The Miami Hurricane: November 30, 2022

‘200 Years of British Watercolors’: Lowe Art Museum’s new exhibit

A&E //Page 9

Miami Football wraps up dissapointing frst season under Cristobal SPROTS //Page 13

The Arctic, art and activism

UM alum on work as climate activist and artist NEWS // Page 5

Xavier Cortada Studio //Contributed Photo

Xavier Cortada drives a fag into the Arctic snow as a part of his Native Flags project symbolizing the reclamation of land for nature.

News

Student rally against Iron Arrow Society in cultural appropriation petition

BY SYDENY BILLINGS STAFF WRITER

A petition circulating Instagram the week before Thanksgiving caught the attention of UM students and stirred up discussions surrounding cultural appropriation. The title: “A Call to Change the Practices of the Iron Arrow Society”.

With just under 1,000 signatures, the petition has called to attention ongoing controversy surrounding the Iron Arrow Society, the highest honor attainable at UM.

The petition, created by UM alumnus and Seminole tribe member Krystle Young, accuses Iron Arrow of demonstrating exclusionary and anti-Indigenous practices and denying the inclusion of people from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

“We, Indigenous peoples of Florida, demand that the University of Miami rectify the wrong of upholding and supporting the Iron Arrow Honor Society, a group claiming to protect, improve, and uphold the general welfare of the University,” the petition reads. “The presence and actions of Iron Arrow affect not only life on campus but extend throughout Florida in everything the society does.”

The Iron Arrow Society was founded in 1926 in part by UM’s frst president Bowman Foster Ashe, the frst registered student, Francis S. Houghtaling, and Chief Tony Tommie, a member of the Everglades Seminoles, which is now split between the Seminole tribe and the Miccosukee tribe.

Iron Arrow faculty advisor Adrian Nuñez further elaborated on the purpose of the society and its attributes, noting its historical signifcance and ties to university tradition.

“The strength of Iron Arrow is through our individual members who

give their time, talent and treasure back to the university,” Nuñez said. “When we talk about what Iron Arrow is charged to do, it is to protect the history and traditions of the university. We see ourselves as the living history of the university through our members over the years.”

As the organization nears its centennial anniversary of its establishment, the honor society is working to maintain its ties with the Miccosukee and consult on cultural practices.

“They’re the ones that we consult with on our practices and the cultural gifts that they gave us at the inception of the organization, and who we work with on collaborative initiatives,” Nuñez said.

“The Miccosukee tribe are the ones that audit our practices and our tribal liaison is the Chief of Staff for the Miccosukee. We work closely with their business council, which essentially is the tribal government for the Miccosukee tribe.”

Despite these maintained connections with the Miccosukee tribe over the years, some members of the student body have called out inaccuracies on the part of Iron Arrow’s tapping ceremonies and other cultural practices.

Recent protests by the UM Indigenous Heritage Community, a nonoffcial organization at UM, took place during Iron Arrow’s tapping ceremony, which took place on November 3. During the protests, students held signs reading phrases like “Our tradition is not ur costume” and “Big nope to racial trope” while offering outreach to students looking to support Indigenous groups at UM.

These protests marked the beginning of Native American Heritage Month, a commemorative month dedicated to celebrating Indigenous people and providing a platform for

Indigenous people to share and recognize their traditions, music, and other cultural practices.

“We’re asking for proper representation of Indigenous people on campus and more space for Indigenous people to amplify what happens in our communities and amplify issues that are important for the values of this university that stresses so much about diversity and inclusion,” said junior ecosystem science and policy major Keyra Juliana Espinoza Arroyo, a member of the Kañari Nation from the South Andes of Ecuador.

Many of the signs displayed during the protest showing the phrase “Time’s up on your dress-up” also allude to recent discussions about Halloween costumes displaying cultural stereotypes.

“People think that they can dress up and cosplay as Indian, when it’s actually cultural appropriation. It’s racist and a racial trope. Why is race seen as a costume? Why is culture seen as a costume? Why is our existence seen as something that can’t be taken seriously?” said Arroyo.

Many of the posters displayed during the protests reference the use of Indigenous-made patchwork jackets by the members of the Iron Arrow Society. The jackets are crafted and sold by the Miccosukee tribe on their reservation, which is located just off of Tamiami trail.

“It’s not only a high honor for our organization to be able to wear their clothing, but they’re proud to see that their artwork and their clothing is being worn,” said Nuñez. “We encourage the entire university community to go out to the Miccosukee reservation; people are welcome to go buy those jackets, and other artwork, beads and baskets that they sell on their tribal land.”

This is not the frst time that the in-

tegrity of Iron Arrow has been called into question.

Following a series of criticisms regarding the key traditions of Iron Arrow, especially those included in the tapping ceremony, the honor society issued a “Memorandum of Understanding”. The Memorandum acknowledges the sovereignty of the Miccosukee tribe and UM’s commitment to honor the traditions and culture of the Miccosukee.

Additionally, after a two year internal review, the honor society announced on Aug. 17, 2020 that it would make some changes regarding the tapping ceremony. This included the discontinuation of student leadership titles of chief, son of chief and medicine man, as well as the folding of the arms. This name change was also re-announced at the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition, the tapping ceremony would also limit the use of the ceremonial drum.

However, despite these amend-

ments, some students are calling for the discontinuation of the ceremony practices altogether.

“If they’re so prestigious, why are they mocking cultural values and ceremonies of Indigenous people?” said senior psychology major Sophia El-Zahr. “If they are so prestigious, why don’t they make their own ceremonies instead of stealing some that already belong to a minority that’s been through enough stealing?”.

Many students and members of UM’s Indigenous community have spoken up about a lack of commitment to honoring the cultural practices of the Miccosukee and properly recognizing Native American Heritage Month.

“We’re asking for proper representation of Indigenous people on campus and for the university to give more space for actual Indigenous people to amplify issues that are important for the values of this university that stresses so much about diversity and inclusion,” said Arroyo.

Indigenous Heritage Society stands in protest of Iron Arrow on Nov. 3

Keyra Juliana Espinoza Arroyo // Contributed Photograph

Mother, author, activist: UM alum works to fnd cystic fbrosis cure

BY AJHADA GABRIEL STAFF WRITER

Of the 40,000 children and adults in the United States living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), children’s author and University of Miami alum Leah Orr’s 19-yearold daughter is one of them.

After fnding out about her daughter’s diagnosis, Orr knew that she needed to do everything she could to try to fnd a cure for the disease. Instead of grieving, she decided to write children’s books and use the proceeds to fund CF research for not just her daughter Ashley, but for the thousands of people who are suffering.

“My children’s books’ money goes to cystic fbrosis for new research and development for drugs,” Orr, who graduated in 1989, said.

To date, Orr has raised $1.3

million dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) from the revenue of books such as “Kyle’s First Playdate,” and “Messy Tessy.” Both books revolve around a young woman, with “Kyle’s First Playdate”’s protagonist named after Orr’s daughter.

The root of Cystic Fibrosis stems from a faulty protein that severely affects organs, cells and glands that produce mucus. The overproduction of mucus caused by the defective protein leads to destruction of lungs, pancreas and other organs.

“There’s a really important protein that usually regulates sodium in and out of the cells and not having the protein causes people [who have CF] to have a dehydrated secretion blocking their airways,” said Myrtha Gregoire-Bottex, associate professor of clinical pediatrics at

University of Miami, pediatric pulmonologist and director at the Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Center. “People with CF cough a lot because they tend to have a lot of extra mucus.”

Challenges aside, Orr said her daughter is fortunate to not have experienced the worser sides of CF.

“The internet is not exactly friendly when it comes to diseases, it’s very much like ‘the end of the world,’” Orr said. “We have just been very lucky because she’s always been pretty healthy.”

Prior to parenting and authoring, Orr led a career in hotel business upon graduating from UM in 1989. Publishing children’s books was an endeavor she traversed after her daughter was born with CF.

Released in 2006, Kyle’s First Playdate, was her very frst book.

“From there, I wrote three other children’s books,” Orr said. “Then, I waited until the kids were in college to start writing thrillers.”

Now that her daughter is in good health and is an adult, Orr said she fnally has the time to venture into the mystery genre.

“I’m a huge Stephen King fan and I love anything that’s a horror movie from “Friday the 13th” to “Scream,”’’ Orr said. “I always wanted to write my own but didn’t have the time to just sit for the 40 or 50 hours it takes to write, until the kids were completely out of the house.”

Orr’s most recent thriller trilogy “Murder at the Opulence Hotel,” was released in 2021. It features The Executive Suite, The Bar and the upcoming She Shed — which will be on bookshelves in January 2023.

Currently residing in Jensen

Beach, Fla., Orr continues to write and donate her proceeds from her novels to fnd a cure. Orr’s purposeful penning has landed her on television programs such as ABC’s Health Watch, NBC Today South Florida and renowned publications including Forbes Magazine and Medical News Today. More notably, her daughter was featured as a recipient on Oprah’s “The Big Give” in 2008 — winning $1 million dollars for the CFF.

“The CF foundation called all the local CF families and we had to go meet at a hotel where Oprah brought nebulizers, exercise machines and different things that the CF kids would need,” Orr said. “We didn’t know why we were there and then she gave us all the stuff, it was pretty awesome.”

Orr’s books are available for purchase on Amazon.

Federal judge blocks Florida’s controversial Woke Act

BY CARINA STEININGER STAFF WRITER

Of the 40,000 children and adults in the United States living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), children’s author and University of Miami alum Leah Orr’s 19-yearold daughter is one of them.

After finding out about her daughter’s diagnosis, Orr knew that she needed to do everything she could to try to find a cure for the disease. Instead of grieving, she decided to write children’s books and use the proceeds to fund CF research for not just her daughter Ashley, but for the thousands of people who are suffering.

“My children’s books’ money goes to cystic fibrosis for new research and development for drugs,” Orr, who graduated in 1989, said.

To date, Orr has raised $1.3 million dollars for the Cys-

tic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) from the revenue of books such as “Kyle’s First Playdate,” and “Messy Tessy.” Both books revolve around a young woman, with “Kyle’s First Playdate”’s protagonist named after Orr’s daughter.

The root of Cystic Fibrosis stems from a faulty protein that severely affects organs, cells and glands that produce mucus. The overproduction of mucus caused by the defective protein leads to destruction of lungs, pancreas and other organs.

“There’s a really important protein that usually regulates sodium in and out of the cells and not having the protein causes people [who have CF] to have a dehydrated secretion blocking their airways,” said Myrtha Gregoire-Bottex, associate professor of clinical pediatrics at University of Miami, pediatric

pulmonologist and director at the Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Center. “People with CF cough a lot because they tend to have a lot of extra mucus.”

Challenges aside, Orr said her daughter is fortunate to not have experienced the worser sides of CF.

“The internet is not exactly friendly when it comes to diseases, it’s very much like ‘the end of the world,’” Orr said.

“We have just been very lucky because she’s always been pretty healthy.”

Prior to parenting and authoring, Orr led a career in hotel business upon graduating from UM in 1989. Publishing children’s books was an endeavor she traversed after her daughter was born with CF.

Released in 2006, Kyle’s First Playdate, was her very first book.

“From there, I wrote three other children’s books,” Orr said. “Then, I waited until the kids were in college to start writing thrillers.”

Now that her daughter is in good health and is an adult, Orr said she finally has the time to venture into the mystery genre.

“I’m a huge Stephen King fan and I love anything that’s a horror movie from “Friday the 13th” to “Scream,”’’ Orr said. “I always wanted to write my own but didn’t have the time to just sit for the 40 or 50 hours it takes to write, until the kids were completely out of the house.”

Orr’s most recent thriller trilogy “Murder at the Opulence Hotel,” was released in 2021. It features The Executive Suite, The Bar and the upcoming She Shed — which will be on bookshelves in January 2023.

Currently residing in Jensen

Beach, Fla., Orr continues to write and donate her proceeds from her novels to find a cure.

Orr’s purposeful penning has landed her on television programs such as ABC’s Health Watch, NBC Today South Florida and renowned publications including Forbes Magazine and Medical News Today. More notably, her daughter was featured as a recipient on Oprah’s “The Big Give” in 2008 — winning $1 million dollars for the CFF.

“The CF foundation called all the local CF families and we had to go meet at a hotel where Oprah brought nebulizers, exercise machines and different things that the CF kids would need,” Orr said. “We didn’t know why we were there and then she gave us all the stuff, it was pretty awesome.”

Orr’s books are available for purchase on Amazon.

Miami icon and restauranter, Felipe Valls Sr., passes away

BY ALEX TERR NEWS EDITOR

Founder of famous Cuban restaurants La Carreta and Versailles, Felipe Valls Sr. passed away on Nov. 26 at the age of 89.

Valls fed from Cuba and the Castro regime in 1960 to Miami where he set aside money until he could afford to open his frst restaurant, Badia’s. He later sold Badia’sto create his most famous dining destination, Versailles.

Versailles became a landmark of Calle Ocho and Little Havana, often acting as a place to congregate for fellow Cubans that had fed their home country. It has been a popular destina-

tion for political fgures trying to sway Miami voters and political demonstrations tied to the Cuban community, including a mass celebration of Fidel Casto’s death in 2016. The iconic restaurant just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year.

Versailles has been a prominent fxturefor not just Miamians, but tourists, students and politicians. Zoe Fundora, president of UM’s Federación de Estudiantes Cubanos, emphasized Valls’s lasting impact in Little Havana.

“I think we’re all very saddened by the loss,” Fundora, a senior political science and history major who grew up in Miami, said.

“I grew up going to Versailles and his restaurants were a place for us to kind of return to our culture.”

Fundora also emphasized that Valls was such an important fgurehead in Miami for many Cuban-Americans who immigrated to the states over the past 50 years. Valls had been a staunch supporter of anti-communism policies in the United States.

“I think he represented kind of that American dream where he was able to escape Cuba and come here and be successful,” Fundora said. “It’s always sad when somebody like that passes away.”

Valls is also credited with the invention of the ventanita, a small

drive-through-like window where patrons fock to get cafecito and pastries. Many other Cuban coffee shops throughout South Florida later replicated Vall’s ventanita.

“The ventanita was a necessity,” Valls said in a 2020 interview with the Miami Herald. “I would install a window with a counter so we could sell those to the outside so the customer would not have to go inside.”

Before his passing, Valls’ son, Felipe Valls Jr., took over his father’s conglomerate of over 30 franchises, Vall’s Group restaurant holding company, which included Versailles and La Carreta and others such as Casa Juancho,

MesaMar and Casa Cuba. He also leaves behind two daughters Leticia and Jeannette, and numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

Even with his passing, Valls’ legacy remains strong in both the Cuban-American and Miami communities. Fundora believes that he will continue to be a fgurehead in the community for generations to come.

“They [his restaurants] have pictures of him and continue to tell his story,” Fundora said. “It’s really up to us, you know the future owners and patrons of his restaurants to maintain his legacy.”

The Miami Book Fair: A bibliophile’s fantasy comes to Miami

BY SARAH PERKEL STAFF WRITER

For three festive and colorful days, The Miami Book Fair transformed Miami-Dade College’s (MDC) Downtown Campus into a marketplace of literary delights. The street fair ran from Nov. 18 to Nov. 20 and marked the ending of the larger book fair, acting as a fnal celebration of authors and readers alike.

The Miami Book Fair ran for eight days, from Nov. 13 to Nov. 20 and closed out by hosting the open-air marketplace that publishers and authors used to promote their books to the Miami literary community. A series of panels hosted by writers and other professionals in the publishing industry were also speckled throughout the fair’s fnal days.

Anjolie Scott, a junior majoring in English, was pleased with the attendance and energy at the event.

“I was surprised by how many people showed up,” Scott said. “Surprised and happy, because it means that there’s a lot of fond-

ness and appreciation for reading and books.

Scott was also glad that the fair was representing a range of diverse voices and authors, including Caribbean and Ibero-American writers.

“I think publishing companies are realizing that they can publish more diverse stories.I think it’s really good to have booths with books in Spanish,” Scott said.”I think it encourages more people to read because some people would feel alienated if the books were only in English. Reading is for everybody. Stories are for everyone.“

As a writer herself, Scott also appreciated the sense of connection.

“It feels really encouraging to be around other book lovers and to also have authors there,” Scott said. ”It made me happy to see a thriving community of writers.”

Some attendees had less positive experiences with the fair. Alain Fernandez, a student at MDC that attends the book fair every year, felt that, this time around, it was too focused upon pushing sales

above encouraging the community to get involved with reading.

“The harsh tourist capitalism of Miami I think got to it,” Fernandez said. “The people renting stations were using it to either make money or reach a status they could post on their publisher’s page. It didn’t feel like a fair, it felt like a bookstore.”

Fernandez also expressed concern about the fringe views being circulated by certain vendors.

“I don’t know how the fair is organized, but there needs to be some sort of screening process,” Fernandez said. “There were several stations that encouraged alternative medicines and beliefs and some seemed to encourage the use of spirituality over actual medicine which could legitimately lead to the loss of someone’s life.”

Fernando Fabrizio Díaz Contin, a fantasy and horror author who was promoting his book at the fair, found it useful to be able to connect with people who were already interested in literature and ready to hear about what his writing had to offer.

“The most important part about

selling in a fair is being able to speak to everybody,” Diaz Contin said. “As long as you speak to everybody, you get a very good connection to the people because they are interested in buying your book. They’re not in a fair for buying purses, they’re buying books, so show them that you’re passionate about your book, why you love your characters — that’s what they

want to hear.”

The key to selling and popularizing one’s book, Díaz Contin expressed, is simply persevering.

“Being a writer, you need a lot of persistence,” Díaz Contin said. You’re not going to become a millionaire one day to another. If you don’t love it you’re not going to fght for it. People need to fght for what they love.”

Sophomore Marley Gans browses the book selection at a booth.

Jenny Jacoby// Contributed Photographer

UM alum Xavier Cortada engages community with art and activism

BY SAMANTHA VARGAS STAFF WRITER

Whether it be through youth mentorship or elaborate murals, artist and UM alumnus Xavier Cortada has dedicated himself to serving the people of South Florida for decades. Most recently, he has done this by merging art and environmental activism in a way that engages his audience.

The impact of this work led to him being inaugurated as the Miami-Dade County (MDC) artist-inresidence by MDC Mayor Daniella Levine Cava this past summer. It has also allowed him to travel the world to both learn and teach others about the impact of climate change.

Cortada has contributed to UM in more ways than one throughout his career, whether that be displaying his art around campus, teaching a new generation of UM students or providing them with an opportunity to contribute to his valuable work.

While attending UM, Cortada initially pursued a pre-medical track in hopes of helping his community as a doctor. However, his involvement in student government and volunteer opportunities ultimately led him to major in public administration.

“[It] all felt pretty much aligned with someone who grew up in a Miami that had been, at that moment in the 1980s, really torn along racial divides,” Cortado said. “A Miami that had an infux of immigrants who needed to be integrated into society.”

After graduating, he immediately began work as the Director of Juvenile Violence and Delinquency Prevention Programs with UM, working directly with youth from communities like Little Havana and Wynwood in the early 1990s. Cortada formed a youth group as a safe space for youth to share personal problems.

“Eventually, the work we were doing was celebrated — important enough, that they asked me to

start giving speeches all over Latin America, and eventually Africa,” Cortada said. “It was in those trips that I discovered the power of art to communicate ideas.”

With a father who was a painter, art had always been a constant in Cortada’s life.

“As a kid, I remember I was an art critic almost before I was a painter,” Cortada said. “At night, we’re there on the foor of the room and I was helping him. And then he had his paint and I was on the side working a little canvas with his leftover paint. And I would tell him, ‘No, this thing needs more yellow, it’s more orange.’ And that’s literally how I started my career.”

During his time at Miami Senior High School, Cortada found himself in a community of Cuban and Latin American immigrants from countries like Nicaragua and Colombia seeking refuge in Miami.

After seeing his own family of Cuban exiles fnd support and resources in Miami during the 1960s, Cortada dedicated years of his life to doing the same for a new generation of immigrants and other marginalized groups.

“There was a lot of turmoil in Miami, and I just found that public policy and trying to address those issues was a more laudable thing to do,” Cortada said.

It wasn’t until later in his career that he began to see art as a universal language, one that could help him spread awareness of the very issues he’d been fghting his entire adult life.

“All throughout life, there’s always been an aspect of me that uses art making and creativity as a way of being and navigating through life,” Cortada said.

He began painting murals for cultural and youth centers around the U.S. and in countries like Bolivia and Peru. Cortada also painted countless murals about social issues like the AIDS epidemic, racial inequality and disability rights

within Miami.

It was the early 2000s when he began to shift to eco-art, specifcally with the creation of “Miami Mangrove Forest” which was painted with Hands on Miami volunteers on I-95 underpasses. In 2006, the Reclamation Project was born, which consisted of Cortada and several local volunteers planting mangrove trees around Miami and still continues today.

In 2007, Cortada received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Antarctic Artists and Writers fellowship that allowed him to visit Antarctica and create art and permanent installations. During this trip, he learned the danger sealevel rise poses to his hometown — much of the work he created at both the South and North poles during this time refects this realization.

“Part of what happened at the South Pole and McMurdo Station is that I hung out with a bunch of scientists who explained to me just how dire the situation was in Miami,” Cortada said.

A personal issue for him, Cortada’s childhood experiences living in Miami’s rare ecosystem sparked the inspiration for The Reclamation Project.

“I remember my dad and, as a family, interacting a lot with the nature around us, with Biscayne Bay,” Cortada said. “I remember him going to Key Biscayne, to Bear Cut, to Crandon Park and showing you the mangroves and fossilized reefs and comparing them to the reefs of the shoreline of his fshing village in the northern coast of Cuba.”

More recently, he’s been named the artist-in-residence at Pinecrest Gardens, where he’s been given studio space. His permanent exhibits can be found all over the grounds, including the “Longitudinal Installation,” a ceramic replication of a piece made in the South Pole.

He’s also launched the Xavier Cortada Foundation, which is dedi-

cated to organizing community members and helping them educate their peers through art.

Besides the Reclamation Project, the Foundation’s main focus is “The Underwater,” an interactive art project which aims to engage the people of Miami into a conversation about the threat sea level rise may pose to them.

“What Xavier has done with The Underwater is used visual art and data to have people realize our collective vulnerability,” said Adam Roberti, the Executive Director of the Cortada Foundation.

Essentially, the Foundation creates yard signs with these numbers to scatter around the area, leaving the number out of context to inspire curiosity. The backdrop of these signs are ice paintings Cortada did during his time in Antarctica, painted with the Antarctic ice that threatens to devastate Miami.

“The idea is that as this Antarctic ice is melting, the sea levels are rising. And when it reaches that number, your house is underwater,” Roberti said.

This project, along with the action he hopes young people take against climate change before its effects are irreversible, was discussed by Cortada in a recent TED talk hosted in London. Cortada and Roberti also attended the UN Climate Change Conference (26CON) in Glasgow, Scotland last year.

“Activism from our youth was — in a positive way — contagious. It was intoxicating, it was wonderful to see them mobilize hundreds of thousands of people through the streets of Scotland,” Cortada said. “I want that kind of excitement, coupled with creative solutions, to be the stuff that our UM students are inspired to do.”

At UM, Cortada works as a professor in the Art Department with secondary appointments in the Law School and the Miller School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics, teaching a class that combines

art with social justice.

Additionally, Cortada’s work can be found in buildings across campus, including his piece “Flight of the Ibis,” located on the third foor of the Shalala Student Center. He also donated multiple art pieces to UM’s Newman Alumni Center for their grand opening.

“He was active in the various boards that we have here, and he wanted to donate art to have on the wall,” Chalece Erixon, Senior Director of the Newman Alumni Center and Development Resources, said. “He was incredibly generous with his resources, and it really made a tremendous difference in terms of us being able to open with a fully realized space.”

For current UM students, the Cortada Foundation based in Pinecrest Gardens offers “two layers of involvement” for those who are passionate about the work they do.

“One would be the lowest level of involvement, which is just ‘Come to our events. Come visit us at Pinecrest Gardens, at the [Pinecrest] Farmers’ Market, become engaged in our projects, posts. Share the projects that you do with us on social media,’” Roberti said. “The next level of involvement would be through an internship. I currently have six UM student interns, and I am constantly looking for more as the semesters go on.”

Although Cortada believes Miami can do more to protect vulnerable communities, he fnds hope in young people and their dedication to defend their future.

“I’ve seen an incredible amount of enthusiasm, care and activism among our young population,” Cortada said. “And that is inspiring in ways that young people would fnd really, really hard to comprehend — for someone who’s twice, maybe even three times their age, to be inspired and nurtured by the passion and activism that they bring to the fght.”

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Growing up with easily accessible technology, many Gen Z’s have long regarded reading as a chore, only done in the confines of a classroom.

As a result of the spare time in pandemic isolation and room for discourse on social media applications, reading has become trendy again recently in a way that is allowing seasoned readers to reignite their love for literature and new readers to find enjoyment in reading that they might not have had before.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic led to long-term isolation in 2020, reading rates were sinking with only 26% of children under 18 reading every day according to the National Literacy Trust in the U.K. Researchers expressed concern over this due to the extensively studied benefits of reading for individuals’ education, professional goals, mental health and more.

Reading has in large part been replaced by social media and

the instant gratification that comes from scrolling through its seemingly infinite content. This idea can be described as “displacement theory” where one activity begins to take up the time we once occupied with another. The hours previously spent rifling through pages of a gripping novel are replaced by portable devices like iPads and phones. For many, reading has become an afterthought. Research suggests that consistent time spent on social media shortens our attention span and can even be addictive. Those who have become drained by the brain-cluttering and anxiety-inducing time spent on social media turned back to reading as an activity to decompress during the extra spare time in isolation in 2020. I can’t completely denounce the use of social media as it in large part helped young audiences find joy in reading once again.

After 2020, reading began to see a resurgence in popular culture. According to Publishers Weekly, book sales overall rose by 8.9% in 2021. In young adult fiction, sales rose by 30.7% and 25.5% in adult fiction which they attribute, in part, to BookTok’s popularity.

“BookTok” is a subsection of the short video platform TikTok where creators review, recommend and discuss books. It has blown up to the point where the hashtag has 91.5 billion views and notable bookstores like Barnes and Nobles have sections dedicated to books made popular by the

trend.

Ironically, some social media sites are expediting reading’s return by facilitating discourse, providing people with recommendations and creating a community that gets people excited to read.

TikTok’s influence over the comeback of reading among young populations is incredible, even when just looking at the popularity of authors like Colleen Hoover. Her novels, published a few years prior, blew up in 2021 on the platform and are now bestsellers.

This discourse has reignited burnt out avid readers and has introduced people who never were interested in reading to a newfound love for literature. Many young adults today credit their poor relationship with reading in part to experiences in education where they began to see reading as forced work rather than something enjoyable. Now, they’re finding their way back to reading literature they genuinely enjoy.

“I feel like I didn’t have a great past experience with reading since it was so forced on me throughout middle and high school and the books we were required to read weren’t ones I was interested in so I wasn’t inclined to read on my own,” junior Ryann Miller said. “Now that I’m not really required to read as much for homework and assignments I have the freedom to pick and choose books that actually interest me and it makes reading much more enjoyable.”

It encourages readers and gives them somewhere to start with a multitude of recommendations made by millions. The avid discussion, live reactions, opinions and memes posted by readers give them a community and something to be excited about when they enjoy a book.

For whatever reasons reading is trending, it’s heartening to see young people enjoying reading again. While we may not all agree on which titles deserve to be trending or which characters should be shipped together, there is immense value in discussing books and hearing others’ viewpoints. The prevalence of leisure reading urged by social media provides an opportunity for people to reap these benefits and find enjoyment in doing so.

“I’ve loved reading from a young age but it’s made even more entertaining when you can talk about and agree on your opinions about books with others,” junior Asha Shah said. “I can understand the appeal of a book club much more now and I feel less inclined to burn out because there’s a social side to it.”

Reading is often regarded as an isolating activity, but in reality it can feel more social than being on social media often does. The resurgence of young adults appreciating literature and taking some time to discuss books seems a more valuable use of time than incessant posting, liking and scrolling, even if it does still entail some time on social media.

Influx of College Applications: How much is too much?

but the facts tell a different story.

University of Miami’s application metrics skyrocketed just in the last year. UM’s 2020-2021 school year saw a 28% acceptance rate of roughly 42,000 applicants.

Compare that to this year’s acceptance rate of just 19% of 49,000 applicants. The drastic shift in these numbers is due to the quantity over quality mentality that is pervasive among applicants.

BY JADEN COHEN STAFF WRITER

If you want to go viral on YouTube, a popular way to do it is by flming college admissions results. In YouTuber Kyle Tsai’s video, which garnered over two million views, he flms his reactions to various application results from 23 of the top universities in the country, including Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and more. Fortunately, Tsai achieved incredible success in the college admissions process and is currently attending Princeton. However, the admissions strategies exhibited in videos like these damage the college admissions process and illuminate a dangerous truth about Generation Z’s extreme focus on success.

“I applied to a whopping 16 colleges,” freshman Dominic Gibb said. “I knew I wouldn’t be going to some of them, but I just applied to have as many options as I could.”

At the end of the day, each student applying to college settles on a single school. So when students are applying to 16, 23 or 55 colleges (as current University of Southern California student and YouTuber Badruddin Mahammed did), they sequester spots from other students.

Some waive off this argument as based on circumstantial evidence,

Although some argue that the overwhelming numbers can be attributed to natural population growth, census data disproves the theory as just 23,000 more kids were born in 2004 than 2003.

It’s a cyclical issue. When colleges receive too many applicants, they must become more selective with the students they accept. This in turn causes students to apply to a higher number of colleges to offset the risk of getting rejected.

We’ve normalized applying to schools offhandedly, and in doing so, are losing sight of what is truly important about college. Tsai’s choice to apply to each of the top 10 universities in the country — all wildly different schools in terms of location, culture and opportunity — evokes the sense that the name attached to a college education is more important than the college itself. Due to this fact, the choice to apply to every top school is only smart in a gambling sense. The more schools they apply to, the higher their odds are of being selected. In Tsai’s case, despite several schools rejecting or waitlisting him, he ended up getting into multiple top schools through this strategy.

Tsai is clearly not the only student using this method, as applicant numbers are increasing across the board. If the end goal is to go to a top school regardless of its other aspects, then the ‘apply everywhere’ method works. This strategy has slowly trickled down

to schools in the top 30-50 range nationally, as shown by UM’s recent increase in selectivity. But prestigious colleges also come with prestigious prices, as seen with application fees. Non-refundable and mandatory, application fees are generally used to cover application processing and weed out applicants who aren’t as serious about attending. Depending on the school, fees can range from $50 - $100 for just one application. Top universities like Stanford, Cornell and Yale all boast application fees upwards of $80. With this in mind, the ‘apply everywhere’ strategy favors affuent individuals who can afford to spend thousands of dollars on application fees. It isn’t fnancially feasible for economically disadvantaged

students to apply to 10+ schools, especially when SAT and ACT fees and college tuition are accounted for.

The true problem is that the process of getting into a top university is fawed and the College Board can take steps to correct this behavior.

The College Board could conceivably limit the amount of schools students can apply to on the Common Application to fve schools. This would beneft students, as they would have to more carefully consider if applying exclusively to top universities is worth the risk. Additionally, students would have to narrow down the top schools to their fve favorites and they would be far more likely to apply to schools that resonate with their

values.

College is a tried and true road to success and one should grant empathy to students who desperately want to attend a prestigious university for the sake of its name brand. Although it does grant security, a prestigious school is just one road to success and incentivizing other forms of success would defnitely ease the incredible mental health burden today’s college students face.

A forceful change by the College Board would be far more effective than attempting to coax students to think differently. If students are encouraged to approach the college admissions puzzle from a more personal, less societal angle, then the U.S. could see a nuanced problem effectively mitigated.

Julia Martins//Graphics Editor

Arts & Entertainment

Student band Ex Monarch releases f rst studio album

BY LAYOMI ADEOJO A&E EDITOR

What do butterfies, a Jesus necklace and someone named Amelia have in common? They can all be found somewhere on Frost band Ex Monarch’s latest album, “Whatever You See, Look Again.”

Released on Nov. 11, the group’s frst-ever album tells the musical journey of the band that formed merely a year ago.

Junior music engineering majors Amanda Pasler, Samantha Govero and Eli Yaroch lead the group with lead vocals, bass and guitar, respectively. Junior music artistship and entrepreneurship George Staton keeps the time on drums, and music engineering sophomore and guitarist Jake Sonderman rounds out the group of fve known as Ex Monarch.

The 8-track record was mostly recorded in just a semester, a feat made possible by the band’s commitment to prioritizing studio time.

“It would kind of just be whenever we could get in,” Yaroch said. “It would be Jake and I heading the

sessions on all of the on-campus studios, too, and it’s just like, ‘cool, we can have George here for six hours, let’s track as much drums as we can. We can have Jake here for seven hours, let’s just track them.’ And it was just days and days. We spent a lot of time in the studio.”

This extensive studio time also allowed the band to cement their sound, resulting in a record that is grunge and alternative rock with hints of indie, metal and psychedelic rock.

Opening strong, the frst words of opening track “‘Til Death” are literally “wake up.”

“It’s so straight to the point,” Staton said. “I think it’s really catchy. It’s probably our most metallic-sounding song in terms of production as well.”

Yaroch started writing “‘Til Death” while in COVID-19 isolation at a nearby hotel. It was what the band feels is their frst “Ex Monarch” song — that is, the frst song that the band all collectively wrote and composed together.

“It was the start of the heavier side of Ex Monarch. We kind of explored a sort of alternative, heavier side with

that song,” Yaroch said. “That sort of energy is what we wanted for our album.”

Tying it back to the album title, Pasler noted how the opener encompasses the album’s overarching theme.

“Wake up, open your eyes, look at the world around you and take in everything, but question everything,” Pasler said.

Following the opener, “Just The Way,” comes in heavy on drums with unapologetic lyrics and a melody reminiscent of The Strokes. The third track “Hypoxia” is more lowkey, one that the band thought would be a good single because of its mainstream sound.

Listeners get a moment of rest halfway through the album with “Interlude From the Perspective of a Jesus Necklace.” Initially started as a song for class, the interlude stemmed from Pasler’s struggles with religion.

“I think writing about your faith is something that’s really hard to do so honestly and in a way that isn’t offending anyone else,” Pasler said.

The main recording was taken on an iPhone after Yaroch and Pasler played around with the chord progression.

“I felt like I said what I needed to say and I didn’t want to keep talking about it, so we ended the song,” Pasler said.

With over 30 seconds of just instrumentals ending the song, the band’s live performance of the interlude sounds vastly different from the studio recording.

“We just let it sit with the audience for as long as it feels right… for a while, we just kind of let it simmer. And once everybody’s had a chance to really breathe, we go into ‘Burn.’”

Following the dreaminess of this interlude, “Burn” comes like a slap in the face. If the title doesn’t give it away, “Burn” is a rage-flled

headbanger full of heavy drums, punchy guitar riffs and lyrics ft for a battlefeld.

Few would hardly guess that it was composed in under 24 hours, written “out of necessity” to fll the empty space in a setlist.

“We fnished the lyrics in the car up to Tallahassee,” Pasler added. “We didn’t question ourselves on that song at all because we couldn’t. We didn’t have time to.”

“Look Again” — the album’s sixth track — is slower than “Burn,” but equally as intense.

“I love the emotional element in that song,” Pasler said. “When Eli and I were in the studio, I started crying when I sang that song. I think it’s one of the more underrated songs on the album and I really love it.”

The chord progression in “Look Again” reminds me of Coldplay’s “Yellow” — while this indie rock sound colors the entire album, Ex Monarch lets their infuences show without sounding tacky or unoriginal.

“I really love the blend of fdelities on this album because I feel like a lot of indie artists do that, but not a lot of grunge or rock artists do that,” Pasler said.

This blend of music tastes shines most clearly on “Blue Escape,” a song Sonderman and Govero said was their favorite from the album.

Govero, who listens to “a lot of hippie music,” wanted to make “Blue Escape” a psychedelic jam.

“It still doesn’t sound like hippie music…but with everybody, it turned into something in-between,” Govero said. “But it’s defnitely unique. I’ve never heard anything like that before.”

The eclectic song also features vocals from Yaroch, the only track along with “Look Again” that features a vocalist apart from Pasler.

Yaroch attributed the track’s success to Sonderman, who mixed the track.

“When people say, ‘I love ‘Blue Escape,’ it wouldn’t be ‘Blue Escape’ without Jake,” Yaroch said.

Like “Blue Escape” showcases the band’s musical infuences, the fnal track “Amelia” brings the band together.

“We all felt pretty emotionally connected to ‘Amelia’ and that was a way to introduce our sound and us as a band,” Pasler said.

Ironically, the album ends with “Amelia,” an intentional move that charts Ex Monarch’s evolution, one that ends with the frst song they ever wrote.

“I feel like we tried to really have it make sense,” Pasler said of the tracklist. “To say this is where we go emotionally when we make music — this is where we end and this is where we began.”

What initially started out as an abstract self-portrait eventually became the cover art for “Amelia.” Yaroch painted all of the art for the album and its singles, keeping the theme of a black background with bits of color. His abstract paintings infuenced the later direction of the album.

“It all kind of reminded us of the Rorschach art,” Pasler said. “What he made is sort of ambiguous, so it allows you to decide what it is for you.”

“Whatever You See, Look Again” is just the beginning for Ex Monarch. The band recently wrote a couple of new songs with release dates yet to be announced. In the meantime, Fans can look forward to a music video coming out soon for “Burn,” more live shows and new merch. For updates on all things Ex Monarch, make sure to follow their Instagram @exmonarchband.

Lowe Museum showcases “200 Years of British Watercolors”

BY SHELLY GOTTLIEB STAFF WRITER

Rachel Lambert Mellon, better known as Bunny Mellon, was many things throughout her life — socialite, philanthropist and gardener — but she is best remembered for her proclivity for gardening. Her talents were recognized with one of the highest national honors when she redesigned the White House Rose Garden at the request of President John F. Kennedy.

The Lowe Art Museum’s current exhibit, “Complete and Perfect Truths: 200 Years of British Watercolors” from the Collection of BNY Mellon, showcases another side of Bunny Mellon: her love for art. Not only did Bunny Mellon have a talent for gardening, but she also had an eye for spotting great works: this exhibit is composed of almost 70 pieces from Mellon’s private collection.

The Miami Hurricane has compiled a list of featured pieces that highlight pivotal parts of Great Britain’s history within these 200 years.

Francis Towne

Francis Towne was a landscape and watercolor painter, whose works featured picturesque places in Europe, including Rome, Naples and England. Towne’s works are simple, but will take you back in time.

Francis Towne’s “Lake of Windermere from Ambleside,” 1786 provides its viewers with a feeling of tranquility. Towne captured the English Lake District’s reputation as a place for tourists and artists. The people depicted and the scenic view tells a larger story, one of a place that has remained tranquil, despite the urban cities of England becoming industrialized. “Lake Windermere from Ambleside’s” serene palette

and still water portrays the beauty of this setting.

Works from the Camden Town Group

It is quite appropriate that part of Bunny Mellon’s “Complete and Perfect Truths” consists of works from the Camden Town Group. Around 1907, a group of artists with different viewpoints formed a circle, choosing to focus on their similarities. This group had an interest in capturing the mundane through color schemes and scenery.

Robert Bevan’s “Marlpits,” Luppitt, 1921 illustrates the purpose of the Camden Town Group and what these artists aspired to achieve. The cottage featured in Bevan’s work is beautiful, yet simple. Bevan treasured his time in the West Country and bought Marlpits Cottage in Luppitt after spending nearly a decade visiting the West Country. Bevan’s illustration of his

cottage and its views shows a shift in culture, where it was now in vogue to capture simple living. Along with Robert Bevan, Charles Ginner played a pivotal role in the origins of the Camden Town Group. Ginner’s “Mayfair,” 1920 is reminiscent of the Ashcan School, which was popular in America at the time. Just as works from the Ashcan School documented the lives of recent immigrants (Jewish, Italian and Irish) far from Park Avenue in the Lower East Side, Ginner’s “Mayfair” captured the industrial side of the city.

Ethelbert White Wood engraver Ethelbert White had works exhibited at the Royal Academy and possessed a talent for watercolor. “Complete and Perfect Truths” features a few of White’s works, which tell another tumultuous story of England in the early twentieth century.

Ethelbert White’s “Parade,” 191921, looks like an illustration from a magazine and conveys a spectacle. At the time White worked on Parade, Great Britain had emerged victorious (along with the other allies) from the Great War but won at great costs. This simple work refects a signifcant action taking place, yet a feeling of exhaustion is present, as the creature on the right is sleeping.

“Contes Russes,” c. 1919-21, is a work of White’s that looks like it appeared in a children’s book. The title of this work translates to “Russian Tales,” which features different emotions throughout the painting. “Contes Russes” features a pop of color and is worthwhile to observe, as there are a plethora of details within the subjects.

“Complete and Perfect Truths: 200 Years of British Watercolors” is showing at the Lowe Art Museum now through Feb. 5, 2023.

Where to go in South Florida for a dose of Holiday cheer

BY DIYA TEKRIWAL STAFF WRITER

Miami’s warm weather can make getting into the holiday spirit tough, but Miami has its own version of holiday cheer with some quintessential activities for the winter, ranging from immersive light shows to classic holiday snacks! Here is a list of Miami must-dos for this holiday season.

Santa’s Enchanted Forest

A Miami classic, Santa’s Enchanted Forest brings excitement and joy in the form of amusement park rides and snacks. With bright lights and elaborate displays, you’ll forget all about the heat and immerse yourself in a decidedly holiday experience. Explore acrobat shows, interactive games, adventure programs, carnival foods and more at Santa’s Enchanted Forest this season.

Make sure to purchase tickets online before going as it is very popular.

Santa’s Enchanted Forest is open now through Jan. 8, 2023.

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden’s NightGarden

Another annual Miami classic, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden becomes alight during the holiday season. Though not exclusively holiday-themed, the lights shows are memorable and iconic. Stroll through the

gardens transformed with augmented reality, technicolor foral displays, holograms and projections. After an awe-inspiring walkthrough, stop by the food trucks and try some of Miami’s best food.

Tickets can be purchased online at a student discount.

The NightGarden Miami Experience is open now through Jan. 8, 2023.

“The Nutcracker” - Miami City Ballet

What says holiday cheer more than “The Nutcracker?” The Sugar Plum Fairy, nutcrackers, and gingerbread soldiers come alive in The Miami City Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.” Held at the Adrienne Arsht Center this December, this production boasts a cast of over 100 dancers and children, along with a talented live orchestra to immerse you in Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.

Tickets are available online now.

Catch “The Nutcracker” at the Adrienne Arsht Center from Dec. 16 through 24.

right in the holiday spirit.

Tickets are available online.

The Laser Evening will take place on Dec. 9.

SoundScape Cinemas Series (free)

Catch a free Christmas movie at SoundScape Cinemas this December. This outdoor cinema showcases the advantage of winter in Miami— you can hang outside with friends and get into the holiday spirit with some iconic holiday movies. Tickets are not required to attend.

Catch a flm at the SoundScape Cinema from Dec. 21 through 28.

Symphony Of Lights Holiday Celebration At Gulfstream Park

Boys, Black Eyed Peas and more will visit Miami this December. Head to the show for incredible performances and holiday cheer. Tickets are available online now.

The Y100 Jingle Ball will take place on Dec. 18.

Nights of Lights at Pinecrest Gardens

Watch Pinecrest Gardens transform into a whimsical winter wonderland with botanical light displays, mazes, food and holiday concerts. Stroll through the gardens with friends to get into the holiday spirit in a classic Miami fashion.

Tickets are available online.

The Night of Lights is open from Dec. 11 through Jan. 1.

Knaus Berry Farm

Frost

Museum Holiday Magic Laser Evening

Combine technology and tradition in this thrilling laser display at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. Featuring musical displays and holiday-themed lights, this one-of-a-kind experience will put you

Head to Hallandale Beach to see this incredible Christmas light show. Featuring over 250,000 LED lights and classic holiday music, this display is a sure-fre way to get you in the holiday spirit! Additionally, you will be able to see holiday choruses, live bands, Santa and Nutcracker stilt-walkers. No tickets necessary.

The Symphony of Lights is showing now through Dec. 31.

Y100 Jingle Ball

A holiday staple, the Y100 Jingle Ball featuring Charlie Puth, Anitta, Backstreet

Operating seasonally, Knaus Berry Farm is based in Homestead, about 45 minutes south from Coral Gables. With the best cinnamon buns you will ever taste along with strawberry and tomato picking, Knaus Berry Farm offers a myriad of themed activities. Knaus Berry Farms is opened seasonally, only throughout the winter, making it a winter staple for us in South Florida! Enjoy shakes, pies, jellies and other assorted baked goods at Knaus Berry Farm this holiday season!

Knaus Berry Farm is open now through mid-April.

Alexander Iziliaev// Miami City Ballet

Miami City Ballet dancers in George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®. Choreography by George Balanchine. © The George Balanchine Trust.

A (non-conventional) Winter Wonderland playlist

BY SHELLY GOTTLIEB STAFF WRITER

Each year, people put on their holiday playlists, but it’s easy to hear the same songs over and over again. To avoid holiday music burnout, here is a list of Christmas songs you may want to add to your playlist. Here’s to a great holiday season and varied playlists!

“‘Zat You, Santa Claus?” - Louis Armstrong

If you like old-school classics, this holiday tune is perfect for you, as the saxophone and bass give off a vintage Christmas vibe. The instruments, coupled with Louis Armstrong’s warm voice, make for a wonderful introduction to “‘Zat You, Santa Claus?” This song is reminiscent of the Walgreens Christmas commercial that aired in 2014 where the parents ate the cookies that their child made for Santa.

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” - John Lennon, Yoko Ono

In the typical fashion of John Lennon, this song is not your average Christmas song. Lennon and Yoko Ono represent the counterculture of the late 1960s and the early 1970s, in protest of America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Aside from the context, the vocals in this song blend well together, which provides the song with a Christmas-y tune.

“Merry Christmas” - Ed Sheeran and Elton John

What’s better than one talented artist singing a song? Two very-talented artists. Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” is a sweet song with the best of the holidays. Reuniting for the holidays is emphasized throughout the song. The aesthetically pleasing album cover features John’s signature sunglasses and Sheeran’s “equal” sweater, referencing his “Equals” album and proving that quality and quantity can live in perfect harmony.

“Ding Dong, Ding Dong” - George Harrison

George Harrison’s “Ding Dong, Ding Dong” is all about welcoming the new

year. Though this is one of Harrison’s more underrated works, it reflects his reputation as the “quiet Beatle,” possessing a great deal of talent you won’t easily spot. This New Year’s song is very in the moment and is similar to Harrison’s other enjoyable works, like “Cheer Down” and “Crackerbox Palace.”

“I’ve

Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” - Dean Martin

The best-known Christmas song performed by Dean Martin is “Let It Snow,” but “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” rivals it. The descriptions of love and winter keeps listeners warm all season long. After listening to this song, your heart, like Martin’s in the song, will be “on fire.” This song is what should play while eating cookies and drinking hot cocoa.

“Do They Know It’s Christmas?”Band Aid

Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” represents the giving spirit of the holidays. The BBC’s report of a famine in Ethiopia in 1984 inspired Band Aid to write this song. After it became a hit, Band Aid successfully raised money for the Ethiopian famine. When thinking of the holidays, we often think of wishlists and the cold weather — “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” reminds listeners to give back to our world, especially to those in need.

“Extraordinary Merry Christmas”Glee Cast

This Glee classic is missing from many holiday playlists without reason. As soon as “Extraordinary Merry Christmas” plays, you’ll remember the lyrics. The catchy tune and optimistic lyrics are exactly what we need this holiday season. The jingle bells ringing in the background will likely remind you of another classic, “The Polar Express.” Fair warning, you may want to watch the episode where Rachel and Blaine sing this song (Season 3, Episode 9).

“Like It’s Christmas” - Jonas Brothers

The Jonas Brothers’ comeback in 2019

was a pleasant surprise. If you haven’t heard “Like It’s Christmas,” you’ll love it as much as you loved the idea of their reunion three years ago. The romantic undertones, sleigh bells and mention of Central Park make for a satisfying song. If it sounds familiar, the Jonas Brothers perform this song in Netflix’s “Dash and Lily” shortly before the main characters meet at the Strand Book Store.

“Christmas Tree Farm” - Taylor Swift

Modern, refreshing and a perfect escape are three ways to describe Taylor Swift’s “Christmas Tree Farm.” The song starts off by mentioning the stress of the holidays, then listeners are transported to a perfect holiday season: a Christmas tree farm. Swift’s voice in this song is

very Christmas-y, like a champagnecolored Christmas tree ornament.

“Christmas Tree Farm” treasures the best of the holidays, where everything is “icy and blue.”

“River” - Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell’s “River,” recorded in 1971, opens with the chords of popular song “Jingle Bells.” While this song is set during Christmastime, it’s less about the holiday season and more about the process of grieving a failed relationship. The iconic song has been covered by artists like Ellie Goulding, Olivia Rodrigo and Sam Smith. For an extra heartbreaking version, listen to Ben Platt’s cover of this song performed in the 2019 Netflix series “The Politician.”

Roberta Maceado// Graphics

FOOTBALL FEATURE

Miami dominated

BY CHRIS DIAMOND STAFF WRITER

For the first time since 2007, the Miami Hurricanes football team is not bowl-eligible.

The Pittsburgh Panthers sealed that fate on Saturday night, dominating Miami 42-16 in its regular season finale at Hard Rock Stadium to spoil Senior Night.

The ‘Canes finished the season at 5-7 in Mario Cristobal’s first year as head coach. Last time Miami was not bowl-eligible, it was also 5-7 under first-year head coach Randy Shannon.

“We didn’t accomplish our goal of being in the postseason,” Cristobal said. “I don’t get fazed or flustered by what needs to be done … We got to get to work with tough-minded people.”

Veteran tight end Will Mallory made the most of his last game as a Hurricane, though, registering a team-high 103 receiving yards, along with a four-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Mallory is now tied for second in receiving yards and touchdowns among tight ends in program history.

“I just tried to soak up every moment with the guys [today],” Mallory said. “I appreciate all that everyone in this program has done for me.”

Pittsburgh outgained the ‘Canes 493-385 and recorded six touchdowns en route to victory.

Panthers’ quarterback Kedon Slovis capitalized on Miami’s stagnant pass rush, which generated zero sacks, as he threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns on 18-of-28 passes. His top receiver was Jared

by Pittsburgh, 42-16,

Wayne, who registered 199 yards and three touchdowns on 11 receptions.

Like in most of the Hurricanes losses this season, they started off slow. Miami’s opening three possessions featured three quarterbacks and two interceptions.

Starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, who missed the last two games due to a shoulder injury, marched the Hurricanes to the red zone on their opening drive before throwing a costly interception that led to a Pittsburgh touchdown. Van Dyke was hit on the play and went to the medical tent as freshman Jacurri Brown replaced him on the next drive.

On third-and-8, a miscommunication resulted in another interception as Brown threw a deep ball to the middle of the field with no receiver in sight. He was benched for Jake Garcia on the ensuing possession.

Brown re-entered the game in the third quarter and was injured after a sack on third-and-goal.

Garcia had a solid outing, registering 192 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions on 17-of-28 passes, good enough for a 141.9 passer rating.

Pittsburgh added a 66-yard touchdown to go up two scores at the end of the first quarter and just like that, Miami found themselves in an early hole for the second straight week.

The second quarter was not much better. The Panthers capitalized on yet another Hurricanes turnover, this time a fumble by tight end Will Mallory, and recovered it at the

to close out regular season

Miami 19. Running back Israel Abanikanda, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s leading rusher, ran for an 11-yard touchdown two plays later. He finished with 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor briefly shifted momentum later in the second as he knocked the ball right out of Panthers’ quarterback Kedon Slovis’ hands. Fellow lineman Leonard Taylor caught it in the air to record Miami’s first turnover of the game. But the ‘Canes quickly found themselves at fourth-and-9 on the Pittsburgh 18. Kicker Andres Borregales faked a field goal and ran it seven yards down the left sideline. The Panthers took over

on downs and went 89 yards in 3:27 for another touchdown. They led 28-0 at halftime. It marked the second consecutive game the Hurricanes had been shutout at the break.

Miami finally got on the board with 6:22 remaining in the third quarter as Borregales nailed a 25-yard chip shot. Running back Jaylan Knighton’s 56-yard rush earlier in the drive helped set up the field goal.

After Mallory’s score in the fourth quarter, Garcia found receiver Xavier Restrepo for a four-yard touchdown to go down 42-16 with 7:22 remaining. It was Restrepo’s first score since Week 1 against Bethune-Cookman. A 58-yard pass to Romello Brinson set up

the touchdown.

The ‘Canes outscored the Panthers 13-7 in the final quarter and 16-14 in the second half, but it was not nearly enough.

“We just got to get back to work and got to make sure we continue to develop, fill the roster with the right people … and make sure we are doing the right things as coaches,” Cristobal said. “Miami will be a championship program.”

With the loss, Miami enters the offseason amid great uncertainty, as the roster and coaching staff will likely look much different in 2023 after a disappointing year. Regardless, Cristobal will have several months to reflect on the season and get the ‘Canes ready for next year.

Jared Lennon // Senior - Staff Photographer

Redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Garcia looks for an open receiver during the second quarter of Miami’s game versus Pittsburgh at Hard Rock Stadium on Nov. 26, 2022.

UM football wraps up disappointing frst season under Cristobal

BY PATRICK MCCOLL STAFF WRITER

At last, Miami’s season is over. The Hurricanes fnished with a record of 5-7 after another loss by a signifcant margin to the Pittsburgh Panthers. The 42-16 loss eliminated Miami from bowl contention and brought an end to what has been a nightmare rebuilding season for many. Here are the key takeaways from the regular season:

Miami is a longer way from contention than most thought

It is a brutal reality, but make no mistake: Miami is not “back” and it might not be for a while.

“We didn’t live up to our own expectations,” head coach Mario Cristobal said after Saturday’s loss to Pittsburgh. “It is important to look at exactly each and every position and performance.”

The ‘Canes regressed after what many thought could be a positive frst year. Starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was riddled with injuries and did not look like himself in the starts he did have.

With Van Dyke’s injury slashing a lot of the passing game’s hopes, Miami tried all season to establish the ground game but could not seem to get it going at an elite level. Just 10th in the ACC with 128.1 rushing yards per game, the Hurricanes did not seem to have the personnel to consistently execute Cristobal and

offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ running schemes.

On defense, Miami allowed too many yards and points at home. The ‘Canes were burned early in the season by Chase Cunningham, quarterback of the Middle Tennessee Raiders. This surprising defensive letdown against a non-Power Five opponent only set the tone for the rest of the season. The Hurricanes allowed over 40 points at home four times.

“We got to get to work with tough-minded people. Talented, tough-minded people,” Cristobal said. “That is uncomfortable for some people and that’s alright. So, there’s no finching here.”

Miami could be thrashed by the transfer portal

It will be up to Cristobal and his staff to replace the players that leave and improve.

Still, it might be an ugly scene as many players look for playing time or a fresh start.

Miami has already seen running back Thaddius Franklin Jr. announce he will be transferring, while defensive back Gilbert Frierson has done the same.

Cristobal has mentioned that the portal is a “two-way street,” and it is the reality of modern-day college football. The head coach and his staff will have a lot of work to do convincing the players he needs to come to Miami and help fll the team’s needs.

Miami must lean on Cristobal Hurricanes fans are rightfully frustrated with the team’s performance in 2022.

“Disappointing night for us, we wanted to win for our program and for our seniors. Always got to take full responsibility as a head coach,” Cristobal said.

As bad as 5-7 is, the university was so dissatisfed with 7-5 in 2021 that the head coach was fred. So, no matter how things are sliced, there is a lot of work to do.

Even if Cristobal has done poorly as a coach at Miami so far, he has fallen on his sword in every post-game press

conference, and it appears he is as hurt as anyone else to see the team lose like it has.

“Setting a standard comes with laying a foundation. Sometimes it’s really painful and that is where we are,” Cristobal said.

Miami isn’t a stopgap job for Cristobal. This is his alma mater, and it seems he is all in on fxing the program and bringing it back into national championship contention. Sure, there are no guarantees things will pan out, but Hurricanes fans have almost no alternative but to hope for the best.

‘Canes volleyball drop fnal regular season match against FSU

BY ERIK LAMM STAFF WRITER

After a hard-fought win over the Duke Blue Devils only three days prior, Miami volleyball looked emotionally and physically exhausted against in-state rival Florida State on Wednesday night, falling 3-0 at the Knight Sports Complex. The Hurricanes (19-10, 12-6 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)) were on a sixgame winning streak as they headed into battle against the Seminoles (19-9, 11-6 ACC), but Florida State seemed to have every answer. The only bright spot for the ‘Canes was senior Savannah Vach’s achievement of 4,000 career assists,

becoming just the fourth player in school history to pull off such a feat.

To start the match, Miami looked good as it grabbed a 10-4 lead against the Seminoles. The match would tighten up from there before Florida State pulled away in the final stretch to claim the opening set, 25-20.

In the second set, the Seminoles put on a dominant performance from start to finish. The ‘Canes would never hold a lead or tie the score against Florida State as it cruised to a 25-16 second-set victory.

The third set was strikingly similar to the first. Miami fought its way to a

10-3 lead before the Seminoles grabbed seven straight points to tie the match. The teams went back and forth for a few points before Florida State took the lead for the final time. The Seminoles would close out the match and Miami’s regular season by taking the final set, 25-22.

It was a tough way for the Hurricanes to end the regular season, especially after their big winning streak, but they are still in good form heading into the NCAA tournament. The biggest weakness for Miami on Wednesday was an abysmal .135 hitting percentage during the match. When the ‘Canes swept Syracuse five days prior, their hitting percentage was

.250.

The loss does not dampen Vach’s exceptional feat of 4,000 career assists for the ‘Canes. Predictably, she led the match in assists with 27 and collected three digs. Redshirt junior Angela Grieve would lead the Hurricanes in kills with nine, and freshman Naylani Feliciano would record 10 digs.

Felciano was also named ACC Volleyball Player of the Week on Nov. 21.

Miami will now wait to hear its name called when the NCAA selection show takes place on Nov. 27 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU.

Head coach Mario Cristobal and third-year sophomore quarterback Tyler Van Dyke leave the feld afer Miami’s 24-27 loss to the University of North Carolina at Hard Rock Stadium on Oct. 8,

Jared Lennon // Senior - Staff Photographer

Hurricanes advance to championship of Miami Thanksgiving Tournament

BY ELLIOT FARR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Hurricanes started off the holiday weekend with a bang, opening the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament with a dominant 97-54 rout of the North Carolina A&T Aggies. Miami’s performance has sent them to the championship round of the tournament.

“We’re happy to be back home and hosting this high-level tournament again. It was great to see everyone get in the game and score,” head coach Katie Meier said.

Miami shot lights-out against the Aggies on Friday afternoon, making 10 of 20 total 3-point shots and 33 of 62 total field goal attempts, their best shooting percentage of the season.

“We’re finally hitting the three and we needed that. We won the bench points battle, 51-12,

and that is so important for us,” Meier said.

UM scored 90 points in a game for the first time since 2018, when the team reached the NCAA Tournament. The win was powered by several players getting on the board for 3-point shots, spearheaded by senior Fresno State transfer Haley Cavinder, who made three of the team’s total of 10 made shots from deep. Every player recorded at least a point in the first half.

Another team record was matched by the ‘Canes in Friday’s game when the team scored the most points in a half (56) since 2018.

Four players in Miami’s lineup scored in double figures against the Aggies on Friday, including freshman forward Lazaria Spearman, who led the team in scoring with 12 points.

The second half was an offensive shootout for both teams, as the ‘Canes and the Aggies combined for 48 points in the third quarter, with North Carolina A&T outscoring Miami 25-23 in the quarter.

On the defensive side of the ball, Miami’s defense was all over the Aggies from the start, creating 21 turnovers for the team in the first half alone and tallying 13 steals in the first 20 minutes. UM did an impressive job of turning defense into offense, scoring 36 points off the Aggies’ turnovers.

The Hurricanes’ defense continued to shine as it clamped down in the final 10 minutes, holding North Carolina A&T to only eight points in the final quarter. Sophomore guard Jasmyne Roberts powered the team on offense, recording seven of her nine total points in

the fourth quarter.

The Hurricanes will play against the Columbia Lions up next in the championship round of the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament on Sunday. The game will begin about 30

minutes after the end of the tournament consolation game, which begins at noon.

MBB transfers shine in resounding 79-56 win over St. Francis Brooklyn

BY ELLIOT FARR CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Though the student section was vacant for the Thanksgiving holiday, Miami men’s basketball was certainly alive as it coasted to a 79-56 victory over the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers on Wednesday night at the Watsco Center.

After previously suffering a tough loss to Maryland in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament championship game on Sunday, the ‘Canes improved to 5-1 on the season, powered primarily by the impressive work of their transfer players.

Kansas State transfer Nijel Pack scored 23 points, which was the most by a Hurricane this season. Pack made 9 of his 13 feld goal attempts, including 3 of 6 shots from beyond the arc.

“My teammates found me and gave me opportunities, and my coaches have been instilling a lot of confdence in me the past few

days,” Pack said.

Norchad Omier, a transfer forward from Arkansas State, had a solid performance as well. The former Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year recorded his third doubledouble of the season, posting 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with four steals, one block and two assists.

“We needed a loss early to show we’re not perfect, and we’re obviously beatable,” Pack said. “It stings when you lose, but we learned stuff from that game. Now we have ACC play coming up soon and I’d rather take the loss early than later.”

Other Hurricanes also played well against St. Francis Brooklyn. Fourth-year junior guard Isaiah Wong recorded 10 points, six rebounds, four steals, three assists and two blocks.

Miami’s bench played well on the defensive side of the ball, and several freshmen received playing

time, including AJ Casey, Danilo Jovanovich, Christian Watson and Favour Aire, who had one of several slam dunks in the game.

“I go out there, play the role I’m supposed to, and show coach he can trust me and that’s my main focus right now,” Casey said.

Miami initially got off to a slow start against the Terriers. The ‘Canes failed to score a single feld goal in the frst four minutes of the game, while St. Francis Brooklyn took an eight-point lead at the fveminute mark with nine unanswered points.

“Not having a normal crowd because of Thanksgiving break, coach told us we had to bring our own energy,” Pack said. “I thought we came out a little dead, but were able to pick that up pretty quickly. Our defense picked up, we got stops and scored in transition and that got us rolling.”

In the second half, Miami dominated the Terriers on its way to

a resounding win. Pack had picked up two fouls in the frst half, but came back strong in the second, helping Miami widen the gap to double digits with his 23-point performance.

“We had to stick together in hard times; we bounced back and won by 25,” Omier said.

St. Francis Brooklyn’s Tedrick

Wilcox Jr. led the team in scoring with 18 points, 15 of which came from 3-point shots.

Miami’s next matchup will be in Orlando on Sunday, as the Canes take on UCF at Addition Financial Arena at 5 p.m. before heading back to Coral Gables to face Rutgers for the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Nov. 30 at 7:15 p.m.

Raul Maristany// MIami Athletics

Fourth-year junior Isaiah Wong dribbles the ball in Miami’s game against St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 23 at the Watsco Center.

Senior guards Haley and Hanna Cavinder talk during a timeout during Miami’s game against Stetson University on Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Watsco Center.

Alexandra Carnochan// Photo Editor

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dearv@themiamihurricane.com.

Hometown habits die hard!

Hoe, hoe, hoe! It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Our yearly migration back to the nest (New Jersey). Though some of you will be sticking around in Miami or going on vacation, probably around about 90% of you, will be heading back to a nameless Northeastern suburb to torture your parents, complain about how cold it is and shamelessly indulge in stirring up some needless drama.

Something about going home for the holiday season makes us feel nostalgic for what once was. Everyone’s mind drifts to that certain hometown someone they have

Go to your local dive bar prepared to see everyone you had ever known from ages 10-18. Brag insufferably about how tan you are and how nice UM is to all the kids at state schools (these are the things our tuition really pays for), but do not come back to campus bragging about your sloppy hook up with your toxic high school exboyfriend who dropped out of school and now works part-time laying fooring with his dad. Backsliding is only embarrassing if you make it embarrassing but there’s no need to promote it either. Some fnd it in themselves to romanticize sneaking

looks down upon them in horror. The really fun part comes when you’re climbing out of a second story window or unwillingly catching up with his mom in the kitchen while you wait for your ride. Others might fnd this scenario anxiety-inducing and just a little bit creepy.

I say go home and get your kicks. We’re young and when you’re stuck in the suburbs, you’ve got to get it where you can. Reverting to your high school self can be fun for a little while as long as you don’t come back to campus yearning for what could have been. What happens at home, stays at home.

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