “The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England” collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Courtesy of The Cleveland Museum of Art

Here’s how to get the most out of your listen to Boygenius’ “The Record”

Kate Gordon Copy Editor

The first full-length album from inThe first full-length album from indie supergroup Boygenius, “The Record,” is set to become this year’s album of the summer. Despite having its fair share of sad songs, including its tearjerker ending “Letter to an Old Poet,” the album as a whole manages to still feel overwhelmingly upbeat. “The Record” is an ode to friendship, adventure and the lived experiences of three young, queer women who genuinely love one another.

Boygenius is composed of three indie rock/folk artists who have all already achieved success in their solo careers: Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers, although the latter is admittedly the biggest of the bunch with almost nine million monthly listeners on Spotify. In comparison, Dacus and Baker have around 1.5 million and 400,000 listeners, respectively. Despite the unequal popularity of their individual acts, the three seem to be pretty equal collaborators on “The Record.” Baker has the leading vocals on “$20,” “Satanist” and “Anti-Curse” while Dacus shines on “True Blue,” “Leonard Cohen” and “We’re in Love.” Both take a backseat as Bridgers brings her “Punisher”-esque melancholy to the forefront of “Emily I’m Sorry,” “Revolution 0” and “Letter to an Old Poet.” You can catch the voices of the remaining members in the group’s harmonies, and all three women share the spotlight equally on what is arguably the album’s strongest song—or perhaps just my favorite—ironically titled “Not Strong Enough.” Baker,

Dacus and Bridgers scream their hearts out and repeat the line “Always an angel, never a god” 12 times over until you too feel as if you’re “Drag racing through the canyon/Singing ‘Boys Don’t Cry.’”

However, the true genius of Boygenius lies in more than just the emotions their songs evoke. “The Record” is littered with references to both other musicians and to famous works of art and literature, something that is unsurprising considering how the trio met. Baker first formed a connection with Dacus in 2016 when she saw Dacus reading Henry James in the green room of a venue, and the two of them “became friends and developed mutual, unspoken crushes as they wrote each other lengthy correspondences online,” according to Pitchfork. A mere month later, Baker and Bridgers exchanged favorite poets and authors in an email thread of their own. Two years later, all three artists headed into the studio to record a single together. One song turned into six, and eventually Boygenius’ first album. The longer runtime of their second album finally gave the group the space they needed to truly explore their sound, and incorporate into their lyrics the art and artists who brought the three of them together in the first place.

It would be next to impossible to explain in-depth every single reference in the album, so here are the highlights. “$20” has two lines describing the famous Vietnam war protest photograph “Flower Power,” in which a protester places a carnation into the barrel of a soldier’s rifle. “Cool About It” is inspired by Simon & Garfunkel vocalist Paul Simon and interpolates the band’s “The Boxer” into its opening melody. “Not

Strong Enough” and its chorus takes its name from Sheryl Crow’s “Strong Enough”—Crow asks “Are you strong enough to be my man?” and Boygenius answers “I am/Not strong enough to be your man.” “Not Strong Enough” also names The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry” as the soundtrack to the group’s race through the canyon, cut short by Baker’s intrusive thought, “Do you see us getting scraped up off the pavement?/I don’t know why I am.”

“Revolution 0” sounds eerily similar to an Elliott Smith song, and references John Lennon’s pronunciation of “music” as “muzak” in his song “How Do You Sleep?” which critiques his former bandmate Paul McCartney. “Leonard Cohen” is about, obviously, singer and writer Leonard Cohen, and uses his refrain “There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Interestingly, parts of this line also appeared in two different songs on Lana Del Rey’s new release, “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.” If there’s another older artist heading for a sudden resurgence on TikTok, I’m betting it’s going to be Leonard Cohen.

The references round out with a mention of the biblical book “Ecclesiastes” in “Satanist” and a line from my favorite author Joan Didion in “Anti-Curse” that goes “Was anyone ever so young?” and hails from her essay “Slouching Towards Bethlehem.” Finally, the title of “Letter to an Old Poet” is slightly changed from Rainer Maria Rilke’s “Letters to a Young Poet,” one of Dacus’s favorite books. The song itself is a continuation of “Me & My Dog,” the standout hit from Boygenius’ last album. In “Me & My Dog,” Bridgers sings “I wanna hear one song without think-

ing of you/I wish I was on a spaceship/Just me and my dog and an impossible view.” In “Letter to an Old Poet,” it’s now “I’m ready to walk into my room without lookin’ for you/I’ll go up to the top of our building/And remember my dog when I see the full moon.”

Apart from these musical and literary references, there is still one more kind that takes up a significant amount of space on “The Record”: the personal ones. The titular “Emily” of “Emily I’m Sorry” is rumored to be Emily Bannon, a fellow vocal artist and voiceover actress who’s a former partner of Bridgers. On the track, Bridgers laments not being a better partner to her. And on “Leonard Cohen,” Dacus sings about another incident, the time Bridgers was so into the song “The Trapeze Swinger” by Iron and Wine that she missed their exit and added an entire hour onto the band’s drive. Bridgers’ bandmates were far from mad, however, Dacus again singing that “it gave us more time to embarrass ourselves/Telling stories we wouldn’t tell anybody else.”

The hidden meanings of “The Record” are so special because they’re more than just name drops or instances of the bandmates trying to look smarter than they are. Baker, Dacus and Bridgers are sharing their favorite books, songs and times spent together. It’s like being let into their secret club, even if only for the three or four minutes a song lasts. And while deciphering the messages they’ve left behind and listening to the band’s stories isn’t the same as actually experiencing Boygenius’ riotous, chaotic friendship for itself, it’s as close as any of us are ever going to get. I’ll take it.

All of the references you may have missed

“The Record” invites audiences into the intimate lives of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus (pictured, left to right) through meaningful lyrics that tell stories. Courtesy of Shervin Lainez

Fun

Tarun’s LOLs

What we’ve been listening to

Oklahoma City

Zach Bryan

Grace Johnson Move

Sol Seppy

Shifra Narasimhan

Storng Enough

Shreyl Crow

Kate Gordon

SUMO | ZUMO

Denzel Curry

Sara Khorshidi

hollywood sucks//

KennyHoopla, Travis Barker

Beau Bilinovich

Sweet Adeline

Elliot Smith

Clay Preusch

SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK

Galleons

Rachel Alexander

Beach Bummer

No Vacation

Tarun Sepuri

More Today Than Yesterday

The Spiral Staircase

Shreyas Banerjee

Therapy is Cool

Corey Kilgannon

Lexy Jensen

Horoscope

The signs as Shreyas' quirks

Goes on dates in Lake View Cemetary

Calls movies "pictures"

Walked 80 miles in three days by himself

Never sleeps, never eats

Went on campus tours for fun (role playing as a prospie)

Listened to 80,000 minutes of Beach Boys last year

Was part of a barbershop quartet

Knows way too much about CWRU history

Has a comic book "sickness"

Has questionable taste in women

Drinks too much milk

"Copacabana" is his short shower song (he times each step)

In honor of Shreyas day (4/8)

Tyler Vu/The Observer

Crossword

ACROSS

1 Fictional Looney Tunes corporation

5 Bean named for a South American capital

9 Title pig in a children's show

14 Neigh : horse ::

___ donkey

15 N.Y.S.E. events

16 Decorate

17 Bee storage centers

19 "Eat!"

20 Cat also called a dwarf leopard

21 That guy's

23 Portend

24 Made over, as a kitchen

25 Option in a "no

27 100-yard run, say strings attached"

relationship

29 Small bay

30 Buzz Lightyear and Woody, for two

33 Circle ratios

35 Field for an architect or an artist

38 Genre associated with black eyeliner

39 Football interception leading to a touchdown, colloquially

41 Langley-based spy grp.

42 Provokes

44 Affirmative vote

45 Big letters in

fashion

46 Dressed for bed, informally

48 "Here's a quick summary," in internet-speak

50 Stockings for athletes

53 "I'll have the ___" (unoriginal diner order)

57 On a boat, maybe

58 Accessory named for a snake

59 Reddish-brown shade

60 Playground places

62 "Oof, sorry to hear it"

64 Wetlands wader

65 Bone by the humerus

66 Cyber Monday event

67 "All set?"

68 Fly high

69 Did 70 in a 55 zone, e.g.

DOWN

1 Detest

2 Jim who sang "Time in a Bottle"

3 Like a lion, but not a lioness

4 Peeper protectors

5 Something made by Santa labeled "Naughty" or "Nice"

6 Hip, hoppy brew

7 Chocolaty coffee flavor

8 St. Francis' home

9 Embellish, as a résumé

10 Things to eat

11 Device for someone who's hopping mad?

12 LGBT ___ Month (June)

13 Building wing

18 Beloved film character who says "Size matters not"

22 Timekeeping device that doesn't work when it's cloudy

25 Stylish

26 Trebek of "Jeopardy!"

28 Publicist's output in the face of controversy

30 Peg for a golfer

31 "Holy wow!"

32 Who said "Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical"

34 "Why is the ___ blue?"

36 Tonic go-with

37 Negative vote

39 Daddy-o

40 Theater backdrops

43 Crept

45 Creator of Horton the Elephant and Yertle the Turtle

47 High-ranking justices' grp.

49 Charges for tipsy motorists, for short

50 Come to a point?

51 Part of a dictionary entry

52 Artist played by Salma Hayek in "Frida"

54 Open, as a pen

55 Commonly sprained joint

56 Used a surgical beam on

59 Leading actor or actress

61 Pig's pen

63 Santa ___, Calif.

EDITORIAL

The deteriorating state of CWRU residential housing: An urgent call for action

Editorial Board

Residential housing at Case Western Reserve University has always been less than ideal, with CWRU students often having maintenance problems in their aging living spaces. However, as the years have gone on, it seems like these problems have only worsened. Maintenance requests that were previously completed within a day are now taking nearly a week to fulfill despite their urgent nature.

As of recently, these recurring issues are starting to appear in older residential houses, particularly those on Southside. The Delta Gamma and Tri Sigma sorority houses have been experiencing problems with sewage floods in their basements and common areas. Maintenance has been inadequate, often taking several days to send the appropriate employees and tools to fix the issue. In the meantime, residents are unable to use their kitchen for fear of inhaling sewage fumes and are left with no choice but to throw out food exposed to the sewage in their pantries. On top of this, communication from the Office of Facilities Services was paltry, only communicating a timeline after residents pressed the employees for further information. Needless to say, updates on dangerous health hazards like sewage gas exposure in a residence hall should be clearly communicated to everyone living there.

Although we wish we could say these larger issues are limited to the older, more outdated residence halls, even the newer ones have their fair share of problems. Residents in The Village at 115th have also experienced issues with lack of communication from CWRU. Last year, Village Houses 5, 6 and 7 had their building-controlled heat turned on at the end of April for several days; the weather consisted of temperatures in the 80s, making the buildings broiling to the point of uninhabitability. However, it took several days before maintenance was able to turn it off and residents were given little to no information regarding the issue. More recently, the kitchen of an apartment on the first floor of Village House 2 flooded when a pipe could not be repaired. CWRU maintenance employees worked on the clogged sink for three days to no avail. Even though residents were informed that the issue was fixed, their kitchen sink filled up with dirty water and flooded the kitchen the next morning. The issue was finally solved by outside contractors after considerable time had passed.

And of course, there are the smaller things that have taken ages to fix. Those who are living in the South Residential Village (SRV), specifically the “Bottom of the Hill” residences, have reported that two out of their three washers have not been working for months. Furthermore, these buildings have also had

Closure at its core

Enya Eettickal Staff Writer

Have you had a conversation with a five-year-old recently? Well, as a babysitter for all my little cousins, I have. And let me tell you, it’s an experience every single time. Be-

consistent issues with keycard access this past year with no permanent solution in sight. Problems are not exclusive to SRV—in Storrs Residence Hall the roof of a common room collapsed, dripping for almost a month before CWRU maintenance repaired damages.

Slow repairs seems to be the result of multiple operational errors at CWRU. Primarily, CWRU maintenance appears to be massively understaffed. In fall 2022, for all the Property Management Apartments—which includes 1680, 1719, 1727, The Noble and Twin Gables—there were an estimated total of three maintenance employees for the entire complex, which is evidently not enough.

Although maintenance is a subsidiary of the Office of Facilities Services, they appear to be very independent from them and the Office of University Housing, illustrated by the lack of clear communication across the board.

In the end, the larger problem is the deteriorating buildings on campus. It seems it is not in the administration’s best interest to fix them due to the cost and commitments to other current university priorities, such as new residence halls and a new research building. The primary Northside and Southside residences were erected several decades ago and were compliant with Ohio building codes at the time of their installation. This means that CWRU does not have to update them unless their conditions are deemed “dangerous to life, health or safety.” Under Ohio building codes, any repair that is considered a substantial improvement means that the building will have to be updated to comply with current building codes, regardless of when the structure was built. Any repairs are considered substantial if they exceed 50% of the market value of the building before the repairs. If CWRU decides to fix a portion of water pipes in a building—which would be classified as a substantial project—the entire water pipe system would have to be updated to comply with current building codes.

Clearly, maintenance isn’t the problem here: It’s the deteriorating infrastructure of our existing housing that causes a need for increased maintenance requests. Until we can get to the root of these problems with outside contractors instead of barely fixing them at a surface level, these problems will only worsen until we are forced to start at square one. The university will once again have to scramble to find hundreds of students adequate housing.

In his address to USG two weeks ago, President Kaler claimed that students did not need to be concerned about the plan to increase the student population due to it being a proportionately small increase. Originally, the new residence halls in SRV were meant to replace the old, decaying buildings

but with President Kaler’s arrival and his mandate to increase the student population, all buildings will be used for the foreseeable future to accommodate this growth. What Kaler ignores is the reality that housing is already inadequate for the current student population and simply adding more will not help. The university’s plan to increase the student body without dealing with the preexisting problems first shows a complete lack of understanding of the student body’s needs.

President Kaler described many of the problems with first-year student housing as intentional choices meant to encourage students to leave their rooms. While someone not living in student housing might be able to look at it as a choice, for students who must live in it for two years it is not a choice and rather housing conditions they must accept. Perhaps if President Kaler had to live in student housing for a week, CWRU wouldn’t be so dismissive of the justified housing complaints students have.

The Case Western Reserve Observer

Established in 1969 by the undergraduate students of Case Western Reserve University

Shreyas Banerjee Executive Editor & Publisher

PRINT

Sara Khorshidi Director of Print

Grace Johnson News Editor

Joey Gonzalez Life Editor

Karuna Lakhiani Opinion Editor

Puneet Bansal Sports Editor

Beau Bilinovich Development Editor

Shivangi Nanda Copy Editor

Lexy Jensen Copy Editor

Rachel Alexander Copy Editor

Elie Aoun Copy Editor

Kate Gordon Copy Editor

DIGITAL MEDIA

Joce Ortiz Director of Digital Media

Sophia Popkin Social Media Editor

Clay Preusch Photo Editor

Shejuti Wahed Video Editor

Collin Wong Web Editor

DESIGN

Tarun Sepuri Director of Design

Shifra Narasimhan Layout Designer

Auden Koetters Layout Designer

Catherine Choi Layout Designer

Tyler Vu Graphic Designer

BUSINESS

Khushali Desai Director of Business Operations

Matthew Chang Business Manager

Ryan Chang Business Manager

The Case Western Reserve Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer reports news affecting students and provides an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are typically written by the opinion editor but reflect the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. Opinion columns are the views of their writers and not necessarily of The Observer staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer via e-mail at observer@case.edu.

tween their fantasies and nonsensical ramblings, hearing what’s on their minds is entertaining, to say the least. The difficult part, however, is when they stop telling stories and start asking questions. Every kid’s favorite question is, “why?”

Continue reading on page 10

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu. Letters can be mailed to Thwing Center 11111 Euclid Avenue, Suite 01, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. For policy and guidelines related to the submission of Letters to the Editor, refer to observer.case.edu/submit-a-letter.

The Observer is a proud member of CWRU’s University Media Board. Follow The Observer on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram @cwruobserver.

It’s time to let go

A kitchen drawer filled with dirty sink water as a result of a broken sink pipe in a Village House 2 suite. Rachel Alexander/The Observer

LETTING GO from page 9

No matter what the subject and regardless of how deep your explanation is, they always continue to ask why. I used to be annoyed by the routine of answering their unanswerable questions until I realized that I might not be so different, and neither are most adults or people our age. While we may not explicitly ask “why?” at every turn, the adult equivalent is looking for closure.

Before you read any further, I’d like to clarify one thing—closure is important and healthy. That being said, there’s a human tendency to stretch what we define closure as. That extended version of closure is more of a problem than a solution and is what I will examine in this article.

The Cambridge dictionary defines closure as “the feeling or act of bringing an unpleasant situation, time or experience to an end, so that you are able to start new activities.” People often look for closure when relationships, friendships, jobs or traumatic events come to an end. People want the details they didn’t get beforehand to try and see the whole picture; they want to know how certain circumstances played out and how certain decisions were made. And most importantly, they often want to know why: Why did someone leave; why did someone treat them poorly; why did someone switch their behavior. People want to know if it was something they did, or if it was beyond them. It’s a natural instinct to look for someone to hold accountable as a way of moving on.

That’s why closure is important. Living in the past and dwelling on past interactions and relationships keeps you from growing and forming new, healthier relationships. Getting answers to some of those questions are undoubtedly helpful in getting to a place where the past can peacefully stay in the past.

Furthermore, it’s just a miserable way to live—constantly haunted by what-ifs and questions of what you could’ve done differently.

The problem some people run into, specifically when seeking closure from someone else, is that they use closure to mask other intentions. First, some people say they’re looking for closure when, in reality, they’re really looking for reparations. They may want revenge, an apology or simply to lash out at the other person. The thing is, looking for closure means looking for answers as a means of ending an unpleasant situation. I can almost guarantee that hurting someone who hurt you is not ending any unpleasant feelings, and will only exacerbate the pain and guilt involved in the situation.

That can lead to the other misrepresentation of closure, which is extended interactions. This iteration of fake closure can also occur without the reparations stage. There are people who will use closure as an excuse to keep meeting and talking with the person who caused them pain or ended their relationship. If you keep having to call or text this person to determine what happened and why, you’re not truly looking for closure. You’re just prolonging what should be the last interaction so that it never has to end. It’s important to remember that we can be hurt by people who are not inherently evil or ill-intentioned. Sometimes, someone may simply want no contact for their own mental health or well-being, not because of who you are. And in this case, the person seeking “closure” may be denying the other person involved the right to separate from the relationship, and it’s disrespectful to any boundaries they’ve drawn.

Both reparations and extended interactions lead to the biggest problem with misrepresenting clo-

sure—forcing a bad ending. This is something I see particularly frequently when a healthy relationship ends and one of the people involved has a history of unhealthy relationships. Some individuals have a tough time accepting closure— meaning sensible answers and thorough explanations—because they would have to acknowledge the end of that relationship and have to move on.

If they haven’t had healthy relationships in the past, the idea of leaving a healthy relationship with a pleasant ending is a hard one to understand. They’ll sabotage the ending as a way of forcing themselves to move on. They’ll either cling till the other person has to get abrasive with them or develop negative feelings towards the person—at least until they feel like it’s toxic enough of an ending that they should run away.

On the other hand, if the person you’re seeking closure from is unhealthy or toxic, they may intentionally deny you of that—such as allowing or encouraging further interactions but not answering anything with clarity or sincerity. They may also try to blame you for why a relationship wasn’t working or force you to believe that you both need each other. Basically, they will do anything to inhibit the relationship from concluding.

There are clearly several ways that closure can go wrong. So, what’s the solution? Simply, we just have to go back to the actual definition of closure and remember what exactly we are looking for and why. When you remember that closure is about finality and ending a chapter, it’s easier to spot when someone else is trying to prevent that, and it becomes harder to meet with someone with closure as the justification repeatedly. Remembering that closure is about peace and moving on is a

Working against the demands of a fast-paced world

Beau Bilinovich Development Editor

The final few weeks after returning from spring break are always the hardest: assignments pile up, exams wreck havoc on sleep schedules, registering for classes for next semester becomes a constant worry. No matter what we do, it seems like there is never enough time to finish everything. Life temporarily speeds up, and it can leave some of us behind, leaving a cruel feeling that can damage self-esteem.

Outside of the classroom, stress related to expectations and meeting deadlines does not go away. Whether it be work, family, friends or general societal expectations of where someone should be at a certain age, finding time to just breathe seems pointless— relax for one second, and you might find yourself weeks behind.

It is no surprise, then, that college students report exceedingly high levels of stress. In a psychological survey of 980 college students, 88% reported school life is stressful. Exams, as we can imagine, were the top stressor, with financial concerns coming in second. Juggling all of this stress is challenging. The demands of a fast-paced world getting even faster takes a toll on our mental health. Such expectations have left nearly three-quarters of college students in moderate to severe psychological distress, increas-

ing the need for school mental health resources.

Our lives don’t have to be this way. Though getting back on track might seem insurmountable from afar, there are steps we can take to reduce the stress we are experiencing.

First, we need to let go of the tendency to blame ourselves.

Intensive demands are not any single person’s fault. Technology has progressed in such a way that we are expected to do, learn and say more.

Communication is now instantaneous; we can immediately talk to our closest friends and family members, including those who might be hundreds of miles away, instead of having to wait the weeks, months or years it would take before the invention of modern technology. The internet itself has endowed us with endless sources of knowledge that would have seemed like pure fantasy before its invention.

This constant flow of information overwhelms us and overstimulates us. We might find ourselves pulled into new trends on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram or engaging in an endless debate with others online. Social media platforms were designed specifically to keep users engaged; social features such as liking and commenting on posts keep us coming back, often to our own detriment.

These platforms are not inherently bad; however, if they are a major stressor in your life and constantly

overwhelm you, it might be time to reconsider how you use them. Commit yourself to using social media for only a set amount of time each day, or even getting rid of certain accounts if they are of no value anymore. Your health matters more than any trend or the persistent rush of news, so take care of it.

But the chaotic nature of social media is only one component of stress. We still have school and work to deal with.

If education has become a significant stressor, then take some time to reflect on what is important to you. Is working around your schedule an issue? If so, consider writing down all of the assignments that need to be completed for the week. Slowly, each day, work at one or a few and cross them off the list. This way, you can see the progress you’re making, and you don’t have to go through the hassle of worrying about what needs to be completed.

Is your workload too much? Are you taking too many classes? Problems like these can be pervasive for students across all majors. Don’t feel the need to take on more than you can handle. You can only deal with so much. In some cases, it might be worth it to withdraw from a class if you can’t find the energy to keep up, but don’t make this decision without talking to your academic advisor or navigator first. Dropping a class is a

great way to check yourself when considering revenge or lashing out.

However, the biggest thing you can take away from the definition of closure is that it does not mention anything about a second party. The harsh truth is that no one owes you closure, and honestly, no one else can give it to you. They can answer all your questions or give you all the explanations in the world, but if you’re simply unsatisfied with the response, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get closure. Continually seeking closure from someone else is proof of that. If you don’t like the answer to “why,” reasking it won’t get you a different answer the next time. If you take revenge on someone, you may have caused them to feel something, but that doesn’t resolve or heal any of the hurt that you’ve had. The reality is that the only person who can give you closure is yourself. Closure is a feeling more than it is anything else. Certain acts can lead to closure; other people can help you find it, but you have to choose it for yourself at the end of the day. You have to decide to move on, find answers that make sense to you and think about situations until a reason registers for you. You, ultimately, have to choose to let go.

So, when kids ask, “why?” I just answer, “because that’s how it is” or “because I feel that way.” And while that may not satisfy them at the time, I’m hopeful that they’ll eventually understand and accept those realities as they grow and develop, learning to navigate the world. I’m hopeful because those answers have been given to me over the years as an anxious high schooler and overthinking college kid. And while it didn’t make sense at the time, as I’m learning to give myself closure, those answers are starting to be a source of peace instead of confusion.

significant change, but it doesn’t make you or anyone else a failure. Ideally, your education should be enriching, not draining, so if you need to let go, make the decision that benefits your health. Chances are your professor will understand.

Not everything is within our control; we cannot control the amount of work we are assigned or the expectations of our professors. But we do have control over how we respond and what we value—and there are countless resources available to help us figure that out. Make an appointment with University Health and Counseling Services through MyHealthConnect. Seek support from friends and family. Disability Resources is always open for students who require accommodations. Reach out to those who want to help you and see you succeed, and don’t be afraid to talk to your professors. Many of them were once in your shoes and understand the struggles of college and daily life.

Regardless of who you are or your position in life, be proud that you made it this far. There is strength in persisting despite the bumps you encounter on the road. Sometimes those bumps can seem like mountains, but all that means is that your journey will take a little bit longer. Eventually, you’ll get to the end. All you need to do is accomplish something small each day and consider what matters most to you. You got this.

CWRU spring admission: Not worth the wait

Rebecca Warber Contributing Writer

In early April of my senior year of high school, I received what was, at the time, an exciting offer of belated spring admission to Case Western Reserve University. The acceptance letter saved me from having to attend a state school with the majority of my high school class, an alternative I’m now regretting after having spent half a semester here. My experiences thus far have been discouraging, not because of the school itself, but because the late start has defined virtually everything about my college experience. CWRU is one of a handful of schools known for offering students spring admission. Unfortunately, this process does not seem to be executed well—or as well as it could be.

Enrolling for the spring semester instead of the fall means taking an involuntary gap semester that, for many, is not as enjoyable as it may sound. While peers were discussing dorm decor and potential roommates during the spring and summer months, some spring admits had yet to receive their acceptances. However, those who already knew their enrollment status were living vicariously through their fu-

ture classmates and were more concerned about how they would spend their fall semester rather than planning for a long-off arrival to college. Many, myself included, took community college courses—though this process was made unnecessarily complicated. CWRU limits transfer credits to eight credit hours for students who take classes prior to matriculation, which is approximately equivalent to two courses. However, some students who spoke with staff members of Undergraduate Admission were told that CWRU accepts an unlimited number of credits, which has created much confusion. In addition to this limit on accepted credit hours, or lack thereof, it is not uncommon for CWRU to deny transfer credit requests. For students who are already taking the courses, this means effort and money wasted.

CWRU’s 150 spring admits arrived on campus on Jan. 11. Other students returned from winter break a few days later, just before classes started on Jan. 17. With many spring admits living in the same few buildings and being enrolled in similar courses, socializing was fairly limited to those who had also started in the spring, creating a sort of disconnect with other students. Difficulties branching out, however, took a backseat to budding concerns about

course enrollment for future semesters. CWRU has prescribed lists of courses for students interested in a variety of majors and pre-professional tracks, though these outlines are designed for fall admits. Spring admits are faced with having to take courses in semesters when they are not offered, making it incredibly difficult to enroll in the necessary classes.

Furthermore, there is the question of whether students want to graduate in three and a half years or four. For pre-professional students, graduating in the traditional four years means taking another gap semester before starting any additional schooling. If one hopes to finish their undergraduate in three and a half years, there is the added pressure of finishing all prerequisites for the given school.

These problems are made worse by the general lack of support for spring admits. The program appears to lack structure and oversight, which not only creates a myriad of problems for students but also leaves them without tools to solve these problems.

For any first-year college student finding internships or research opportunities can be difficult. Being a spring admit, however, makes obtaining these opportunities increas-

ingly difficult. Most positions are already full since it’s the middle of the academic year. The few positions still available are challenging to find without knowing enough students who are employed in similar positions.

CWRU is a top university for many because of its highly ranked academic programs and proximity to various well-known institutions— such as Cleveland Clinic or University Hospitals. It is difficult for spring admits to experience the full extent of what CWRU has to offer, though. These problems can be rectified by implementing a clear-cut structure for the program and providing students with specific recommendations and resources to promote success. Specific changes may include adding rough course outlines for spring admits, especially regarding what courses are available to take during their first spring semester, and parameters for accepting transfer credits. As someone who struggled to decide which courses would be the most beneficial to take during the gap semester, CWRU could also provide students with more recommendations. While these may seem like small changes, they can make what is a somewhat unconventional transition to college exponentially easier and, ideally, worth the wait.

The post-pandemic existence: Are we ready for it?

Aambar Agarwal Social Media Manager

If the maskless and much-envied crowds at Taylor Swift’s concerts are any indication, COVID-19 has left the building. But then again, Swifties would risk the plague to watch her sing. In bustling airports, restaurants and arenas, there is barely a mask in sight. Has COVID-19 been consigned to oblivion? The White House announced on Jan. 30, 2023 that the COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency (PHE) declarations would expire on May 11. Does this imply the demise of COVID-19? Do we revert to our prepandemic ways? According to data and experts, not so fast.

The end of the PHE and COVID-19 emergency simply signifies the end of using a set of technical tools and flexibilities set up to manage the healthcare crisis brought on by COVID-19, according to White House COVID Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha. While effective and patient-centric care remains a top priority, significant changes to payments for COVID-19 services and a return to a more regulatory healthcare format will be implemented after May 11. For most of us, this means no more free at-home COVID-19 tests and the end of cost-sharing; insurance companies and patients will foot the bill for therapeutics and testing services. And contingent on the transmission rate, required masking in healthcare settings might still be required, as indicated by Dr. Jha.

Then, there’s the small matter of data stating the obvious: COVID-19 is very much still circulating, albeit not at the previous rates. CDC’s COVID-19 data tracker reported the current seven-day average of COVID-19 deaths as 228 people, which is down from the last seven-day average of 323. Recent COVID-related seven-day average hospitalizations (March 22-28) stand at 2,370, down from the previous 7-day average of 2,501. There’s a 9.2% reduction in reported new positive cases in the

country, with the seven-day weekly average being 19,999 cases as of March 29. Furthermore, CDC data for Cuyahoga County states that the transmission levels are low, with the case rate per 100,000 individuals at 66.47. However, if COVID-19 is here to stay, how can we keep the vulnerable, immunocompromised and elderly safe? How do we mitigate the risk of long COVID? What behaviors need to become commonplace? Our post-pandemic reality warrants new regulations, legislation, conventions and sustained efforts to prevent widespread infection.

Besides federal and state policies, along with the funding of testing, research, vaccines and therapeutics, the focus must also be helping patients with long COVID. Several institutions are conducting research studies on long COVID sufferers, including Cleveland’s University Hospitals. But the government also needs to legislate on disability and healthcare impacts for the long haulers. Moreover, COVID-19 wastewater surveillance needs to be further funded and developed, along with the data continued to be studied. This data can help provide an early warning system of community spread, regardless of testing or reporting.

Another important aspect that needs to be addressed is air quality in high-density public spaces. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)—an independent body that sets indoor air quality standards—will soon release new measures in response. Many states and institutions will then accordingly upgrade their systems in order to meet the new air quality standards. This is crucial to reducing viral transmission of respiratory illnesses in closed spaces; we must allocate resources for the upgrades.

Lastly, we shouldn’t overlook efforts to prevent COVID-19 infection through our daily behaviors. Conveniently situated hand sanitizers should be a part of the landscape, as well as Zoom calls and work-fromhome options for immunocompro-

mised and COVID-positive employees. Mask-friendly spaces and attitudes are an absolute requirement to be able to conduct our lives harmoniously. Heckling and mocking mask wearers is an abomination that has no place in a civil society. And ultimately,

taking personal responsibility when ill is crucial; masking and isolating are the best things to do in order to stop the virus from spreading.

COVID-19 is now a part of the infectious disease topography and we cannot simply “shake it off.”

HOLI 2023

The Festival of Colors

Saturday, April 15 | 1-4 pm | Freiberger Field

Cavs clinch first playoff spot since 2018

Tanishka Mhaskar Staff Writer

The Cleveland Cavaliers are on a roll. They’ve won seven of their last ten games, and clinched a playoff berth and home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They’ve also notched their first 50-win season since LeBron James’ departure. Star guard Donovan Mitchell is playing the best ball of his career, recording four consecutive 40-point games. His stats from the Cavs’ last four games speak for themselves. Versus the Hawks, Mitchell recorded 44 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. Versus the Knicks, he had 42 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds. Against the Pacers, it was 40 points, 1 assist and 6 rebounds. And finally, against Orlando Magic, Mitchell racked up 43 points, 4 assists and 5 rebounds.

The big story is not the Cavs winning games—they’ve been doing that all year. For the first time since James left, Cleveland will be favored in a playoff series. Last year, they took a step forward, making the play-in before losing to the Atlanta Hawks. This year, they’re likely to be favored in the first round.

The trade that brought Mitchell to Cleveland is one of the key reasons for the Cavs’ surge from a good team to one of the best in the Eastern Conference. Mitchell has not only elevated their offense but also made things easier on their defense.

It’s not just Mitchell’s brilliance that has put the Cavs in this position. Cleveland has built a young, elite core surrounding Mitchell with center Jarrett Allen, All-Star guard Darius Garland, forward Isaac Okoro and former 2022 Rookie of the Year “snub” forward Evan Mobley. The NBA is a fluid league, with superstars switching teams almost on whims. There was initial concern that trading for Mitchell would lead to increased malcontent with Garland, but instead, Garland has embraced his new teammate.

Softball

(19-2, 5-2 UAA)

“It’s really important having a guy his caliber come in and try to help this team get over the hump, make the next push,”Garland said. “It means a lot to all of us. It’s super cool just to have another guy like him, to be honest with you. So I take pride in it, just trying to make him feel comfortable coming to a new situation like this, something totally different than Utah.”

Coach J.B. Bickerstaff echoed praise

for Garland, saying “He could have continued through the year to feel some kind of way about Donovan’s shots, Donovan’s attention, Donovan’s successes. But he never once had any concern, any issue with that. All he’s ever done is support, and I think that speaks to who he is as a person and as a teammate.”

The camaraderie in the Cavs locker room has obviously translated to their

play on the court. With two games left, the Cavs have an outside chance of becoming the three seed, as the Philadelphia 76ers are two games ahead. No matter what happens in the last two games and into the playoffs, at least fans can rest assured knowing that the team has had their best run in years, and that they have a solid lineup for their next. And, of course, they’ll have fun watching the Cavs play, too.

CWRU vs WashU (3/30) - W 3-2

CWRU vs WashU (4/1)

Scores and Upcoming Games Baseball

Track & Field

CWRU at Marv Frye Invitational (4/8)

Men’s Tennis

CWRU vs Denison (3/31) - W 7-2

CWRU vs Wis.-Eau Claire (4/7)

CWRU at Lake Forest (4/7)

CWRU vs Wis.-Whitewater (4/8)

CWRU at North Central (4/8)

CWRU at Bison Outdoor Classic (4/14 -15)

CWRU at Outdoor All-Ohio Championships (4/15) CWRU at UAA Outdoor Championships (4/22-23)

- L 9-0

CWRU vs Emory (4/1) - L 11-1

CWRU vs Emory (4/2) - L 8-7

CWRU vs Emory (4/2) - W 7-4

CWRU at Wooster (4/6)

CWRU vs Mount Union (4/8)

CWRU vs Denison (4/9)

Women’s Tennis

Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points in the Cavs’ last game against Orlando Magic, scoring over 40 in their last four. Courtesy of John Raoux/Associated Press