The Current Fall 2022 Issue

2022

221 W. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48933 Phone: 17.203.0123 Fax: 517.203.3334

Publisher

Tiffany Dowling

Account Managers

Megan Fleming

Devon Kirby

Melissa DeMott

Senior Editor

Kate Birdsall

Graphic Designer Victor Sawicki

Content Manager Lacie Kunselman

Project

C Rose Widmann

Writers

Claire Bahorski, Gabriel Sando val, Bianca Bucholtz, Harrison Nelson, Phoenix Grubbs, Olivi ah Brown, David Seddon

Editors

Claire Bahorski, Oliviah Brown, Bianca Bucholtz, Phoenix Grubbs, Amanda Kiefer, Harri son Nelson, Gabriel Sandoval, David Seddon

A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Reader,

As our worlds finally begin to return back to a state of normalcy, we reflect on many of the lasting effects of the pandemic and how it has affected our stories. From assessing our mental health to taking hybrid instruction classes, we have introduced new aspects to our everyday lives, enjoyed new hobbies and interests, and built incredible relationships along the way.

We finally break free from the many, many long chapters of the pandemic. It’s a fresh start — a part two, if you will. Our team relished the opportunity to get out and talk to our community, and these meaningful conversations are just a piece of what went into each of these articles. The ability to interview people in-person and capture bold images relevant to our topics was something we truly missed during the height of the pandemic. Now, we are better able to tell our stories through imagery, emotiuon and human connection.

This issue was crafted with hard work and special consideration by every member of our team. Our collaboration created a rewarding chapter of The Current we all will recall fondy. Being able to see each other face to face again enabled us to have generative conversations and build our ideas together. Our stories grew stronger, and we were introduced to many more characters in our lives. Through these meetings, our team was able to produce our best possible work for this issue, motivating and supporting each other throughout the process.

We invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy this issue’s diverse and current topics. Each article is chosen, written and revised for your best reader experi ence.

As always, we thank you for your continuous support of The Current, and we hope you will join us again for our next issue. As we get back out into the world again, it is important to remember to take opportunities as they come; never taking the simple things for granted. Don’t be afraid to begin your new chapter, or even start a whole new story. Stay determined, stay excited and keep moving forward.

Jenna Piotrowicz

By: Claire Bahorski

The intention of a conservatorship is to protect and transfer respon sibility to another individual when someone is deemed unfit to handle their own finances or make life decisions. Recently, conservatorships and guardianships have been the topic of discussion, largely due to Britney Spears and her conservator ship battle.

For 13 years, Spears was a conser vatee to her father, James Spears, who filed for a probate conserva torship on Feb. 1, 2008. While it was originally meant to last until the end of the year, the conservatorship was made permanent in October 2008.

Freeing Britney

A Closer Look at Conservatorship Abuse & Others

There are two typical types of con servatorship. A conservator of the person oversees someone’s health, medical care and overall quality of life, and a conservator of the estate controls a conservatee’s financial decisions. Britney Spears was under both types of conservatorships, leaving her father to make every decision for her life, career and finances. These restrictions meant she couldn’t decide when to have children, get married or spend time with friends without supervision.

Although conservatorships are intended to help the elderly, those struggling with mental or physical disabilities, or those unable to make everyday decisions, there are many instances in which conservatees are abused or taken advantage of by their conservators.

According to the National Associa tion to Stop Guardianship Abuse, individuals placed into abusive conservatorships lose the right to

choose a lawyer, make financial decisions, choose where they live, refuse medical procedures or treat ment, vote, drive, get married and much more.

Conservatorship cases are very detail-oriented, and the conserva tor should be monitored closely so as to determine that they are not abusing their power over their conservatee. Attorney Jeffrey Bahor ski, who is experienced in conserva torship cases, believes these cases should be carefully handled so as to avoid financial, physical and mental abuse.

“If the conservator is properly dis charging the fiduciary duty owed to the protected person, the ability of a third party to misuse or misap propriate the assets of the estate should be greatly minimized. If

these powers are properly exer cised, then the protected person should not suffer an adverse fi nancial experience,” said Bahorski. This means the protected person shouldn’t be at risk of financial abuse unless the conservator them self is the one abusing the conser vatee’s finances.

The wide scope of rights given to the conservator allows instances of abuse, such as Spears’ case, to slip through the cracks.

Bahorski explained that while there are protections built into conserva torships, such as inventories and accounts of financial activity, the conservator does have the ultimate say. “Simply put, a conservator pos sesses powers that if not exercised in the best interests of the protect ed person, it can be devastating financially, though these cases are infrequent. There are also some remedies to help the estate recover in the event of mismanagement, such as bond claims; these are of ten difficult and costly to pursue.”

In the years following her conser vatorship, Spears was taken ad vantage of and silenced. In 2019, 11 years into her conservatorship, Spears canceled her upcoming shows and was checked into a mental health facility, seemingly by her own will. However, the podcast “Britney’s Gram” received a phone call from a paralegal involved with the case, who stated that Spears had been held at the facility against her will. It was after this that the #FreeBritney movement gained momentum.

Some may wonder how a court-appointed conservator can get away with abuse, especially in a high-pro file case like this one. Bahorski sheds light on how conser vators can get away with

emotionally, mentally or financially abusing their conservatees.

He said, “Conservators can have broad powers over the assets of the estate, and this can affect the lifestyle and care to which the protected person receives. In cases where the same person, spouse or adult child, for example, is both the guardian and conservator, the protected person is at potential risk.

The guardian or conservator is mak ing decisions which directly affect the welfare of the protected person, and poor judgment or negligence by the guardian or conservator can have catastrophic results. There are safeguards in the appointment and reporting process through the probate court that minimize the risk of bad outcomes, but the process is not foolproof.”

In regard to the difficulty of getting out of a conservatorship, Bahorski is not surprised at Spears’ struggles in removing her father as her conservator.

contests the petition. Third parties may also petition for the remov al of a conservator. The probate court may ultimately have to decide whether to terminate the conservatorship or to remove an appointed conservator after a contested hear ing. This can be a long and costly process.”

As more public attention was put on Spears’ conservatorship, The New York Times released “Framing Britney Spears,” a documentary that took a closer look at the details of her case and the #FreeBritney movement, inspiring fans to contin ue fighting for Spears’ freedom.

al is assigned to handle the financial aspects of another person. I feel like they are becoming more popular because of the recent findings of Britney Spears’ and Amanda Bynes’ conservatorships that are gaining traction in the media. However, before I heard about those two con servatorships, I believed they were for elderly individuals who needed assistance with their finances.”

While Steenland acknowledges the need for conservatorships in some cases, she believes Spears is a vic tim of abuse and needed a different type of intervention while she was struggling.

“Appointment of a conservator is a legal process administered by a probate court. Because of that, many people may find it difficult to navigate through the probate court system. While a conservator can petition to terminate the conserva torship, the protected person may find it difficult to bring an end to the conservatorship if the conservator

Lifelong fan Jordyn Steenland close ly followed the case after hearing about Spears suddenly canceling her Las Vegas residency. “I thought it was strange that she ended it so abruptly, so I did some digging to find out what was going on behind the scenes. I did not know the ex tent of it until I watched the docu mentary,” she said.

Like many fans, Steenland learned more about conservatorships by watching this case unfold, saying, “From my understanding, conserva torships are used when an individu

“I don’t think she needed a con servatorship—I think she needed a financial assistant of some sort to help her with her finances. Some one who could help her with investments and how to save, etc. … I think there should have been more evaluations on her mental state,” she said.

“I felt like she didn’t necessarily fit the bill for someone that needed a conservatorship. I think her dad wanted to control all aspects of her life—her health, money, personal life and career.”

Another lifelong fan, Liberty Walker first heard about the #FreeBritney movement after watching the doc umentary “Framing Britney Spears.”

Like Steenland, Walker believes there should have been alternative treatment for Spears rather than a permanent conservatorship.

“The system failed a person who was struggling with treatable mental health issues and put her into the hands of her father, who in the past had struggled with money and family issues,” she said.

Spears’ father was suspended from being her conservator in Septem ber 2021, and on Nov. 12, 2021 her conservatorship officially ended. Fans rejoiced at this news because Spears finally has the freedom to live her life without her choices or finances being controlled by a third party.

Steenland, like many other fans, is thrilled at the news that Spears can live freely now after not being able to do everyday activities like leaving her house or even driving her car without permission.

“I am very happy for her to have some independence. I think she needs to take some time off to do what she wants to do—travel, go on dates, spend time with her kids. I think she loves what she does, but on her terms. I can see her doing another residency or tour, but may be in a couple of years when she is healthy and happy.”

Walker echoes these sentiments, saying, “I am so glad she’s free to live her life her own way. I think she

should someday do a tour or some concerts for her fans. I think she’s doing great so far, speaking her mind and coming out with a book soon.”

Though Spears is lucky her con servatorship ended, others are not so lucky. She is not the first to be abused in a conservatorship, nor will she be the last. Fortunate ly, her story can inspire others in similar situations to seek the help they need to get out of an abusive conservatorship or guardianship. Spears has given others courage and has proven to her fans that despite the abuse she endured, like her hit song says, she is “stronger than yesterday.”

Claire Bahorski is a senior at Michigan State University majoring in human capital and society and humanities pre-law with concentrations in history, law and professional writing. She works at The Cube as part of the Office of the Provost communications team. She hopes to continue to strengthen her writing skills throughout her time with The Current and continue developing as a writer and editor.

The wide scope of rights given to the conservator allows instances of abuse...to slip through the cracks. ”

“

The Twitter Musketeers: A Look into Elon Musk Fanboy Culture

By: Gabriel Sandoval

When most people hear the word “musketeer,” they may think of the novel “The Three Musketeers,” soldiers, the 3 Musketeers candy bar or even the “musketeer” card in the popular app Clash Royale. But recently, the term Musketeer has taken on a new meaning that could soon become its primary meaning if Elon Musk continues to accumulate wealth at an extraordinary rate.

“Musketeer” in the context of bil lionaire Elon Musk refers to one of his fans and implies varying degrees of support for the tech giant. While a less devoted Musketeer may sim ply own a Tesla because they be lieve it’s the best brand of car, real die-hard Musketeers may spend the majority of their time defending Elon Musk on Twitter, chatting about him in Reddit

forums and planning to work for one of his companies.

The New York Post cites Kanye West, Joe Rogan and Pharrell Wil liams as examples of prominent Musk fans, but it notes many fans are young males who gather on so cial media to discuss Musk. Edward Jacobs, a 22-year-old engineering major at Harvey Mudd College, doesn’t refer to himself as a Muske teer but does choose to identify as a “supporter.” He “plans on working at SpaceX after [he] graduates[s],” and mentions his devotion to staying updated about Musk’s actions on social media.

Jacobs and Musk’s other fans didn’t find an interest in Musk for no rea son. The richest man in the world is bound to have both supporters and haters, and the existence of the Musketeers—as well as Musk’s many critics—is proof of that. Many people admire his achievements in the technology industry, citing the

dominance of Tesla and SpaceX as his biggest accomplishments. Teslas are seen all over the country, and SpaceX receives constant media attention. Young engineers, scien tists and businesspeople look up to Musk, hoping to have a fraction of the success he does.

One of the biggest places Muske teers gather is Twitter but for rea sons that might surprise non-Mus keteers. In addition to having hundreds of millions of users, Twitter is a platform that Musk has mastered the usage of. Using the 280 character limit to his advantage, Musk tweets bold, short statements designed to captivate his audience’s attention while sparing them the boredom of the details.

A tweet by Elon Musk on April 3, 2022 simply reads, “Humanity did not evolve to mourn the unborn.” This tweet is only 43 characters out of the maximum 280 that Twitter allows, captivating people’s atten-

tion and letting their minds finish the rest of the Tweet for him. Musk rarely spells things out for his fans on Twitter and at most will add a couple of follow-up tweets or a retweet to help illustrate his point. Musk’s bold but unelaborated state

ment, clearly resembling some sort of a stance on abortion, earned him over 130,000 likes and over 11,000 retweets.

Musk’s second Twitter hack is his ability to meme on a level Gen Z can relate to. Several of Musk’s posts are simply memes, all of which gain a massive amount of engagement. While controversial, one of Musk’s more popular memes is about social justice causes in the 21st century. It features a gray, stonefaced character with the caption, “I support the current thing.” The character, known amongst memers as “NPC Wojak,” is surrounded by various flags of activist causes such as the Gay Pride flag, the Transgen der flag and the Ukrainian flag. The meme, posted on March 14, 2022, resonated heavily with conserva tive Gen Zers and those who feel frustrated with the amount of social activism on Twitter.

Even Musk’s more obscure memes gain enormous amounts of traction on Twitter. A meme Musk posted on April 2, 2022, shows a crudely drawn stick figure with a picture of John Lennon’s face on it being assassinated by another stick figure.

The Lennon song lyrics “Imagine there’s no countries/It isn’t hard to do/Nothing to kill or die for/And no religion, too” caption the meme. De spite being rather nonsensical, the meme has over 240,000 likes and over 27,000 retweets.

Unlike many other celebrities, who tend to appeal to their age group or to the general public, it appears that Musk wants to get Gen Z on his side—or at least a certain subsect of Gen Z. His memes and strong political opinions certainly grab the attention of many Gen Zers, but especially conservative Gen Z males. His fan base, which, at least on social media, is overwhelmingly male, seems to generally fit into the category of “tech bros.”

There may be racial and gendered dynamics to Musk stans at play. Gen Zers who aren’t necessarily fans of Musk seem to agree that his fan base is over whelmingly white, young and male.

Gabby, a 22-year-old English major at Michigan State University who asked to be referred to by their first name, said, “I’ve noticed a lot of young white guys do love the Musk.” As for Gen Zers who aren’t young white males, Gabby said, “If you talk to anyone a part of Gen Z that isn’t a cis-het white man, they’ll either be indifferent to him or dislike him.”

A large part of Gabby and other respondents’ perceptions of Mus keteers is because of the time they spend on Twitter.

“I mostly use Twitter [and] occa sionally Instagram,” Gabby said. “I see news about [Musk] and everything he’s associated with on social media,” despite not following him. Musk’s content pops up frequently on Gabby’s timeline, and white male Musk stans seem to be the most prevalent sharers.

Musk’s fans on Twitter agree sig nificant portions of their timeline revolve around Musk and his asso ciated brands. Jacobs said he uses Twitter to monitor Space X news. But fans like Jacobs know not everyone supports Musk.

“I think that Gen Z is very polarized,” he said. “There are many who are rabid fans and many who are rabid critics. … I would consider myself a supporter of Elon, but not rabidly so.”

Jacobs also draws on some com plaints fellow Gen Zers have about Musk and his political statements, saying, “Elon is a very misunderstood figure. For all of his faults and hot takes, he has single handedly revolutionized climate tech, electric vehicles and spaceflight.”

Jacobs’ choice to focus on Elon’s accomplishments instead of his faults is a characteristic of most Musketeers and fans of any popular figure.

MSU chemistry student Noah Morrison feels the faults outweigh Musk’s achievements. Morrison said, “I think he is a product of gross generation wealth through an apartheid state. He currently waxes philosophical about space travel while using the entire venture as [a] vehicle for his own fame and profiteering off of speculative engineer ing products.”

Morrison is not alone in thinking that Musk’s political beliefs and past outweigh his accomplishments. Abby Wisniewski, an 18-year-old public and professional writing ma jor at MSU said, “It makes me upset that Elon Musk is trying to colonize space when the Earth is suffering from climate change.” Others de scribed him as questionable.

Morrison and Jacobs are at oppo site ends of the spectrum when it comes to appreciation of Musk, but they both show that Gen Zers tend to have an opinion on Musk, good,

Humanity did not evolve to mourn the unborn.

bad or otherwise, especially if they are on social media platforms. Both Morrison and Jacobs state that they use Twitter the most out of any so cial media platform, furthering the idea that Gen Z Twitter users are bound to see Musk pop up on their timeline in some capacity sooner or later.

Gabby and other students support ed this theory as well, saying they use Twitter the most of any social media platform. Nikita Jaiswal, a 20-year-old health, medicine and human values major at the Univer sity of New Mexico said she doesn’t frequently use social media on any platform, and when it comes to her thoughts on Musk, she said, “I don’t know that I know enough about him

we realize it yet, but the writing is on the wall—Elon will go down as one of the most influential humans to ever live.”

Morrison’s response was simpler. “He’s a dick.”

People can argue whether or not Musk’s accomplishments outweigh the damage he’s caused to margin alized populations or argue over his

Tesla and SpaceX.

But as debates rage about Musk’s accumulated wealth or opinions on pronouns, there remains a constant fanbase for Musk because of his ac complishments and the inspiration he—or his wealth—provides. Musketeers are a phenomenon that will remain until Musk’s flame dies out or a new superpower catches their eye, whichever comes first.

Gabriel Sandoval is a junior majoring in comparative cultures and politics with an additional major in professional and public writing at Michigan State University. If he’s not working or sleeping, he’s likely watching the first episode of a television series that he will never finish.

Pressure Under

The Benefit of Taking Your Time

Within society, there are many roles people are expected to fill. And for young adults, the questions as to how they will achieve these start to roll in quickly. This period may come with much excitement; with more freedom to explore who they are and what they want to do, many are fueled by the endless possibil ities and desire to find their place. But for others, this period of self-exploration and instability can seem overwhelming.

With so many unknowns and expec tations—going to college, getting a good job, starting a family, etc.— many young adults are left plagued by the pressure to succeed.

“I constantly feel like there is a lot of

pressure to be in a certain place in life,” said Delayne Richie, a student at Michigan State University. “I feel like society has created a step-by-step plan for what your life should look like. Your senior year of highschool is when you start feeling this pressure because the first step is going to college, and if you don’t automat ically do this, you will feel constant judgment from anyone around you. I went to college after my senior year like I was expected to do, and my world crumbled because it was such a big culture shock. I felt immense pressure every day to do what I was supposed to do.”

By Bianca Bucholtz

These expectations placed on young adults can cause a significant toll on their mental health. According to an online survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation, 60% of young adults aged 18-24 felt stressed and overwhelmed by the pressure to succeed—and as a result, 39% reported having suicidal thoughts.

“Our survey highlights just how vul nerable young people are to men tal health problems; it shows how

much pressure young people are feeling to be a success,” the founda tion’s director, Mark Rowland said. For those struggling, seeing peers achieve their goals or meet these expectations can leave them feeling lesser than or further behind than others.

“There are many people my age who are so successful it’s scary— some of them are even influencers for my generation,” Richie said. “I look at people like Emma Cham berlain, Greta Thunberg or Olivia Rodrigo who are rich and successful at a young age, and I think what I’m doing is ordinary. These people may have talents that I don’t, but we are both still growing up. I think of how my life is compared to them and think how crazy it is where they are and where I am. It makes me feel like my life is lousy or lame

because I’m not traveling the world or getting a partnership with a major brand. I don’t have my life put together perfectly like others.”

This pressure to succeed has driven more college students than ever to not only feel the need to achieve, but the need to achieve more than their peers.

In 2016, the American Psychological Association conducted a study titled “Perfectionism Is Increasing Over Time: A Meta-Analysis of Birth Cohort Differences from 1989 to 2016.” According to journalist Taylor Bennett for Thrive Works, the study analyzed how “students today are more driven than ever before to achieve perfection.

“These findings suggest that recent generations of college students

have higher expectations of them selves and others than previous generations,” said the lead author of the study, Thomas Curran, a pro fessor of psychological & behavioral science at the The London School of Economics and Political Science. “Today’s young people are compet ing with each other in order to meet societal pressures to succeed and they feel that perfectionism is nec essary in order to feel safe, socially connected and of worth.”

With the intended desire for per fection glooming over young adults, the inevitable feeling of failure often takes its place.

“We could run the risk of suffering from depression and anxiety as a result of the continued pressure to succeed,” said Tony de Gouveia, a local clinical psychologist at Akeso

Clinic, Alberton, in an interview with Huffington Post reporter Zongile Nhlapo. “When we fail in a particu lar project or event, this invariably affects our self-esteem. As a result, we tend to perceive ourselves – our person – as failures, rather than limiting the feeling of failure to a specific disappointment in our lives. Over time this can develop into de pression and anxiety.”

Whether in their academics, extra curricular activities, professional work or relationships, not achieving all one’s goals can lead to higher rates of depression. When compar ing themselves to others, young adults may feel stuck.

“I feel that this year, especially my perfectionism has caused burnout and low motivation because I have worked so hard to be perfect that

my high expectations have been exhausting to accomplish,” Richie said. “I feel stuck in my life. My mental health has suffered because I feel like I am not doing enough for myself, school or my friends and family. It is my fourth year and as I see the finish line, I feel like I hav en’t had enough time to do some of the things I wanted to do because I have been so incredibly focused on the path society paved for me.”

Many young adults feel as though they are running out of time to achieve their goals and fill societal expectations.

In an article for Inc., writer and activist Melanie Curtin said, “When I made it out of my 20s without making the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, I wasn’t crushed, but I was far more disappointed than was healthy. It wasn’t about the recognition - it was the shame of feeling like I haven’t done enough with my life ... and that time is running out.”

extra time can allow people to hone in on their creative pursuits and perfect their skills. Dr. Kate Birdall, Associate Professor at Michigan State University and author of “The Heights” and “The Flats,” said al though she had enjoyed writing at a young age, it wasn’t until she was 35 when she decided to write and publish her first book.

“I wrote [my first book] in the summer of 2014; I was supposed to be finishing my dissertation but I still had a year left of grad school, so I was like, ‘Well, I’ll just write some books,’” Birdsall said. “I’ve always written—whether it’s song lyrics or literary criticism or that damn dis sertation. For a long time, research writing was kind of what I was do ing. And then out of nowhere came this creative inspiration.”

Like many others, Birdsall felt the pressure to meet societal expectations and succeed earlier on in life.

While many may feel there is a time limit on achieving what they want, in reality, waiting until later in life to focus on finding the perfect career or accomplishing goals can be very beneficial. For some, taking this

“When I was a teenager, there were a lot of really young, successful peo ple in the arts,” Birdsall said.

“In a lot of ways [it’s] because there’s so much pressure on folks when they’re young. When do they start asking you what you want to be when you grow up? In second grade, kindergarten? What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you want to be? It’s all this career, career, career. So much of that time is spent trying to A, figure out what you want to be when you grow up and then B, how to get

there. I guess I felt [rushed] in that way prior to 30.”

But when the stress of meeting the expected timeline began to wear off, Birdsall said she felt more free to do what she wanted to in life.

“At some point you wake up one day in your mid 30s and you no lon ger give a shit, and you can do what you actually want to do,” Birdsall said. “I think creativity does come later for a lot of folks or it’s always been there. But we’re so busy trying to get established and make enough money to pay the bills and do all these things. I would tell you, as a writer, you better protect your writing time because you will find any reason not to do it.

There are legitimate rea sons for that. But I legit woke up one day in my 30s and decided to write a book and then just did it.”

Taking more time in life can allow people to hone in on previous cre ative pursuits, but it can also allow people the space to develop and discover new skills and passions. There is a growing trend of older adults switching career paths in hopes of fulfilling more personal desires. In many cases, it has led to benefits in their mental health.

According to Payscale, a study con ducted by the American Institute for Economic Research found that 82% of people who made a career change after 45 were successful and reported being happier in their new positions.

“Our research shows that older workers are finding rewarding new careers, not just new jobs, later in life,” Stephen Adams, President of the AIER, told columnist Glenn Ruffenach of The Wall Street Jour nal.

For many, this change isn’t until later in life when they feel they have the time to focus on their creative pursuits. Their earlier years were spent focusing on doing what was expected of them.

“I don’t think that I did anything I wanted to do,” said Nadia Bucholtz, CEO of Nadi Plates, an Italian mobile catering service in Milwaukee, WI. “When you have a job, three chil dren and a husband, you lose sight of those things. I wanted to paint, I wanted to go out with friends, go on dates with my husband. But, in my generation, it was all ‘work, work, work, make money, make money, make money’—we weren’t taught to enjoy ourselves. We were taught to work.”

Bucholtz was never completely set on a career path, even going back to school in her 50s to receive a Masters in social work from Mich igan State University. Throughout

her life, she constantly looked for new paths that would provide for her and her family but keep her engaged.

“After working for my parents’ restaurant for 25 years, I didn’t have many options when I left. It wasn’t what I wanted to do, but it’s where my experience was. But that’s why

I decided to go back to school and finish my college degree,” Bucholtz said. “I only felt stuck when I was working for my family’s business.

After that, any time I started to feel stuck, I would look for a new oppor tunity. Once I was on my own—and having had that experience for so long—I knew what I wanted out of a job and had the confidence to go seek better opportunities.”

Because of the pressure placed on her when she was young, Bucholtz never felt like she had the time to discover her creative desires.

“It felt like there was something

wrong with me because I didn’t know what I wanted to do at 18 years old, 21 years old,” Bucholtz said. “I felt a tremen dous amount of pressure—inter nally from myself. Why didn’t I know what I wanted to do? What was my calling? And then, yes, seeing people in society who seemed, at least, to know what they wanted to do added pressure.”

For many young people, doing what they want both inside and outside the norm, can seem daunting and unachievable. And like so many oth ers, Bucholtz never felt she was able to break off the traditional path and do what she wanted, both because of the pressure she felt to adhere to

societal norms and the privilege of time and money that it takes to do it. Doing what one wants and veer ing from the traditional route is not always an option, and it isn’t until later in life when one may be finan cially or mentally able to commit to making this change. “I think it needs to be said that I wouldn’t have been able to do what I’m doing now when I was younger because I was raising children,” Bucholtz said. “But my kids are all grown now, and I have the time and energy to devote 100% of my energy to it for the first time in my life. I felt like I’d been work ing my butt off to make money for other people—a lot of money—and wanted to do it for myself. I wanted it to be mine—my concept, my food, my ideas. I never had that chance before.”

Because of the responsibilities and expectations placed on her at a young age, it wasn’t until she was 56 when Bucholtz was able to take time for herself and discover what it was that she wanted to do for the rest of her life. For her, it meant honoring her Italian heritage and

turning her passion of cooking into a full-time business, which she said was one of the most rewarding things she has ever done.

“Being in my late 50s has been a total advantage because it gives me total control and the freedom to do what is best for the business; I don’t have other responsibilities pulling at me the way I did ten, twenty years ago,” Bucholtz said. “I think when you’re doing something that you’re super passionate about and you love, you’re happier. It’s very uplift ing to be able to have the oppor tunity to do exactly what you want

to do, how you want to do it, and when you want to do it. And being my own boss, I now have the ability to travel, go out and enjoy life on my own terms.”

At a young age, doing what one wants to do in life can seem impossible. With societal expectations, pressures to succeed and the privilege it takes to veer towards the road less taken, it isn’t hard for many to believe most young adults feel overwhelmed and stressed when looking to the future. How ever, it is important to remember there is no set timeline, regardless of the way others may make it seem. No matter how old they are or how unconventional their path may be, it is never too late to do

what one wants.

“You’re going to feel that pres sure, and it’s hard not to. But if my 20-year-old self knew what I know now, she definitely would have relaxed more and not put so much pressure on myself,” Bucholtz said.

“As a parent, I’ve been very mindful of that. I’ve instilled in my kids the importance of an education, a job and good work ethic, but I’ve also encouraged them to find careers they are passionate about and enjoy.

“All three of my kids have chosen

‘unconventional’ career paths, but they’re happy with what they do. I think it’s necessary to change the cycle of growing up in an old-fash ioned world. You don’t need to know at 19 or 20 what you’re doing with the rest of your life. And you don’t need to stay in one job or one career field for your whole life. Take care of yourself and your family the way you need to, but do what you want. You know the episode of Golden Girls where Dick Van Dyke gives up his career as a lawyer to become a clown? If you can afford to be a clown and it makes you hap py, be a clown.”

Bianca Bucholtz is a senior studying professional and public writing with a minor in gender and women’s studies. She is currently working as the co-editing director at VIM Magazine. In her freetime, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, watching movies/tv shows and baking

You’re going to feel that pressure, and it’s hard not to, but if my 20-year-old self knew what I know now, she definitely would have relaxed more and not put so much pressure on myself. ”

Is Hyflex

Here to Stay?

Over the past two years, students across the world experienced online courses. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many classes to take place solely online, leaving students and faculty frustrated. In 2022, schools and universities began welcoming students back into the classroom as the amount of COVID cases falls. While those who were upset with online classes rejoiced, others missed the advantages of virtual classes.

Even though in-person and online classes have existed long before the pandemic, the belief these two methods were the only options is currently being challenged by education researchers and universities.

By combining online and in-per son instruction, a new method of teaching has made its way into classrooms, called hyflex.

Hyflex learning puts the control of the learning environment in the hands of the students. Those wish ing to come into class in-person can meet in the classroom while those who prefer to stay online can come to class virtually. While this sounds like a great compromise, not every one feels positively about hyflex.

Dr. Caitlin Kirby, an education re searcher at Michigan State University, found that several professors she worked with have said, “I won’t do hyflex… because it is too much work.” While the fact that many pro fessors do not wish to teach using hyflex sounds discouraging, a deep er dive into why they don’t want to is helping researchers like Dr. Kirby find answers.

“You had no support. You tried to do it all on your own and that’s why it was bad for you and your students,” said Casey McCardle, associ ate chair for undergraduate stud ies in the Department of Writing,

By Harrison Nelson

Rhetoric and American Cultures. “There’s a difference between re mote teaching and online teaching,” he said. According to Casey, who asked to be referenced by his first name, professors had to restructure their entire classes in an emergency situation. They don’t look back on online learning fondly.

Spring 2020 forced both teachers and students online. Within a week, classes shifted from fully in-person to online. This quick change frus trated many instructors and stu dents alike, leaving them with the opinion in-person learning is supe rior. As Casey explained, professors were rushed into an emergency situation with limited support. Their chances of success were low due to the circumstances.

Shannon Kelly, doctoral candidate in writing, rhetoric, and american cultures and the graduate assistant for the College of Arts and Letters’ Educational Technology Team, said,

attention is divided between the two. The attention invariably ends up on the in-person class because that is what teachers are used to. Balancing class discussions as well as watching the chat and making sure the online students are on the

rooms. This makes teaching and learning much harder. Many of the rooms do not have the necessary cameras and microphones. Profes sors commonly use their laptops with the volume all the way up and the microphone on. Students that

are in-person will often have their laptops logged into Zoom so that they can do group work with online students. Many times, the speaker of one laptop will emit the same

sound as the sound going into the microphone of another, producing a high-pitched feedback.

There are many challenges that still need to be addressed to make hyflex more accessible. But some are still asking if the investment in hyflex classes is worth it.

Some students benefit from the hyflex model. “I’ve had some stu dents talk about how they appre ciate being able to access the class days when they can’t get there,” said Stuart Blythe, associate professor at MSU. There is a long list of reasons students miss class. As Michiganders know, it can be dan gerous commuting to class in the winter. And while cases are de creasing for COVID-19, students are still contracting the virus and other

illnesses, leaving them out of the classroom.

This is where hyflex classes become more than just a convenience; they support students. Being sick no longer means you have to miss class. With hyflex, you can still login from home and be a part of class. In cases where attendance is strict, students would often come to class sick so that they would not be pe nalized. Giving students the option to stay home also reduced the chances of flus, colds and viruses to be passed around on campus. Those who are cautious about contracting the virus from in-person classes also have the option to stay at home.

This spring semester has shown MSU students the advantages of hyflex. “My entire family—my mom, my brothers—all live outside of Michigan. So when I’m in school, it’s really hard for me to travel to see them without missing classes. But with hyflex, I can go home for a few days, whether for holidays or

special occasions, without having to miss school,” said MSU senior Bianca Bucholtz.

But these aren’t the only reasons students are attracted to hyflex classes. Social anxiety and depres sion are being discussed more and more in recent years. Mental health is important, and for some, going to class around others is a stressor. Students with physical disabilities, weak immune systems and auto immune diseases can also benefit from a hyflex course. As Casey said, “It just makes sense as a state school to create a space to bring as many people to the table as possible.” All of the benefits mentioned previously can be benefits for instruc tors too.

Even for stu dents who were eager to go back to in-person class es, many recognize the ultimate benefit of offering hyflex classes. This could be a positive change as a result of the pandemic.

“I think the constant push to go back to how things were pre-COVID is such a missed opportunity to actually learn from the experiences of remote teaching and learning and to keep and integrate the ways in which we’ve expanded access and learning opportunities for more students,” said Shannon.

know if hyflex will be a thing that the university itself pushes” said Kirby.

“Unfortunately, I don’t see MSU admin getting more on board with hyflex delivery,” Shannon said. This may seem discouraging, but it does not mean that hyflex cannot hap pen at MSU. Kirby pointed out that professors have control over their lesson plan and can run a hyflex class.

“I think it will grow slowly in pock ets of programs where instructors see their peers are doing it, and students may come to expect that from certain programs,” said Kirby.

still learn even if they can’t physically be there. Hyflex classes are another adaptation that we have to make.”

Casey agreed. He said, “Let’s take everything we learn from [hyflex] and create more inclusive spaces.” But people have their doubts about MSU opting to support the hyflex model.

“Although online options are going to continue to increase, I don’t

Blythe currently teaches hyflex courses and believes the acces sible nature of hyflex can benefit students in many different facets. While MSU may not invest in hyflex right now, it might be something fu ture students look for when apply ing to colleges.

Claire Bahorski, a student at MSU said, “I do think hyflex classes should continue because in this time, after COVID has affected how we do work and school, it is neces sary to give students the option to

The success of hyflex is reliant on support from universities providing the necessary technology and guid ance for professors. At the moment, many universities haven’t shown this support yet, so the future of hyflex relies on teachers and students. But as the demand for accessibility increases, hyflex is here to stay, not only in the classroom but also in the workplace. This is an emerging virtual world, so the more technology is added to curriculums, the more ready students will be for the future.

Harrison Nelson is a fourth year undergraduate student with a major in professional and public writing and a minor in entrepreneurship and inno vation. He has been playing guitar for twelve years and enjoys classic cars.

The success of hyflex is reliant on support from universities providing the necessary technology and guidance for professors. ”

“

Want to Bet?

By Claire Bahorski

Sports and betting have been linked for a long time, whether it be through fantasy football or wagers between friends. However, sports betting has been illegal throughout the majority of the United States— until now. Many sports fans have made it a habit to place bets before big games for an opportunity to win money on their favorite team.

Sports betting was always outlawed in the United States, except in Neva da, Oregon Delaware and Montana. And with the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act signed into law by President Bush in 1992, other states were prohibited from taking steps toward legalizing it.

tion of the 10th Amendment, which states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Consti tution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” Essentially, the Court found that PASPA violated this Amendment because it overpowered the rights of the states.

This ban remained in effect un til May 2018 when the Supreme Court overruled PASPA in a 6-3 vote in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association. The Supreme Court found PASPA to be in viola

Thus far, 30 states and Washington D.C. have legalized sports betting via retail and/or online sports betting applications. Nebraska, Ohio and Florida have legalized it, but it is not yet operational, and 11 states have or will have the options on their ballots in November 2022. This leaves six states, Idaho, Utah, Texas, Hawaii, Georgia and Vermont, with either no legislation or dead legisla tion, meaning the bill did not pass.

Despite these varying laws across the country, there are valid reasons why sports betting is still illegal in some places. One reason is the loss

of tax revenue. The Daily Gazette reports, “One of the reasons numer ous countries opt to make sports betting illegal is that they can hardly trace all money dealings. And this has made governments across the globe lose millions in their yearly tax returns. Conversely, if the transactions are made with unlicensed bookmakers, the licensed ones will incur losses.” Additional reasons include the fear of match-fixing as well as the meaning of sports being changed through betting.

Despite some of these concerns, Michigan legalized in-person sports betting in December 2019, and in January 2021, online sports betting was legalized after months of regulating laws around online sports betting. Participants must be 21 or older to partake in betting, and it must be done through authorized operators: either commercial or tribal casinos and online operators.

Since its legalization, sports betting

It is easy to become addicted to the rush and high stakes surrounding a bet. ”

has been successful in Michigan. According to Legal Sports Report, within the first 10 days of online gambling being made legal, there were over $100 million placed in bets. This popularity has remained steady, with the sports betting industry generating hundreds of millions of dollars since its legaliza tion.

Despite the chance of losing money, avid sports fans keep coming back. Sometimes, they cannot help it. According to an article by licensed counselor Brien Gleeson for the Mayo Clinic Health System, “the act of gambling has a powerful effect on the human mind. Wagering can create a compulsive dynamic, which rises to the level of impacting men tal, emotional and physical health.

As a process, addiction can literally change the way the brain operates leading to a real need for help.” Essentially, gambling can impact the brain the same way drugs or alcohol do, which can result in an addiction.

Given the addictive nature of gam bling and betting, there is a large number of people who struggle with gambling addictions. According to the National Center for Respon sible Gaming, “Approximately 1 percent of the adult population in the United States has a severe gambling problem. The most re cent research estimates that 6 to 9 percent of young people and young adults experience problems related to gambling — a higher rate than among adults.” These are troubling

statistics, especially now that people can gamble without leaving their homes. Despite many fans knowing the risks, they continue to bet on every big game that’s on, even placing wa gers they know they may not win.

Andrew Grajewski, a senior at Michi gan State University, frequently bets using FanDuel, one of the available online betting applications. Like others, Grajewski finds the idea of watching sports and earning money appealing.

“The appeal behind sports betting is the rush that you get before the bet even hits. Sports betting also allows me to be more engaged in the game that I am watching. I am more concentrated and entertained by the game,” he said.

Sports betting is becoming ingrained into society. ”

Anthony Lekse, another MSU stu dent, also enjoys the rush of plac ing a new bet, saying, “As an avid sports fan, there’s a huge appeal behind sports betting due to the fact that I believe I can make mon ey off it from predicting the out

come of future games or matches.” Understanding the risks behind gambling, Lekse sometimes feels nervous when placing a bet. “I feel risky when placing any bet, because nothing is ever truly a confirmed win,” he said. “I feel nervous when placing a risky bet, but if it hits, the reward is a much greater feeling.”

Neither feels they are addicted. “I could stop betting if I wanted to. However, I know how to bet respon sibly, and I never bet money that I cannot afford,” Grajewski says.

Lekse echoes similar sentiments, saying, “I don’t think I’m addicted to betting; however, I will place a wa ger when I know I will be watching

the entire game.”

Both Lekse and Grajewski believe that sports betting should be legal ized in all 50 states, for the sake of maintaining consistency.

Though there are many risks to gambling, there are ways to bet as safely and smartly as possible. Some tips include to never bor row money, only bet what one can afford, don’t drink and bet, and only bet on games one understands.

Grajewski has some rules of his own that he follows when he’s betting. “I recommend depositing what I call ‘play money’ that you can afford to lose. For example, if

you make $3,000 a month and set aside $50 a month as play money, that would be a viable option. Safe betting also entails taking your loss es. Never impulse bet, and learn to become content with losses, and do not try and win it back.”

Sports betting is becoming in grained into society. However, as with any form of betting, it is a slip pery slope. It is easy to become ad dicted to the rush and high stakes surrounding a bet. Putting limits in place and budgeting an amount of money to be spent can prevent this hobby from becoming an addiction. It is easy for anyone to become addicted to the rush from placing a risky wager, it isn’t worth people gambling their well-being.

If you or a loved one is experiencing a gambling addiction, call The Mich igan Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-270-7117.

Claire Bahorski is a senior at Michigan State University majoring in human capital and society and humanities pre-law with concentrations in history, law and professional writing. She works at The Cube as part of the Office of the Provost communications team. She hopes to continue to strengthen her writing skills throughout her time with The Current and continue developing as a writer and editor.

isTheEnd NighforNetflix

By Gabriel Sandoval

Netflix, now a technological giant and the most used streaming ser vice in the United States, was once something very different to most Gen Zers. Netflix started out as a DVD subscription service, where the parents of Gen Zers could order a DVD to be delivered in the mail for a family movie night. However, Net flix wouldn’t stay a DVD rental ser vice for long as the company trans formed immensely in the 2010s.

released in 2013, 2014 and 2015 respectively, helped cement Netflix’s role as an innovative creator of original content. Gen Z loved these original series, and their support helped Netflix’s productions to take off and become known as reputable and entertaining.

Netflix evolved from being a content provider to a content creator as well. Hit series like “Orange is the New Black,” “Bojack Horseman” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,”

Netflix’s original series, alongside all the other content they had available for streaming, was a major contrib uting factor in the downfall of cable television in the 2010s. Paying less to access content people wanted made a lot more sense than paying high amounts for many channels. Today, Gen Zers—and many of their parents—have generally shifted away from paying for cable in favor of paying for on-demand streaming services to meet their movie and television needs. However, while Netflix may have once been the leading subscrip

tion service in the hearts of many Americans, recent changes with the company have left many Gen Zers feeling upset with the direc tion Netflix appears to be heading. Several of Netflix’s beloved origi nal series have not been renewed despite overwhelming fan support. The aforementioned “Bojack Horseman” ended after only six seasons despite being a beloved comedy favorite. “Ozark,” “Tuca and Bertie” and “American Vandal” are other examples—among a long list—of shows fans were upset Netflix didn’t renew.

In addition to having their original content die out too soon, Netflix is losing some of their acquired con tent to other streaming services. With other competitors such as Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, Paramount Plus and more, Netflix doesn’t have the near-monopoly on streaming services it did before. Gone are the

days of the TV remotes with a Netflix button right in the cen ter—they’ve been replaced with juggling as many streaming services as one can afford.

Netflix’s rising prices have especially caused debate about the affordability of the platform. In April 2022, Netflix raised the price of its stan dard plan to over $15, a move that sparked discussion about whether or not Netflix and its increasingly lessening content of shows and movies was worth the price. Several of Netflix’s competitors are more affordable for the average debt-rid den Gen Zer and offer student discounts, leading those companies to capitalize on Gen Z’s dismay at Netflix’s price increase. HBO Max even made an announcement they were having a 20% off deal for their subscription prices shortly after Netflix announced their own price increase.

College students are one demo graphic that especially cares about price when it comes to paying for a streaming service. Amjad Awwad,

a 21-year-old student at the Uni versity of Michigan recommends Hulu for other students, saying “if you are a college student, the Spotify Premium and Hulu bundle is great.” The bundle costs $5 per month. Additionally, Awwad said that he “like[s] certain shows a lot from Netflix, but Hulu has an over all better section for both TV shows and movies.”

Awwad isn’t the only college student who uses price to help determine entertainment choices. Krishna Gogineni, an undergraduate stu dent at Michigan State University, has similar concerns when it comes to price. Rather than pay for Netflix, he said he “would rather find [his] niche content somewhere else for cheaper.” Gogineni also said that

he preferred watching other on line content to streaming services in general because it is “free and [more] accessible.”

In addition to cost, many college students feel that Netflix isn’t the streaming service providing the best original content right now. Sierra Romero, a student from Co lumbia University, says that “Netflix has way too much money which is why they are producing trashy con tent. If Netflix funded good projects, like how HBO funded ‘Insecure’ or Hulu funded ‘Abbot Elementary’, then I think they would gain my respect.”

Erin Mahan, a student at MSU, also mentions HBO Max when asked about good streaming service

Netflix isn’t the streaming service that is providing the best original content right now.

more popular in the past couple of years.

With all of these factors affecting Netflix’s economic standing and popularity, it’s important to note that the reason Netflix is still flour ishing despite these factors is be cause of its incredibly large fanbase. It’s available in several countries across the globe, has over 3,000 movies and almost 2,000 television shows available on its platform, and

has long been the “OG” of stream able content. Netflix won’t be going away anytime soon.

But the tides are turning on Netflix. Other subscription services are looking like better offers to Gen Z, and free platforms are gaining more and more viewers every day. Net flix’s criticism has been on the rise

lately and will remain that way un less Netflix does something to beat out its competition again. Focusing on original content, having enough options on its platform for the sub scription price and giving constant attention to Gen Z’s entertainment values are all key for Netflix if it wishes to remain a streaming giant in the years to come.

Gabriel Sandoval is a junior majoring in comparative cultures and politics with an additional major in professional and public writing at Michigan State University. If he’s not working or sleeping, he’s likely watching the first episode of a television series that he will never finish.

Why is English So Weird?

By Phoenix Grubbs

When English is someone’s first language, it’s easy to miss all the weirdness that comes with it.

From wacky pronunciations to wild grammar rules, English is an oddity among the world’s languages. Its strangeness can be traced to its his tory and the many other languages that contributed to its formation.

“English has been influenced by so many languages over the course of its history,” said Kate Fedewa, a professional & public writing pro fessor at Michigan State University, with a doctorate in English. “The language itself bears witness to the many people and cultures that English-speaking people have inter acted with over the past 1300-or-so years.”

English began developing around

450 AD when the Ger manic tribes, the Angles, Saxons and Jutes, invaded the British Isles after the Romans left. The Britons and the Celts, the native inhabitants of the British Isles, found Anglo-Saxon words more useful for everyday life, so they adapted to using Anglo-Saxon vocabulary instead of further inte grating their language with Latin. It was not until much later, around 591 AD, that the English language adopted more Latin vocabulary from Christian missionaries after it had already developed its own grammatical system.

English was also heavily influ enced by French. “A lot of our political words have French origins, since French was the dominant language of the ruling class in England for much of the Middle Ages,” said Fedewa. French gave English many culinary

terms as well. While poor farmers would refer to their livestock as “cows” and “swine” in English, noble people would refer to their meals as “beef” and “pork” in French. This difference stuck with the language, causing English speakers to continue referring to the animals with their old English names and their food counterparts by their French names today.

Of course, it’s all too easy to overlook these huge advancements be cause native English speakers learn the language as it is without know ing its history. “English is a very complex language!” Fedewa said. “And it has so many dialects. We tend to think of the dialect of English that we speak as just ‘English,’ but there is actually this beautiful, amazing range of Englishes con necting people around the world and also simultaneously making our own version of English unique to our community.”

English sounds strange to non-native speakers because it has more phonemes than many other lan guages. Phonemes are unique speech sounds, and depending on which dialect of English is spoken, it can have around 44—the majority of languages have around 25 to 30. English also has an unusually large set of vowel sounds, around 11, while most spoken languages have between five and six.

In the Quartz article “Linguists found the world’s ‘weirdest’ lan guages—and English is one of them,” Adam Schembri, reader in linguistics in the Department of English Language and Linguistics at the University of Birmingham, expanded on this. He said, “English has some comparatively unusual consonant sounds as well. Two sounds, those represented by the ‘th’ in ‘bath’ and ‘bathe’ respectively, are found in fewer than 10% of the languages surveyed in [the World Atlas of Language Structures].”

English’s phonemes were strongly influenced by Germanic languages. If a native English speaker was told to mimic a German speaker and a Spanish speaker, they would likely find it easier to pronounce German

words correctly be cause German words emphasize harder consonants. Take the En glish word “disgust” for example. In Spanish, disgust is “repugnancia,” while in German, disgust is “Ekel.” “Repugnancia” uses much softer consonants like “n” and “c,” making it more unusual to native English speakers than the hard “k” sound in “Ekel.”

However, since English has adopted many words from other languag es over the years and continues to do so, its number of phonemes has had to expand as well. For example, English has adopted the word “tortilla” from Spanish and the word “dollar” from Dutch. The double “l” phoneme is different in each: “tȯr- tē-yə” and “dä-lər.” Since English has taken both words into its vocabulary, its speakers use both phonemes.

Not only does English sound strange due to all of the languages

that influenced it, it has a wacky grammar system. “English has some things in common with Germanic languages, some things in common with Romance languages, and some things in common with other lan guages as well,” said Fedewa. “The grammatical feature that really sticks out to me about English is how dependent it is on word or der—English speakers make mean ing of words by subconsciously tracking the structure of our sen tences.”

An example of English’s grammat ical oddities is the verb construc tion “do.” English uses “do” to form questions (“Do they know?”), to make a statement negative in connotation (“They do not know”) and sometimes to emphasize another verb (“They do know”). This is be cause English retained its usage of “do” from the Celtics.

In his article “English is not normal” for Aeon, author and professor of linguistics and American studies at

Columbia University John McWhort er said, “At this date there is no doc umented language on earth beyond Celtic and English that uses ‘do’ in just this way. Thus English’s weirdness began with its transformation in the mouths of people more at home with vastly different tongues. We’re still talking like them, and in ways we’d never think of.”

Unlike many European languages, English grammar is weird because it isn’t gendered. Old English was gendered like Spanish is today; Spanish words are characterized as masculine or feminine, such as the masculine “el perro” for dog or feminine “la leche” for milk. Over time, Old English transformed into modern-day English, dropping the gendering of words because of the Vikings. When the Vikings integrated into the British Isles and stumbled through trying to speak Old English, their bad, ungendered

important to learn about the history of our language in order to better understand its role in our present systems of power.

version of Old English eventually became normalized.

As Great Britain became a global superpower, English spread across the world through colonization and trade. “There are more non-native speakers of English than native speakers,” said Fedewa. Today, English is one of the most common second-languages people learn. It is food for thought that such a weird language became so popular despite its apparent and abundant oddities.

It’s even odder native English speak ers often assume one nation should mean one language. This idea comes from the nationalistic notion that English is uniquely tied to only United States or United Kingdom culture.

said author and professor of medi eval studies Jocelyn Wogan-Browne in her article “The English Language Is, and Was, Profoundly Multicul tural” for The Public Medievalist. “English, as a language, has always been enriched by contact with other languages. Waves of immigration, as well as conquest into and out of England (and Britain), have ensured that!”

cultural exclusion from an already culturally rich language is lost on them because they don’t under stand English’s history.

“That is not how English (or any oth er language for that matter) works,”

“Nevertheless, nation-state lan guage myths—‘one nation, one language!’—persist,” Wogan-Brown said. “Modern English speakers of ten inherit a historically shaky sense of how English works, imagining the English language as a single contin uous entity with clear boundaries.” These misunderstandings lead na tive speakers in the US to condemn those who don’t speak Dominant American English, such as people who use African American English Vernacular. The irony of demanding

“English has been the language of the oppressed and the oppressor, a language used to bring people together and to keep people apart,” said Fedewa. “It’s important to learn about the history of our language in order to better understand its role in our present systems of power.”

Phoenix Grubbs is a senior double-majoring in English with a creative writing focus and Professional and Public Writing. They are an aspiring author and copyeditor, and they adore all things fantasy and sci-fi.

Cultural Effects of Broadway

By: Oliviah Brown

in a way,”said Jennifer Ashley Tepper, a theater historian, to Williams.

From a street in New York City to the hearts of theatergoers around the world, Broadway is the home of renowned musicals such as “Hamil ton,” “Wicked,” “Dear Evan Hansen” and many others. These shows aren’t just entertaining to watch, they’ve become an influence on so ciety, the economy and on the lives of the people who enjoy them.

Broadway began as early as the late 1800s as small professional shows that kept upper-class citizens enter tained, according to The New York Times’ 2017 article “How Broadway Became Broadway” by journalist Keith Williams. From there the the ater industry that lined the streets of New York drew more and more crowds of all backgrounds as it “started being seen as an institution

“As it became more and more integral with the city, it became something people thought of as permanent,” she said. The perma nence of Broadway proved to be a well-loved aspect as the years went on and more people around the world made the trip to the city to see productions.

As an attraction, this form of entertainment brings in large revenues for the city of New York. According to a press release by The Broadway League, “it is an industry whose financial contributions nourish the economy of its city and state” by bringing in almost $12 billion during the 2012-2013 season alone. This amount included the companies’ spending to both put on the shows

and maintain the properties, as well as from tourists spending money in and around Broadway.

The benefits of Broadway theater don’t stop at the financial aspect of things, expanding further to in clude the impact that sitting down in a theater to watch a musical can make on people of all ages. Mary Claire Zauel, a theater student at Michigan State University, said that “one of the most powerful aspects of theater is seeing a character onstage and thinking, “They’re just like me.”

Representation in media is import ant for young children and teenag ers growing up in a diverse society. “Seeing someone onstage like you— whether it’s the actor or the charac ter—can inspire you to pursue your passion, or just to feel seen and

heard and understood,”Zauel said about the award-winning musical “Wicked.”

“Wicked” isset in the world of “The Wizard of Oz” and tells the story of Elphaba, the infamous Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda, also known as Glinda the Good Witch. The story tells how Elphaba and Galinda became unusual friends. More than about friendship, it gives the audience a look at what it

means to be accepted.

“One of the reasons I adore Wick ed is because of how much I relate to its main character, especially as a teen—Elphaba is a nerd and an outsider who desperately wants to prove herself to others,” stu dent Lauren Trossman said in her 2018 article “Lessons learned from

a summer of watching Wicked” written for The Queen’s University Journal. “Though a green-skinned witch may not be an obvious character for the audience to connect with, Elpha ba’s isolation feels very real and relatable for viewers who have had similar experiences as outcasts.”

Musicals like “Wicked” help audi ence members like Zauel and Tross man connect with characters who might resemble them, but there’s also room for social awareness. Seeing these stories come to life on the stages of Broadway or on small er stages across America can aid in fostering many important qualities that both enhance personal growth and help engage with important so cietal issues people still face today. The musical “Hairspray” features Tracy Turnblad, a plus-size teenag er who pushes the boundaries for body acceptance and racial equality during the 1960s. The musical creates a conversation about racism and body positivity on stage, two is sues that are important for viewers to learn more about in an educa tional and uplifting way.

Zauel said, “What’s amazing and powerful about the theater is that it is an opportunity to see the world from another perspective. For nine

ty minutes, you are immersed in the life of a character that could be completely different from you, and experiencing the issues and struggles that they face.”

Going further into the past, “Hamil ton” is a musical by Lin-Manuel Mi randa that uses musical numbers to portray founding father Alexander Hamilton’s life as he battled pover ty, politics and war. This story holds significance within the theme of American ambition. But it also creates a conversation, much like “Hairspray” and “Wicked” did, about race and casting in theater.

Miranda, as quoted in Insider’s “‘Hamilton’ is the most important musical of our time” article by se nior editor Chris Weller, said, “Our cast looks like America looks now, and that’s certainly intentional … It’s a way of pulling you into the story and allowing you to leave whatever cultural baggage you have about

the founding fathers at the door.”

Looking at “Hamilton” as an influence for theater casting as a whole, the decision made by Miranda allows for representation, diversity and a step in the right direction for Broadway.

MSU student Peyton Capp said, “Broadway is doing better [with rep resentation], but there’s still room to improve.”

But “Hamilton,” Weller wrote, “[elim inates] racial barriers in art while educating us about an important period in American history, all with insanely catchy tunes.”

Recently, a movement toward adapting on-stage musicals to onscreen films has taken off, sparking controversy regarding the quality of the adaptations. An example of this is the recent “Dear Evan Hansen” movie starring Ben Platt. While this 2016 Broadway musical was a hit on stage, its film was less accepted due to 28-year-old Platt’s role as a high school student, but many applaud it for being able to reach a wider, more accessible audience.

Writer Andre Melgar agrees in his New York Film Academy article titled “Dear Evan Hansen: The Pros

And Cons Of Adapting Broadway Material To The Big Screen.” He said, “The great thing about mov ies is that, as a visual medium, it is much more readily accessible to the public. For the most part, the movie going experience is cheaper than grabbing a couple of Broadway tickets. It also gives people who aren’t as inclined to see the stage pro duction version a chance to engage with the material through a medium they’re more familiar with.”

Not everyone can afford a ticket or the necessary travel to go see a Broadway production, so adapting

plays into this more accessible me dium involves a larger audience in the experience.

But for those that have the chance to sit in a theater, whether on Broadway or closer to home, seeing live actors perform their favorite plays and musical numbers is an experience like no other. From its beginning as an upper class form of entertainment to a form of media that is known and loved for its rep resentation, Broadway has per sisted and taken space on stages, screens and in the hearts of people everywhere.

Oliviah Brown is a senior double-majoring in English with a creative writing focus and professional and public writing. Her goal after graduation is to pursue a career as a copy editor. When she isn’t studying, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, writing poetry or crocheting.

Breaking Down the Trope: A Look at Women’s Friendships on TV

When looking at some of the most popular TV shows throughout his tory, many center around groups of friends. And it’s not uncommon, especially in recent years, for that circle to represent a more diverse group of people. Yet, even with more representation coming to the small screen, few of these friendship-based shows put women at

the center. And even fewer portray women in an inclusive or realistic manner. The media, and TV in particular, has a long history of using certain character tropes that perpetuate gender stereotypes and reflect negatively upon women. Shows that center around friendships, such as “Friends” or “How I Met Your Mother,” may include women in the conversation but rarely put their goals or desires at the forefront of plotlines—often relying on women to be nothing more than the objects of men’s desires.

Because of this, audiences rare ly see women interacting with or engaging in friendships with other women. And when they do, many find it is rarely accurate to the way

By Bianca Bucholtz

women interact in real life.

“Far too many interactions between [women] characters are for the purpose of discussing another male character in the story,” said Lauren Bragg, a student at Grand Valley State University. “These relation ships are usually a little skewed, as they often try to relate dialogue and plot lines with the main [male] character in the show, who often ends up being the [woman’s] love interest. Certain aspects of these [women] friendships are accurate or relatable, but they never seem to feel truly authentic.”

When looking at the way women in teract with one another on screen, many feel they lack independence from man-centric storylines—and because of this, more and more

people have begun to recognize when movies or shows fall short.

In 1985, cartoonist and graphic novelist Alison Bechdel created a comic strip called “The Rule,” in which two women discuss going to the movies and, as a joke, the other adds that she only watches movies that have at least two female characters who speak to each other about anything other than a man. This is now known as the Bechdel Test and is used as a gauge of gen der equality in film and television. This test considers three things: are there two named women charac ters, do they speak to each other and do they speak to each other about something other than men. Despite these fairly simple require ments, few films and TV shows pass the test.

“Off the top of my head, I can barely think of a show that would easily pass this,” Rachel McCarthy-James wrote for BitchMedia. “One 30-sec ond conversation about mothers, or daughters, or female friends, or goals, or cleaning, or even Apple bee’s, in every 22 or 30 or 43 or 60 minute episode is not that hard of a requirement to satisfy. And the fact that this demand is completely out of line with what’s actually on television is an indication of the shitty state of television as much as whether any of these shows are well concerned with women — much like the film industry.”

According to Bechdeltest.com, out of 9,329 movies, only 56.7% passed. In 2021 alone, out of 117 movies re leased, 35 failed the test and when it comes to TV shows, the list is even

fewer, with less than 20 shows in the last five years being cited as passing the test. The Bechdel Test isn’t foolproof and isn’t necessarily a measure of whether or not a show

”

“ Certain aspects of these [women] friendships are accurate or relatable, but they never seem to feel truly authentic.

is good, and scoring TV shows using the Bechdel Test can be a bit more challenging, depending on whether or not the show is judged as a whole or per episode. But either way, the test highlights the gender inequalities found on TV.

With so many shows that center around friendships, few focus the story solely on women friendships.

And when they do, they tend to rely on stereotypes—often centering the plot on ‘cat-fights,’ relationship drama and pointless comparisons of physical appearances. “While part of me relishes watch ing the crazy drama as a guilty pleasure, I’m still saddened that the media perpetually pits women against one another,” blogger The Opinioness Of The World said in a 2010 article on her website. “Don’t get me wrong, I adore verbal spar ring and watching women warriors battle it out. But cattiness is differ ent; it invokes malice and belittle ment, verging on cruelty. We should be cautious of the message movies and TV deliver about women.”

Many popular shows that center around women, such as “Gossip Girl,” “Pretty Little Liars” and “90210”

all made strides for having women leads. And yet, the women featured were rarely kind to one another, and nearly every major plotline involved some form of conflict be tween the characters.

“‘Gossip Girl’ is one of the worst shows when it comes to plotting women against each other,” said Madelyn Holmes, a psychology stu dent at Roosevelt University. “Blair was constantly jealous and never supportive of Serena’s life and choices. They fought multiple times and even stopped talking for entire episodes solely because Serena’s [choices] did not match up with Blair’s. When watching this, I got so annoyed that I had no choice but to be more interested in the male plotlines. It takes away the genuinity of the character and forces viewers to sometimes physically stop pay

ing attention to the women based plotlines.”

In an article for TN2 Magazine, au thor Ciara Connoly pointed out that most of these shows are targeted towards young women, who, without knowing any better, grow up to believe these types of relationships should be expected.

“As I’ve grown older, it’s been harder to find such shows aimed at wom en, rather than little girls, that put female friendships front and center in all their realistic glory,” Connoly said. “In a world still dominated by the male point of view, many ‘fe male-centric’ shows fall into lazy, baseless stereotypes.

“This is commonly seen in reality TV, where women are consistently por trayed as back-stabbing and catty

to one another. These toxic traits seem to often be tolerated, and such groups of ‘friends’ are deemed normal, despite the individuals not appearing to even like each other most of the time. All too often in the media, it is as if women are not capable of forming actual platonic relationships with each other,” Con noly said.

This is not to say these shows are bad or undeserving of their notori ety but rather, they fail to represent what real women and real friend ships between women look like.

“These portrayals of women can be extremely damaging to women in real life, especially young teens who are developing and still learning who they are,” Holmes said. “Shows like ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘Pretty Little Liars’ have a teenage audience.

Young girls grow up looking at these women on TV and there can be a huge psychological damage to these girls if what they are consuming is not healthy or empowering.”

As the lack of accurate portrayals of women friendships grows more and more evident, some shows have made significant efforts to change this narrative.

In 2009, the NBC sitcom “Parks and Recreation” was released, telling the story of Leslie Knope, the deputy director of a Parks and Recreation Department in Indiana, and her relationship with her coworkers. When talking about the writing of the show, creator Michael Shur said one of his goals was to create a story of women and healthy rela tionships between them. Because of this, the relationship between Leslie

These portrayals of women can be extremely damaging to women in real life, especially young teens who are developing and still learning who they are. ”

and her best friend, Ann Perkins, has become a symbol of what real friendship between women looks like.

“‘Parks and Recreation’ did a good job of representing female friend ships with Leslie and Ann because they became increasingly close throughout the show and ended up being more like family to one anoth er,” Bragg said. “They were heavily involved in each others lives but not everything revolved around sex or the male characters in the show. While there were moments about romantic relationships for these characters, their friendship was in no way based on them.”

At the “Parks and Recreation” 10th Anniversary Reunion at PaleyFestLA, Rashida Jones spoke about the relationship between Ann and Leslie and what it meant to her.

“Things like Leslie thinking Ann is the best, smartest, most beauti-

ful, whatever she thinks [Ann is,] there’s something so tender and sweet about that because, in some regards, Ann’s just like ‘alright’ [as a person.] But Leslie just bolsters her as a human so much and to me, that is the core of friendships,” Jones said. “All of my girl friends talk about it. That’s how we interact with each other. That’s how we actual ly interact. Instead of the caddy, diametrically opposed women [we see on TV], most girls have friends that are like ‘you’re awesome,’ or ‘you’re great,’ or ask how they can help support your life and make you a better person. To me, that was something I was so happy to play because there really isn’t that opportunity to do that.”

In being a traditional, ensemble based sitcom, “Parks and Recre ation” made an effort to show the sweet, vulnerable side of women friendships often left ignored.

“I think that it’s important to show

that emotions can be involved in female friendships without them being cen tered around their romantic interactions with other char acters,” Bragg said. “Showing the more vulnerable moments between characters allows them to be more relatable.”

“Parks and Recreation” isn’t the only show choosing to showcase this side of women friendships. In an article for Hello Giggles, Paulina Jayne Issace highlights 12 shows airing in 2021 that center around women friendships and pass the Bechdel Test in their entirety. Popu lar shows like “New Girl,” “The Bold Type,” “Sex Education,” “Never Have I Ever,” “Killing Eve,” “Grace and

Frankie” and “Insecure” are all great examples of shows that uplift the relationships shared between wom en without relying on stereotypes. By creating realistic and uplifting stories of women, these shows help build meaningful and lasting rela tionships in real life.

“A huge similarity between these shows is that they all have women as head writers or co-creators—we write best what we know, and all of these shows have women that pull from their experiences to create

content,” Holmes said. “‘Never Have I Ever’ is one of the shows that has had a huge impact on me. These shows also do a good job of show ing flaws in women characters but they still give them personality past this, which creates the perfect bal ance.”

By authoring these stories about and by real women, these shows open the door for more accurate and comprehensive stories of wom en to be shown on TV. But in order to tell these stories about real wom en, it is necessary to show what real women look like. And when looking at the current variety of shows that focus on women friendships, many feel the lack of diverse women, such as women of color or LGBTQ+ women or nonbinary individuals, is striking.

and portrayal of women friendships.

Yet when watching it through today’s lens, many struggle to believe only one woman of color ever had a significant presence on the show.

One of the most notorious shows revolving around women, “Sex and The City,” which premiered in 1998, was praised for it’s women leads

In an article for Odessey, Stella Grimaldi writes, “One of the only featured women of color in Sex and the City was in the Season 3 episode, “No Ifs, Ands, or Buts.” The conflict of this episode spurs from an African American woman named Adeena, who disapproves of the interracial relationship between Samantha and her brother, Chivon. She justifies her disapproval using the poorly written line, “it’s a black thing.” The fact that Adeena was the most well-developed woman of col or in the entire series is pathetic. Ul timately, Sex and the City and Girls both succeed in depicting female agency, creativity, body positivity, success, and companionship — but who is to say that they actually

succeed in empowering all women?”

“Sex and The City,” like many of the other shows mentioned, was celebrated by many for writing women as independent, confident indi viduals who broke the boundaries of what women friendships looked like on TV. Yet, it failed to include women of color in their triumphs— and many shows still do.

In 2019, a study was conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media for the USC Viterbi School of Engineering on the portrayal of Black women in TV. The research showed Black women make up only 6.2% of all characters on TV. And in comparison to white women characters, Black women were more likely to be portrayed as “violent” or as “funny.”

Representation of women of color on TV has improved in many ways over the years, but the characters

are not often given as diverse of storylines or portrayed with the same characteristics as their white counterparts.

“I think women of color are always seen as the comedic relief to a white main character; as if their only role is to be funny and give support to said main character when nec essary,” said Macey Matthews, a student at Michigan State University and an openly transgender woman of color. “[With diverse friendships] I feel like there is this unspoken thing where if it isn’t spoken about on TV, it doesn’t have to exist or isn’t real. The sad part is we’re missing out on beautiful stories.”

With so many new and interest ing stories coming to TV, there is room for more diverse characters with well-rounded and unique storylines. According to GLAAD, an organization committed to advanc ing LGBTQ+ acceptance, only 102 shows in the history of television have featured a transgender char acter—many of which were men. When a trans woman is depicted, very few are played by trans ac tresses. Similarly to Black women characters, when trans women are featured, they are rarely the center of storylines and often there as co

medic relief or to provide a learning experience for another character.

“I don’t really see that many friendships with transgender people involved,” Matthews said. “A lot of the time, I see myself as the come dic relief in someone else’s circum stance rather than seeing myself as my own person. I think this may be because we very rarely have trans people be the star of the show and they are more likely to be a side character.”

The storylines of trans characters in media often portray the struggle of coming to terms with one’s identity, unlike the storylines of cisgender women characters, which many feel only enforces the notion that trans women aren’t actually wom en, pushing trans equality further behind.

“Oftentimes, the storyline about trans women in TV shows is that they are struggling to feminize themselves and fit in with other women—in fact, they are often masculinized to their [cisgender] counterparts,” Matthews said. “I

feel like the storyline is that she is trans, rather than just being a woman. I think it is important to talk about the struggle trans women go through but not everyone experi ences the same thing, so we should see more versatility amongst them.”

In order to tell accurate stories of women on TV, all women need to be included and need to be given

the same quality of stories.

“It is important to show healthy supportive friendships between people who may not be cisgender, white or straight because people who aren’t that exist too, no matter how much society tries to erase or neglect us,”

Matthews said. “In failing to do so, you are essentially missing out on an entire demographic of people.”

In real life, women come from all different races, religions, genders, sexual identities, abilities, socioeco nomic backgrounds, etc. Their sto

ries and experiences are filled with so much more than what’s shown on TV. And for many women, they take every opportunity to support other women in their lives.

“The relationships I have with the women in my life are very strong connections that I feel very secure and supported in,” Bragg said. “I feel like I have built relation ships that helped me to grow and change to become the person I am today.

Friendships involving women should be something meant to help build you up and create a support system of people you trust.”

The bond between women can be one of the most powerful things in life because regardless of their differences, they share the same battle and understand the strength that comes from fighting it. Sup portive, healthy friendships be tween women can be so important and impactful—which can make TV’s hesitance to portray them even more frustrating.

Bianca Bucholtz is a senior studying professional and public writing with a minor in gender and women’s studies. She is currently working as the co-editing director at VIM Magazine. In her freetime, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, watching movies/TV shows and baking.

A Plus-sized DISSAPOINTMENT for Plus-Sized People

Everyone has a body—whether it’s tall, short, thin or thick—and every one has the right to wear clothes that fit right and make them feel confident. The fashion industry has only begun to recognize this as plus-size clothing often features less appealing designs for a higher cost, which ultimately creates a stig ma for those who wear them. Such a disproportionate market had to start somewhere, though. In the 1800s, according to Seamwork’s

“The Origins of Clothing Sizes” by writer Katrina Robinson, the switch from clothes “tailored to specifically fit each customer” to “ready-to-wear clothing” began due to the need to mass-produce men’s military uniforms before it spread to the gener al public.

After realizing men and women’s clothing did not fit the same, man ufacturers searched for a new way to create boxes for women to fit into. This ranged from using weight, body shapes or a term called “vanity sizing,” as Robinson states, which uses numbers to dictate which size clothing fits which body type.

Plus-size clothing originally stemmed from clothes with wider hip sizes, which were represented by a “+,” creating the infamous term

By: Oliviah Brown

“plus-size.” The usage of plus-size for clothing, according to beauty expert Megan Taylor’s Fashionisers article “The History of ‘Plus Size’ and the Fluctuation of the Ideal Body Throughout History,” was first “found in a Lane Bryant ad in the late 1920s. The term, however, did not stick and did not become com monly used until the 1940s-50s.”

Ever since its creation, stigma has threaded itself into the usage of plus-size. Former plus-size model Kim Brown said, “When I was grow ing up, I was bigger, and my mom couldn’t afford name brands, so she bought me a brand called Gitano.” Gitano was a denim brand during the 80s and 90s known for carry ing larger, taller or otherwise nonstraight size (straight size meaning sizes that range from 0 to 12/14)

jeans. “Because I was bigger than the other kids, they would tease me and call me ‘giganto.’ That really had a lot of effect on me.”

Growing up wearing plus-size clothing can affect a youth’s self-esteem and confidence, from not being able to find their sizes in the stores loved by their peers to having to shop in the women’s department or stores geared toward older women. Brown said, “As I got older…I would go to Lane Bryant. Their clothing was more expensive, but the styles [they

had] at the time weren’t the popular ‘in’ styles, they were still more for older women. You couldn’t go to a regular store and purchase clothes.”

This idea still affects some teenagers and young adults today as clothing sizes and styles are consid erably limited. Jennifer, a student who shops exclusively for plus-size clothing, said, “Being plus-size has affected how I saw myself as I grew up. I thought that I wasn’t normal like other kids because I was big ger, but now that I’m older and

see others who look like me at the grocery store or on TV, I realize that it’s not something to be ashamed of because we deserve clothing just as much as the next person.”

According to market researcher NPD Group’s Consumer Tracking Service, two-thirds of female shop pers fall outside of straight sizes, and one third of female shoppers identify solely as plus size. Despite a large majority of female consumers buying non-straight sizes, manufac turers aren’t as fast to create

clothes that do non-standard bodies jus tice, and it’s not going un noticed by social media users.

In The Know’s managing editor Alex Lasker wrote an article titled “TikTokers are Exposing the ‘Dark Side’ of Plus-Size Fashion,” where she talks about TikToker Devon Elizabeth. Elizabeth exposes var ious clothing brands for carrying not only smaller selections, but also clothing that displays animal prints and cartoon characters with inspi rational sayings. In Lasker’s article, Elizabeth said, “Plus-size women are expected to cover and hide their bodies as much as possible, and

so much of that is reflected in the options available.”

Clothes above a woman’s size 16 and sometimes as low as a size 12 come at a cost, both to a shopper’s ability to choose what they wear and to their wallet. Jennifer said, “Clothes always seem to cost me more than what my thinner friends spend. It definitely shouldn’t cost me anything more to wear clothes than the next person.”

Retailer Old Navy was called out in 2014 for charging more on women’s plus size clothes despite maintain ing steady prices for plus size men’s clothing. A Today article by journalist Eun Kyung Kim titled “Old Navy says ‘unique fabrics,’ design mean more expensive plus-size women’s clothes” said, “A size 8 pair of Old Navy’s Rockstar super skinny jeans cost $27, but a size 28 rings in at $45. Meanwhile, in the men’s sec

tion, all slim-fit jeans cost the same, regardless of size.”

The brand now leads a more inclu sive retail model after launching its “Bodequality” campaign, which transformed their sizing process and shopping experience. Now every store carries women’s items in sizes 0-30 with no separate section for plus-size clothing. On their website, Old Navy says, “Let’s start a fashion revolution. Now in all stores, online, wherever you find us, you’ll find all styles, all sizes, same prices. … Because you deserve it, and your friends do, too.” The re tailer has taken additional initiatives for their plus-size clothing, which are further detailed on the Bode quality page of their website.

Blogger Ragen Chastain in her post “Yes, It’s Wrong to Charge More for Larger Size Clothes” on danceswithfat.org said, “The idea that larger

We’ve always existed, and we’ve always existed with less access to clothing. ”

sizes should cost more because they are currently more difficult to make is literally charging fat people a penalty because the fashion industry built all their systems and processes around not bothering to clothe us.”

The issues with fatphobia in the fashion industry haven’t ended yet although reformed retailers like Old Navy provide some hope. But there is a long way to go before plus size clothing is part of the norm. Going shopping for clothes should not feel like a burden to people regardless of size. As Chastain said, “We’ve always existed, and we’ve always existed with less access to clothing.”

Oliviah Brown is a senior double-majoring in English with a creative writing fo cus and professional and public writing. Her goal after graduation is to pursue a career as a copy editor. When she isn’t studying, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, writing poetry or crocheting.

RISE of Fidget Toys

Ever since the fidget spinner craze of 2017, fidget toys have been on the rise. Fidget toys can be any handheld toy someone uses to focus or destress. Their popularity resurged during the pandemic due to social media trends, and more and more people are discovering how helpful fidgeting can be.

Spinners were first invented by Scott McCoskery in 2013. He want ed to focus during long, work-related events, and thus he created the Torqbar, a metal toy with

two prongs that could be spun when held in the middle. After the Torqbar was released to the public in 2015, lots of third-party compa nies began making cheap knock offs of the toy. To get ahead of the competition, McCoskery added a third prong to his design in 2016 and switched to using hard plastic. This updated design became known as the fidget spinner.

In 2017, fidget spinners were all the rage thanks to online videos, so cial media and local news stations sharing the fun, simple spinners. They were so popular they made Amazon’s top 20 best-selling toys list. They were also marketed to students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to help them concentrate in class. However, the fad led to more distraction in the classroom, and many schools

By Phoenix Grubbs

banned students from fidgeting with them in class, which made the craze fade out.

However, with COVID-19, the de mand for destressing sensory devices rose once again. New toys flooded the market:tangles that can be endlessly twisted around, squeezable peapods, magnets, stress balls and more in an expansive array of colors, shapes and designs.

One popular new item is the Pop It, a silicone mat with dimples that can be

popped in and back out again, like end less bubble wrap.

Pop Its became popular after a viral TikTok showed a capuchin monkey playing with one, which started a trend of people vying for the previously unknown toy. Now, Pop Its and their knockoffs can be found everywhere, from toy shops to grocery stores and beyond.

One reason behind the rise of fidget toys may be the benefits of fidget ing. “My research group has taken a deep look at how people use fidget items over the last several years,” said Kathrine Isbister, a UC Santa Cruz School of Engineering computational media professor, in her article “Fidget Toys Aren’t Just Hype” for Scientific American. “What we found tells us that these items are not a fad that will soon disappear.”

“Fidgeting didn’t start with the spin ner craze,” Isbister said. “If you’ve ever clicked a ballpoint pen again

and again, you’ve used a fidget item.” Many people fidget without even realizing it. Some people tap their feet, some click their pens and some fiddle with paper clips.

People with ADHD or those on the autism spectrum often struggle with under or overstimulation. “Psychol ogy research about sensation seek ing tells us that people often seek to adjust their experiences and their environments so that they provide just the right level of stimulation,” Isbister said.

This means that people whose brains are wired differently may require more or less stimulation to focus in certain situations. Fidget toys can provide them with the kind of stimulation they need at that time. Even if someone is neuro typical, fidget toys may help them relieve stress when other methods of calming themselves down aren’t available, especially during the high amount of stress many have experi enced due to COVID.

However, there hasn’t yet been a full study done to show how much fidget toys help. “The closest signifi cant research is UC Davis behavioral science professor Julie Schweitzer’s

study of letting children with ADHD fidget–wriggling, bouncing or other wise moving gently in place–while they worked on a lab-based concentration task called the ‘flanker par adigm,’” Isbister said. “[Scweitzer] found that more overall movement (measured using an accelerometer

on the ankle) in children with ADHD did help them perform this cogni tively demanding task.”

Isbister’s group found evidence to back up anecdotal reports of fid get toys helping people focus, yet that doesn’t mean schools were wrong to ban fidget spinners. “Not all fidget items are created equal,” she said. “The items that therapists recommend are primarily tactile–a user holds it in a hand and can manipulate it without looking. But fidget spinners require hand-eye coordination.” This makes using a fidget spinner during class much more distracting because the device necessitates taking attention away from learning.

“By contrast, putty, stress balls and other therapeutic fidget items don’t have this visual attention problem,”

Isbister said. “They can serve the same purpose as the spinners, but are more classroom-ready and less distracting.” Some fidget toys, such as the Fidget Cube, can also make less noise while being played with. This also reduces distraction in the classroom.

“There’s still science to be done, but they’re not just a fad,” said Isbister. “They embody an enduring phe nomenon that nearly everyone uses at some point–just watch your own behavior when doing desk work or sitting in meetings. My research team continues to study fidgeting behavior and design, working to

create next-generation smart fidget objects that support managing attention and keeping calm.”

Phoenix Grubbs is a senior double-majoring in English with a creative writing focus and Professional and Public Writing. They are an aspiring author and copyeditor, and they adore all things fantasy and sci-fi.

By: Harrison Nelson

Magic Mushrooms in Michigan

In 2018, Michigan lawmakers passed a bill to make recreational marajuana legal to sell, purchase and use for people 21 years of age and older. Now in fall 2022, a new bill is soon to appear on the ballots, and this time, psilocybin mush rooms are in question. This new bill would legalize the use of psychedelic mushrooms in Michigan. While to some this may sound unbelievable, there is substantial unknown infor mation surrounding the effects and benefits of magic mushrooms.

In an article for MLive, reporter Samuel J. Robinson said, “The pro posal would decriminalize person al use, possession and growth of psychoactive substances for adults 18 [and over] and reduce penalties for all controlled substance use and possession in Michigan.” As this bal lot is garnering a lot of attention in Lansing, mushrooms have already

been decriminalized in Ann Arbor for almost 2 years.

The psychedelic goes by many names: psilocybin, shrooms, magic mushrooms or simply mushrooms. They give users a sense of eupho ria, hallucinations, an altered state of mind and more. They are often eaten raw, added to food or brewed in a tea. Dosages depend on the individual, but some users micro dose, which involves ingesting a small amount of the mushrooms for a mild high. Legalization and decriminalization are two different things. Legalizing a substance allows businesses to produce and sell the product while decriminalizing a substance pre vents law enforcement from arresting those who are in possession of it. Detroit, like Ann Arbor, has also decriminalized shrooms. But in both

cities, since it is not legalized, there are no storefronts that sell the psi locybin. However, there is a “community” called Arbor Shrooms that delivers shrooms to buyers living within city limits.

Prospective users may be excited, but obtaining mushrooms is not easy. This new bill will not allow for psilocybin mushrooms to mimic the current process of obtain ing marajuana; someone has to “know a guy” or grow it themselves. However, decriminalization is the first major step in legaliz ing a sub stance.

Those against psychedelic mushrooms will cite their less desirable effects. Medical News Today lists “paranoia, confusion, frightening hallucinations, nausea, [and] deper sonalization” as negative side ef fects. Many of these issues can arise from overdosing on mushrooms. Without a doctor’s prescription, users have to find the right dose based on trial and error, which can be risky. Those who are uninformed may have a traumatic experience using mushrooms.

Proponents will cite the medical benefits of psilocybin mushrooms. According to WebMD, “There’s increased interest in using pure psi locybin for addictions, depression, and other mental and psychological disorders due to its potential to stimulate certain areas of the brain. People use psilocybin for alcohol

use disorder and other addictions, anxiety, depression, migraines, PTSD, and many other conditions.”

Research is still being done to scientifically prove why this psyche delic can help with these issues, but responses from users are positive. Decriminalizing mushrooms may allow for institutions to do more research on the potential benefits of the substance.

The decriminalization may be passed this fall, cre ating a large amount of interest in mag ic mushrooms.

While their history has been

solely linked to psychedelia, new uses for mushrooms in medicine are being researched. Mushrooms may not be fully legal yet, but de criminalizing them will help with this medical research.

Harrison Nelson is a fourth year undergraduate student with a major in professional and public writing and a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. He has been playing guitar for twelve years and enjoys classic cars.

Decriminalizing mushrooms may allow for institutions to do more research on the potential benefits of the substance. ” “

Identifying with DID

By: David Seddon

For many people, Dissociative Identity Disorder is something seen in movies, on TikTok, or on the news. The outdated term Multiple Person ality Disorder is still strongly asso ciated with the diagnosis – as is the fear that surrounds that term.

DID is a complicated diagnosis, but like with sociopathy, the media portrayal of those who live with it isn’t positive. One of the earliest film characters who could have arguably been dealing with DID was Norman Bates from the infamous movie “Psycho”. Bates was a serial killer who stabbed a young woman to death in the shower, and killed several other people before being caught and arrested. He had two major personalities, his “normal” personality, and personality based on his overbearing mother, the one who was the murderer.

inside their heads. Perhaps most famous in recent years were James McAvoy’s characters in “Split” and “Glass”. These characters are differ ent aspects of a person with DID, whose main role is being a violent murderer specifically targeting young women.

Of course since then, we’ve seen a variety of characters who have had different aspects, or alters, living

This portrayal would be fine, if DID was perhaps more like lycanthropy, a made up affliction used for drama in gothic stories. However, this isn’t the case at all. DID, and the people who live with it every day, are real, and this kind of portrayal does nothing to help them. Jane Doe, a genetics major atMSU, is a person who lives with DID and offered to share her experi ence.

She also requested anonymity largely because of the stigma that surrounds those who have DID.

She has, of course, been living with DID for years, but never understood what was happening in her own mind until she was in college. Look ing back on it, however, she was able to identify many symptoms in retrospect.

“I remember a couple of times in el ementary school when things were way too loud. I realized that it was because I both had alters talking in my head, and large crowds out side. I separated myself from large crowds, making me more distant. I would also hear a lot of voices in my head, that I knew weren’t me, which I thought was my conscience

due to how others talk about their thoughts.”

Jane Doe would sometimes expe rience lapses in memory, not fullon blackouts like the most severe cases experience, but sometimes moments when things seemed foggier, like she was in a dream. Though looking back on it, she said: “I realize now that there are moments from elementary school that I’ve just completely forgotten.” She would also suffer from serious headaches, and long periods where she would just sleep, sometimes plagued by severe nightmares. Everything came to a head during an emotionally charged moment, Jane Doe said, “I was having a really rough day with some friends – they pissed me off while we were play ing Smash Bros – there was a re ally kind voice in the back of my head, saying ‘I wish there was something I could do’, and suddenly I wasn’t there anymore, and he was.”

What had happened was that she had switched, one alter had come to the front and put the usual dom inant one, “the host”, back behind the curtain. What’s worth noting here is that, despite how scary it was at the time, without this moment, or one just as upsetting for her, she might never have realized that she had DID.

It was only after realizing what she had might be DID, and starting to go to therapy to cope with it, that things started to get more manageable. She learned that her headaches were signs that an alter wanted to “come to the front”. She has never been comfortable with the idea of relinquishing control to someone else, but as anyone who has to live with a serious mental illness knows, ignoring symptoms doesn’t make them go away, it only ever makes things worse.

Of course, living with DID isn’t easy. Jane Doe has had to make several

concessions, other than the occa sional “switch” to adapt to life on campus. She’s taken to avoiding all alcohol because it “breaks down barriers” and can leave her feeling like she’s being deafened inside her own head. Sometimes she feels the need to pick up food or items for other alters, “to keep the whole system happy.” For a while she had to be careful about driving, since if she took up a long trip and had to switch in the middle of it, she could easily end up in a serious accident. She also deals with mood swings and antisocial impulses.

However, one of the biggest ways it has impacted her life is that it gives her a heavy weight, one that she has to be careful about sharing. Because of the media perception, she wonders what people will think about her if they were to know the truth. She also has to deal with the threat of people telling her that DID isn’t real, or that she’s making her own symptoms up for attention.

“Back in my hometown, mental health isn’t seen as a medical issue, and in combination with the stigma, a lot of people thought I was lying. One former friend said I was completely lying and that I wasn’t going to therapy… it’s heartbreaking to know that even people so close to me can not believe I’m going through something so serious.”

Alienation is something that many of those who live with mental illness have to deal with, but since DID is something which has been so stigmatized in the media, it can be felt particularly by those with the diagnosis.

DID is a condition that is most likely to occur in people who were trau matized, severely and repeatedly, at a young age. It can take several hours of one’s day without warning, and leaves the only other option of severe pain. The people who live with it are just that, people, trying to go about their lives and who have to

make serious alterations to their lives along the way.

These are people who deserve to be respected, not reviled or feared, like the media suggests through tropes and stigmatization. Because when we continue to look at real people as evil monsters due to their condition, real people suffer. Real people either assume they can’t have DID, or don’t want to admit it because of what others might say about them.

Already major internet personalities who openly identify with DID risk being attacked. A person known as the “Wonderland System” faced a lot of backlash upon creating a

These are people who deserve to be respected, not reviled or feared. ”

TikTok account to share their sto ry with the world. They had large communities form to both discuss the lore of the Alters, as if they were a video game character, or people trying to prove that they didn’t have DID at all.

Still, it’s possible that the necessary changes are already starting to be made. At time of writing, Marvel’s

“Moon Knight” is still a large talking point, and apparently its depiction is a lot more positive. As the main character, while perhaps having DID, is still a hero trying to do what’s right. Certainly he’s a much bet ter role model than a serial killer.

“Of course, Moon Knight has been fun. It’s been more on the extreme end of representation. He might also have.schizophrenia, or even a

possible god living in head, but its positive representation.” Jane Doe said about the release. Hopefully this trend will continue, and with the effort of groups advo cating for the rights of those with DID, we can move towards a world where everyone’s a little more fair.

David Seddon is a second-year undergraduate student with a major in professional and public writing and a minor in Chinese. A big fan of fantasy and sci-fi, David can often be found playing games, reading books or working on his own self-published books in his free time.

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