Misc.04.13.23

The Miscellany News

Vassar celebrates April Pride

Charlotte Robertson, Sarah Mcneil News Editor, Assistant News editor

Community members marked the beginning of Vassar’s Pride Month on Friday, March 31 with International Transgender Day of Visibility. As President Elizabeth Bradley stated in a College-wide email, “Today, more than ever, our Center recognizes the significance of celebrating and supporting our amazing Vassar trans community members.”

With students on summer vacation during World Pride Month in June, Vas-

Students elect next VSA reps

sar—as well as other colleges across the United States—celebrates LGBTQ+ Pride in April. House Advisor and Assistant Residential Education Director Molly Murray said in a written statement, “A lot of college campuses miss out on celebrating Pride Month because classes aren’t in session during June so it’s very special to make sure Vassar students get to participate fully during April.” She continued, “It’s our hope and goal that students feel like they can be their authentic selves at Vassar and in the Houses and it was an honor to be a part of

Women's lacrosse eyes playoffs

Doug Cobb Sports Editor

The Vassar women’s lacrosse team got one step closer to achieving its season goals by scoring a colossal goal of its own against 17th-ranked Ithaca College this past Saturday. In a back and forth game that saw many lead changes, the Brewers found themselves down 11-9 entering the fourth quarter. Goals by Maddy Kretten ’23 and Reilly Mulcahy ’25 tied it up at 11 before Ithaca notched one more goal to take a 12-11 lead. With just over five minutes left in the game, Emma Torkelson ’25 tied it up again one last time to ensure the game would go down to the wire. Finally, with 32 seconds remaining, Mulcahy netted her fourth goal of the day to give the Brewers their biggest win of the season so far, Vassar Athletics reported. The Brewers improved to 6-4 on the season, including 3-3 in Liberty League play, putting them at sixth out of 11 teams in the League standings according to the League website, with big games against three of the top five teams in the League still ahead.

“Our big goal is to make the Liberty League playoffs this year. We know we have the talent to get there, so it’s about showing up to every practice and game with a winning mindset,” Trina Chou ’23 told The Miscellany News through email correspondence. Kretten expressed a sim-

ilar sentiment: “We want to be a force on the field and want teams in our league to recognize us as a threat and a team to beat.”

But both Chou and Kretten recognized that achieving team success is about more than just setting a big goal. “One thing we do to achieve those goals is to take it game by game. We focus on the controllable and push ourselves in practice to make our big season goals happen for us,” Kretten explained. “Our team has done a lot of mindfulness training and thinking about what we can do as athletes, and so creating this way of thinking that really focuses on what we can do as a team has been super great in terms of improvement,” said Chou. “Finally, our last big goal is to show up with gratitude and love each other and the game. Besides being there for each other and celebrating every little thing, we’ve had a lot of injuries and it’s really helped us to remember to be grateful that we’re able to play and maintain our bodies in good conditions,” she added.

It would be inaccurate to say that the last four years have allowed for Kretten and Chou, who are both seniors, to have a typical career. Their first-year season was cut short when campus was shut down in Spring 2020 due to COVID-19, and although they had the opportunity to play some games in Spring 2021, restrictions were still very tight, and it was far from a

See LACROSSE on page 15

Will Sorge Guest Reporter

TheVassar Student Association (VSA) recently held its first elections after passing a sweeping administrative restructuring bill last fall. The VSA’s new structure is for the next year, in the new 155th Session of the VSA in Fall of 2023. The elections ran from Sunday, March 26, to Tuesday, March 28, for all campus-wide and constituent-based positions on the VSA, seeing the highest voter turnout since a switchover to a new, more competitive election system. The Strategic Plan in 2022 also recommended a reduction in the size of the VSA.

Five Executive Officers, 16 full-term or part-session Class Senators, five Judicial Council and nine House Events Officer seats were open for election. Positions with no filed candidates are set to be filled by the Board of Elections and Appointments (BoEA) with applications due this summer.

According to the VSA, “The Cabinet, composed of ten officers and led by the President, serves as the VSA leadership, overseeing the work necessary to execute the will of the College and collaborating with faculty, administrators, alumnae/I, and the trustees. In chairing their respective Senate committees, the Cabinet supports senators in moving resolutions that

strengthen the Association and improve the student experience.”

There are also five Executive Officers that, rather than being elected, are nominated by the President-elect, Olivia Gross ’24 and the Cabinet-elect. Filings for these positions were closed after elections ended. The first duty of these newly elected officials is to elect a new Board of Elections and Appointments (BoEA). As the Spring 2023 elections came to a close, and election results were emailed on Wednesday, March 29, and the VSA expressed gratitude to the current BoEA for making the process possible.

This semester, The Miscellany News hosted a Candidate’s Debate sponsored by the VSA as an opportunity for candidates to answer questions, engage in conversation and highlight key tenants of their platforms.

Transparency and accessibility were forefront in many candidates’ filing statements, as were equity and student labor concerns and the role of the VSA at the College.

The Miscellany News reached out to the newly-elected Executive Board members for the 2023-2024 academic year. They shared reflections on the election process itself, and also specified some of their goals for the coming year.

See ELECTIONS on page 4

Ukraine photographs exhibited

Ifyou’ve been down in The Old Bookstore any time in the past week, you will have noticed a new photography exhibit entitled “Heroyam Slava!” (“Glory to Ukraine” in English), which opened on Thursday, April 6. In fact, the photos are impossible to ignore, their vividness strikes you, the scenes photographed are charged with deep grooves of emotion. Certain photographs seem to shout while others let echoes and eerie silences hang in the rubble or on the faces of those deeply affected by the war.

I spoke to the curator of the exhibit, Igor Martiniouk ’24 [Disclaimer: Martiniouk is Photography Editor for The Miscellany News] while looking at the photos. Martiniouk first explained how his own Ukrainian heritage and his interest in photojournalism merged into a sense of obligation towards curating this exhibit. “I was in Mariupol seven months before the invasion, to see what has happened to the city since…I felt that it was my duty, my obligation to raise awareness,” he said. His gathering of the photos from various photojournalists on the ground was so straightforward that

See Exhibit on page 9

Read a reflection on "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" and its film adaptation.

Kai Speirs Features Editor

Igor Martiniouk/The Miscellany News.

Karen Mogami/The Miscellany News.

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Tori Kim

The Miscellany News will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations or factual errors for an article within the semester it is printed.

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such a joyful and meaningful tradition.”

For both allies and members of the queer community, Pride Month is important in its promotion of queer support and joy. As explained in an email correspondence from LGBTQ+ Center Intern Joe Lippman ’26: “Visibility is extremely important for queer people. Since our community is often silenced, Pride gives us the opportunity to come together.” He further wrote, “The first Pride was a protest, and we continue that spirit today by using Pride Month to keep our thriving community connected.”

The LGBTQ+ Center, located on the second floor of the College Center, is the primary organizer and sponsor of the Vassar Pride Month but collaborates with numerous other campus offices, clubs and organizations. In addition to tabling the event this year, the Office of Residential Life invited former Director of the LGBTQ+ Center Danushi Fernando to speak at the House Team March training Workshop Wednesday. The Associate Dean of the College for Student Growth and Engagement Wendy Maragh Taylor emphasized the importance of such joint efforts in a written statement: “The Pride Month activities bring together groups from all across campus.”

Taylor additionally reported that students play an integral role in facilitating both the planning and execution of Pride Month events. LGBTQ+ Center Intern Emma daRosa ’26 emphasized the importance of student involvement, expressing, “Being able to brainstorm ways to bring

together the queer community on campus has been one of my favorite experiences while working at the Center.” daRosa continued: “I grew up in a less accepting environment, so coming here and being able to put on events that allow for so many different groups of people to come together and support this community has been amazing.”

For the kickoff, numerous student organizations and athletic teams, as well as representatives from several campus offices, gathered in the College Center atrium to celebrate LGBTQ+ pride with food and giveaways, including stickers and pins, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The event was an overwhelming success. “Tabling for pride was really special. It was such a warm and joyful atmosphere,” Louisa Gear ’25 commented. She elaborated, “It feels like an important space to hold together in this moment when queer folks are under such vicious attack.” Annie Brewer ’25 agreed, “It brought me a lot of joy to be walking through the college center and come across a beautiful event.” She added, “I also got a glitter tattoo which was super fun.” Sebastian Montañez ’25, mentioned: “I went to the big college center event and thought it was really fun. The event seemed well put together, which I really liked, and there was effort put in by all the organizations. The best part was, of course, the free things!”

Then, at 4 p.m., Associate Professor of English Hiram Perez facilitated a conversation about a new exhibit in the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, “Apocalypse

Sky: Art, AIDS, and Activism in New York City, 1982–1992,” which will be on display until Aug. 20. An amalgamation of 20 different artists, including Keith Haring in collaboration with William S. Burroughs, Robert Mapplethorpe, Zoe Leonard, Félix González-Torres and Nan Goldin, the exhibit focuses on New York City as the epicenter of the AIDS epidemic in the ’80s and ’90s. The Loeb describes the exhibit on its website: “Together these works call on us to

think about the role of art across both cultural politics and the politics of remembering. Together they remind us, too, that the war is not over.”

Reflecting on the kickoff, daRosa concluded, “It was a wonderful sight to see so much of the campus coming together in support of our queer community.” Taylor echoed daRosa’s sentiment, writing, “We thank all those who support the community and contribute to pride month events.”

Image courtesy of Allyse Pulliam.

Images courtesy of Allyse Pulliam.

VSA Executive Board for next year comments on goals

Olivia Gross ’24, President

I am the recently elected VSA President for the 2023-24 school year, and I am so thrilled to start. It was a long, arduous campaign process that really showed how we have so many driven, talented student leaders looking to make Vassar a better place. For those of you who don’t know me, I am a rising senior American Studies major and Prison Studies correlate from New Haven, CT, and I have been elected senator every year I’ve been here. I am beginning to brainstorm my Advocacy Agenda, which lays out all of the goals I want the VSA to accomplish next year, and I urge students to reach out to me with any frustrations, concerns or confusions they have experienced at Vassar— telling us is the only way we can fix them. My largest goals are increasing mental health resources, advocating for a student vote on the Board of Trustees, decoupling student financial aid and work study (so that having a job is a choice, not a necessity) and creating a streamlined method of transparency between the VSA and students, like a column of our weekly updates in The Misc. I am looking forward to taking on the role as an unwavering advocate for the students here at Vassar. Thank you for the opportunity, and let's have a great year.

Emily Doucet

’25, Vice President

Hello, everyone! My name is Emily Doucet, and I am very excited to be serving as your next VSA Vice President alongside an excellent Cabinet team. Over this past year I have had the opportunity to act as your Chair of Academics, and in that role I have been able to accomplish many of my goals regarding more fair academic policies that were cognizant of student concerns and mental health. In my tenure as Vice President, I am excited to continue my work in the VSA and to further promote a culture that is focused on the effectiveness of student advocacy and the well-being of students on this campus.

Traci Francis ’25, Equity Executive

I am very grateful to be reelected for the ’23/’24 school year as Equity Executive. With this being my first year in VSA, I had no idea what to expect, but I’m truly proud of the work that I accomplished this year and am so excited to continue those initiatives for the next school year. I believe it is my identity that provides my passion for this position. I am a low-income student of color, part of the LGBTQ+ community and also struggle with a learning disability. My intersecting identities really help create an intersectional perspective on issues I tackle on campus. Vassar has a very

long way to go in terms of accessibility, but we are making strong strides. This past year, I have worked extremely hard with the AEO and our VSA Academics Committee to implement an attendance modification accommodation. Grades of students are being harmed when their disability prevents them from making it to attendance-mandatory classes, and they shouldn’t have to disclose sensitive disability-related information in order to not be reprimanded. Next year, I hope to continue equitable policy work around Title IX within athletics and organizations on campus, as well as within VSA itself. I have learned so much about my role in the VSA and thank our current President Julián Aguilar and Vice President Joe Mangan for providing me with guidance that undoubtedly prepares me to make an even bigger impact next year. I would be happy to have a conversation with anyone about any equity and inclusion-related initiatives or problems on campus that you would like to see addressed!

Demetri Sedita ’26, Sustainability

Executive

Hi everyone! My name is Demetri Sedita (he/him) and I am a rising sophomore from Jewett. I currently work as a sustainability intern here on campus and I am excited to represent you as the VSA’s Sustain-

ability Executive for the 2023-2024 school year. I have substantial experience working on sustainability issues in my hometown of Tampa, FL, including serving on the City’s Sustainability and Resiliency Advisory Team, during which I helped shape sustainability policy for the over 300,000 people who call Tampa home. This experience allowed me to learn about sustainable planning for a large organization such as a city government and how different community stakeholders exert influence over the process. During my term, I will work to lift up the voices of all Vassar students and especially work with our sustainability-focused organizations, such as the Greens, while advising the other Executive Officials and the Senate on environmental matters. My prior experiences have taught me about the necessity of bringing in many different voices to create effective sustainability policy, and I will prioritize listening to the desires of the student body in guiding my conduct as your Sustainability Executive. I plan to be as transparent and accessible as possible, so please feel free to email me at dsedita@vassar.edu!

Abigail Wang ’24, Wellness Executive

Wang did not respond in time to a request for comment.

Image courtesy of Demetri Sedita ’26.

Image courtesy of Olivia Gross ’24. Image courtesy of Traci Francis ’25.

Image courtesy of VSA.

6LACK releases ‘Since I Have A Lover’ in time for summer

OnMarch 24, 2023, rapper 6LACK (pronounced “black”) released his third studio album titled “Since I Have A Lover” (SIHAL) after a five-year hiatus. Known for his seamless transitions and lyrics heavily influenced by his Atlanta hometown, this release was long anticipated. Overall, the album is a departure from his usual themes of isolation and loneliness. While he still sometimes shows that being in love is not easy, the majority of the album is romantic and passionate.

If you’re looking for a place to start, here are some highlights from SIHAL:

“cold feet”

Peppered with recordings of personal anecdotes, the first track, “cold feet,” evokes the feeling of sun shining through an open window during summer. The way the vocals echo is reminiscent of how sound bounces around a bedroom when music is blasting, often on a day like previously described. It instills a feeling of serenity in the listener. The song itself goes through 6LACK’s discography, highlighting the success of previous works before a short intro to the current project. The piece ends with a request from his fans for more music, which is the perfect transition into the nineteen track album, the longest in his discography.

“Inwood Hill Park”

In "Inwood Hill Park," 6LACK glides above the beat. For the first half of the song this love seems easy; he remarks that his Mondays feel like Fridays and that the rain in his life has cleared after meeting his lover.

He further expands that this connection is strong and has in fact always been there, even during his previous more somber albums. The second half of the track is more interesting, however. This shift is abrupt— in one line he says that his lover has brought color into his black-and-white life, and, in the next, he starts recounting the challenges that he has faced in the relationship. 6LACK, even in love, has struggled to be open about his previous trauma, which has caused him strife in this relationship. He ends on a strong note, though, saying that although the relationship isn't always easy, he is committed. He ends with a callout to the next song, the title track.

“Since I Have A Lover”

"Since I Have A Lover" serves as both the title track as well as the lead single in the leadup to the album's release. The single's image is one of 6LACK floating above a patch of grass in a suburban neighborhood during sunrise or sunset. This image mirrors one of the first lines, "Soon as I felt your touch/ Feet just left the ground." This is a sheer contrast to all other work that 6LACK has put out which tends to have black-andwhite imagery with a darker, more somber tone of lyrics. This song, and much of the following album, shifts gears completely, instead focusing on the beauty of his love. However, the last melody of this song is discordant with an almost mysterious air to it. This hints towards the struggles that 6LACK has faced in the relationship and helps bring a balance that makes his love seem more grounded.

“playin house”

One of the more somber tracks, “playin

house,” describes the transition from an unserious relationship to a more mature one. The house becomes a metaphor for the relationship, as 6LACK emphasizes the need to work on the partnership in order to grow together and individually. He addresses the need for the couple to communicate and get serious to preserve their relationship. He sings, “Playin house not okay even when you found the perfect lover / Overfill and we manage to spill what we have goin under.” Here, he demonstrates that even when the love is seemingly perfect, there is still work to be done in order to keep the relationship afloat.

“chasing feeling”

On “chasing feeling,” 6LACK repeats a memorable four lines for the first minute of the song. He sings, “Figured that I could learn a lot on my own/ So I ran from your love/ Young and naïve, I saw some devilish things/ ’Til I ran out of luck.” Here, he admits he made a mistake by running from his lover. Later, he includes a clip of a female voice speaking to the importance of discipline and learning from lived experiences, which is likely a reference to his slip-up. Set to a melodious tune, this song is sure to be playing on loop in your mind.

“Tit for Tat”

"Tit for Tat'' comes across as a sequel to "Inwood Hill Park." The song starts as a duet with his lover, QUIN. This is also the first time that we hear her voice. Throughout the song, 6LACK speaks about the balance necessary to make relationships work. I think this speaks to the maturity that 6LACK has developed through his career. No matter the level of difficulty the pair would endure, he

is committed. He admits his lack of perfection and accepts the same of his partner. In doing so, he shows the deep vulnerability necessary to form a strong, long-lasting relationship.

“wunna dem (with QUIN)”

“wunna dem” has the first credited feature of the album—and it's of his lover. It's a relatively short song where they both sing about how their love was meant to be. However, I can’t help but find it disappointing. QUIN, has no verse anywhere on the album to herself. She is only ever heard echoing 6LACK’s words both here and in “Tit for Tat” a few songs earlier. An opportunity to allow her to show her love and have a voice of her own would have added dimensionality to the album.

“Temporary (feat. Don Toliver)”

Later, 6LACK is joined by singer Don Toliver on the track “Temporary.” Contrary to its name, this piece highlights the growing permanence and, by extension, seriousness of the love between the artist and his lover. The chorus refutes the name of the song, emphasizing that he does not want to give up on their love, despite the issues brought up elsewhere in the song. By far one of the more vibey songs on the album, Toliver’s vocals accentuate the lyrics and produce a wave of emotion in the listener.

If you’re looking for an album to start your summer playlist, look no further. On SIHAL there’s a song for the romantics, the heartbroken and everyone in between. Perfect for nighttime vibes or daytime relaxation, this project is sure to be on repeat for a long time to come.

Maryam Bacchus, Jean Gonzalez Design Editor, Guest Columnist

Maryam Bacchus/The Miscellany News.

Introducing the innovative world of Wayne Shorter

Jesse Koblin Assistant Arts Editor

The recent death of saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter on March 2 elicited an outpouring of reminiscences and tributes. Fellow musicians and fans mourned the loss of a jazz legend responsible for creating albums and tunes that accompanied the joys and hardships of their lives. While Shorter's genius and impact are beyond dispute, an equally important part of his legacy is his unique vision, informed by his diverse interests and determination to follow idiosyncratic musical directions. Shorter's commitment to a nonconformist perspective is essential to understanding his music and a reminder to follow our own creative visions, even if we can't play the saxophone or write a tune like Shorter could.

Growing up in Newark, NJ, Shorter sought escape from the metropolitan environment, as he told radio station WBGO in 2017. He played hooky from school, rode his bike out to the marshland that is now Newark International Airport, read science fiction novels and comics, painted, sculpted and watched movies. Shorter was a late bloomer and only started playing music well into his teens, bringing an outsider’s point of view to his work by drawing on diverse artistic canons. Although he played jazz, Shorter’s music drew from his background in the visuals and aesthetics from classical composers. His commitment to his vision of experimental compositions earned him the nickname "Weird Wayne" from more conventional musicians of his neighborhood. Even as his talent was recognized, Shorter consistently confounded expectations. In the ’70s, he turned his back on his trademark acoustic jazz sound to play with the electric-fusion musical cooperative Weather Report. Critics enamored by Shorter's bluesy tenor sax were frustrated by his shift to focus mainly on soprano, per JazzTimes. During this time, Shorter embraced Buddhism, was

attracted to its teachings and embraced the quest for universal truth, as he told The Roots drummer Questlove in a 2022 interview. At every step in Shorter’s career and personal life, he listened to his muse and created art that felt real to him and listeners open-minded enough to follow him on his musical journey. In this interview, Shorter told Questlove that his motto is to "never give up" on your vision. Eventually, the world caught up to Shorter, even though it took decades.

So, where do you start listening to Shorter’s vast and unconventional discography? If you’re reading the online edition of this article, go to the YouTube playlist I've created and listen along; the tracks begin with Shorter’s comeup in 1959, where his music gained its first foothold in drummer Art Blakey's band. Blakey traded in the jazz sub-genre "hard bop," a funky crowd-pleasing variant of bebop, arguably naming the style with his 1959 record “Hard Bop.” Shorter brought to Blakey's band a sophisticated writing style and unorthodox approach. Tunes like the knotty and energetic "Ping Pong," the bouncing "Lester Left Town" and the chromatically rich "Children of the Night” are punctuated with Shorter’s unique sensibilities.

In 1964, trumpet legend Miles Davis was searching for a new direction, hiring Shorter as a change agent in one of music history's most influential bands, the 1964 Miles Davis Quintet. Shorter was Davis' leading composer during this time, writing modern jazz standards like "E.S.P.," "Footprints" and his epithet for Davis, "Prince of Darkness." Shorter's tunes reached their apotheosis in the 60’s with "Nefertiti," a legendary composition where Shorter’s incendiary ascending melodic lines are played in cycles with no solos, set over what writer Bob Belden calls an improvised "drum concerto" played by Tony Williams. "Nefertiti" is as transcendent today as when it was recorded.

In the ’60s, Shorter also recorded a series of legendary albums for Blue Note Records. The

greatest is "Speak No Evil" (1966), which leans into gorgeous harmonies, haunting melodies and timeless solos from a stacked band comprised of Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter and Elvin Jones. It's hard to pick just a track or two from "Speak No Evil"—once it casts its spell over you, you'll listen to it from beginning to end. Shorter's other Blue Note albums, "JuJu," "Night Dreamer," "Adam's Apple" and others, are all classics in their own right.

Shorter only played acoustic jazz for a few more years, taking the inspiration from his participation in Davis' groundbreaking albums from 1969, "In A Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew,'' to plunge into electric fusion. Shorter’s approach led to fame. Weather Report, the band Shorter played soprano sax with in the ’70s, sold millions of records, making Shorter a household name. From these years, check out the atmospheric "Mysterious Traveler" and the lively first album with bass player Jaco Pastorius, "Black Market."

You also should not miss an often overlooked one-off from Shorter's embrace of world music, "Native Dancer" (1975), featuring Brazilian star Milton Nascimento. Here, Shorter and Nascimento embody distinct but complementary styles of beauty and lyricism, taking turns writing one incredible tune after another. Amid Nascimento's jubilant falsetto, Shorter fires out terse sax solos and ballads of compressed haiku beauty like "Diane" and "Ana Maria." Though critics and fans called for Shorter’s return to acoustic jazz, he instead doubled down on fusion with his misunderstood albums of the ’80s and ’90s according to Peter Watrous of The New York Times. "Atlantis" (1985) stands out as a fascinating entry. The production may sound dated, but the playing and compositions are immortal. The album's second track, "The Three Marias," features an intricate, indelible melody Shorter would return to in later years.

After these essentials, there are many pathways to further explore Shorter’s oeuvre.

After 2001, Shorter returned to an acoustic ensemble; his first since his ’60s salad days. Predictably, Shorter stuck to his own rules—his 21st-century ensemble played in a searching, abstract style, bringing avant-garde philosophies to mainstream jazz according to Nate Chinen of The New York Times. The ensemble recorded exclusively live recordings, such as 2013's "Without A Net," which features intense playing and an exciting set of old and new original compositions. Classical music significantly influenced Shorter, an input he acknowledged in the 2018 Grammy-winning “Emanon,” built on sweeping string re-orchestrations of his earlier melodies. Also notable are Shorter’s collaborations with pop stars, such as Joni Mitchell on "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter," or his iconic solo on Steely Dan’s “Aja.” This article would not be complete without mentioning Shorter’s ethereal ballads. These tracks stand alone as his contribution to music, and I’ve compiled them into a separate playlist as fuel for your next study session!

In Shorter's life and music, you not only see a visionary who changed jazz music but also the grit and conviction to pursue your dreams, even in the face of internal and external doubt. I love Shorter most of all for his belief in his perspective and vision to create art that makes the world a better (and more tuneful) place.

Tori Kim/The Miscellany News.

Image courtesy of Tom Beetz via Wikimedia Commons.

Nicholas Tillinghast Humor Editor

It’s been nearly two summers since Tyler, The Creator released his critically acclaimed album, “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST.” I remember listening to the project in its first week; I was in my brother’s car, holding a pair of old tennis rackets and practically sticking to his leather passenger seat from the humidity. We headed over to my highschool tennis courts while listening to “LEMONHEAD,” a track that showcases Tyler’s immense talents in creating gritty production. The album is filled with hype tracks like this that could promote any incompetent tennis player such as myself to play just a little better. The album, at other times, beautifully follows Tyler bathing in the sun in Geneva and Paris, while I was sweating it up on the cracked varsity courts.

Fast forward to Spring 2023: Tyler released a deluxe edition of the album, “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale,” with a lengthy EP’s worth of bonus tracks recorded during the “CALL ME” sessions. Despite being songs from Tyler’s reject pile, this collection of eight tracks is some of his richest and most unique work in a while. Something I immediately noticed about the new material on “The Estate Sale,” is that it stands without the ideological weight of many tracks that made it on the 2021 release. The original album has an unrelenting intensity to it, as Tyler spends most of the album meticulously curating images surrounding his wealth or crafting bold statements for his newfound audience, creating a personally unrelatable and largely unengaging album experience. The additional deluxe edition tracks position themselves much closer to Tyler’s psyche, showcasing his passions lyrically within a much more casual and personal framework.

Speaking to the original album’s intensity, DJ Drama’s bombastic, nasally adlibs throughout the project have admittedly not grown on me much since the original project’s release. Drama reappears on the new “Estate Sale” and his contributions are just as mixed. Drama’s booming voice can add quite a bit to any of the upbeat tracks on any album, but his interjections have always felt rather awkward on the softer cuts, as DJ Drama really only has one volume and is unable to match the emotional range of Tyler.

Something I’ve noticed about listening to Tyler, The Creator is that I’ve enjoyed his music the most when it's released in times when the world isn’t watching him so intently, or when he doesn't want us to. His 2017 release, “Flower Boy,” a beautifully produced and endlessly relatable album, came after the critical failure of “Cherry Bomb.” The period leading up to his 2017 release arguably being Tyler’s moment of least cultural relevance since his career began.

Additionally, a lot of the tracks and demos not tied to any project that he’s released exclusively on YouTube are some of his most fun and enjoyable music releases, such as “”ZIPLOC” and “ROSE TINTED CHEEKS'.” Albumless singles like “OKRA” and “POTATO SALAD” also show a side of Tyler that is both hungry for success but relaxed at the same time. “Estate Sale,” released with minimal fanfare, fits nicely within this category of Tyler releases.

Spanning eight tracks, Tyler begins the “Estate Sale” portion with a brief thankyou to his fans on “EVERYTHING MUST GO,” a track draped with soft vibraphone tones. This is followed by the exciting, self-produced, “STUNTMAN,” a track with welcomed Pharrell Williams influence, sounding like a mix of the producer’s work on Clipse’s “Grindin” and Rihanna’s “Lemon.” This song also features Vince Staples,

whose nasally, chilled-out flows are highlighted in the cruel but funny line, “No, you can't be my girl, bitch, are you dumb?”

It’s a miracle that Staples’ unique brand of humor has not linked up with Tyler’s on a song until now.

The second track, “WHAT A DAY” features a beat by legendary producer Madlib, whose power as a vibe-setter in the hip hop world is simply unmatched. He makes use of a chilly female vocal sample to create a completely haunted hook on this track.

moments in the past few years. Tyler raps about a wholesome future where he’s teaching his future son how to do bike tricks and going to the Opera with his future wife. In the final verse, Tyler embraces nostalgia, discussing teenage dreams and freedom.” It’s a beautiful track both sonically and lyrically.

The penultimate cut, “BOYFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND” is an enjoyable pop track demo, and then “Estate Sale” ends with one of Tyler’s most honest and sobering tracks he’s ever released, “SORRY NOT SORRY.” He raps about his messy relationship with his mother, his friends and even the lovers he hid from the public. Tyler continues his apologies, saying sorry to Mother Earth and also for being pretentious (an admittedly accurate descriptor of Tyler). He finishes the track with forceful raps about his path from poverty to great success. The song feels heartbreaking yet inspiring, and it's a surprise such a defining track didn’t make it on the original album.

Meanwhile, Tyler raps in his deeper register, reflecting on his career and achievements.

“WHAT A DAY” is followed by “WHARF TALK,” which features the flirty lyrics, “Bring some fiction, and a nightlight/ Record player and your top five.” It’s a bubbly track that has one of Tyler’s better vocal performances and a brief but enjoyable A$AP Rocky appearance.

“Estate Sale” continues with a bouncy beat on “DOGTOOTH” and goofy inflections from Tyler as he raps, “If you don’t know my grandma name we ain’t really dogs.” “DOGTOOTH” is followed by “HEAVEN TO ME,” which features a gospel sample and one of antisemite Ye’s better producer

I’ll admit that a lot of my interest in Tyler has waned since it's incredibly high point after the release of 2017’s “Flower Boy.” That being said, it’s been hard not to keep musical tabs on Tyler, The Creator these past six years. He created strong visual markers for his next two releases in “IGOR” (2019) and “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST,” trading baseball caps for wigs and wigs for ushankas, switching up his sound each time as well.

Tyler has also just been an intensely intriguing human being over the years whenever he's in public, whether it’s his interview with Stephen Colbert where Colbert accuses Tyler of touching his butt, his flirtatious freestyle on Flex or his trio of interviews with professional Canadian weirdo, Nardwaur. Despite all of these memorable moments in his music career and his public appearances, “Estate Sale” is the most interesting Tyler has been in years.

Tyler, The Creator delivers with dynamic new old material boygenius’ ‘the record’ is a collaborative triumph

The world hasn’t been the same since indie musical artists Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker became the band “boygenius.” Though they had a dedicated fanbase as individuals in their own right and as a group when they released their first EP in 2018, their popularity has increased dramatically as the three have continued to forge their solo careers. The path leading up to the announcement of their debut album “the record” was buzzing with hype. Fans spotted the three of them getting ready for a photoshoot in Fall 2022. A link to preorder the new album was added to their Instagram seemingly accidentally before it was announced, then swiftly taken down again. “the record” was officially released on March 31, 2023.

A week after its release, “the record” made it to number one on the UK albums chart. Bridgers took to Twitter to highlight the accomplishment, writing simply, “First number one for any of us. This is so cool. We made it for you.” All three of the members are so individually talented, but they shine so brightly as a group. The easy chemistry and camaraderie between them is apparent and is a joy to see.

In the first and shortest track on the album, “Without You Without Them,” the three artists’ voices come together a cappella to give a stripped-down preview of what’s

to come in the following songs. And though the magic comes from the collaboration, each artist adds something distinct. “Emily I’m Sorry” has unmistakable Bridgers lyricism as the group takes the listener through an uneasy, emotionally charged moment, singing, “Headed straight for the concrete/ In a nightmare screaming” and “Waking up inside a dream/ Full of screeching tires and fire.” “$20” and “Anti-Curse” are Baker’s signature plaintive rock songs. And “Leonard Cohen” feels like a classic Dacus song, with an emphasis on telling the story of a relationship with unrelenting specificity. I wasn’t sure if I liked the song upon first hearing it, because something about it felt rushed to me, but the ending, where Dacus repeats simply, “I never thought you’d happen to me,” has started to redeem the song for me, and I think I want to keep listening to it.

“Not Strong Enough” is my favorite song on the album. It’s a heartfelt depiction of complex emotions, and it packs a powerful punch. The end of the song, with Dacus taking the lead as the three artists sing, “I don’t know why I am the way I am,” is so beautiful. The music video depicts the trio clearly having a great time hanging out together, which contrasts tonally with the lyrics of the song. I did feel a little confused about the choice to pair this track, which seems to be about a complicated and difficult romantic relationship, with the joyful footage of the video. Though I loved the video itself, it felt

like another song from the album might have been more suited to it, like the reassuring ode to deep friendship, “True Blue.”

“Letter To An Old Poet” is a callback to their song “Me and My Dog” from the “boygenius” EP, and it serves as an update to the emotional landscape described in the older piece. Though the melody remains the same at the end, Bridgers leads the group in singing, “I wanna be happy, I’m ready/ To walk into my room without looking for you” instead of “I wanna be emaciated/ I wanna hear one song without thinking of you.” It’s a mature take on what I imagined

must be the same situation and source of inspiration as “Me and My Dog.”Then, the “Letter To An Old Poet” becomes even more devastating as the lyrics “I’ll go up to the top of our building/ And remember my dog when I see the full moon” replace “I wish I was on a spaceship/ Just me and my dog and an impossible view.”

This album absolutely lived up to the excitement generated in the months before its release. Though the original EP was great, “the record” allows the group to truly showcase the depth and range of their work together.

Naima Saini Columnist

“Something I’ve noticed about listening to Tyler, The Creator is that I’ve enjoyed his music the most when it's released in times when the world isn’t watching him so intently, or when he doesn't want us to."

FEATURES

Revisiting the poignancy of ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’

Cole

Assistant Features Editor

E,S, A, R, I, N, T, U, L—L? L. These letters—the French alphabet arranged in frequency of usage order—echo throughout the entirety of the film adaptation of Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (published 1997). For much of his life, Bauby was a prolific writer, rising through the ranks of the cutthroat world of journalism to become Editor-in-Chief of French fashion bible Elle magazine. Bauby was the epitome of a vivacious young professional: a creative force to be reckoned with, an intermittent playboy and a flighty family man. Between hours-long photo shoots and weekend getaways to the countryside with his mistress, Bauby was full of life.

But, in an instant, Bauby’s life changed. A stroke that separated his brain stem from his spinal cord left him completely paralyzed,

aside from his left eye. After lying unconscious in a coma for 20 days, Bauby awoke to find his world turned upside down. At first, his doctors at the Naval Hospital in Berck-surMer believed that some level of rehabilitation was a possibility. The staff, however, quickly realized that Bauby’s condition was permanent—he had an extremely rare nervous system disorder called Locked-in syndrome. With the help of speech therapists and other medical personnel, Bauby was able to communicate by blinking his left eyelid in correspondence with the French alphabet arranged in order of frequency of usage. As soon this system was developed, Jean-Do (as his friends affectionately called him) did what came most naturally to him: He began to write.

In his memoir, “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” Bauby exclaims in the chapter “The Wheelchair:” “[M]y roving mind was busy with a thousand projects: a novel, travel, a play, marketing a fruit cocktail of my own

invention...” Bauby landed on a novel. One therapist, Claude Mendibil, translated with him three hours a day, seven days a week for two months until the memoir was finished. It’s an eclectic spattering of punchy humor and profound interpersonal reflection, it navigates remorse of past behavior, the complexity of familial relationships (regardless of physical ability), Bauby’s relationship with disability and the annoyances of living in an ill-natured, able-bodied world.

Chapters such as “Through a Glass, Darkly” reflect on Bauby’s guilt from being an always-working, occasionally-absent father. As he describes sitting on the beach with the mother of his children, Céline Desmoulins, he relishes in the monotony of watching his children play on the sandy shores—his daughter performing gymnastics and his son cheerfully engaging him in a game of hangman. Other chapters, like the playful and illustrative “The Sausage,” delve into Bauby’s newfound appreciation for his memory and imagination, which he deems an “inexhaustible reservoir of sensations.” Post-stroke, Bauby was forced to rely on using his mind as a deliberate and vivid form of escapism. Bauby takes readers from the dusty corners of his childhood memories to odd and disjointed dream-sequences from his adult life. Each journey through his mind, however, is jampacked with thoroughly entrancing imagery.

The film-reel-like nature of Bauby’s memories stretches onto the screen in the movie adaptation of “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” perfectly. Directed by Julian Schnabel in 2007, the film is a visual feast. The memoir, once believed to be nearly impossible to adapt for screens, was visually translated with ease. Part of this may be due to the memoir’s unique approach to plot structure. The bitesized chapters merely bring readers through Bauby’s mind and day-to-day life rather than construct an overarching plot. Schnabel, who also directed “Basquiat” (1996) and “At Eternity’s Gate” (2018) masterfully depicts the sequence of fluttering memories with a flourish of confidence. The film shifts from hospital scenes, to Bauby’s past work life at Elle, to artistic shots of a diver in a tank suit sinking under blue waves and butterflies’ wings tentatively flitting in the breeze.

One of the most striking cinematographic choices is Schnabel’s point-of-view shots (which he later famously used in “At Eternity’s Gate” to illustrate the perspective of Van Gogh) that further emphasize Bauby’s frustration with his impeded ability to communicate with the rest of the world. Paired with a script by screenplay writer Ronald Harwood

(known for his adaptation work for “The Pianist,” 2002), the combination of visuals and dialogue successfully capture Bauby’s wit and extraordinary resilience amidst his social isolation. Moreover, the dialogue is thoroughly grounded in Bauby’s own words, with many of the most memorable lines from the novel transformed into engaging monologues. Each rich scene—from shots of Bauby being hoisted in his wheelchair above a vast sea to flashes of magazines being thrown into a dark abyss—melts together in a natural sequence despite its occasional absurdity.

Beyond the spectacular cinematography, “The Diving Bell” is arguably one of the best contemporary representations of disability in film media. Other mid-2000s movies that feature disability representation, such as “Million Dollar Baby” and “Radio,” fall short, relying on stereotypes and using their protagonists’ disabilities as plot-moving devices that overshadow any accurate representation of the disability experience. In contrast, both Schnabel and Harwood stay true to Bauby’s description of his time in the hospital and the variety of emotions—both positive and negative—he felt during his treatment. Perhaps the only departure from Bauby’s explicit prose is Schnabel’s inventive visual explorations into the depths of Bauby’s memory, constructing flashing scenes of a past-life never to be lived again. But the direct and deliberate adaptation from the memoir, written entirely from Bauby’s perspective, serves as a detailed and realistic portrayal of his life. Ultimately, both the memoir and the film are not centered on Bauby’s disability, nor do they infantilize or overly-heroicize him. The written and visual works simply depict Bauby’s lived experience, innermost thoughts and vivid imagination.

Bauby lived for only two days after the European publication of “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” passing away due to pneumonia that he contracted while in the hospital. Despite his untimely death, the enduring legacy of both the memoir and movie live on in the literary and film worlds.

"Beyond the spectacular cinematography, 'The Diving Bell' is arguably one of the best contemporary representations of disability in film media."

Carina

Image courtesy of Robert Laffont.

Karen Mogami/The Miscellany News.

FEATURES

Photography exhibit displays the diversity of wartime experience

Continued from Bikes on page 1

it surprised me at first. “I just DM’d [the photographers] asking for permission,” he admitted. Clearly, traditional approaches to copyright and distribution don’t apply when the work being shown is this urgent with the intention to reach as many people as possible. “[The photographers] want people to know the truth, they want people to know what Russia has done, but also they want people to know what Ukrainians have been doing to fight back, to survive,” Martiniouk explained. “Seeing photographs [like the ones on display here] makes it hard for politicians and people with influence who could really make a difference to say ‘this didn’t happen,’” Martiniouk explained. It’s impossible to sever a photograph from its referent, as it acts as proof that resists Russian efforts to bury the scars of war. I wanted to further pry an explanation from Martiniouk about the importance of " and photojournalism in regards to the medium's emotional, informative power. What narrative power does photography contain that other mediums may not? Martiniouk began by noting the ineptitude of pure statistics in regards to translating the effects of war that mark real people, not numbers on a page. “We read [statistics] and then move on,” he began. “When you have a photo in front of you it pauses time…You see the emotions people are going through. For me, photos fit stories into a more compassionate format.” We scanned the exhibition wall, locating in every photograph the vivid markings of the moment they captured. Before us lay a polyphonic display of actual lived moments and felt emotions—not simply a narrative in statistics ready-made for easy translation into historical surveys.

only images we receive from warzones, we begin to forget that these places have not always been wracked by war. Further, the depiction of moments where everyday people (very temporarily) escape war gives us glimpses into what life can look like after war. The seeds for a better future are sown into the present moment—we just have to look where they’re growing. In regards to depictions of Ukraine as well as the Middle East, we must be exposed to a diversity of wartime experiences in order to avoid reducing our understanding of these places to simply unrescuable dystopias.

“People might even begin to think Ukraine is a hopeless cause,” Martiniouk warned. “Why should we invest in Ukraine?” people might think. Given how important international support is, Martiniouk strongly emphasized that people cannot begin to treat Ukraine as unsalvageable.

This diversity of wartime experience is essential to capture, lest we fall into single-story myths about warzones. “If you’re a journalist you understand that just showing one side, that won’t be journalism,” Martiniouk emphasized. I immediately thought of how news outlets feed us stories of war in the Middle East: all barbarity, death and destruction. If those are the

Amid the diversity of photographs that marked all aspects of life in a nation swept up into a defensive war, I could locate the rough sketch of narrative progression in the display. Generally speaking, the photos on the left of the wall read in dark tones, emotional and pictorial. There are scenes of gray rubble, busy figures tire while performing medical work, gray buildings emptied by bombs confronting an indifferent sky. In many of the photos positioned in the middle of the wall, vivid colors break through the concrete, the destruction. A girl rides a pink bicycle. A playground lives on and promises to be repopulated one day. War scars still mark the scenes, but there are sustained glitterings of what life looked like before, and what it will look like after the war. As I shuffled to the far right of the display, two colors began to dominate the amalgamation of pictures: blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag. The Ukrainian flag is touted like a battle standard, it’s wrapped around people’s shoulders like a blanket, it’s cried into like tissue paper. It does more than decorate the scenes in the final photographs: It unites them, allows them to feed off each other. Given the close proximity of all photographs on the wall, if you step back, you can begin to see a continuous swirl of yellow and blue migrate from picture to picture. The polyphonic approach to depicting all aspects of life in a nation under siege is admirable— and, as we have established, essential. And now, as my gaze collects the surge of blue and yellow at the far right of the exhibition wall, I look back and see a nation with its feet firmly planted in its own golden fields under its own blue sky.

"'For me, photos fit stories into a more compassionate format.'”

Igor Martiniouk/The Miscellany News.

Image courtesy of Jon Farina.

Image courtesy of Jon Farina.

Image courtesy of Jon Farina.

Image courtesy of Jon Farina.

Alyssa Willeford Hopeful hobo

If

Your first option is your best, and also your cheapest: good old Poughkeepsie, NY. If you’ve walked the aisles of Stop & Shop at 3 a.m. and thought, “I can see myself spending the rest of my life here”, then I have some good news for you—you absolutely can! Poughkeepsie is the hottest spot in the country for the movers and shakers behind Kennedy Fried Chicken, the dueling Rite Aids and

Breaking

From

you’ve been reading my recent articles, you know that I’ve been thinking about life after Vassar. That’s a little intimidating, considering that my most successful career experience to date has involved making pizza for guests who think that their slices can’t taste good without a gallon of ranch poured on top—but hey, the restaurant industry is always growing, right? I’ll find a job one day, but before then, I’ll have to decide where I want to live, as will you. Let’s face this challenge together: Here’s my Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Dream Location!the downtown Dunkin’, which also happens to be the only consistently crowded business in the area on weekdays. And the city also boasts the best job market for new grads anywhere in the south-central Hudson Valley! Want to go somewhere a little less … Poughkeepsie? I hear you! If you go on Handshake, you’ll quickly find a wide variety of job listings from companies in locations like Madison, WI; Raleigh, NC; and Nashville, TN—collectively known among job seekers as Non-Obvious Places of Employment (or NOPEs for short). Sure, these cities may be located in politically conservative areas of the country with a well-known hostility to Vassar traditions like smoking weed in public and wearing black nail polish, but they more than make up for it with their low minimum wages, poor labor laws and proliferation of used-car dealerships! And the rent is cheap, too.

Here’s a curveball: You could go over to the dark side. By that, I mean…and you might need to take a minute here, breathe in and prepare yourself … a job in STEM. West

Coast powerhouses like San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver and Cosmopolis are always recruiting tech talent, and learning to code is as easy as buying a “For Dummies” book and spending the next ten hours sweating over a filthy keyboard. What’s more, rents in these places are even cheaper than in the Financial District down in NYC, often by as much as five percent! When you look at it that way, you’d have to be a snot-breathed moron NOT to take the plunge.

little lemming, you. The Big Apple offers everything new grads could ever want: jobs, cultural experiences, cool people, mysteriously stinky puddles … the list goes on. Plus, enjoy the added bonus of being able to live as little as an hour and a half away from your place of employment, which will be located in Midtown—coincidentally, the only place in the city without decent, affordable lunch! On the weekends, relax in your shoebox of an apartment with your eleven roommates. Sure, it’ll be a little cozy, but think of it this way: You’ll have a full group for Mario Kart absolutely whenever you want!

いいね？

Or, I mean, you COULD move to New York City, you utterly shameless smooth-brained

The Love Queen speaks on hook-up culture

How do I find a long-term romantic relationship in college? Everyone seems to be already dating or only interested in hooking up. I have been debating getting Tinder, but I don’t know if it’s the right path. So, how do I find love?

Hey, queen! Hook-up culture in college can definitely be hard, especially if you are only looking to date long-term. At Vassar, it can be really easy to feel super single, especially since there are so many cute couples you will see walking around campus holding hands, sharing a meal at the Deece, sitting outside on the grass laughing and having a picnic on a warm day, or sucking each others’ faces off at the nearest TH party. You might even catch the occasional glimpse of someone with a fat hickey on their neck—you know, those who literally look like they’ve been bitten by a vampire. Romantic, I know. But finding a relationship in college is all about checks and balances. It might seem like we are about to have a whole AP Gov talk, but it truly is.

For starters, you can’t ooze desperation—don’t chase the men. I suggest you pick up Sherry Argov’s book “Why Men Love Bitches.” Basically, the key to finding love is being confident (and making a man popcorn on the first date).

Next, everyone knows Tinder is just for hookups, so create a Bumble or Hinge pro-

file. Hinge is especially nice because not only do people display their dating goals (looking for short-term vs. long-term relationships), but there are fun prompts for easy conversation starters. Warning though, because you might come across some disturbing voice prompts, like a certain Vassar male athlete telling you he loves “big mommy milkers.” And in case it matters to you, people are also required to have their height (how accurate they list it I cannot say), but you can often gauge from their pictures. Also, Hinge is super “no pressure” because you get to see all the people who have liked you for free, and you can just go through and match with them.

But my honest advice is: Don’t be so hung up on trying to find love. We’re so young! I too thought I wanted to just find “the one” and have a relationship, but then my housemates and I decided to start a competition to see who could go on the most free-meal first dates. Meet new people and get Olive Garden breadsticks? Win-Win! Plus, how else would you learn what you like and don’t like in a significant other?

Alternatively, if you’re ever at a TH party or College Night and experience a crush-at-first-sight moment, here’s how you can finesse that situation from a lustful hookup to an actual loving relationship. You hook up with them, but continue to text and hang out with them on a regular basis until they start to actually like you. Hopefully, you’re cute and have

a good personality ’cuz otherwise this might not work out.

Here’s to hoping that if you end up

So there you have it: All of the enticing places to live that await you after Vassar! I know, I know—the list looks a little intimidating, right? Being spoiled for choice can be really hard! But if you’re feeling stressed, just take a deep breath, pull out a coin and flip until you get a definite answer about which one you should pick. Giving Lady Luck a hand in things is always a great idea—and hey, maybe you’ve secretly always wanted to live in Tuscaloosa!

hooking up with someone enough times, you might just end up together ;) Good luck, queen!

Contact the Love Queen Now!!!!! HUMOR Nina Ajemian/The Miscellany News.

Hopelessly searching for love?

HUMOR

Vassar opens first of 35 new cafeterias in Main

Benjamin Savel Food connoisseur

At a grand opening today, Vassar unveiled the new “Meece Cafe” at the former location of the Palmer Art Gallery, putting an end to the appalling lack of cafeterias on Main Building’s first floor. The Meece (Main Deece) is the first cafeteria of its kind to open in Main, soon to be followed by the Detreat, Rexpress and 32 other cafeterias over the next two years.

Sophomore Dennis Milburn put it perfectly: “How is anyone supposed to go without starving as they cross through Main? I can feel my stomach going from full to famished in the ninety seconds it takes to get from one door to the other.”

Another student commented on the geographical convenience of the Meece within Vassar’s campus: “At the Meece, I get all of the

luxurious benefits of Retreat, but I don’t have to go near the dreaded southern half of campus. I get chills just thinking about The Bridge and the Shakespeare Garden.”

Each new, state-of-the-art cafe opens at a random hour between 10 AM and 10 PM each day, with some not opening at all and some opening up to 8 times. Meal swipes can be used if the cafe has opened more than 6 times that day, but never if the minute hand is greater than a 42.5 degree angle away from noon.

The idea to fill Main Building with cafeterias initially stemmed from protests undertaken by first-year student Jonathan Sandwich and senior Caroline Beefburger. When Beefburger realized that Main only had three dining facilities, she and Sandwich commandeered the Street Eats truck and parked it inside of Main. Soon, hundreds of students

came running to their truck for meals, grateful that Beefburger’s benevolence had prevented their impending starvation.

In response, the VSA and Café Bon Appetit drafted a construction initiative to fill Main Building with 35 different cafeterias. The debate on the matter was nearly nonexistent. VSA President Julián Aguilar remarked, “Besides Main’s art gallery, study spaces, academic support offices, lecture rooms, mailroom, innovation lab and student housing, is anything really there, anyway?”

The VSA said they will “lettuce” know if they have more updates.

The new cafes will also address the large gap between the menus of the Retreat and Express. “Sometimes, I’m in the mood for a sandwich with peanut butter instead of a peanut butter sandwich,” one student remarked. “I’m so happy that the Meece will have both!”

Now, students have more options than ever, both in the number of cafes available, as well as in the quantity of food served. To top their “Pick 2” and “Pick 3” meal programs, dining staff created a “Pick 75” meal choice, where you must select 53 entrees and 22 side dishes.

Dining staff explained the program to us in detail: “It’s simple, really. You pick your 53 entrees, make sure that the contents of them only add up to 8.5 ounces every other Thursday of the month, pick twenty-three side dishes, weigh them on a scale, do a ritual prayer over each meal, jump up and down five times, paint a miniature Mona Lisa, swim five laps around the nearest swimming pool and then swipe your ID card.”

Construction on the next 34 cafeterias will begin next Monday. Please do not be appalled if you notice a cafeteria skyscraper near Main.

WVKR-FM to focus exclusively on Christian rock

In a statement released on Easter Sunday, WVKR-FM: Poughkeepsie Independent Radio announced that it plans to cut all of its existing programming and pivot to solely Christian rock, due to growing popular demand.

First created in the 1960s as a response to the growing popularity of rock music in the United States, Christian rock music brings together key elements of two apparent opposites: the headbanging, anti-establishment rage of evangelical Christianity, and the pious, holier-than-thou attitudes of hardcore rock ’n’ roll. Since then, the genre has exploded in popularity, including on Vassar’s campus.

“You can’t walk through the THs on a Friday night without hearing Christian rock blasting from all directions,” one student said. “It’s the only genre that answers the question, ‘What if a preacher yelled at you really loudly while bangin’ out some sick guitar riffs?’”

“And the answer is, something beautiful.”

Since its inception in 1973, WVKR-FM has been feeding Vassar students and the wider Poughkeepsie community a steady

diet of math rock, shoegaze and whatever kind of music 100 gecs makes. However, the past decade has seen a precipitous decline in listening numbers, as online music streaming services and the really weird music they play on WVKR-FM have driven listeners to seek alternatives.

The statement, released on behalf of WVKR’s Executive Board, lays out a radical vision for the future of Poughkeepsie Independent Radio. “WVKR-FM has conducted an extensive survey of Vassar students,” the Executive Board writes, “and it has become clear that the musical appetites of the student body have shifted. In order for WVKR to survive and thrive in this new environment, we have to meet the desires of our audience.

“The unconventional, ‘alternative’ genres of music that once captured the ears, minds and hearts of WVKR listeners are no longer in demand,” the statement continues. “Prog rock, hyperpop, viperpop, windshield wiperpop—these no longer satisfy the music-loving masses. It’s time for change. It’s time for Christ.”

According to the WVKR Executive Board, of the students surveyed, 97 percent favored a change to a primarily Chris-

tian rock-focused schedule of programming. The near-unanimous positivity with which Vassar students greeted the change in polls and focus groups inspired the station to maintain course and go all in on its pivot to Christian rock.

Another student, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed unbridled enthusiasm about the change. “The combination of appropriated heavy metal aesthetics and sanctimonious lyrics really does it for me,” they said. “I’m so excited to tune

into WVKR and h ear some of my favorite bands, like ‘S8N H8RZ’ and ‘JC & the Nazareth Boys.’ I just hope they leave some time for conservative rap.”

The lone demographic who have been left unhappy by WVKR’s new direction, however, are the anonymous Facebook users who listen to and comment on the radio station online.

One, writing in WVKR’s comment section, summed up their frustrations: “no more rado head ??”

Oliver Stewart Hard C-Rocker

Image courtesy of Benjamin Savel '26.

Nicholas Tillinghast/The Miscellany News.

Poetry Corner

Anna Kozloski

OBSERVATION #4

Rugs offer suboptimal refuge.

Secreting secrets in dorm room design for the spring season

As a hard-hitting journalist worthy of invites to PB’s coveted journalism dinners I sometimes seek out the queries of our loyal readers to bestow upon them my superior knowledge. Before you even consider accusing me of it, I wouldn’t dare use fake questions to fill up a column’s worth of words, you heartless dweebs. Let’s begin with a question from Springle T.

How should I spice up my dorm room this Spring? -Springle T.

Great question, Springle. It’s a question I get a lot, actually. Something that can really help make things spicy is adding some color to your space. I hear a lot of people saying that periwinkle is the color of spring this year. Now remember, painting over your beige dorm walls is basically a felony, so don’t do that. The beauty in periwinkle is that it is both a color and a word, so consider posting “PERIWINKLE” across your many walls. Another thing you can do is try changing up the scent of your room. In order to do this, I recommend getting a job at Subway and working your way up the corporate ladder. Eventually, you will have access to their secrets, such as why all the Subways have that smell. You can then incorporate this newfound knowledge into your living space, confusing all of your neighbors into thinking there’s a Subway close by. Hey, maybe you’ll even confuse yourself. That’s not a Subway, silly! That is your place of residence.

What presidential portraits should I hang on my wall this season? -Eli W.

Thank you for this question, Eli W. I see your insightful words on the Deece comment board quite often. You might recall that I recommended hanging Bill Clinton on your wall during the winter months. This season, however, I recommend taping up the King of Spring himself, Chester A. Arthur. That dude reeked of spring. Next question.

What’s the best place to sleep in a dorm room? -Eli W.

Thank you for another insightful question, Eli W. You are a gem. This is a question I get a lot, actually. I’ll share a little anecdote: I started my college experience by sleeping on the floor for the first few months and, despite the ample space, it was a pretty uncomfortable experience. The following eight weeks, I slept each night in my chair, a decision that put significant stress on my lower back. Finally, I tried out the bed, which worked pretty well. I have been sleeping there ever since.

Is owning fish cool this year? I know it was cool in 2017, but is it back yet? -Gayle K.

Having fish in your room is really cool this year—even cooler than it was in 2017. I recommend either goldfish, blue tangs or one medium-sized eel. Having a fish tank in your room says to people, “I am confident, I am bright and I like fish.”

What is a dorm room? -Atticus P.

This is a question I have never received. To start, dorm room is short for “dormitory room.” I’m sorry if this is already getting pretty complicated, but get this—they divide these buildings, called “dormitories,” into many small rooms, known as dorm rooms, and that’s why you live where you live. Dormitory

comes from the Latin word dormire, which means “to skateboard.” Hope this helps.

I have a scorpion problem (at least 10), and now none of my friends will hang out in my room anymore :( What should I do? -Eli W. You have quite a lot of questions today, Eli W., and yet they are all meaningful and very well thought-out. I appreciate your commitment to my column—it's frankly very touching. Now about the scorpion thing—I’ve been there, dude. Some simple changes can really help you relieve a problem like this. The secret to solving any infestation is to know thy enemy. According to Zodiac Juiceology & Apothecary, scorpions love fish and seafood, green

salads, beets, lentil (singular), almonds, walnuts, citrus fruit, berries, apples, bananas and pineapples. In order to rectify your scorpion problem, I recommend speaking badly on all of these foods. Maybe something like, “Boy I just hate fish and seafood, green salads, beets, a singular lentil, almonds, walnuts, citrus fruit, berries, apples, bananas and pineapples. Those are the very worst of the foods. Yuck.” Eventually the scorpions will realize the vibe is off and scuttle on to the next dorm room.

Thank you to all who submitted questions (especially Eli W.). May your dorm rooms be full of fish and scorpion-free.

Nicholas Tillinghast/The Miscellany News.

Nicholas Tillinghast

Third Property Brother

OPINIONS

News and social media: Overviewing mental health resources

Levi Lilienthal Guest Columnist

The news cycle is awash with negative headlines. Plane crashes, mass shootings and oppressive laws consume my waking consciousness, seemingly from every angle. News outlets, social media and even the weather express bleak prognoses of unprecedented circumstances, with disheartening terms such as “bomb cyclone” or “school shooting.” More often than not, my response to this overstimulating world is dissociation.

In fact, it is not a subjective opinion that journalism centers around reporting on adverse topics. Negativity bias has been a long-suspected complication of the human condition. This theory was confirmed by researchers Marc Trussler and Stuart Soroka in 2014 in one of the first deception studies of negativity bias, according to the BBC.

The results were not necessarily groundbreaking, but compelling nonetheless: In a questionnaire, participants chose to read stories with a negative tone, entailing “corruption and hypocrisy,” as opposed to inspiring stories, or even neutral ones. Contrary to the data of the study, participants claimed that they preferred good news, even answering that the media was too focused on negative stories.

Thus, if a prevailing subconscious thought is that negative news is preferred reading material to positive news, then common economic theory would predict that major media would respond to this demand.

In a New York Times article, researchers examined different news sources to determine the percentage of COVID-19 news that was negative. This idea of consumer demand for negative news is consistent with their findings: 87 percent of COVID-19 coverage in national news in 2020 was negative, as opposed to 51 percent in international media and 64 percent in scientific journals. Reasonably, major outlets have a better idea of the pulse of a large audience than scientific journals. In addition, many international media organizations have long-standing government funding, eliminating or greatly decreasing the focus on customer demand.

Now with online news sources and the increase of technology use, accessing the negative cloud of information is easier than ever, and because of this ease of connection, there is little doubt about the pattern of declining mental health over the last 15 years. According to the CDC, more than a third of high school students in 2021 (now college-aged students) reported that they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44 percent reported that they persistently felt sad or hopeless during 2021. Even before the pandemic, mental health was declining: Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased 40 percent for U.S. high school students between 2009 and 2019.

The mental health crisis for college students is even more real. A recent study cited by the Mayo Clinic found that, on average, 33 percent of students experience significant depression and anxiety. Frequencies of depression, alcohol use disorder and binge eating disorder are higher now than they were before the pandemic, according to the CDC.

But with all of these negative statistics come multiple resources that are available on campus for use. Vassar has multiple resources help with navigating a gloomy world. The Vassar CARE (Case Management, Advocacy, Resources and Education) Office provides support for navigating health insurance and providing outreach to students in distress. Another resource available on campus is the HPE (Office of Health Promotion and Education), which works to provide an environment where students can learn academically and also become informed about a wide range of health-related fields, such as mental health and nutrition. Help can either be provided by a licensed social worker or by peers to promote or assist with obtaining a healthier lifestyle or environment. If one-on-one counseling is necessary, Vassar College Counseling Services (VCCS) can help. They provide free walk-in appointments, support spaces, crisis services, brief treatments, online resources and workshops to any student with any concern that needs counseling.

But reaching out to get help is not always easy. In an era of social media in which perfection is the norm, it can be difficult to dis-

cern what is real and what is embellished. According to Reviews.org in an independent study, one in five Americans admit to lying on social media, and 31 percent of Americans say that their social media accounts don’t accurately represent them or their lives.

The ease with which anyone can fabricate their own experiences can create a mental predicament for collegiate students, gamifying social media to create the best fake lives for themselves. When an unhappy spell arises, the pressure to make your own life seem better can lead to a spiral of declining mental health.

The transition away from home is not an easy process. Learning how to navigate a new social and academic environment is a large task, and it is easy to feel overwhelmed at times. Social media and constant comparison will not help anyone struggling with isolation.

The resources outlined above are all excellent support systems, but they can only do their job of bettering students’ mental health if they are utilized. The perfection outlined on social media only reinforces the stigma around reaching out for help. It is not easy to acknowledge and find support, but not staking your happiness on someone else’s artificial experience is an excellent first step.

In addition to all of the resources outlined above, there is an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention walk on campus on Sunday, April 16th. Please email Lmfreeman@ vassar.edu for sign-up or with any questions.

Tread carefully in Trump criminal trial

It’sbeen in the headlines for weeks. The Manhattan District Attorney has charged former President Donald Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records involving hush money payments to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. The anticipation of this indictment has been killing Democrats. But, similar to the two impeachment scandals, many Democrats are failing to grasp the full effects of the upcoming trial.

According to The Washington Post, if convicted of the felony, Trump faces up to four years in prison for each count, but there is no mandatory prison sentence. Many Democrats concur that the best possible outcome would be prison time. But similar to the impeachment trial in December 2019, Democrats eagerness to dethrone Trump unintentionally advances his rhetoric.

With the 2024 election closing in, the Department of Justice is keen on uncovering Trump’s lies, just as we saw in 2020. But to what extent? If Trump were to face jail time—unlikely given he is a first-time, nonviolent offender—it would not prevent him from running again in 2024. Unprecedented? Yes. But so are two impeachment trials in a one-term presidency.

FiveThirtyEight surveys that Biden’s approval rating is just barely reaching 42 percent, and his disapproval rating is 53 percent. Democrats must start to think about a 2024 candidate capable of disarming the mob that Trump is forming. His post on Truth Social (his new makeshift social media platform), read: “THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” According to The New York Times, the post drew 400,000 views that day. The indictment wouldn’t come for more than a week, but experts couldn’t help but relate the horrors of his language to those on Twitter during the January 6, 2021 insurrection.

After Trump famously appeared in court on April 4, 2023, and the leaked photo of him at the defense table infamously spread the web, there is no telling what further violence is to come from this trial. Trump, as we know, has the capabilities to incite mobs against the very foundation of our country. During his speech after his court arraignment, Trump appeared at a press conference in which he spewed his same election and witch hunt lies, broadcasted live on CNN and Fox News. But Rachel Maddow of MSNBC chose differently. According to MSNBC, she said, “We don’t consider that necessarily newsworthy, and there is a cost to us as a news organization of knowingly broadcasting untrue things.”

She is right. We shouldn’t be giving Trump the spotlight that we are. It’s hard given this thrillingly unprecedented nature, but we are feeding into the exact fuel that is feeding his campaign. I’m not arguing that Trump is above the law—quite the opposite. Rather, I’m arguing that the more Democrats push for Trump to be held accountable for his actions, and the more we broadcast his never-ending election lies, the more his platform will grow.

A columnist at USA Today has an alternative solution for Democrats: Like Nixon, a pardon is right for Trump. Not only because if he were found guilty, there would be an endless cycle of appeals—and

it doesn’t matter what outcome is reached.

USA Today Columnist EJ Montini correctly writes, “Should any of the cases against Trump proceed to trial, where a verdict

is reached, not a single person’s opinion about this will change.” Trump is only benefitting from the spotlight, no matter the results.

“Evening news is where they begin with ‘good evening’, and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.”

-Unknown

Jacques Abou-Rizk News Editor

Image courtesy of Jon Farina.

Legacies created and fulfilled: The promise of 2023 NBA Playoffs

Ganesh Pillai Arts Editor

“Basketballis like poetry in motion,” or so said NBA champion and shooter extraordinaire Ray Allen in 1998’s “He Got Game.” His simile has been proven true time and time again with each passing installment of the NBA. Every new year introduces to us new phenoms, births, bitter rivalries and concocts season-long storylines so captivating that it has become commonplace to genuinely believe the league is scripted. Or, maybe, it really is better to think of it as a poem where— if each line is a game—we are officially 1,230 entries deep. However, this pre-playoff prose remains just that: something unfinished, without conclusion, anticipating its resolution in due time. And we as NBA watchers, or perhaps readers, have diligently followed the sports world’s greatest yearly saga for seven months, understanding that we haven’t even come close to the climax yet. With the NBA Playoffs beginning this coming Saturday April 15, numerous questions are tantalizingly close to being answered: Will this season’s best bucket-getter finally achieve playoff success? Can one of the league’s most prolific scorers of all time cement his legacy?

A center has not won the scoring title since the turn of the century, a streak which will be coming to an end this season as the Philadelphia 76ers’ seven-foot superstar Joel Embiid’s 31-point-per-game average earns him the de-facto title as the league’s best bucket.

A center has won the MVP award the past two years, a streak that Embiid may continue and one that I believe he likely will. However, while adding these two new pieces of silverware to the Kansas product’s accolades is very much deserved and a long time coming, there is still one more trophy painfully absent in his cabinet—the Larry O’Brien trophy, the one that comes with some jewelry, too. The 76ers have made the playoffs in each of the past five seasons, not including the current one, and have failed to win multiple series in any of them. From Kawhi Leonard’s legendary, quadruple-bounce game seven buzzer beater, to getting handled in six by Miami, each year ends in the same way—watching the finals from home.

However, this is the first year where the Sixers will have both the league’s points leader and assists leader on the same team. James Harden’s 10.7 assists is tops in the association, and while the former scoring title winner has seen his bucket-getting numbers drop, he can still pass better than almost anyone,pulling the strings behind the league’s third ranked offense. While Philadelphia did finish third in the East, behind the vaunted Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, Embiid’s historic 50-point performance against the the East’s second seed may have done more than potentially cement his case for MVP— it could serve as a warning shot to the whole league that this team is capable of dueling with the very best. The case for Embiid finally getting his ring? The Sixers are one of only three teams both

top 10 in offensive and defensive rating, they can boast a strong supporting cast around their two lead men, and they have a guy on the team liable to drop 50 points on any given night and hold it down defensively with the best of them. They are going to finish below the No. 2 seed for the first time in three years, but perhaps this team has gone a little too under the radar this year, forming the perfect storm for a franchise cornerstone to finally get his elusive ring.

In other plotlines as the saga rages on, superstar Kevin Durant finds himself on a new team for the third time in his career. After a lackluster stint with the Brooklyn Nets for three seasons (garnering a grand total of one playoff series win), the forward has moved on to what are presumably brighter, drier pastures in the Arizona desert, teaming up with Devin Booker, Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns. Given the Nets traded him just this past trade deadline, and sustaining an injury soon after his arrival, perhaps one could question the Suns’ team chemistry prospects heading into this postseason. What cannot be denied is their dominance when Durant suits up. In their eight games with the new addition on the court, the Suns haven’t lost a single one of them, outscoring their opponents by an average of 10.75 points in that span.

The Suns come into this season having made the playoffs the past two, but remaining ringless as a franchise. Durant, on the other hand, has two championship wins under his belt, both of which he won with the Golden

State Warriors. And while Durant won Finals MVP in both instances, serving as an integral contributor to the Dubs’ machine-like offensive efficiency, this was the team that, directly prior to his arrival, had the best regular season of all-time record-wise. Having two rings already places Durant in ultra-exclusive NBA company, but there are many that believe the seven-foot superstar needs another win to prove beyond a doubt that he is the greatest scorer of all time and to be consistently brought up in the same conversations with the likes of Lebron James and Michael Jordan. Durant told The Athletic in an interview recently, “I don’t care about legacy”—and nor should he feel the need to. But with the redhot Suns entering the playoffs armed with one of the most low-key legends ever, maybe the star’s emphasis on simply putting the ball in the basket will provide the impetus for a legacy-fulfilling ring for franchise and player alike.

Embiid and Durant are just two of the figures whose fates remain undetermined. Beginning this Saturday, 16 teams and 208 players will begin the two-and-a-half month trek to the promised land, each with their own unique motivations and paths, as in any good work of fiction, prose or poetry. While the NBA’s oral tradition ensures that whatever comes to pass in the ensuing postseason will be discussed for decades, it feels all the more special to have a front-row seat to the two most intriguing words in sports—playoff basketball.

Women’s lacrosse sets sights on Liberty League playoffs

normal season.

“For my class, last year was actually our first full season given that our first two were impacted by COVID, so it was a learning curve for all of us,” Chou remarked. “Me and the other captains this year were very determined to set the tone right from the beginning that this year would be the right combination of competitive but fun that we needed to be successful, and so far I feel as if we’ve been pretty successful.” Kretten also emphasized the importance of being a cohesive team, commenting: “Our emphasis on success for this season has been

we win as a team and lose as a team and no matter what we always have each other's backs and are always supporting each other which is why we've been successful so far.”

That camaraderie and bond as a team is as important as anything to Kretten and Chou. With a single-digit number of weeks left until graduation, they also reflected on what the team has meant to them during their time at Vassar.

“Being a member of the lacrosse team these past four years has been the best experience of my life. I have so much love for my teammates. They have motivated me to

be the best version of myself on and off the field and they are truly my second family and have made Vassar so enjoyable for me,” Kretten conveyed.

Chou was equally thankful for the experience of being on the team over the last four years. “It’s given me a sense of community here at Vassar right from day one. And as cliché as it sounds, being on the team has allowed me to play a sport that I love at the highest level while also getting a fantastic education,” Chou shared. She added, “The connections and friends I’ve made through the lacrosse team and even

within the Vassar Athletics community are truly irreplaceable, and I’m extremely grateful for everything I’ve received these past four years!”

Up next for the Brewers is a critical match on April 15 against Union College, who currently sits at fourth in the league standings. After that, they will close out their regular season with three more league matchups, including games against St. Lawrence University and William Smith College who are ranked fifth and first in the league respectively, according to the League website.

Continued from Lacrosse on page 1

Image courtesy of Stockton Photo, Inc.

CROSSWORD

The Miscellany Crossword

"Happy Spring!"

By Sadie Keesbury

ACROSS

1. Olivia Gross is its recently elected president (abbr.)

4. As of now, for short

7. Removes sharp teeth

14. Gerund suffix

15. “Busy” buzzer

16. Where you're not supposed to stick a Q-Tip

17. “The Tempest” island inhabitant

19. Keep going

20. Namesakes of phenomena, perhaps

21. Finish

22. Chow down

23. Stitches

24. Provides a John Hancock, maybe

26. NYC time zone from Nov. to March

27. Broadcast commercial

28. Fast fashion brand owned by Boohoo, for short

29. Hospital wings where no appointment is necessary

32. Looks subtly

33. Take over

36. Tire (out)

38. Maine national park

39. Feverish and shivering fits

40. It might be said before a meal

43. Secret agent

44. Sign after Cancer

45. Jane Austen novel named for its protagonist

46. Messages or Spotify, e.g.

47. Agreed to attend (or didn’t), for short

48. Brother of Thor

52. On-the-go medical pro

53. Automated personified software

54. “Lord of the Rings” sharpshooter

56. 3D museum exhibit

58. “Let's do this!”

59. Circus flipper, or Adobe software

60. Date-like fruit

61. Italian diminutive suffix

Answers to last week’s puzzle:

"Did the Joke Land?"

By Sadie Keesbury

62. Illness

63. Not no

64. Regina Spektor song with opening line: “It's like forgetting the words to your favorite song”

DOWN

1. Guilty pleasures

2. Hogwarts potioneer

3. Positively radiant

4. “Dear” advice columnist

5. Labor union member

6. Thoughtful

7. Relies on

8. Works for, as an income

9. “Flintstones” father

10. Sounds of relaxation

11. Small nostril jewelry pieces

12. Brag and rub it in

13. Completed, as a rock climbing challenge

18. _____ and outs

25. Eel-like fish

26. Anna’s sister

28. Color that sounds grosser than it looks?

29. “When will you be here?”

30. Snug as a bug in a _____

31. Michaelangelo and Rodin, e.g.

32. Mexican currency

34. Gravestone letters

35. What to do at a cashier

37. Hold on to

38. _____ Française (French language council)

40. Grow in the womb

41. Massachusetts license distributor (abbr.)

42. Make louder

46. Italian buddies

47. Some tomatoes

48. “I'm giggling rn”

49. Skate trick

50. Senator Tim of Virginia

51. Playground retort

52. Age, in Argentina

53. Baby’s drinking vessel of choice

55. Retches

57. Wade’s counterpart