MISSISSIPPIAN THE Daily
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Wi-Fi issues impact student and staff performance
MARY EVANS
thedmnews@gmail.com
Ten years ago, the University of Mississippi ranked No. 5 among the nation’s flagship universities for internet upload speeds, according to a 2014 survey by The Huffington Post.
While UM’s current ranking is unavailable, anecdotal evidence from students and faculty points to a decline in network reliability and their ability to consistently connect.
Razavier Davis, a junior psychology major, has had Wi-Fi difficulties both in class and in his former on-campus home, Campus Walk.
“Ole Miss needs to fix the Campus Walk (WiFi),” Davis said. “The router is way too far. I had to go an entire year having very bad internet, and I could barely do my homework (on) time.”
On campus, Davis noted that he experienced the most trouble in the student union, especially on the first floor. “I was kicked out of my (online) tests be-
Oxford shoppers struggle to afford higher grocery prices
Mississippi has the highest grocery tax in the nation at 7%. Coupled with inflation, this combination leads to high grocery prices. A shopper bags items at the self-checkout in Walmart on Oct. 2.
JORJA CARTER thedmnews@gmail.com
University of Mississippi students and Oxford residents are struggling to keep up with high grocery prices.
Mississippi has the highest grocery tax rate in the United States at 7% and is one of only 13 states to levy a grocery tax, according to Mississippi Today.
The price of groceries in the
The booming business of going blonde
OLIVIA QUIN thedmnews@gmail.com
At noon on Thursday before the 2024 Double Decker weekend, every chair at Oxford’s La Rousse Salon & Spa was filled. On that day, more than 40 clients walked into the salon looking for one thing: blonde touch ups.
La Rousse is just one of the 22 salons in Oxford that offer coloring and bleaching services. According to a 2024 GITNUX Market Date
report, 51% of salons say that blonde is their most requested color. At La Rousse, that number jumps to 75%.
Emily Prins, manager of La Rousse, said that most of the blonde clientele is ages 15-25.
“At least 90% of the college students who come to our salon request lightening services to achieve a blonde hair color, from baby-lights to full-head bleach treatment,” Prins said.
Achieving the perfect shade of blonde can take a significant investment of time and money.
United States is up 3.2% from 2023, according to the Consumer Price Index. Prices were also up 0.3% from July to August; data for September 2024 will be released on Oct. 10.
Katie Jadin, a UM sophomore from Wisconsin, compared her grocery shopping experience in Mississippi with her home state, where most groceries are exempt from sales tax.
“There is a noticeable difference
between the prices in Oxford versus at home, especially when purchasing items such as fruits and vegetables,” Jadin said. “Back at home, these items are fairly priced.”
Jadin said the price difference has affected how she shops for groceries.
“Since things like the fruits and vegetables are outrageous-
The cost of being blonde is rising nationally, according to the Washington Post. Initial bleaching and dying sessions range from $100 to $500, depending on salon, hair condition and shade of blonde. Touch ups are needed every four to eight weeks and range from $100 to $300 per session. This demand for blonde treatment has led many salons like La Rousse to hire “blonde specialists,” who
SEE BLONDE PAGE 4
Blonde specialists perform lightening treatments on two UM students.
PHOTO COURTESY: OLIVIA QUIN
CHRISTIAN TOLLIVER / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
GRAPHIC: HALEY REED / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
from page 1
cause of the Wi-Fi. I almost flunked because I didn’t finish it. It’s hard to believe that they expect us to do our work when they don’t give us the Wi-Fi to do the work,” Davis said.
Some students, such as senior legal studies major Diamond Veales, have stopped using the Wi-Fi altogether.
“I have trouble loading the apps that I need for classes, like Blackboard, or just getting online in general (on the Wi-Fi),” Veales said. “It’s more convenient to use my own hotspot. … I haven’t even tried the school Wi-Fi in (two) years.”
Not all students have experienced issues.
Ella Procter, a freshman electrical engineering major, said her computer typically connects without problems; however, she also said her phone does not connect to the Wi-Fi, causing her to use her cellular data instead.
Professors are also feeling the strain of Wi-Fi problems.
Professor of Spanish and linguistics Felice Coles has experienced connectivity problems in her office in Bondurant Hall for many years.
“(My computer) will slow down and then occasionally it just won’t come
loading material and even moving to different areas such as Weir Hall. Coles says that while the Wi-Fi does not operate perfectly, she remains optimistic about how the university will handle it.
“I think IT is doing the
“I was kicked out of my (online) tests because of the Wi-Fi. I almost flunked because I didn’t finish it. It’s hard to believe that they expect us to do our work when they don’t give us the Wi-Fi to do the work.”
- Razavier Davis junior psychology major
Lei Zhong, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, said she has not experienced any Wi-Fi problems. Zhong teaches in the new Duff Center, and her office is located in Hume.
“I connect to the school Wi-Fi, and I don’t have any problems,” Zhong said.
The University of Mississippi’s Office of Information Technology (IT) Department and Telecommunications Services have been working to address the ongoing Wi-Fi challenges. Director of Telecommunications Michele Patton said the university had been monitoring the Wi-Fi infrastructure for issues while taking on a campus-wide update.
service choices, upgraded server network connections from 1 GBps to 10 GBps.
Patton said the IT department noticed an increase in the number of devices on the campus networks this semester, which may be contributing to the issues. However, this was anticipated during the 2020 upgrade planning.
In response to specific problem areas, the IT department has increased the number of wireless access points in places like the student union.
“The IT department constantly evaluates the different areas on campus and looks for opportunities to improve those areas where needed,” Patton said.
on no matter what you try to connect,” Coles said.
Coles says that this forces her to resort to other teaching methods, such as down-
best they can. There’s a very small team of them and a lot of things they can’t control, like the integrity of the building,” Coles said.
“Our team began planning a campus-wide Wi-Fi upgrade in the Fall of 2020. ... The upgrade work began in the summer of 2022 in academic and administrative spaces,” Patton said. “Residence halls were upgraded in the summer of 2023. ... With any major change in technology comes the possibility for outlying issues.”
The upgrade includes new firewall services, wired connections for wireless access points, expanded wireless
The UM IT and Telecommunications departments encourage students and staff to report any WiFi issues they encounter so they can be fixed quickly.
“The campus Wi-Fi infrastructure is constantly being monitored for effectiveness and reliability,” Patton said. “Of course, with the size and scale of the university, and the unpredictable nature of technology, the possibility of isolated Wi-Fi issues does exist.”
FAFSA opening date delayed again this year
Changes to FAFSA last year caused problems for students and the University of Mississippi Office of Financial Aid
AVA
ROSETTI thedmnews@gmail.com
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid will once again be pushed back to an early December release date — two months later than the typical Oct. 1 date — due to issues stemming from last year’s cycle.
Last year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid was delayed until late December 2023, which left a number of University of Mississippi students concerned about the processing of their scholarship money and financial aid packages.
The delays were related to the FAFSA Simplification Act, which was designed to make the process of applying for federal student aid easier by introducing a new streamlined application platform. It also created the new FAFSA Student Aid Index, which is a formula based index number that is used by schools to determine how much aid a student may need.
However, the changes resulted in glitches in the system as well as a delay in the application’s opening.
Laura Diven-Brown, the director of financial aid at the University of Mississippi, explained that federal aid is the largest source of aid for most families at Ole Miss. She said that an estimated half of UM students receive aid and loans every year.
“We wanted to make sure before we sent our first financial aid packages, which were delayed too, that we were checking everything and that we understood the new FAFSA formulas and any changes were accurate,” Laura Diven-Brown said of last year’s application cycle.
Kendal Bankston, a senior
psychology major, was among the students whose FAFSA process was delayed. Her FAFSA was not processed and finalized until late spring of 2024.
“It was definitely a long drawn out process for me. It was a nightmare, actually,” Bankston said.
After she was finally able to fill out the application in December, Bankston began receiving error messages in early spring 2024 about her parents’ income information due to her father being self-employed.
Bankston explained that she and her family had to go through a verification process that checked their information and documents, which led to them resubmitting the parental income information section of the application.
Bankston said another reason for the delay on her application was FAFSA changing a section of the application for students who have other siblings that are also attending college. She had to resubmit this section of the application as well.
Bankston contacted FAFSA via email, but these issues were not resolved. She eventually went into the Ole Miss Financial Aid office after receiving more error messages.
“I was extremely worried that all of the information was going to be processed wrong and I wasn’t going to get what I needed from FAFSA. Getting in touch with the company was basically impossible,” Bankston said.
Bankston finally finalized her financial plan when she went to the UM Financial Aid office.
“It is really hard to create a financial plan for families if we do not have the federal applica-
tion back,” Diven-Brown said.
Due to the FAFSA delays, the Financial Aid Department could not begin processing the data from the applications until February.
“I think everyone was scrambling from the financial aid side, (from) the student and families side to even the Department of Education side, just trying to get all the pieces in place and be able to give people good information. You need information to make a decision,” Diven-Brown said.
Diven-Brown said that families of new and prospective students were trying to make decisions about their college plans without hearing back from FAFSA. She explained that with little-to-no information back from FAFSA, it would be hard to make a decision based on cost.
“The delay of the FAFSA was honestly really nerve wracking,” sophomore biological sciences major Baillie Pettis said “(My parents and I) try to stay on top of it so that we know it’s completed.”
Pettis said she tries to complete her FAFSA application
as soon as they open each cycle, but due to the delays, she could not fill it out until the end of December. Her FAFSA was not processed and finalized until June 12, 2024.
Like Bankston, Pettis said that Diven-Brown’s department was helpful in guiding her family through FAFSA issues.
“Although this was a messy situation, it gave us an opportunity to talk to families about what all of their options were. At least we were able to begin to explore costs, expectations and hopes with funding,” Diven-Brown said.
Diven-Brown believes that communication was the most important part of the difficult process.
“Our school really jumped on this when we finally got FAFSA data in February,” Diven-Brown said. “Our office was meeting regularly to make sure everything was correct. But we held firm until we felt more confident with putting the information out for the students.”
According to the U.S. News and World Report, the FAF-
SA delays have extended to the 2025-2026 academic year, as applications will open as late as Dec. 1. Diven-Brown said that FAFSA might be opening the application for certain “test schools,” which will be able to give instant feedback about the new experience, between October and December..
Diven-Brown believes that if the issues with the FAFSA application are solved, the new application will be an easy experience for students and families.
“The goal is to make this application easy and not a barrier so that people can apply for aid. I’m hoping in the future that happens because this is rockier than we all thought it would be,” Diven-Brown said.
Diven-Brown is hopeful for the process and outcome of the 2025 FAFSA application.
“I’m hoping that we are going to see the delays and errors diminish significantly this time around,” Diven-Brown said. “I don’t believe everything will be fixed, but over the course of the year I think some things will start to come back together.”
from page 1
ly priced, I can’t get as many groceries,” Jadin said. “The grocery tax has noticeably affected my grocery shopping.”
Mary Allen Anderson, a sophomore biology major from Olive Branch, Miss., explained her frustrations with shopping for groceries in a college town.
“It is honestly ridiculous, even more so in a college town,” Anderson said. “College students are already trying to afford school, so it’s upsetting when I go to Kroger for a few meals like ramen and Kraft Mac and Cheese for almost $100 when it will barely last me two weeks.”
Oxford resident Michelle Wigely was unaware of how high the grocery tax was in comparison to the rest of the nation.
“I have always lived in Mis-
sissippi, and just like everywhere, the price of groceries has gone up, but I had no idea we had the highest grocery tax in the country,” Wigely said. “It’s unfortunate that the poorest state in the country has the highest grocery tax.”
Laura Pharis, another Oxford resident, has also been feeling the effects of high prices.
“There’s five of us in the family, and I know it’s about $600 at least for all of us (every two weeks). Then there’s school and lunches. I can’t afford to make them anymore,” Pharis said. “I’ve been spending about $100 (more per month).”
Pharis has changed some of her shopping habits in response to the grocery prices by buying more from Larson’s Cash Saver, rather than Kroger.
Lily Crowder, a sophomore accounting major from Ordell, N.J., is a volunteer at Grove Grocery, the UM food pan-
try. She said demand for food at the pantry has increased.
“We’ve had to put a limit on it. You used to be able to take as much as you wanted,” Crowder said.
Those who utilize the resources of Grove Grocery are now limited to taking 200 ounces of food per visit.
Despite the limit, Grove Grocery still struggles with keeping up its supply, which gets restocked every Sunday.
“We’re barely stocked right now. The day we stock up, we have an influx of everyone come in, xand then it looks like that,” Crowder said.”
Located in Kinard Hall room 213, Grove Grocery offers groceries, toiletries and cleaning products to all Ole Miss students, faculty and staff on Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They also take online orders which can be placed at grovegrocery.olemiss.edu.
New job blues: working students face learning curve in Oxford
JILLIAN RUSSELL thedmnews@gmail.com
Apprehensive facial expressions. Rough plate delivery. Triple checking your latte order. A longer wait than usual. Noticing all the above? This is more than likely a new hire experiencing the new job blues.
As the Oxford population climbs to 27,509 residents, many new faces have surfaced at local storefronts. Though college students are no strangers to learning environments, they often find that new jobs come with a distinct learning curve.
Brooklyn Cardwell, a sophomore radiology student, is
“When you’re working in a new environment, your head is everywhere but on what you should be doing. It’s like I should know this, but I don’t. I have common sense, but I’ve never worked in a coffee shop before. So I don’t understand (how) I need to make a new cold brew.”
- Brooklyn Cardwell sophomore radiology major
about one month into her barista job at a local coffee shop and has held jobs since high school to earn spending money.
“When you’re working in a new environment, your head is everywhere but on what you should be doing. It’s like I should know this, but I don’t,” Cardwell said. “I have common sense, but I’ve never worked in a coffee shop before. So I don’t understand (how) I need to make a new cold brew.”
Sophomore psychology major Sidney Nguyen is three weeks into her hostess position at a local restaurant in Oxford and has also struggled to adjust to her new job.
“Sometimes I think it would be nice to go cry in the walk-in (freezer),” Nguyen said. “But I just keep going because I have a job to do.”
Nguyen feels the pressure in providing customer service to a local base.
“Where I work, the customers are important, local and return often, so I personally feel more pressure serving these people when I’m running food or picking up plates because how I do this very simple thing will affect how they see their regular restaurant,” Nguyen said.
As the cost of living ris-
“Sometimes I think it would be nice to go cry in the walk-in (freezer). But I just keep going because I have a job to do.”
es, many students find themselves needing to work but struggling to secure jobs without a recommendation Wendy Ramirez, a senior journalism major, has applied for four jobs in Oxford without any luck. Ramirez lives and works in Ripley, Miss., and commutes to Oxford twice a week for class.
“It has been difficult to find work in Oxford because everyone is searching at the same time,” Ramirez said. “Only so many people can get hired for a company. They can’t take everyone. Many students, like me, are applying to parttime jobs that fit around our school schedule, and most jobs can’t work around it.”
Not only are students ad-
justing to new jobs, but new businesses are also experiencing the fluctuating seasons of Oxford for the first time.
After visiting Oxford as parents, Nashville, Tenn., natives Todd McKoy and his wife Shauna decided to bid on a storefront space. The Donut Distillery, which reached its six-month anniversary in September, anticipates a busy season this fall. McKoy enjoys helping students to learn and grow into more responsibility on the job.
“The whole process of hiring college students is unique because as soon as you get someone trained and someone does well, they might graduate. The challenge is trying to work with college kids but also trying to run a business.”
KHARLEY REDMON editor-in-chief dmeditor@gmail.com
CLAY HALE managing editor dmmanaging@gmail.com
CAROLINE MCCUTCHEN copy chief thedmcopy@gmail.com
CAMERON LARKIN news editor thedmnews@gmail.com
MARY EVANS assistant news editor thedmnews@gmail.com
JUSTICE ROSE opinion editor thedmopinion@gmail.com
CLAIRE REYNOLDS arts and culture editor thedmfeatures@gmail.com
SYDNEY STEPP assistant arts and culture editor thedmfeatures@gmail.com
TEDDY KING sports editor thedmsports@gmail.com
RUSS EDDINS assistant sports editor thedmsports@gmail.com
ASHLYNN PAYNE design editor thedmdesign@gmail.com
ERIN FOLEY assistant design editor thedmdesign@gmail.com
ASHTON SUMMERS photo editor thedmphotos@gmail.com
ANTONELLA RESCIGNO assistant photo editor thedmphotos@gmail.com
AVERY THOMAS
RHEAGAN SKELTON social media managers thedmsocialmedia@gmail.com
WATSON LEE multimedia editor dailymissmedia@gmail.com
HAILEY AUSTIN online editor thedmonline@gmail.com
JAYLYNN CONNER assistant editor
S. Gale denley student media center
LARZ ROBERTS Director of Student Media
DENNIS MOORE Editorial Director
ROY FROSTENSON Assistant Director/Advertising
DYLAN SHEU Advertising Sales Manager dmads@olemiss.edu
SALES ACCOUNT
EXECUTIVES Kendall Scott
Prices displayed for Hot Pockets on sale at Kroger on Sept. 25.
PHOTO: REAGAN COHN / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
- Sidney Nguyen sophomore psychology major
SAA wakes up students with free teas
STELLA SAVELL
thedmnews@gmail.com
Students eagerly lined up from the Union Plaza to Barnard Observatory on Wednesday for free loaded tea.
The Student Activities Association hosted its annual “Wakeup Wednesday” with a tent providing the beverages for UM students 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Oct. 2. The Tea, a popular loaded tea truck on campus, supplied SAA with its tea-making supplies.
Leilani Williams, a sophomore integrated marketing communications major, said she was a lastminute attendee of the event.
“Usually I would just go home, but I saw everyone here so I just jumped in line,” Williams said.
Cameron Smith, a freshman exercise science major, attended SAA’s silent disco in August and was excited to attend another event. While she does not consider herself an avid caffeine drinker, Smith en-
BLONDE
continued from page 1
specifically deal with achieving the perfect blonde hair.
La Rousse’s “blonde specialist” Mallie Nagle provides hair care, coloring and styling services specifically tailored to clients with blonde hair. She uses her expertise and tech-
joyed spending time with her friend while waiting in line.
“I don’t really drink caffeine so this will definitely be an experience, but it’s gonna rock my world. I’ve had one during rush before, and I was really shaky; but I’m excited to have it because I think it tastes good,” Smith said.
Ty’Anna Hobson, a freshman biology major, also stood in the long line for a tea.
“I normally get a Blue Hawaiian at home, and they didn’t have that option. So I just asked for blue razz and pineapple,” Hobson said.
Events like this make the UM community appealing to incoming students, Hobson said.
“I think another thing that attracts people to this university is that they have so many events for students, and they care about students flourishing here, and it’s not just academics,” Hobson said.
Gibson Russell, a freshman southern studies major, said the events that SAA
niques to achieve optimal results for blonde hair types.
Mallie Nagle explained the difference in price points and the cost of treatment with the time and follow-up appointments is based on three factors: the level of stylist, the dye style requested and the difference of the original hair color to the desired color.
“There are five levels of hair stylists, from beginner to mas-
hosts bring variety to student life at the university.
“I think events like this keep our student body engaged,” Russell said. “I think they kind of give an extra layer to the student experience here at Ole Miss.”
Co-director of the SAA Campus Traditions Committee Anne Marlow, a junior chemistry major, knew the loaded teas would be popular.
“We started this event last year and got a really good turnout, so we doubled the attendance for this year so we could make more teas,” Marlow said. “I think we’ll definitely pass out 350, and that’s the goal today.”
For Marlow, this event was not just about free loaded teas but also meant to bring the campus community together.
“Obviously, it’s not the best to wait in line, but if you look behind you right now, you can see people mixing, mingling (and) talking to people they might not have today,” Marlow said.
ter, and it is based on how long you have been in the industry and the results you produce. The price point moves up with every level of stylist,” Nagle says. “Different techniques have different prices. For example, if the client wants the Baltic technique, it will be more expensive than the typical full Weave Highlight, but they do not have to come in as often to get maintenance treatments.”
A random survey of 50 women taken on the University of Mississippi campus showed that 33 bleached and dyed their hair lighter. Of those 33 women, 27 said their hair was naturally a shade of brown. Only one woman out of the 50 was a natural blonde who does not color her hair.
The average eight-week maintenance cost of the 33 women was about $275.
This growing pursuit of blonde hair can leave those who do not follow along with the trend feeling excluded.
“As a brunette at Ole Miss, I have definitely noticed that my hair color stands out, not just because it’s dark but also because I have never dyed it,” sophomore communication sciences and disorders major Re-
ese Milstead said. “I mean, even in my own house, all my roommates are blonde. As someone who does not color my hair, it blows my mind how many hours my roommates spend in the salon lightening their hair.”
Many girls who were blonde when they were children started highlighting their hair at a young age to maintain that look. According to the 2024 GITNUX report, 65% of women change their
natural hair color with bleach to lighten it by the age of 16. London O’Keefe, a junior general business major, has been dying her hair since she was 13.
“I was born a cotton-head, but by the time I was 13, my hair was almost entirely brunette,” O’Keefe said. “My mom took me to get blonde highlights … and I have been dying my hair every two months since then.”
SAA member hands free loaded tea to a student at the Union Plaza on Wednesday, Oct. 2.
CHRISTIAN TOLLIVER / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
The products and hair care treatments in La Rousse Hair Salon.
PHOTO COURTESY: OLIVIA QUIN
A client receives highlights in her hair.
PHOTO COURTESY: OLIVIA QUIN
Mississippi author and ESPN senior writer Wright Thompson made an appearance at Off Square Books on Tuesday, Sept. 24 to discuss his new book, “The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi.”
“The Barn” delves into the story of Emmett Till, a 14-year-
sations were later disproven.
In his book, Thompson zeroes in on the location of Till’s murder: a barn that he only recently learned is 23 miles from his family’s farm.
“If you don’t know something that fundamental about the place you know best in the world, it’s really shaking,” Thompson said. “I didn’t have an assignment, (and) there wasn’t a book deal, that all
gy about it, and so I was sort of pulled to it and repelled from it at the same time.”
When he started his investigation, Thompson was struck by the lack of knowledge and conversation surrounding certain aspects of Till’s murder.
“This is a murder that happened 69 years ago,” Thompson said. “Many things have changed, and if you’ve lived in Mississippi for a long time, then you know that this (conversation) would have been impossible not that long ago. Many things have changed a tremendous amount, and yet the erasure around the murder of Emmett Till, which this book chronicles, is a standin for every other erasure.”
old Black boy who was murdered in Money, Miss. in 1955 over claims that he whistled at a white woman. These accu-
- Gloria Dickerson
came later. I just wanted to know. I got obsessed, and I started driving over there all the time, at first just to see it. It has a really bad ener-
Thompson said that copies of the 1956 Look Magazine edition that contains details about the murder can be found in many places — including the J.D. Williams Library at UM and the Delta State Library.
Thompson also said many items associated with Till have disappeared, including the transcripts of the murder trial, which the FBI ultimately had to obtain from the private collection of a citizen on the Gulf Coast in order to reopen the case. A ring belonging to Till also disappeared from an evidence locker in 1973.
“The erasure of this one case is startling,” Thompson said. “The question you get is, ‘Why are we still talking about this?,’ and the answer is, ‘Because we haven’t start-
‘We don’t know why this is important,’ and ‘We don’t know the connection,’” Dickerson said. “In order for me to survive at Drew High School when I did, my mom taught us a lot about where we came from and
This book is historical in nature and that history is made alive in this moment, and we need to know that history.”
Lena Anderson has been anticipating the release of Thompson’s book and
ed.’ I don’t want to be doing it. I’d love to be writing about sports, but we’re having this conversation because we still haven’t had it, and it’ll be 70 years next August.”
Gloria Dickerson, who is featured throughout Thompson’s book, grew up near the barn. Dickerson and her siblings were also the first Black students to integrate their public school system in Drew, Miss.
“I believe it’s important because we want our history to be told,” Dickerson said. “We have to tell our history and make sure the truth comes out. We need to do that for our children as well.”
Dickerson oversees a program called the Emmett Till Academy, where she educates students about Black history.
“A lot of young people say,
why it was so important. She taught us (we) were not inferior (because) she knew society was trying to make Black people feel like they were inferior to them. I don’t want the younger people now who are born into something like this to continue to think that they are inferior just because they don’t have what other people have, so it’s important to know how they got here.”
John T. Edge, a writer and former director of the Southern Foodways Alliance who attended the Off-Square Books event, said that Thompson’s book is timely and vital.
“I’m friends with the author, but I can say that I’ve already bought two copies of the book,” Edge said. “I think it’s an important book for this moment in America.
is intrigued to hear more.
“I am very excited to learn more about this book,” Anderson said. “I’ve been excited for it to come out and to hear Wright talk about the book and give more insight into his process of writing it.”
Anderson also mentioned the importance of hearing the perspective of someone who is native to the area he is writing about.
“I think this story has been very erased in history and hidden and hasn’t been talked about enough,” Anderson said.
“(Thompson) is such a good journalist and such an incredible researcher. The stuff that he was able to dig up and find out is incredible. The fact that the rest of the world will be able to hear that
is
“The Barn”
- Wright Thompson
NATE DONOHUE thedmfeatures@gmail.com
Take a walk down sorority row. What will you see? Stunning houses, students on the way to class and … bounce houses?
Close to 10 bounce house companies serve the Oxford community. One is Oxford Inflatable Rentals, owned by Christen Coleman.
“We love Ole Miss (and) we love our students over there,” Coleman said.
One of the biggest markets for bounce houses is the Greek life circuit, Coleman shared. Oxford Inflatable Rentals has delivered to Delta Delta Delta, Chi Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Kappa Delta and Phi Mu. Sorority bid day, in particular, brings in a lot of business for inflatable companies. Sororities tend to favor bounce houses with a special feature: the foam cannon, which sprays soft, soapy foam into the inflatable, Coleman said.
“(Sorority girls) want us to shoot the foam, and they (can) take pictures and dance, and we make it happen,” Coleman said. “They love it.”
McKenna King, a senior psychology major from Shelby, N.C., is responsible for renting inflatables for Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She says the sorority’s members enjoy bounce houses at events.
“I love to bring an element of surprise for my members at (Alpha Omicron Pi) during things like recruitment,” King said. “What better than a bouncy house? The simple joy it brings makes me want to rent them more in the future.”
Other on-campus groups that make use of inflatables include Ole Miss Dining Services, the University of Mississippi History Department and religious organizations.
“We delivered a 62-foot obstacle course to Avent Park for a (campus) event hosted by the University of (Mississippi Museum),” Marsha Theobald, owner and founder of Jumpin’ Jacks Inflatables, said.
While bounce houses might seem like all fun and games,
Bounce house companies bring inflatable fun to Oxford
there are the occasional obstacles. For instance, the size of the inflatables vary, but they are consistent in taking up a lot of space — often more than renters account for, Coleman said.
“You run into those kinds of problems,” Coleman said. “You have some college kids, and they say, ‘We want a water slide,’ and we show up and ask, ‘Where are we going to put that water slide?’ They’re like, ‘Right here.’ And I say, ‘That is not going to fit.’”
Many inflatable company owners also said that football season impacts delivery and pickup. Other routinely busy times of year for Oxford inflatable companies include the Double Decker Arts Festival, spring break, Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend.
“We have to plan accordingly,” Coleman said. “Sometimes we have three to four different teams going out. (We) can’t be late to a kid’s birthday party.”
Coleman explained that the company does most of its weekend deliveries on the Friday before game day, when traffic is not as much of an issue.
“We deliver on Friday afternoons,” Coleman said. “Parents can wake up (on Saturday) and know their water slides are already there. They can focus on the birthday party or whatever else they have going on.”
Tri Lake Inflatables Owner Jeremy Richey follows a similar practice and noted that the traffic continues even after game day.
“We try to deliver on Fridays and pick up after games are over,” Richey said. “Traffic is still crazy.”
Other routinely busy times of year for Oxford inflatable companies include the Double Decker Arts Festival, spring break, Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend.
Despite the logistical challenges that come with providing bounce houses for the community, they make those who use them jump for joy.
“Bouncy houses are part of the unexpected,” King said. “(They bring) a fun element to events like recruitment. They are almost like icebreakers that everyone can participate in and bring out their inner child.”
An inflatable slide from Oxford Inflatable Rentals.
PHOTO COURTESY: CHRISTEN COLEMAN
PHOTO COURTESY: CHRISTEN COLEMAN
JILLIAN RUSSELL thedmfeatures@gmail.com
The “One Night Stand” art show at the Ole Miss Motel will return for its 17th year on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 5-9 p.m. For one night only, the show will host an eclectic mix of artists across the span of 12 motel rooms converted into makeshift galleries.
Erin Abbott, creator and coordinator of “One Night Stand,” cited her punk rock background as the inspiration for the unconventional use of the motel’s space. Abbott selects artists she believes have potential and deserve support. This year, most artists are from Mississippi, but a few are traveling from Tennessee and Texas.
“I think giving people a place where they can feel supported and seen is important,” Abbott said. “It’s a great stepping stone for a path to a larger career that they could build for themselves in this smaller community.”
Last year’s show dedicated a room to late Mississippi artist John P. Meek, which started a philanthropic tradition. This year, a room will be dedicated to the Oxford Skateboard Association’s fundraising efforts for improvements to the Oxford Skate Park, located on Bramlett Boulevard.
In 2022, Abbott was placed on the association’s board while her son was involved in skating. While working with the nonprofit, she began to appreciate the skateboarding community and its aspirations for the Oxford Skate Park.
“Everything those guys are trying to do in town is just fantastic for this community, and I think it’s very needed,” Abbott said. “It seemed like the most obvious fit to give them a room.”
Skyler King is a junior business major and president of nonprofit Oxford Skateboarding Association. After living and skating professionally in California, he moved back to Oxford to invest in the growing skateboarding community in Mississippi.
Since being back, King and the association have made strides to improve skateboard-
Artists gather at Ole Miss Motel for ‘One Night Stand’ showcase
Koshenina creates cyanotype art, which involves using iron salts to transform photographs to a deep shade of blue. Her room will showcase her cyanotypes made from old family photos and other memorabilia. She hopes to create an environment that feels homey and cozy to her visitors. Koshenina uses vintage handkerchiefs, flora and other gathered items to “bridge myth with reality.”
“A lot of my work is like a familial mythology of sorts,” Koshenina said. “I’ve made cyanotypes out of old photographs of my nana and my mom’s mom who I never met. I’ve enjoyed bringing stories together that live in my memory and getting to rewrite them.”
Each year, artists are given creative liberty in how they design their rooms. The displays range from obscure immersive experiences to rooms that seem lived in. Abbott ex-
pressed excitement for what is to come with this year’s show.
After hosting it for nearly two decades, Abbott has found some ease in pulling off the event; however, she still gets a pinch of anxiety before the show.
“I laugh because it’s sort of ridiculous,” Abbott said. “I’ve been doing the show for so long now I know what I need to do every year, and it has become established in the community, so I don’t worry as much as I used to. But I still worry, is this going to be the year no one wants to come?”
Those interested in early entry can purchase a VIP ticket for “first dibs” between 5-6 p.m. on Eventbrite for $25. The event is open for free entry after 6 p.m. Food and drinks will be sold by G&G’s Fry Co. and Magnolia Coffee. The event organizers request that visitors park in the Oxford Public Parking available behind The
ing’s reputation in Oxford by fostering connections with the community. King said the nonprofit plans to use the funds from the benefit for skatepark repairs and to make the park more beginner friendly.
“The park was originally built in a two-phase project, and they only completed phase one because of funding,” King said. “We’re pushing for phase two of the project while also making improvements to the original park.”
Oxford Skateboarding Association’s room will feature close to 30 skate decks customized by local artists. Some boards will feature calligraphy done by Buddhist monks from Magnolia Grove Monastery in Batesville, Miss., and two will be painted by University of Mississippi art students. Mississippi skateboarders Gavin Bird, Matt Verdell and Pannawat Thamutok are all donating their work to benefit the association.
In addition to local artists, Tim Kerr from Austin, Texas, and Jim Murphy from New York are also among those who contributed art to raise
funds for the nonprofit. Artists will set the price for their donated art to be bid on in an online auction during the event.
Olivia Powers, a junior art major, hopes her board will send an empowering message to Black girls who want to start skating. She plans to have her skate deck say “Sk8ting is for everyone.”
While pursuing her masters of fine arts degree, she plans to create a board that challenges gender norms. In reference to the The Hesitant Fiancé by Auguste Toulmouche, a painting that has recently become a trend on TikTok, her board will say “That isn’t lady like.”
Another unique aspect of this year’s show is funding from a Mississippi Arts Commission grant that allows artists to keep 100% of the proceeds for their art, which Abbott said is not always guaranteed.
“To be able to offer that to the artists has been a dream of mine, and I’m thrilled it worked out this year,” Abbott said.
Greta Koshenina, a southern studies graduate student and fellow recipient of the grant, said her room would not be possible without the funding.
Powerhouse.
Sister Harmony with her hand-designed skate decks.
PHOTO COURTESY: AARON PLATTNER
Gavin Bird, a skateboarder and artist from Mississippi, donated his artwork in support of the skate park.
PHOTO COURTESY: SKYLER KING
‘Megalopolis’
is the best and worst movie of the year
Francis Ford Coppola returns to the big screen after more than a decade with ‘Megalopolis’ — his wildly audacious, long-gestating passion project that is both a major artistic folly and pure cinematic euphoria.
WILL JONES thedmfeatures@gmail.com
Francis Ford Coppola, director of American classics such as “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now,” has returned to the big screen with the science-fiction drama “Megalopolis,” which opened in theaters across the country on Friday, Sept. 27.
This film is set in a decaying futuristic metropolis called New Rome and unites many eras of history in its plotting — from the Roman Republic to the Bush Administration.
The plot follows Cesar Catilina, an idealist architect played by Adam Driver, who aims to build a futuristic utopia entitled “Megalopolis.”
“I will build a city that people can dream about,” Catilina says in the film, much to the chagrin of Mayor Frank Ci-
motion that, in a manner only a filmmaker as maddening as Coppola could muster, is both incredibly confounding and remarkably moving.
In an interview with NPR, released on Saturday, Sept. 28, Coppola said that “Megalopolis” has been on his mind since the early 1980s, when was directing the musical “One from the Heart.”
Coppola financed “Megalopolis” from his own pocket, investing $120 million and selling a substantial piece of his famous winery to actualize his decades-long vision.
To say the film is without compromise would be an understatement.
“Megalopolis” is unlike any project that will hit theaters this year and unlike any other film within Coppola’s canon. Further, it breaks the can-
idea one can imagine and combines them into a massively garish, satirical fairy tale that is overwrought in practically every measure.
One can easily get lost in the contradictory machinations of “Megalopolis,” figuratively grasping for air amidst its wacky world-building and smothering smorgasbord of ideas about human evolution and the end of history.
Yet there is an underlying sincerity to this cinematic manifesto: a profound beating heart that clumsily, though beautifully, rises to the surface in the film’s finale to bewitchingly recontextualize the whole piece.
“Is this society the only one that’s available to us?” Catilina says in a critical midpoint scene, leading one to easily draw a straight line to Coppola’s lofty ideals of
“If we are not seeking to rejuvenate the medium with the limited time we have, or to reexamine the tenets upon which our society was built and leave the world in a better place for our children, what is the point?”
- Will Jones The Daily Mississippian writer
cero, played by Giancarlo Esposito, and much to the curiosity of the mayor’s daughter, played by Nathalie Emmanuel.
The battle over the future of New Rome sparks widespread political intrigue, incorporating a colorful cast of characters and setting a free-wheeling cinematic narrative in
on of American film history.
While Coppola’s “The Godfather” elegantly carved the mythic out of the specifics of its mafia milieu, “Megalopolis” begins with the mythic and continues piling myth on top of myth for the course of its robust 2 hour-18 minute run time.
Coppola implements every cinematic technique and
what humanity and, in turn cinema, can be.
“Megalopolis” is a film that attempts to stop time and encourages its audience to strive for similarly earnest aspirations. This humane ethos and generosity is especially poignant from the voice of the 85-year-
Sessions start Monday, September 30 in the Student Union, 3rd Floor Lobby
old director, an artist actively acknowledging their own mortality in real time. The film is dedicated to Coppola’s longtime wife, Eleanor, who passed away earlier this year prior to the film’s debut at the Cannes Film Festival. If we are not seeking to rejuvenate the medium with the limited time we have, or to reexamine the tenets upon which our society was built and leave the world in a better place for our children, what is the point?
In a world where so many of our so-called great filmmakers are seeking to delve further into the past, Coppola is aiming to investigate the possibilities of the future. For all its flaws, “Megalopolis” is transfixing, and it has vividly and profoundly evolved in my mind as time passes. Almost in spite of itself, it is one of my favorite films of the year.
“Megalopolis” poster.
PHOTO COURTESY: FESTIVAL DE CANNES PRESS KIT
Baseball showcases roster additions in exhibition game against North Alabama
DELANEY
SMITH
thedmsports@gmail.com
The Ole Miss Baseball team will open its fall exhibition play against North Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 5 in Oxford.
The Rebels and the Lions met in Oxford last year during the regular season. Ole Miss had six pitchers take the mound, and they combined for a 9-4 victory. The Rebels also had two home runs.
Last year, UNA was 1835-1 on the season and 10-191 in ASUN conference play.
Last season, the Ole Miss Baseball team had a below-average winning percentage for the second year in a row after winning the NCAA Na-
tional Championship in 2022.
In the 2024 season, the Rebels went 27-29 overall and 11-19 in SEC conference play. Ole Miss made the SEC Tournament — an improvement from 2023 — but lost in the first round to Mississippi State 2-1, ending the season.
The start of fall ball gives Head Coach Mike Bianco the opportunity to show off new transfers and freshmen.
Bianco and staff added nine players from the transfer portal, one being outfielder Mitchell Sanford from New Orleans. Sanford was named the Southland Conference Hitter of the Year in 2024 with a .381 batting average,
1.168 OPS and 15 home runs.
Another transfer is infielder Luke Cheng, moving from Illinois State. Cheng played in only 15 games in an injury-riddled 2024 campaign, but in those games he hit .370 with 10 RBIs.
Along with the transfers, there are 16 freshmen on the roster. One of the 16, infielder Owen Paino, was named the 2023-2024 Baseball Gatorade Player of the Year in New York.
After the Rebels face UNA at home, Samford comes to Oxford on Oct. 19. The official 2025 season for Ole Miss Baseball begins with the Shriners Children’s College Showcase in Arlington, Texas, in February.
Ole Miss goalkeeper Shu Ohba anchors Rebel defense
Ole Miss Soccer goalkeeper Shu Ohba has emerged as a defensive powerhouse for the Rebels the past two seasons. Outside of SEC play, Ohba contributes her athletic talents to her home country of Japan.
Background
Ohba is from Fujisawa, Japan, where she began her soccer career at Fukushima Prefectural Futaba Future Senior High School. During her high school career, Ohba represented her home country on the world stage as a member of the Japanese women’s U16-19 teams. She played in the FIFA U17 World Cup in Uruguay in 2018, earned a third-place medal in the 2018 Asian Qualifiers and earned a gold medal in the U19 Asian Qualifiers in 2020.
Ohba also played club soccer for the JFA Academy Fukushima LSC team and won the 2021 Challenge League Championship. Com-
ing out of high school, she committed to play DI soccer for the East Tennessee State University Buccaneers.
Career highlights
In 2021, Ohba started all 16 games for East Tennessee State, recording 16 saves and finishing the season with a 7-6-3 record.
In just one season, Ohba was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, First Team All-SoCon selection, First Team All-SoCon Freshman honors and earned three SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors. Ohba is the second player in conference history to win Defensive Player of the Week multiple times in one season.
Ohba recorded seven shutouts in her rookie season, allowing only 14 goals and breaking the East Tennessee State record. Ohba was ranked No. 23 nationally in save percentage at .841 and No. 47 in goals against average at .833.
Ohba then returned for her sophomore season at East
Tennessee State in 2022. In 10 games, she tallied 60 saves after missing the first four games to play for Japan’s women’s U20 FIFA World Cup team in Costa Rica. At the end of the 2022 season, she transferred to Ole Miss as a goalkeeper for the Rebels.
Ohba began her junior season at Ole Miss in 2023, playing in 15 games and starting in four of them. She missed three games to play for Team Japan in the 2023 Asian Games in China
and the 2024 SheBelieves Cup.
Ohba was named to the 2023 All-SEC Second Team and was a 2023 United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region honoree. During the regular season, Ohba led the SEC in saves and saves per game.
Finishing her first season with the Rebels, she recorded seven shutouts for the second time in her career. Ohba was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice over the season, becoming the first player
to do so for Ole Miss since 2012.
Ohba returned to Ole Miss for her senior season and has had 42 saves thus far. The Rebels are currently 5-8 on the season, most recently falling short against Texas at home. Ohba had a phenomenal eight saves despite the Rebels’ 1-0 loss.
What’s next?
The Rebels will host conference rival Texas A&M on Friday, Oct. 4. at 7 p.m.
Goal keeper Shu Ohba blocks an attempted shot during a game against Texas on Sept. 26.
CJ WILSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Riley Maddox throws a pitch to Memphis on March 6.
ARASH
LILY GREEN
Ole Miss travels to South Carolina for
thedmsports@gmail.com
The Ole Miss Football team will face the South Carolina Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C., on Saturday, Oct 5. This will be the Rebels’ first away SEC game of the season.
The Daily Mississippian spoke with Brendan Dougherty, The Daily Gamecock’s assistant sports editor, on the emotion in Columbia, S.C. before the matchup on Saturday.
“It’s a cool preparation, because we have Alabama next week. So if you want to gauge how you’re going to do against the best team in the country, go play No. 12,” Dougherty said in an interview with The Daily Mississippian.
The last time Ole Miss played South Carolina, the Rebels won 59-42 at home on Nov. 14, 2020.
The Gamecocks will be coming off a bye week, meaning they will be well-rested.
While this will be the Rebels’ second conference game, the Gamecocks have already played the LSU Tigers and the Kentucky Wildcats. South Carolina’s only loss this season has been to LSU, which was a close battle at 36-33.
The Gamecocks were dominant against Kentucky, beating the Wildcats 31-6. Because of this, they hold an overall record of 3-1 and 1-1 in the conference.
Ole Miss dropped its first conference game to Kentucky last week and stands 4-1 overall this season and 0-1 in conference play.
While the Rebels finished the 2023 season 11-2, including a victory in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the Gamecocks failed to make a bowl game last season, finishing with a record of 5-7.
Ole Miss finished second in the SEC West, while South Carolina finished fourth in the SEC East.
Saturday’s matchup will bring a talented Ole Miss offense with a strong pass and run game. The Rebels defense, however,
will need to stop South Carolina’s rushing and passing units.
Running back Raheim Sanders and wide receiver Mazeo Bennett Jr. are two players the Rebels defense should watch closely.
Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart has a pass completion rate of 77.4% and 1,815 total passing yards in five games. The Ole Miss offense could be the key to break down the Gamecocks and pull out a win.
“If they’re going to beat a passing offense that has Tre Harris and Juice Wells in it … they have to force Jaxson Dart to make tough decisions,” Dougherty said.
Dart will go up against Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who has a pass completion rate of 54.7% and 393 total passing yards in his first four games.
This game will be played on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 2:30 p.m. in Williams-Brice Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
SUDOKU©
Puzzles by KrazyDad
HOW TO PLAY
Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 with no repeats.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
CHALLENGING
ACROSS 1- Light gas; 5- ___ Arbor; 8- Zip-___-Doo-Dah; 12- Aquarium buildup; 14- Curved molding; 15- Metallica drummer Ulrich; 16- Garr and Hatcher; 17- BMW competitor; 18- Med. school course; 19- Capsize; 21- Lubricant; 23- Horse-like animal, term of insult; 24- Common article; 25- A really big shoe?; 26- California peak; 30- Big brass; 32- Slender boat; 33- Aircraft with one set of wings; 37- Put ___ on it!; 38- Elector; 39- Pack ___ (quit); 40- Kinfolk; 42- Climb; 43- “The Crucible” setting; 44- Wobble; 45- One ___ time; 48- Windy City trains; 49- Little spasm; 50- Bassett or Lansbury;
52- Arterial dilatation; 57- Bar mitzvah dance; 58- Mentor; 60- Baseball’s Pee Wee; 61- Hot times abroad; 62- Coup d’___; 63- Related on the mother’s side; 64- Insect-repelling chemical; 65- Snitch; 66- Prefix for while; DOWN 1- Defense grp. since 1949; 2- Hgt.; 3- Shrek, for one; 4- Neet rival; 5- Son of ___!; 6- Homer’s TV neighbor; 7- Person who lives near another; 8- Wings; 9- Mother of Perseus; 10- Clear the board; 11- Cosmetician Lauder; 13- Fancy home; 14- Crew needs; 20- Mex. neighbor; 22- Cut the crop; 24- Melodies; 26- Injury reminder; 27- Patriot Nathan; 28- Indigo source; 29- Fountain treats; 30- Tribal symbol; 31- Pizzeria order; 33- Shifts; 34- Rat-___; 35- World’s longest river; 36- Cabinet dept.;
Offensive lineman Julius Buelow waits for the ball to be snapped at the line of scrimmage during a game against Georgia Southern on Sept. 21.
LUCY SPRINKLE / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Week 6 college football pick ‘ems
run, the Rebels’ defensive line will decide the game.
Ole Miss @ South Carolina: 42-17
Ole Miss wins
(Dylan Liggett)
After a 20-17 loss at home to Kentucky, Ole Miss will look to make a statement against South Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 5.
The Gamecocks’ starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who had an ankle injury, is expected to be back in action after quarterback Robby Ashford took his place for prior games against Akron and LSU. Star running back Raheim Sanders remains questionable as he is also recovering from an ankle injury. Head coach Shane Beamer has not yet released information on their status for Saturday’s game.
Up against an offense that relies heavily on the
After a subpar offensive performance against Kentucky, the Rebels seek a comeback victory this week. If the offense finds a rhythm and the defense makes critical stops, the Rebels will get their first SEC win this season.
Michigan @ Washington: 21-14
Michigan wins (Ian Sparks)
Following a loss to Texas, Michigan bounced back and won three games in a row. In that stretch, the Wolverines defeated Big Ten teams USC and Minnesota.
Michigan has an ongoing quarterback battle between Davis Warren and Alex Orji, with Orji getting the start against Minnesota. It is expected that Orji will remain the starter heading into the
matchup against Washington. Washington suffered a tough loss on the road at Rutgers last week. The Huskies also lost the Apple Cup to instate rival Washington State earlier this season, leaving them with a record of 3-2.
Mississippi State transfer quarterback Will Rogers has had a good start to the year for the Huskies, throwing for 1,354 yards, 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Both defenses are expected to put forward a stingy effort. However, Michigan should get its fifth win of the season in a gritty, one-score game.
Clemson @ Florida State: 42-10
Clemson wins (Luke Dunavant)
The Clemson Tigers seem to have bounced back after a humiliating loss to Georgia in week one, outscoring their opponents with a cumulative 165-69 since then.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik has thrown for 842 yards, 12 touchdowns and only one interception over his last three games.
The Tigers defense looks much improved after the Georgia game, with eight sacks and six interceptions. Against a lackluster offense in Florida State, the Clemson defense should be at an advantage.
The Seminoles have had a bad start to the season, going into week six with a 1-4 record. Transfer quarterback DJ Uiagaleilei has struggled since week one, throwing for 1,065 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions. Now, he will miss a couple of weeks due to a hand injury, making way for Brock Glenn to start as quarterback.
Florida State’s defense looks much worse than last year, giving up 42 points last week against SMU.
FSU will look to salvage the season but ultimately the Clemson Tigers will capitalize and take
home their third ACC win.
Auburn @ Georgia: 42-14
Georgia wins (Wilson Engeriser)
After these two teams suffered heartbreaking losses last week, Auburn and Georgia are looking to bounce back with an SEC win.
Auburn threw a pick 6 in the fourth quarter to lose to Oklahoma 27-21, giving up a 17-point lead at home. Georgia made a valiant comeback after trailing Alabama by 28 in the first half. The Crimson Tide sent the bulldogs home after a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to win 41-35.
Auburn has been suffering quarterback woes this season, benching starter Payton Thorne for freshman Hank Brown. After a pitiful showing from Brown against Arkansas, the Tigers turned back to Thorne as their starter.
Thorne threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns against Oklahoma before eventually losing the game with an interception returned for a touchdown.
The Bulldogs were rolling this season with blowout wins against Clemson and Tennessee Tech but their last two games resulted in a one-point win at Kentucky and a dramatic loss at Alabama last week.
Despite the road bump, the Bulldogs are still one of the top teams in the nation and will look to take care of business against Auburn with the home field advantage at Sanford Stadium.
Miami @ Cal: 24-16
Miami wins (Charles Hausman)
Miami came into the season with high hopes and has not disappointed so far. Coming in at No. 8 in the recent AP Polls with a record of 5-0, the Hurricanes will head west to take on the 3-1 California
Golden Bears with ESPN’s College GameDay present.
Coming off a narrow victory over Virginia Tech, the Hurricanes will look to quarterback Cam Ward to lead them to yet another win.
Cal has had a good start to its season, upsetting Auburn on the road at Jordan-Hare in week two. After a close 14-9 loss to Florida State, the Bears will look to bounce back and find more success in ACC play. While the Bears’ defense has been performing well this season, Miami’s offense will most likely take over and top Cal in an ACC matchup.
Missouri @ Texas A&M: 27-17
Texas A&M wins (Tanner Shapiro)
After escaping Vanderbilt in a double overtime game on Sept. 21, No. 9 ranked Missouri has a great chance to redeem themselves on the road this week against Texas A&M. The Tigers have gotten off to a slower start than many predicted, as pre-season Biletnikoff Award finalist Luther Burden has had a fairly underwhelming season thus far.
The Aggies escaped Arkansas 21-17 in their annual Southwest Classic in Arlington, Texas at AT&T Stadium. Running back Le’Veon Moss shined as he carried for 117 yards on 13 carries against Arkansas. New QB Marcel Reed was also outstanding, throwing for two touchdown passes and scoring one on the ground. RB Le’Veon Moss leads the Aggies with one of the best home-field advantages in Kyle Field.
Cancel culture: Who decides what is unforgivable?
CHEQUOIA ADDERLEY thedmopinion@gmail.com
Cancel culture has gained significant traction in recent years. As simple as it sounds, cancel culture is a subject of duality — a complicated phenomenon rather than a black-and-white issue.
Proponents of cancel culture stand firm on the idea that being canceled provides accountability in situations where traditional institutions may fail to do so.
Platforms like X and Instagram have been used to amplify the marginalized, like the #MeToo movement, which urged for conduct reformation in the entertainment industry. Social justice movements like Black Lives Matter and #SayHerName are other examples of movements that called for change and sought to leverage momentum into accountability during highly publicized injustices.
These movements and other similar ones have given ordinary people the power to not only spread awareness but also call out public figures, corporations or even peers for their complicity in sexism, racism or other forms of discrimination. It is no secret that those with wealth, fame or power have escaped accountability for such actions.
In this sense, cancel culture can be a form of activism by efficiently disrupting prejudicial and inequitable dynamics.
However, this same promotion of “calling out” others for certain actions and ideas can quickly turn into public shaming and ridicule.
It is one thing to let someone know they are wrong, and it is another to entirely and unnecessarily bash someone over a subjective matter. That brings us to the question: What is subjective and what is not?
In today’s world, it is sometimes hard to define the line between the two. Are we canceling someone because of their unethical behavior or because we disagree with what they said?
This is the flaw within the cancel culture. A lack of nuance can lead to disproportionate and excessive shaming, often created without proper context or even consideration of growth.
People tend to forget that these same celebrities and influencers to whom we give power and put on these pedestals are still human. When humans make mistakes, we typically are taught that you live, learn and grow as you go. However, once someone of status is canceled, there is almost no room for growth or redemption.
Opinion Policies:
This fosters an environment in which people are forever defined by their worst moments, preventing future positive contributions to society; I do not believe that is how it should always be.
As quickly as we are to give people these platforms, we are even quicker to remove them when they no longer fit the image we have created for them. Some influencers did not ask for the audience and platform they were given and feel they should not have to obstruct or water down their opinions or interactions to please everyone, which is fair. The truth is that you cannot please everyone. How can we expect them to shape their identity for us when we know we would not in our own normal lives?
On the other hand, you could say that because they have been gifted with such a supportive base, they should respect it and keep that in mind when they step into a room. They are not called “influencers” for nothing.
Many celebrities have lost their careers for misunderstood comments or misdirected hate.
Stifling free speech and open dialogue — in addition to the fear of being canceled — can deter people from sharing controversial opinions or engaging in honest discussions on complex issues.
This leads to an overly cautious society, limiting intellectual growth and an exchange of ideas.
Moreover, the overall flaw of cancel culture is its inconsistent application. Not all individuals are canceled equally, and it becomes very selective about when it is okay to point the finger.
So is it really a proper approach if it is not applied equally?
Not to mention the rushed judgment that can occur with how fast things spread online today when emotions sometimes outweigh facts.
Public opinion is fickle; what is considered offensive today may not be seen the same way in the future. It can boil down to personal feelings rather than moral standards.
Cancel culture has reshaped the cultural landscape, and its complexities raise important questions about accountability, justice and forgiveness. Balance is needed within this intersection to develop a fair and just society.
Chequoia Adderley is a senior integrated marketing communications major from Pascagoula, Miss.
Columns do not represent the views of The University of Mississippi or The Daily Mississippian. The Daily Mississippian welcomes letters to the editor, which should be emailed to thedmopinion@gmail.com. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. They may be edited for clarity, brevity and libel. Third-party letters and those with pseudonyms or no name will not be published. Letters are limited to one per individual per month. Letters should include contact information, including relationship to the university, if applicable.
