What is your issue?
With the presidential election fast approaching, University of Mississippi students share the issues that will inform their decisions at the ballot box.
JAYLYNN CONNER thedmnews@gmail.com
From the economy to LGBTQ+ rights, student voters are determining what is important to them in the upcoming presidential election on Nov. 5.
The Tufts University Center for Information and Research on Civil Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) estimates 40.8 million people ages 18-27 will be eligible to vote, with a voter turnout of 50% or higher predicted in the upcoming election. In the 2020 presidential election, about 51.4% of eligible voters ages 18-24 cast ballots, according to a 2022 Census Bureau.
The Daily Mississippian interviewed a random sample of 10 Univer -
sity of Mississippi students to learn what issues matter most to them.
For sophomore history major Richard Pattarozzi, the state of the economy matters most.
“At the end of the day, inflation needs to get cut and taxes need to be down,” Pattarozzi said. “Things are just so hard right now economically. So honestly, that is the biggest deal for me. The economy needs to be fixed because right now we’re in a bad spot.”
Isaiah Winkler, a junior risk management and insurance major, also has major concerns about the economy, specifically taxes.
“My biggest concern is proba -
bly taxes — seeing, when whoever gets elected, if they are going to go up or down,” Winkler said.
“You just see what the economy is going to be like in a couple of years after whoever gets elected, so we’ll just see what happens.”
Jared Carrillo, a sophomore finance major, has concerns about the economy because his family is currently building a house.
“I mean, my family, we’re building a house right now, and we’re able to do it,” Carrillo said. “But with how the housing market is and how
SEE ISSUE PAGE 4
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Board discusses plans for a new bar, The Velvet Ditch, and a rezoning proposal to increase housing in Oxford.
SEE PAGE 2
YANKINTHESIP
New Yorker Jack Sarachek travels to the South to document the Ole Miss community.
SEE PAGE 8
FACULTY SENATE
UM faculty consider a flat rate book fee for next year.
SEE PAGE 3
FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Ole Miss will face No. 13 LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday, Oct. 12.
SEE PAGE 10
PRAYER
Muslim students seek an improved prayer space at the university.
SEE PAGE 5
TIKTOK TRENDS
Cultural identities are more than trends and aesthetics.
SEE PAGE 12
(Top to bottom, left to right) Brock Meyers, Lillyan Madrid, Richard Pattarozzi, Roman Wells, Ivy Comford, Camp Holder, Max Wright, Isaiah Winkler, Elizabeth Olson and Jared Carillo
PHOTOS: CJ WILSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Oxford’s Board of Aldermen review new bar expansion, property rezoning
JILLIAN RUSSELL thedmnews@gmail.com
The Oxford Board of Aldermen voted last week to appeal the city planning commission’s approval of The Velvet Ditch’s outdoor expansion plans and granted a property rezoning request bordering the South Campus Rail Trail by JWM Development, despite opposition by many Oxford community members, including some University of Mississippi faculty.
The Velvet Ditch is located at the intersection of University Avenue and South Lamar Boulevard in the space previously occupied by Abner’s. Jared Foster, owner of Landshark Seafood, has transformed the building interior into a “Mad Hatter-style bar” that will serve food and drinks until 1:30 a.m.
Deliberations for outdoor expansion plans between Foster, residents of the South Lamar Historic District, the Historic Preservation Commission and the board of aldermen have been ongoing since July 1, 2024. The plans included expanding an outdoor patio to include turf over the parking lot, two bars, outdoor seating and umbrellas.
In the most recent meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1, Lauren Ward, an attorney at Daniel and Coker law firm, represented residents of the South Lamar Historic District, which is comprised of homeowners who live on South Lamar Boulevard, South 11th Street and adjacent streets. Ward expressed concern that the plan’s impact on traffic, parking, sound and smell had not been adequately considered.
Jared Foster represented himself before the board and compared his business to nearby businesses Back Nine and Proud Larry’s, both of which hold large capacities.
“All I’m asking is to be treated equally here,” Foster said. “I have yet to hear how we are not following objectives.”
Brian Hyneman, aldermen for Ward III and resident of the South Lamar District, said his biggest concern was
safety. Hyneman said the city would need to hire more officers for the Oxford Police Department to ensure that Velvet Ditch customers exited the bar safely –– similar to The Library Sports Bar.
“Assuming it is, as you say, a well-run business, you will have at 1:30 a.m. 260 people unleashed into a neighborhood,” Hyneman said. “Which is my neighborhood or onto the city streets of Oxford. You’re now increasing the odds of something happening.”
Hyneman motioned to approve the appeal and was seconded by Aldermen At-Large Mary Martha Crowe. There was one nay vote from Mark Huelse, aldermen for Ward II.
The Velvet Ditch will be allowed to revisit its plans with the city planning commission in 90 days. While outdoor expansion of the bar is tabled, the Velvet Ditch will hold a soft opening for the interior on Oct. 11.
Another dispute revisited by the board was JWM Development’s proposal for the rezoning of property located on Old Taylor Road adjacent to Faulkner Flatts and the South Campus Rail Trail.
The decision by the board of aldermen granted 26.06 acres of the land to be reclassified from traditional neighborhood business and neighborhood residential zone to a suburban multi-family zone and .07 acres to be rezoned from neighborhood residential to suburban residential.
Although the city planning commission failed in its rezoning request in a 3-4 vote on Sept. 9, JWM argued that the university’s intake of master leases for several properties in Oxford presents a greater need for housing to be developed. JWM development won the case on the grounds that the character of the neighborhood has changed since the previous zoning.
The completion of Oxford Way construction connecting
Old Taylor Road and South Lamar Avenue, Chucky Mullins Drive construction and the approval of a gas station site plan on an adjacent property were cited as changes seen in the surrounding development that constituted reclassification.
Those in opposition of the rezoning were most concerned with the loss of Oxford’s tree canopy and the height of the buildings.
The rezoning will allow for 40-foot tall buildings to be built, compared to 38 feet from the previous zoning ordinance. JWM has stated in its submitted rezoning request that the property will extend 1,300 feet from the trail. However, there is only an enforceable buffer of 50 feet mandated by the city to protect the trees closest to the trail.
Many trail users unable to attend the meeting wrote emails to Mayor Robyn Tannehill
highlighting their appreciation for the trails and urging the city to deny the rezoning request. Tannehill submitted the emails to be considered on the docket.
Michael Weldy, who frequently uses the trail, wrote that the current development’s buffer zone is insufficient.
“Fifty feet isn’t enough,” Weldy said. “At least try to hide (the development). I’m not sure of the buffer zone for Faulkner Flatts, but it isn’t enough.”
Several community members spoke in hopes of swaying the board’s decision, including Marcos Mendoza, a UM anthropology professor, and his daughter, Sylvie Mendoza. She presented data from her fifth-grade science fair project stating 67 out of 79 trail users surveyed would be very upset if the trails were developed into houses or roads.
Ann Fisher-Wirth, former
faculty member and director of the environmental studies minor at the University of Mississippi, spoke about the importance of tree coverage.
“From the environmental studies point of view, protecting our tree canopy in this community is of the utmost importance as far as helping to fight global warming and helping to create more flow of oxygen,” Fisher-Wirth said.
Tannehill clarified that the land is not a preserve and is zoned to be developed. Although the city does not own the trail, Tannehill said the city is working to create a plan for future parks and trails.
“I love the trials,” Tannehill said. “They are critical to us. We have budgeted in this year’s budget to do an overall study of where we need to have different parks in areas we have not identified.”
An aerial view of JWM Development’s rezoning proposal
PHOTO COURTESY: OXFORD BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Faculty senate considers Barnes & Noble deal
STELLA SAVELL thedmnews@gmail.com
The University of Mississippi Faculty Senate held a meeting in the School of Law on Tuesday, Oct. 8 — their first in-person meeting since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place — to discuss a number of policies. They discussed the establishment of an Anti-Retaliation Policy Ad Hoc Committee, which would oversee the protection of faculty against retaliation for reporting workplace misconduct. They also considered updating senate bylaws, naming new committee members and other changes.
The most contentious topic discussed at the meeting was the proposal of a deal with Barnes & Noble called First Day Complete, a deal that would change the way both undergraduate and graduate students buy their textbooks as soon as next semester.
Students typically are able to purchase textbooks from the online bookstore or in-person based on their final sched-
ules. With the First Day Complete program, students would be charged a flat rate based on credit hours, regardless of whether a class requires a textbook or not. Although students would have the option to optout of this program, it would require them to personally email Barnes & Noble each semester.
Barnes & Noble would then decide whether each book would be a hard copy or e-book, and students could pick them up at the bookstore or have them shipped to their house by the first day of classes. Many senate members expressed their opposition to this program, citing concerns about research-based courses, internships and other classes where textbooks may not be used.
Some members also expressed that the opt-out policy was too hidden and that many students would be oblivious to it.
George McClellan, a professor of higher education, thought students should
be aware of the proposal.
“My colleagues in higher education feel very strongly that the program as proposed is not a good fit for students at the University of Mississippi,” McClellan said. “As we understand it, the proposal would require them to be charged on a per credit hour basis for books, regardless of whether a course requires books. The proposal might be right for some campuses, but our faculty overwhelmingly believe that is not the case for the University of Mississippi.”
Faculty Senate President Hans Sinha wanted to ensure students were well informed and would be able to form their own opinions about the possibility of this deal becoming a reality in the upcoming semester.
“Uniformly, faculty don’t like it, but I hope (students) look to the future with an open and critical mind, because I think once they look at it, students will have a critical voice,” Sinha said.
Another action taken during the meeting was the decision to establish a Faculty Grievance Pool by Nov. 1. This would be a jury-like group of faculty members that carry out the evaluation process for job-related grievances.
As defined by the Faculty Grievance Policy, job-related grievances can pertain to misapplications of policies regarding working hours, conditions, leaves of absence and promotions, among other conditions.
Each of the schools on campus, alongside the J.D. Williams Library, will elect three members of their faculty to be in the Faculty Grievance Pool. One member must be tenured, the other non-tenured and the third would be elected.
“If there’s one thing we have to do this semester, it’s to successfully implement this policy … and we have a lot of work to do to ensure that,” Sinha said.
Executive Committee chairs
were voted on during the meeting, resulting in John Lobur, Jamie Wagner, George McClellan, Kristin Austin and Kristen Swain being sworn in.
There was also overall support for a resolution regarding faculty titles, wherein the use of “support” and “regular” faculty was discarded and replaced by new titles of tenured and non-tenured. During the discussion for this resolution, Sinha brought up the proposition of implementing multiyear contracts for more faculty at the spring semester review.
Aside from the aforementioned policies discussed, the Faculty Senate also appointed Sen. Chad Russell as senate parliamentarian and Dan Durkin as senate representative to the Coalition on Intercollegiate Athletics.
The Faculty Senate also passed one resolution making the UM salary budget available in an online digital format.
Thacker Mountain returns with graveyards and aliens
Thacker Mountain Radio is back in season with live broadcasts every Thursday. Today’s broadcast will take place at 6 p.m. at Off Square Books and is sponsored by the Sarah Isom Center for Gender Studies’ annual Sarahfest series.
Thacker Mountain Executive Director Lucy Gaines described the show’s impact on the lives of local creatives as invaluable and said it is a statement to the rest of the region.
“I think that it shows people you don’t have to leave Mississippi in order to make it as an artist here,” Gaines said. “And we’re broadcasting all over the Southeast on the radio, and so I think it shows the rest of the Southeast that the South has got something to say, like ‘Pay attention to what’s happening here in Oxford.’”
Today’s show will feature M.L. Rio, author of “Graveyard Shift,” a gothic thriller; Alice Hasen, a Memphis-based song-writer and violinist; Julie Williams, a country singer-songwriter, hosted by Jim Dees and Paul Tate and the Yalobushwhackers.
Last week’s broadcast, which took place on Thursday, Oct. 3, included a variety of topics in front of an excited and packed audience at the Powerhouse.
Host Jim Dees started by introducing photographer Chuck Steffen, whose work was exhibited in the Powerhouse foyer.
“The Body Politic” showcased Steffen’s photography of homeless people in downtown Atlanta. Dees described Steffen’s exhibit as “very stunning stuff.”
Steffen captured the stories of those residing in the shelter amid a highly charged battle between downtown businesses that wanted to shut down the shelter and the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless that fought to keep it open.
After the Supreme Court ruling of Grants Pass v. Johnson, which found that municipal authorities are allowed to fine, ticket and arrest those for camping on public land, Steffen decided to compile his photographs into an exhibit.
“To be unsheltered is to be exposed to public view in the
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most literal and degrading sense imaginable,” Steffen said in his artist’s statement. “The body and its most basic functions are stripped of its protective covering afforded by the domestic space that most of us take for granted.”
After Steffen’s interview, Dees introduced the musical guest, Atlanta-based quartet W8ing4UFOs, which promoted their new single, “Killer Robots,” and performed a three-song set.
Their music is a blend of alternative rock, folk and country, all centered around informing listeners of what they call an “impending alien invasion.”
“We’re in this together! We can win!” lead singer Bill Taft said amid applause at the end of the set and just before leaving the stage to rally listeners against an alien attack.
Dees then introduced Erin Austen Abbott, an author residing in Water Valley, Miss. Abbott promoted her new book, “Small Town Living: A Coast-to-Coast Guide for People, Places, and Communities.”
Dees called Abbott’s book “a celebration of the joys of small
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town life that will make readers feel good about small town living.”
Abbott and her son drove across the country for four months doing research for her book. They covered 18 states in the book and drove through 28 during the process.
“People were looking to make a change and slow down,” Abbott said. “They realized that maybe they could have their big city career but somewhere outside of a big city. I realized there wasn’t a guidebook for that, so I took that on.”
Dees said that Abbott did not “pull any punches” in describing the cons of her trip.
“I made sure to include negatives, like maybe how far away a hospital is,” Abbott said. “I was thinking about ways to make it more inclusive, like what can make your community better for everyone.”
Abbott read an excerpt from her book that described why she decided to move back to the Oxford area in 2005 after 20 years of living in dif-
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ferent cities across America.
Abbott left the stage, and Dees introduced the final guest of the night, blues musician Willie Farmer of Duck Hill, Miss. — or as Dees called him, “The Man from the Hill.” Farmer closed the night with an electric performance. His powerful voice instantly won over the audience. Farmer showed love to famous Mississippi blues artist B.B. King with a cover of King’s classic, “The Thrill Is Gone.” “Thacker is a good escape from the everyday busyness of Oxford life, especially in college and getting out of the college sphere,” Thacker Mountain Radio Backstage Producer Phoebe Goodwin said. “It’s nice to get to know real Oxonians and enjoy a free concert every week.” Thacker Mountain Radio broadcasts live every Thursday from 6-7 p.m. on Rebel Radio. The recorded show is also broadcast on several other local and regional radio stations. More information can be found on the Thacker Mountain website.
continued from page 1
the South and not discriminate against it,” Wells said.
Safety and freedom for herself and her loved ones are the most important issues for sophomore English and the -
“The most pressing issue to me comes from growing up being queer in the South, specifically trying to find a candidate that would accommodate queerness in the South and not discriminate against it.”
- Roman Wells sophomore psychology major
terrible the economy is right now, that is a major concern.”
Junior Arabic major Lillyan Madrid expressed concerns about the character of the future president and their care for citizens of lower economic status.
“I worry about the character of the president. I feel like I would want someone who actually seems like they care about the lower class,” Madrid said.
Though Carrillo is concerned with the economy, he said his chief concern is border security.
“My biggest concern, personally, is the border,” Carillo said. “I want the border to be controlled. My grandfather immigrated to the country and did it properly, which is the way I believe it should be done. I’m totally open to having people from other countries coming in, but I think it should be done in a secure and safe way.”
Roman Wells, a sophomore psychology major, shared that voting for a candidate who promotes acceptance for LGBTQ+ individuals is most important to her because of her ex -
ater double major Ivy Comford.
“The most pressing issue on my mind about the upcoming election would have to be being able to live safely with -
major, said that the rights of individuals in the LGBTQ+ community and the rights of women are the biggest issues he is considering as he votes in the upcoming election.
“As a queer man, I have to think about LGBTQ+ rights. Women’s rights are also very important to me, so making sure those rights are pro tected honestly is my big gest concern,” Wright said.
Other answers had more to do with the can didates themselves as well as characteristics that UM students would like their next president to possess.
For senior integrat ed marketing communica tions major Elizabeth Ol son, not knowing enough about the presidential candi dates is her biggest concern.
“The most pressing is sue for me is the fact that I really don’t know enough to go vote,” Olson said. “I feel that the information getting to our generation is very skewed at times, and it’s not targeted for us.”
“The president’s age, I think, is a factor that needs to be reduced back to maybe middle age. If you’re too old, it can affect the way that you think, and you can potentially not be in your right mind to run the country.”
- Brock Myers freshman professional sales major
in a country where freedom is promised but not given on a silver platter like it should be,” Comford said. “I worry
The age of the presidential candidates and their mental capability is the foremost con cern for Brock Myers, a fresh man professional sales major.
“I worry about the character of the president. I feel like I would want somone who actually seems like they care about the lower class.”
perience as a queer person.
“The most pressing issue to me comes from growing up being queer in the South, specifically trying to find a candidate that would accommodate queerness in
- Lillyan Madrid junior Arabic major
about my safety as a woman, my safety as a queer person (and) my safety as just a person in the United States. I worry about my friends, (and) I worry about my family, too.”
Max Wright, a junior music
“The president’s age, I think, is a factor that needs to be reduced back to may be middle age,” Myers said. “If you’re too old, it can affect the way that you think, and you can poten tially not be in your right mind to run the country.”
Camp Holder, a junior political science major, said that a smooth transition in leadership is on his mind the most when thinking of the upcoming election.
“Just a change in leader ship is concerning because any transition in leadership is going to be different,” Hold er said. “If the party changes, you’re going from one party to another (and) basically every thing could swap. So a smooth transition in leadership is what I am concerned about.”
Adam Soltani, president of the Muslim Student Association at the University of Mississippi, published a petition on Change.org on Monday, Sept. 23 in hopes of establishing an improved prayer room at UM.
Soltani initially reached out to university administration on Oct. 24, 2023. Bradley Baker, director of the Ole Miss Student Union, responded to Soltani via email on Dec. 4, 2023.
“At this time, they are extremely tight with space across campus — this includes academic spaces, offices and laboratories,” Baker said via email. “However, (the contact in the Provost’s office) has added the request to her list for discussion at the next campus space meeting.”
Until the petition was publicly released by Soltani, there had not been communication from the university administration regarding a prayer room since the initial email exchange almost a year ago.
On Tuesday, Oct. 1, Baker sent the following email in response to the petition.
“Dr. (Brent) Marsh and I will review the petition and discuss the best possible next steps to advocate for your and your organization,” Bradley said. “We will be in touch soon!”
Marsh is assistant vice chancellor and dean of students at UM.
Soltani said the Muslim Student Association does not intend to criticize the university with the petition but rather emphasize the need for a new prayer room with increased capacity on campus.
The current prayer room is located in room 305 of Vardaman Hall.
“This is not a petition to sort of slam the university. I want to make it absolutely clear,” Soltani said. “Right now, I think we have over 250 people that signed it, so I want them to hopefully look at this and know there is really a need.”
Zynub Al-Sherri, a senior public policy and Arabic double major and member of the Muslim Student Association, described why it
Muslim Student Association seeks improved prayer room
EMILY O’REILLY thedmnews@gmail.com
is seeking a new prayer room.
“The building in general is quite old, and with the prayer room right now, I’d say the biggest problem is the size of it because it’s very small and extremely cramped,” Al-Sherri said. “We often find ourselves praying out in the middle of the hallways. When we did get the prayer room, it wasn’t in the best condition, but we really tried to make the best out of it. Honestly, before last year, no one really used the prayer room or saw it as a resource because it wasn’t in the best of conditions. We didn’t even look at it as an option.”
Al-Sherri described what adjustments students had to make as a result of the conditions of the current prayer room.
“Instead, they would pray at home or in public spaces. What a lot of students would do is to drive all the way home and come back and clean themselves … That’s an hour I could spend studying or doing something else,” Al-Sherri said.
Al-Sherri talked about her own experience.
“Other times, if I was going to miss class doing that, I would have to pray in a public area on campus. … That would make me pretty uncomfortable because I feel like prayers are a really private thing between you and God,” Al-Sherri said. “A lot of students would pass by and give me looks. I’m used to it now, but I know that not everybody feels that way.”
Another concern she raised is that the prayer room is located right beside a unisex bathroom that does not have any doors on its stalls, which affects Muslim women who wear the hijab and limits their ability to perform wudu, a cleansing ritual done before prayer.
“That is one of my main concerns about the prayer room because in Islam, cleanliness and hygiene is very important,” Al-Sherri said. “It isn’t ideal that our prayer room is located right next to a bathroom, but even more so, the bathroom doesn’t have a door (on the stalls).”
After being made aware of the petition, the university’s Division of Diversity and Community Engagement has made plans to speak with the UM Muslim Student Association.
“The university strives to create a culture where all students feel welcome and supported,” Jacob Batte, director of news and media relations for the university, said. “The Division of Diversi-
ty and Community Engagement recently learned about the petition to expand the prayer room in Vardaman Hall and will reach out to the Muslim Student Association to discuss their needs.”
The Muslim Student Association’s prayer room in Vardaman 305.
REESE JOHNSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Beauty on a budget: UM students embrace cheap glam
MARY EVANS thedmfeatures@gmail.com
In recent months, students have been making alterations to their beauty routines in an effort to counterbalance increased inflation rates and rising prices.
Debbie Rowland, owner of DMR Salon & Extension Bar in Oxford, described these trends as “a combination of the economy and style.”
“We have a trend of more women doing a more lived-in blonde or lived-in color, which is lower maintenance than having your highlights,” Rowland said. “I think more people are trying to just not spend as much money … and just being lower maintenance with their look allows them not to have to come into the salon as often.”
Rowland uses techniques like “tease lights” and root smudge toners to blend natural colors with clients’ preferred look. This strategy helps clients go up to three or four months between appointments, compared to the one- to two-month maintenance required for blondes.
DMR client Kaylin Begley, a freshman integrated marketing communications major, transitioned from a bright blonde to a lower-maintenance brunette in 2024 because she knew she would not have time for frequent salon visits in college.
“It’s easier to maintain,” Begley said. “I don’t have to spend as much on product, which is nice. I’ve only been once in the past few months.”
She used to spend approximately $200 per appointment every month to maintain her blonde color but now visits the salon less often, reducing her overall expenses.
Madeline Champagne, a junior integrated marketing communications major, made a similar change and said that the switch saved her a lot of money.
“Because of the high maintenance of the blonde, it was a lot to keep up with. … So I de-
cided in December to go back to (being a) brunette. I thought it was going to be more gradual at first, but my hairstylist pretty much sent me all the way back from fully blonde to fully brunette in one appointment,” Champagne said. Champagne said she pays no more than $100 every two to three months, compared to the $150 to $200 she used to pay monthly. She
now realizes the financial implications of this decision.
“As I’m seeing patterns in the economy, I think it was a great decision,” Champagne said. “It’s definitely nice not having to pay that much money to get your hair done.”
In addition to saving a buck, Champagne said that her self-confidence has been boosted.
“A lot of celebrities are go-
ing back to their natural color,” Champagne said. “I think it’s just a reflection of staying true to yourself. … Embracing my natural hair color has helped me feel more confident.”
For Julia Drozd, a freshman forensic chemistry major, the economic state meant opting for do-it-yourself instant nails rather than professional manicures.
“I normally get my nails done when I’m back home
every weekend. But now I’m in college, and I can’t really afford it, so I get Walmart press-ons,” Drozd said.
The average price of a manicure in Oxford ranges from $25 to $75 and lasts from two to four weeks, depending on the type of service, according to Yelp.com. The average price of Walmart press-ons is $8-$12 and can last one or two weeks.
Khaiya Sisaride, a freshman biology major, has also shifted her nail habits to save money in recent years.
“I used to get designs on my nails all the time, but it gets really expensive, so now I just do french tips,” Sisaride said. “Now I only get them when my mom is in town.”
Claire Wright, who has been working at the beauty store
Amy Head Cosmetics since 2010, noticed that customers who have been affected by the economy have switched to smaller luxuries that are not such a financial burden.
The 2008 “Lipstick Index” shows that consumers tend to gear their beauty store purchases to “smaller luxuries,” like lipstick, during economic downturns, according to Business Insider.
“When money is tight for some people, they tend to gravitate towards lipstick and lip gloss because it’s an easy change and it doesn’t cost much,” Wright said. “To come out and have your makeup done and buy products that are going to last several months is definitely less than going and buying a new wardrobe.”
Despite nationwide correlations between the economic state and cosmetic services, Wright has noted that Oxford has a higher degree of resistance to “recession beauty trends.”
“I hate to say recession-proof, but as long as it’s a college town, people are going to be there and keep coming,” Wright said.
49 Winchester headlines at The Lyric
SYDNEY STEPP thedmfeatures@gmail.com
Folk music group 49 Winchester will appear at The Lyric today, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and the band performing at 9 p.m.
The group’s members are originally from Castlewood, Va., where lead singer and guitarist Isaac Gibson, lead guitarist Bus Shelton and bass player Chase Chafin began playing music together on Winchester Street. They were joined later by Noah Patrick on pedal steel, Tim Hall on piano, organ and keys and Justin Louthian on drums.
The band released its first of five studio albums in 2014 with a self-titled debut. The latest album is “Leavin’ This Holler.” The band has been recognized by magazines and outlets such as Rolling Stone and Billboard.
From the depths of the Appalachian region, 49
Winchester is known for a unique blend of country, Americana and folk music.
“We take influence from a lot of different avenues,” Gibson said on the 49 Winchester website. “We don’t shy away from any of the music we like.”
49 Winchester uses a variety of instruments to create its music. “Leavin’ This Holler” incorporates the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and instruments such as fiddles and guitars.
Sarah May, a junior general business major, is planning to attend the concert.
“I’ve watched some of their online live performances, and they seem to put on a great show,” May said. “Their newest album has some really good hits that have become popular. The band seems to work well together, and I can’t wait to see them live.”
49 Winchester
PHOTO COURTESY: THOMAS CRABTREE / 49 WINCHESTER PRESS KIT
Meet ‘Yankinthesip’ Jake Sarachek
NATE DONOHUE thedmfeatures@gmail.com
If you spot a man in a longsleeve Ole Miss tee and a white visor roaming campus flanked by camera crews, you could very well have come upon Lane Kiffin himself — or you might instead have found Jake Sarachek, a filmmaker who is taking a deep dive into Ole Miss this football season.
Sarachek was born and raised on the Upper East Side of New York City. From a young age, he has been interested in exploring the culture of football schools. This season, alongside his crew, he is following Ole Miss Football but with a unique twist.
“I’m making a project about what it’s like to live in an SEC town during a college football season and doing it differently than every other sports project,” Sarachek said. “We’re not just focusing on the players and coaches, the locker rooms, practice, sideline, film study, all that stuff — we’re focusing on the whole community.”
Sarachek cites famous travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain as a major inspiration, specifically Bourdain’s tendency to highlight the under-the-radar restaurants in the towns he visited.
“When (Bourdain) wanted to learn about the food of another culture, he wouldn’t go to the most expensive restaurant and order the fanciest dish. He would go meet with the momand-pops, the street vendors, the people at the local markets,” Sarachek said. “As a kid who grew up in the northeast and … never got to experience big-time college football, how cool would
it be to live in an SEC town and make a project that focuses on the whole community?”
When Sarachek was 16 years old, he was involved in a serious car accident that left him in a coma for a week, and when he awoke, he was inspired to chase his filmmaking dreams. After a short, one-year detour to law school, Sarachek fully committed to his passion.
“God blessed me with this second lease on life,” Sarachek said. “I need to have a career that I love and that I’m passionate about, and my two biggest loves are sports and storytelling.”
While Sarachek wondered what it would be like to explore the culture of an SEC school during football season, he thought schools like the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia were too mainstream for the goals of his documentary.
“I wanted to go to a place where they love football just as much, have a football-rich tradition and have a team that’s under-the-radar but going to surprise some people with how good they might be this year,” Sarachek said.
After much deliberation, Sarachek settled on Ole Miss. He reached out to prominent members in the Oxford community about his idea, and Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter answered. Sarachek, supported by the entire Ole Miss Athletics Department, was granted full access to the Ole MissLSU football game last season.
A pilot episode Sarachek made, titled “Who The Hell Are
We,” is accessible on Vimeo and has reached just under 17,000 views on X. When he was asked if he was interested in following Ole Miss football for an entire season, the answer was a no-brainer.
“I love this school. I love this community,” Sarachek said. “I have so many great friends here, and it would be really special to come back here for an anticipated season where this team means everything to this community, and this community gives everything it has to this team and be able to capture that story.”
Sarachek hopes his documentary will demonstrate that athletes, too, are a part of the community.
“(Football student-athletes) are people you see around campus, around town, around the Square, and that’s the last time in their lives they’re going to be like that for a very long time because most of them are going to be playing (in the National Football League),” Sarachek said. “(I wanted) to capture them as people and show how, at the end of the day, they may be incredible athletes, but they’re just regular people like you and me.”
Sarachek has taken part in numerous local traditions to fully immerse himself in the Ole Miss experience: He set up tents in the Grove with SevenSouth Tailgating, did the tent run at four in the morning, bartended at Funky’s on the Square and even donned the famous blazer and khaki pants uniform of fraternity pledges so that he could sit in the student section.
Even Sarachek’s daily garb
— his Lane Kiffin-inspired outfit — has community ties. Sarachek is sponsored by The College Corner, a clothing store in Oxford.
“(The College Corner) outfitted me in all the Lane Kiffin outfits, and my team and I thought it would be funny if I did the Lane Kiffin outfit every day,” Sarachek said.
Once the season ends, Sarachek hopes to work out a deal to air his documentary on a streaming service. He has already started to advertise on social media.
“I want to do everything in my own power to make the project as successful as possible,” Sarachek said. “So we started a social media channel where we post behindthe-scenes content every day.”
His Instagram account, @yankinthesip, has already amassed approximately 3,500 followers. Featured on this channel are the Ole Miss Rebelettes, the Ole Miss Women’s Basketball team and fieldside clips of football games.
Though Sarachek hopes to expand to other college campuses in the future, Ole Miss will always have a special place in his heart.
“I’ve made so many lifelong friends here,” Sarachek said.
“I have so many people who I love and care about deeply here. I love the place so much. I love the school so much. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better group of people than (those) of Oxford and Ole Miss.”
UM chapter of AKA celebrates 50 year anniversary
The Theta Psi chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a weekend of sisterhood events for undergraduate members and alumni starting on Friday, Oct. 11.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. became the first African American Greek-letter organization chartered at Ole Miss on May 12, 1974.
The chartering members are Rachael Balentine, Dorothy Balfour, Demetrius Barnes, Jerrie Bell, Linda Buford, Bobbie Carmichael, Juanita Everson, Berniece Polk, Margarie Richmond, Jerrylyn Royston, Barbra Walker and Dianne Wilson.
During the landmark anniversary, the sisters of the Theta Psi chapter are celebrating not only many years of sisterhood but also their pride in the chapter’s history as a group of trailblazers.
President of the Theta Psi chapter Alex Lawson, a senior public health major, spoke about the importance of the event and honoring the women who came before the current undergraduate members.
“We want our alumni to have the most memorable weekend, as it is the courageous acts of our 12 charter members in 1974 that allow us to celebrate this incredible milestone today,” Lawson said.
Rose Jackson Flenorl was in-
ducted into the Theta Psi chapter in 1976 and is now a member of the graduate chapter.
“It is important to know your history. It is important to document that history,” Flenorl said. “We will celebrate our collective achievements and the commitment we have had for 50 years to community service.”
In addition to being the first African American Greek organization at Ole Miss, the Theta Psi chapter has been a part of many other firsts on campus. In 1979, Flenorl was the first Black woman to be inducted into the student Hall of Fame at Ole Miss. Kimsey O’Neal was the first African American Miss Ole Miss in 1990. In 1996, Debbie McCain was the first Black woman to be crowned Most Beautiful in the Parade of Beauties.
These women, along with the sorority’s 12 charter members, will be recognized during the weekend’s events.
“History plays a major role in a celebration like this one,” Brooklyn Hall, treasurer of the Theta Psi chapter and a junior multidisciplinary studies major, said. “The Theta Psi chapter made history on this campus at a time when Black people were still trying to find their place on this campus.”
SIMONE BOURGEOIS thedmfeatures@gmail.com
The Theta Psi chapter will hold a welcome reception in the Gertrude C. Ford Student Union Ballroom on Friday, Oct. 11, and a Kentucky Derby-themed picnic in the Grove, followed by a gala at the Jackson Avenue Center on Saturday, Oct. 12. The celebration will end on Sunday, Oct. 13, with a worship service at the Paris-Yates Chapel.
“The undergraduate body is beyond excited to celebrate with former members of the Theta Psi Chapter,” Hall said. “As undergraduate members, we always relish the opportunity to pay homage to those who have come before us.”
Newly initiated Alpha Kappa Alpha members during Union Unplugged in spring 2024
PHOTO COURTESY: ALEX LAWSON
Jake Sarachek interviews a student in the Grove on Oct. 9.
REESE JOHNSON / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Julia Dyess, who began playing volleyball in the seventh grade, signed with the Ole Miss Volleyball team in 2020 as an outside hitter. After four years with the Rebels, she is in her senior season and looking to go out with a bang.
Before coming to Ole Miss, Dyess had an illustrious high school career at Hartfield Academy in Flowood, Miss., close to her hometown of Brandon, Miss. She also played club volleyball for Infinity Volleyball.
During her time at Hartfield Academy, Dyess was ranked as a top 150 prospect on PrepVolleyBall.com, named the 2018 Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Player of the Year and recognized as an AllMAIS Player from 2018-2020.
During her senior year at Hartfield Academy, Dyess
Rebel volleyball star Julia Dyess returns for senior season
DYLAN LIGGETT thedmsports@gmail.com
had 699 digs — the second best in school history — and a .429 hitting percentage.
Once at the university, Dyess appeared in the first 12 matches of the season, helping the Rebels secure their second-best season start in program history, going 12-0, before suffering a season ending injury in the Rebels’ victory over South Carolina.
In her first 12 matches, Dyess had 28 digs, 46 kills and three blocks. She hit a career high of 11 kills and hit a .381 clip in her first start for the Rebels against Alabama A&M. With the help from Dyess, the team made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 11 years.
Dyess then returned for her sophomore season at Ole Miss in 2022 and tallied 59 kills in 22 games.
The star athlete made an
appearance in all 29 of the Rebels’ matches in 2023, starting in 21 of them and playing in 92 of the Rebels’ 111 set total. Throughout her junior year she took 697 swings, the second most on the team, averaged 2.41 kills and 2.81 points per set and recorded at least 10 kills in nine total matches. Dyess was the only player on the Ole Miss team to record a 20 kill game.
In the Rebels’ season opener against St. John’s University, Dyess recorded a career-high five blocks and posted a career best .438 hitting percentage in the match against Tennessee State. Dyess played one of the best matches of her career against LSU, totaling a career high 22 kills with a .310 hitting percentage in the Rebels’ 3-2 victory.
So far this season, Dyess and the Rebels are 12-3. She scored 12 digs in the Rebels’ loss to Arkansas and anoth-
Dual-threat athlete Austin Simmons adds talent to baseball and football rosters
RHEGAN VANHOOZER thedmsports@gmail.com
Dual football and baseball athlete Austin Simmons grew up in Pahokee, Fla. Not only did Simmons shine on the field and the mound, he also excelled academically. By the time he started his sophomore year of high school, he had accumulated 15 college credits and held a 5.34 GPA.
When Simmons had the opportunity to enroll in college early to jump-start his academic and athletic careers, he did not hesitate. The quarterback committed to Florida in April of 2023, but by mid-June, the 17-yearold swapped to Ole Miss.
“No one can really say they got the chance to jump two years ahead and compete in the SEC,” Simmons said in an AP article. “Ole Miss has a reputation of building great quarterbacks for the league. So it’s really an opportunity I couldn’t miss.”
Simmons did not compete in games during the 2023 football season in order to extend his eligibility. Instead, he watched the QB battle between veteran Jaxson Dart, LSU transfer Walker Howard and Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders.
Rebel fans were able to get their first peek at Simmons’ arm when he began pitching in relief at Swayze.
In his freshman year of high school, the left-handed pitcher maintained a 2.00 ERA while striking out 61 batters. Simmons appeared in 13 games for the Rebels, sustaining a 3.21 ERA, the second best on the team. However, his baseball season was cut short due to a
UCL strain he suffered while pitching against Alabama. He recovered quickly and joined his football teammates at fall camp, training to fill the designated QB2 spot. Ole Miss fans were surprised come August when Simmons had already secured his place behind Dart.
Simmons was a four-star recruit, throwing for 3,253 yards and 27 touchdowns as a high school sophomore. When given the opportunity to showcase his talent at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Simmons did not disappoint. His first collegiate pass was a 35-yard touchdown in the season-opener against Furman.
Simmons hopes to continue playing both baseball and football. Playing two sports means a higher possibility of injury, though.
“I’m pretty positive I’ll be back at Swayze next spring,” Simmons said in an Ole Miss Football press conference. “I’ll be back into the … relieving rotation, just have to take another MRI.” Mike Bianco, head coach of Ole Miss Baseball, said that he wants Simmons to be his best self on the football field and that they will worry about baseball when the time comes. He is two years younger than the rest of his class and is playing two collegiate sports in an incredibly competitive conference.
Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. talked about how Simmons has done this far.
“He’s done a tremendous job … all things considered, with his situation,” Weis said. “He’s getting better each and every day. His mentality is just fantastic.”
er 12 kills and 12 digs in the Rebels’ 3-1 win over LSU.
The Rebels will travel to Athens to face Georgia on Oct. 13.
Julia Dyess receives a serve during a match against Illinois on Aug. 28, 2022.
PHOTO COURTESY: KIANA DALE / OLE MISS ATHLETICS
Austin Simmons scans the field for an open receiver during the Grove Bowl in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on April 13.
PHOTO COURTESY: OLIVIA MOORE / 247SPORTS
Rebels head to Death Valley for top 25 matchup with LSU
HADDON MCLEOD thedmsports@gmail.com
Ole Miss and LSU both find themselves with one loss and a chance to become a playoff contender on Saturday, Oct. 12.
Ole Miss is coming off a 27-3 win over South Carolina, and LSU defeated South Alabama 42-10 last Saturday. After a weekend of tumultuous upsets in college football, Ole Miss sits at No. 9 in the AP rankings, while LSU remains at No.13.
The Rebels have not won an away game against LSU since 2008 — although they have come close. Ole Miss has lost the last two times they traveled to Death Valley, once in 2020 and again in 2022.
The Daily Mississippian talked with Jason Willis, sports editor of LSU’s student newspaper, The Reiville, about LSU fans’ expectations for this weekend’s matchup.
“I think there’s a part of the fanbase that is thinking that Ole Miss at the beginning of the season was maybe the SEC team that people were most confident in,” Willis said. “There’s also an expectation within the LSU fanbase that LSU beats Ole Miss.”
The Rebel unit that stole the show on Saturday afternoon was the defense, led by T.J. Dottery with 13 total tackles. In total, Ole Miss had six sacks and 10 tackles for a loss, despite being down star EDGE Princely Umanmielen.
While asserting defensive dominance throughout the season, Ole Miss will face its biggest test against LSU’s offense, led by quarterback Garrett Nussmeir.
An exceptional player, Nussmeir has done his best to replace Heisman-trophy winner Jayden Daniels. Nussmeir’s numbers have been solid, with 1,652 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing only four interceptions. It will be important for the Rebels to force LSU into obvious passing downs on third and long so that the defensive line can apply pressure on Nussmeier.
The Ole Miss offense looked a little closer to form last Saturday, gaining 425 total offensive yards, including 140 yards on the ground. The Rebels’ run game
Rebel running back Snoop Conner leaps to avoid a diving tackle by an LSU defender on Oct. 23, 2021.
has been an adjustment with the return of running back Henry Parrish Jr. and the rise of sophomore running back Matt Jones.
The Rebels have struggled to find much run game outside of Parrish and Jones. There is a lingering question on the status of Ulysses Bentley IV, who averaged 5.7 yards a carry in conference play last season.
Through four non-conference games with Ole Miss, Bentley racked up 16 rush attempts for 63 total yards. However, against Kentucky and South Carolina to start SEC play, Bentley did not see the field once.
“You know it’s a fair question. I get asked that every week,” head coach Lane Kiffin said in a press conference prior to the South Carolina game. “These other guys are doing well. I thought they ran well, I thought they protected well. … It’s nothing against Bentley; it’s just how it is. But I can’t predict how the future is going to go.”
Dart was in better form on Saturday, throwing for 285 yards — although he looked a little hesitant following the previous week’s loss to Kentucky, and struggled to find some reads early in the game. Dart will look to find wide receivers Tre Harris and Juice Wells this week against the LSU secondary.
The LSU defense has improved but is still vulnerable. The Tigers are without star linebacker
Puzzles by KrazyDad
Harold Perkins after he suffered a torn ACL earlier in the season.
Ole Miss could explore some options within the ground game, as LSU has looked susceptible to the run this season. South Carolina scored 34 points on the Tigers and almost won in overtime earlier this season, but scored only three points on Ole Miss two weeks later.
“I think one of LSU’s biggest strengths this season has been rushing the passer,” Willis said. “If there’s anything our corners do have going for them it’s physicality. … In order for them to beat Ole Miss, they would have to slow the offense down that way.”
While the Rebels are more talented on paper, Ole Miss will need to capitalize on both ends of the ball to come out with a win in Death Valley. The offense is expected to come out aggressive early to take shots at the LSU defense.
Throughout Kiffin’s tenure at Ole Miss, the staff seems to be dialed in during these “swing” games. When Ole Miss faced teams with similar fates and records, Kiffin and staff tended to execute well and get the job done — just like in 2023 when the Rebels faced LSU in Oxford as the underdog and earned a comeback win.
The Rebels will face LSU in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12. at 6:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ABC.
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
ACROSS 1- Window piece; 5- Fishing vessel, perhaps; 9- Tolkien baddies; 13- Milan’s La ___; 15- Fencing blade; 16- Fastidious; 17- Units; 18- Personal quirks; 19- Poet ___ St. Vincent Millay; 20- Bro’s sibling; 21- Fill completely; 23- Killer; 25- Staffer; 26- Staggered; 27- Part of a gun; 30- Suffix with fail; 31- Future oak; 32- Not a direct hit; 37- Hamlet, for one; 38- Eat away at; 40- Draft classification; 41- Estimator; 43- Kitten; 44- ___ standstill; 45- Brother of Electra; 47- Breadwinner; 50- Choir attire; 51- Walk with long steps; 52- Gyro meat; 53- Sound at a spa; 56- Buckeye State;
57- Run into; 59- Cow catcher; 61- ___ we forget; 62- Bacchanalian cry; 63- Happify; 64- Mined materials; 65- Bears’ lairs; 66- Slaughter of baseball; DOWN 1- Pitchfork-shaped letters; 2- Broadway opener; 3- Scottish refusals; 4- Freddie Krueger roamed ___ Street in the movies; 5- Superior; 6- Mayberry kid; 7- Former nuclear agcy.; 8- Mosaic pieces; 9- Ryan or Tatum; 10- Color anew; 11- Worked with wicker; 12- Hollywood headliner; 14- Give, as homework; 22- Fruity quaff; 24- Suggestive look; 25- Go along; 26Regretted; 27- And here it is!; 28- Some DVD players; 29- They’re charged; 32- And not;
33- Small rodent; 34- Part of MIT; 35- Zaire’s Mobutu ___ Seko; 36- Puts into words; 38- Highly regarded; 39- Stadium din; 42- Hourglass filler; 43- Small stone; 45- Gives a speech;
Come up;
Apropos of;
HG BIGGS / THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN
Week 7 college football pick ‘ems
Ole Miss @ LSU: 27-14 Ole Miss wins
(Dylan Liggett)
Ole Miss will face a tough test this week against No. 13 LSU on the road in Baton Rouge. After a loss to Kentucky in their SEC home opener, the Rebels made a statement last Saturday in their 27-3 victory over South Carolina.
The Rebels’ defense saw a return to form against the Gamecocks, allowing only a single field goal.
The offense also came out firing with a strong run game and a sharp passing game — even if quarterback Jaxson Dart looked lackluster in the second half.
With star wide receiver Tre Harris out with an ankle injury, the Rebels will need to spread the ball around to their remaining receivers and keep the run game going strong if they want to win.
So far this season, quarterback Garret Nussmeier and the LSU offense have looked dull. While the defense is a definite upgrade from last season, the Tigers will have to get creative to shut down the explosive Ole Miss offense. If they want to win, the Tigers need to shut down the Rebels’ pass game and stem the tide of the Rebels’ ground game.
The Tigers’ offense still has weapons in wide receiver Kyren Lacy and running back Caden Durham, and if the offense can get the run game going and manage to put points on the board, LSU may stand a chance.
Florida @ Tennessee: 35-7 Tennessee wins
(Luke Dunavant)
The Florida Gators have had a rough start this season, going 3-2 so far with wins over Samford, Mississippi State and UCF.
Graham Mertz is the starting quarterback for the Gators, and his numbers are unimpressive. He has thrown for 666 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Gators’ defense is the only chance Florida has to win to win this game. As a team, they have 13 sacks and two interceptions.
EDGE rushers Tyreak Sapp and George Gumbs Jr. both lead the way with two and a half sacks each.
The Tennessee Volunteers, coming off of a heartbreaking loss at Arkansas, are out for revenge. Redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava had his first bad game of the season last week, throwing for 158 yards and no touchdowns. He will more than likely bounce back with the support of the fans at home.
The Volunteers’ defense is roughly the same as Florida’s on paper — with nine sacks and two interceptions. The main difference is EDGE rusher James Pearce Jr., who is a monster on the defensive line. He has tallied 12 tackles and one and a half sacks on the season. Tennessee should be able to take advantage of a weaker Florida offensive line.
available for the matchup this weekend, but the Longhorns are prepared to play Manning should he not be available. With either Ewers or Manning at QB, the Longhorns should improve to 6-0 on the season.
Ohio State @ Oregon: 35-31 Ohio State wins
(Charles Hausman)
Ohio State will head west to Eugene, Ore., for a week seven contest against Oregon, with ESPN’s College GameDay present. Both teams are 5-0 on the season and sit inside the Top 5 in the most recent AP Poll. No. 2 Ohio State has been electric this season, with no competition coming close to stealing their thunder. The Buckeyes’ passing game has been lethal with quarterback Will Howard leading an air raid offense. Howard has two star receivers — Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka — as targets.
Penn State @ USC: 27-14 Penn State wins (Wilson Engeriser)
Despite having no statement wins and playing close games against almost all of its opponents, Penn State is now the No. 4 team in the AP poll. Their best win came against No. 23 Illinois, 21-7.
Southern California is a polar opposite to Penn State. The Trojans notched a good win against LSU to start the season but have gone off the rails since then. They fell to Michigan by a field goal, rebounded by beating Wisconsin by three scores but then lost to Minnesota last Saturday in a game in which three turnovers proved to be their downfall.
For the Nittany Lions to win, they must rely on their ground game with running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. For USC to have a chance, quarterback Miller Moss needs to control his turnovers. In both games USC lost, he threw at least one interception.
Texas @ Oklahoma: 31-14 Texas wins
(Ian Sparks)
Both new additions to the SEC have started strong with Texas now ranked No. 1 in the country for the second time this season. Oklahoma bounced back from its first conference loss against Tennessee with a solid win on the road at Auburn and currently sits at No. 18.
Texas is coming off a bye week after beating Mississippi State behind freshman quarterback Arch Manning’s three touchdown performance. It has yet to be determined if former starter Quinn Ewers will be
Squeaking by in the first two weeks, No. 3 Oregon found their footing after a dominant win over rival Oregon State. Dillon Gabriel, transfer quarterback from Oklahoma, will try to sneak past the Buckeyes’ defense. This matchup will determine the clear leader of the Big 10 Conference.
South Carolina @ Alabama: 52-17 Alabama wins (Sarah Fenton) Despite a historic loss to an unranked Vanderbilt team last week, former No. 1 Alabama will be tough to beat. Prior to Saturday’s defeat in Nashville, Alabama was 4-0, including a dramatic win over a top Georgia team. The Gamecocks’ previous teams could have put up more of a challenge, but the 2024 roster is not likely to upset Alabama. The Tide’s defense is going to be intimidating for South Carolina, and they should be able to control the game from beginning to end.
Mississippi State @ Georgia: 56-3 Georgia wins (Lily Green) This weekend’s visit to Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., will be Mississippi State’s second consecutive top five road matchup. Mississippi State is coming off a bye week. The week prior, the Bulldogs lost to No. 1 Texas 35-13 in quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr.’s first official start for Mississippi State. QB Blake Shapen remains out after suffering a shoulder injury in the Bulldogs’ game against Florida. Georgia beat Auburn 31-13 the previous week and heads into this contest as the favorite. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck totals 1,359 passing yards and 12 touchdowns and will look to find another conference win.
From aesthetics to appropriation
BRE’ANNA COLEMAN thedmopinion@gmail.com
“Trends and aesthetics are frequently taken from cultures, rebranded and promoted by a new group without giving homage to their true origin.”
As TikTok continues to grow as a social media platform, we have seen a rise in different trends and how they show up in our everyday lives. TikTok references invade our lingo, and other trends find their way into seemingly unrelated aspects of life.
TikTok Shop, the e-commerce wing of the app, has become incredibly popular in just a few months and now influences what we purchase.
While I do not particularly have an issue with the trends or ability to purchase items on the platform, I think it is crucial to address the role TikTok is beginning to have on culture, social norms and everyday life. The app is pervasive in every sense of the word.
If you have an account, I am sure you have heard of aesthetics. The “gym girl aesthetic” and “soft girl aesthetic” have become not only captions and video topics but also lifestyles.
What do these captions, titles and ideas mean, especially for young girls and women who view them as ideals and images to model themselves after? Are they just that — ideas and “inspo?”
Many of these aesthetics are problematic. The “clean girl aesthetic” trend caused frustration and confusion among many racial and ethnic groups. The trend was centered around slicked-back ponytails, hoop earrings and a simple “natural” makeup look.
Many women of color, particularly Black and Latina women, vocally stated that this “trend” was already a norm within their communities.
Trends and aesthetics are frequently taken from cultures, rebranded and promoted by a new group without giving homage to their
Opinion Policies:
true origin. These aesthetics are presented in a way that makes them seem “new” and “trendy” when they are actually distinct cultural looks that have existed for many years.
We have seen this trend in music, hairstyles, African American Vernacular English and many other aspects of what is typically labeled as American culture. For years, the African American and Latino communities have been trendsetters without receiving proper recognition for their creation of ideas and styles.
You can see instances of this in conversations that mislabel some African American Vernacular as Gen Z language, such as when cornrows are renamed or in many other instances of blatant ignorance.
These trends highlight how frequently racial and ethnic groups are exploited for entertainment and robbed of their culture without being seen as the beauty standard or acknowledged as innovators. There is no issue with trends or aesthetics as long as they are harmless and do not contribute to the marginalization of racial groups that have shaped cultural trends for years.
To be clear, TikTok is not the reason this issue exists — rather, it is a platform where these issues are more clearly visible. Even though minority groups have contributed to American society and culture, their contributions are often overlooked or diminished.
Rather than perpetuating the same narratives, the question is: When will we begin to incite the change we hope to see?
Bre’Anna Coleman is a senior political science major at the University of Mississippi.
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.
Bre’Anna Coleman