Misc.12.08.22

The Miscellany News

ALANA Center dedicated to JVJ

Jacques Abou-Rizk News Editor

In honor of Jeh Vincent Johnson, the ALANA Cultural Center celebrated new renovations. On Saturday, Nov. 19, Vassar rededicated the Center to Johnson’s accomplishments and contributions to the College.

It was long overdue for the African-American/Black, Latino, Asian and Native American (ALANA) Center to receive both more acknowledgement and physical upgrades, according to Programming Intern Alysa Chen ’23. “The rededication, to me, symbolizes that Vassar is taking steps towards paying more respect and attention to the students of color on campus,” she said. “Before the renovations and rededication, the ALANA Center was physically pushed far in the corner of campus behind Main Building and hardly noticeable, not only making it hard for students of color to identify it as a safe space, but also as a metaphor, the center’s presence was not acknowledged and celebrated by the wider campus community as much as it should have been.”

The Center offers opportunities for leadership development, intra-cultural and cross-cultural dialogues, lectures, big sister/big brother and alumnae/i mentoring

See ALANA on page 3

Urumqi Vigil honors victims

Tiffany Kuo Copy Staff

[CW: This article discusses death.]

On Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022, a fire broke out in an apartment building in Urumqi, China, killing at least 10 people. Many internet users surmise that the people who lived in the apartment were unable to escape the building due to COVID-19 lockdown policies, which blocked the exits of buildings, including fire exits. Videos circulating on Chinese social media platforms showed fire trucks parked far away from the building, causing some to wonder whether the firefighters were unable to reach the apartment in time due to lockdown movement restrictions.

CNN reports that Urumqi has been under strict lockdown since August. For the past three years, China has abided by its zero-COVID policy, which uses strict lockdowns and community-wide testing to keep its COVID case counts at zero. When the World Health Organization declared that China’s zero-COVID policy was unsustainable in May 2022, the Chinese government censored all transmission of this news in local media.

It is important to place into context the political situation of Urumqi. Urumqi is the capital of Xinjiang, an autonomous territory in northwest China. It is home to many

ethnic minorities, including the Uyghur people. Over the few past years, human rights groups around the world have accused China of genocide against the Uyghur people and other Muslim minority populations in Xinjiang, according to BBC. It is believed that the government forcefully displaced hundreds of thousands of Uyghur people into what it calls “re-education camps,” and there have been several movements against the use of Xinjiang cotton due to its implication with forced labor. In 2021, H&M and Nike made a statement declaring its concerns over the alleged use of Uighur forced labor in cotton production, BBC reports. This led to a large-scale boycott of H&M and Nike products in China, including H&M being taken off all Chinese e-commerce sites, which caused massive damage to their sales.

News of the Urumqi fire quickly spread across Chinese social media. Local internet users believe that many more than 10 lives were lost in the catastrophe. Vigils began in local Urumqi with at least 14 cities outside Xinjiang, such as Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Wuhan, following suit, according to Foreign Policy. One of the most prominent demonstrations took place on Urumqi Road in Shanghai, CNN reports. Many of the vigils have also transformed into demonstrations against the longtime COVID

Members of the Vassar Muslim Students Association reflect on community building and relief efforts.

Rugby wins national title

Nick Villamil Columnist

For a moment, the College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) Women’s Rugby Division II National Championship game was close.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Vassar responded to cut the lead to two. And then, as the Brewers usually do, they did not look back.

In convincing fashion, the Brewers captured their second consecutive National Championship, the program’s third since 2018, with a final score of 78-24.

After the Coast Guard got ahead by seven, Vassar responded with a dominant 78 to 10 scoring run.

Vassar’s dominance was well distributed, with five different players scoring tries. Sophia Bailey ’26 and Caeli Porette ’23 led the way with four tries each. Asia Baker ’24 scored twice, and Yasmeen Kassem-Scott ’26 and Julie Geller ’24 contributed a try each. Zoe Lynch ’25 added 18 points on nine conversions.

Porette, one of just four seniors on the roster, was named the Tournament MVP.

To those that have become accustomed to seeing tremendous Vassar rugby success in recent years, the 2022 season might appear to be almost an exact replica of the 2021 sea-

See Rugby on page 14

Palmer exhibits student art

Naima Saini Columnist

Anewexhibit of artwork by Vassar students, “Beyond Recognition,” opened this past Thursday, Dec. 1 in the Palmer Gallery. Any studio art major not doing a senior project this semester was invited to participate in this exhibit, and six students ended up taking part. They all worked independently to create their art, so there was no one unified focus of the project. Despite this, many of the same themes seemed to emerge from the exhibit as a whole, and the pieces fit together very well. Phoebe Kinder ’24 explained, “We all had seen each other’s art before putting it up, and then it was a very collaborative process of bringing our work in here and talking about how we wanted to show it in relation to one another.” The result is that the colors, textures and styles used by the different students transition seamlessly into one another as you walk around the gallery. Each artist’s work is unmistakably unique, but the group clearly worked together with intentionality to arrange the space.

In one of Kinder’s pieces, “Road Trip,” a family road trip becomes the stage for important questions about relationships. The work is made up of three pieces of paper that all depict parts of a big yellow car, arranged

in such a way that space is left between the paper. From far away, the image looks like a simple depiction of a car, but closer up you can see the people that are on the trip—a hand reaching out a window, a figure in the driver’s seat. “They’re all sharing a space, but each person is kind of in their own world and experiencing something very different,” Kinder explained. The disjointed body parts, beautifully drawn, emphasize the emotional distance that the piece emulates.

“I think my work this semester has been about people and people interacting, and learning how to show the body on a piece of paper while kind of disrupting expectations of how bodies look,” Kinder told me. While this wasn’t an explicit theme of the exhibit, many other artists also found varied and interesting ways to depict bodies through their work. In “Vampire L O/U V/S E/T,” Haley Whetstone ’23’s photographs of a vampiric couple, showcase physical intimacy in a way that is playful but profound. In Leaf Quilty ’23’s “Boy Tits,” the subject’s naked chest is literally centered and uplifted through the figure’s position and the colorful, textured frame. Jordyn Panzer ’24’s drawings of figures use color and different stylistic choices to emphasize particular features—many are black and white faces with red lips, and

Raymond resident prepares readers for their next trip to the first floor bathroom.

HUMOR

News Editor

Jacques Abou-Rizk explores the underlying polititcs of the FIFA World Cup.

Image courtesy of Elizabeth Bradley.

THE MISCELLANY NEWS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

ARTS EDITOR

FEATURES EDITOR

OPINIONS EDITOR

HUMOR EDITOR

Nina Ajemian Monika Sweeney Leila Raines

Jacques Abou-Rizk

Charlotte Robertson

Ganesh Pillai Kai Speirs

Sufana Noorwez

Madi Donat

Nicholas Tillinghast Doug Cobb

Tracy Cen

Maryam Bacchus Caris Lee

VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER WEBMASTERS

Karen Mogami Seowon Back Tori Kim Ian Herz

Rohan Dutta Chloe Gjoka

Phoebe DiLeo Ruby Funfrock

Emma Adams

Carly D’Antonio Arlene Chen

Katie Gebbia Allen Hale

Jesse Koblin Anna Kozloski Gwen Ma

Jyotsna Naidu Sam Patz

Danielle Recco Naima Saini Anna Terry Nick Villamil

COPY STAFF

Anica Acuna Emma San Filippo Emma Goss

Willa Jewitt Tiffany Kuo Allison Lowe

Ailynn O'Neill Meera Shroff

Julia Weinberg

Edward Welch Morgan

Image courtesy of Sandro Luis Lorenzo ’24.

JVJ honored with ALANA center rededication

programs, according to its website. Additionally, the Center serves as a gathering space for student organizations with similar goals in supporting students of color. First-Year Experience (FYE) and the affinity resource centers, including the ALANA Center, are under the purview of Student Growth & Engagement (SGE).

Wendy Maragh Taylor, Associate Dean of the College for SGE, is thrilled that the renovations and dedication event finally came together. She said, “The dedication has been a work in progress since last spring. I’m thrilled that students, alums, faculty and administrators, and, of course, Jeh Vincent Johnson’s family members, could be involved and present for the event.” She continued, “It is important to acknowledge the work of Jeh—as a professor here at Vas-

sar, in general, and specifically, in the design of the Center. In fact, in 2016, when I was the Director of the Center, I had a plaque made and hung in the entrance to acknowledge that he designed the space.”

The ALANA Center is vital to student growth, according to Taylor. The College honored those sentiments and Johnson’s contributions by dedicating the Center to him, serving as the first building on campus named after an African American.

“Our ALANA team—administrators and student leaders—creates an environment that nurtures students of color, cultivates an environment for thriving and engages the campus community in events, discussions and celebrations that are vital.

To have that recognized and the architect of the building acknowledged, and have this first building on campus be officially

named after the Black man who designed it is impactful on so many levels.”

ALANA Programming Intern Minkyo Han ’25 said he hopes the event will bring the focus back onto historically marginalized communities: “This event was very important because we not only got to celebrate the milestones of the hard work of students of color, but also demanded more action on creating a more diverse and welcoming space, starting with creating an Africana Studies Department.” Currently, Africana Studies is only a program at Vassar and offers a very limited number of courses, with mostly cross-listed professors.

Students like Chen are grateful for all the ALANA Center has provided for them during their time at Vassar. She said, “Finding safety and empowerment within the Center’s walls as a woman of color growing

up in a diverse city was integral to me being able to succeed and thrive at Vassar, which is a completely different environment than what I was used to—and for Vassar to rededicate and appreciate the importance of a cultural center born out of decades of Black students’ activism is the first step to appreciating its own students of color.”

According to Taylor, “It was really important to the ALANA student leaders and me to honor him, this African American man, whose efforts created a space that allows so many students of color to retreat, to celebrate their heritage and be in community, and to engage the entire Vassar campus in that celebration and in critical dialogue.” For many at the ALANA Center and across campus, they hope the conversation for uplifting marginalized minorities is just beginning.

Images courtesy of Elizabeth Bradley.

VSA, WSC petition against mandatory room and board costs

On Sunday, Nov. 13, the Vassar Student Association (VSA) presented a statement on the imposition of mandatory costs for intersession room and board, recognizing that the minimum $5/day fee disproportionately impacts low-income and international students who cannot return home during breaks. “The meager income these students receive from campus employment is already not enough to cover basic living expenses. Substantial barriers already exist between low-income students and the ‘Vassar experience’ promised for everyone; establishing mandatory minimums costs widens these gaps,” VSA President Julián Aguilar ’23 wrote in a letter to the College on behalf of the Senate.

The Working Students Coalition (WSC) initiated the petition and presented it to the VSA during one of the weekly Sunday meetings. Members of the WSC and VSA, Charlie From ’25 and Noon Elmostafa ’25, collaborated with other signatories to draft the document. As From explained in an email correspondence, “The petition and its language evolved through this process, making it really the work of the community.” Around 450 students signed the petition upon its presentation to the VSA.

From detailed the petition’s demands, writing, “The petition explicitly calls for the College to remove the mandatory minimum

cost of $5/day on break room and board and [to] make the room and board cost directly proportional to the amount students pay in tuition, the way most students on financial aid pay for break.” The WSC also hopes the College will address other flaws in financial aid policies, like the low wages and earnings cap of on-campus jobs and the high cost of textbooks.

Dean of the College Carlos Alamo-Pastrana responded to the petition in an email. He explained that pre-matriculation tuition for Fall and Spring semesters do not include break periods: “Accordingly, there is an additional cost associated with room and board during the intersession.” The $5/day fee began in 2005 to cover the cost of room over breaks, but after concerns about food insecurity, the College expanded the policy to cover meals as well, devising the Break Advisory Group (BAG). “As part of our quality improvement process, we also survey students after each intersession to better understand what meals and food options worked best for students,” he added.

Intersession cost functions on a case-bycase basis. Students who do not receive financial aid are required to pay $45/day, which, Alamo-Pastrana wrote, is still lower than the $70/day expense to the College when providing room and board: “Thus, the College heavily subsidizes the cost for all students.” He added that the College does not want finan-

cial barriers to prevent students from staying on campus, especially when personal safety is a concern, and in rare cases, students can work with the College for further accommodations.

On Friday, Nov. 2, the WSC met with

several deans to confer about the proposed changes. From was optimistic about the discussion: “I considered the meeting productive as they recognized the problem and the solution we are proposing.” They added that another meeting is forthcoming.

Charlotte Robertson News Editor

Image courtesy of Vassar VSA.

Student artwork showcased in 'Beyond Recognition'

their expressions are varied but never smiling, leaving the viewer to consider the body as a physical site of emotion.

piece describes, Goldsmith aims to explore how fiber arts have historically been looked down on due to their traditional association with femininity: “Questioning the differences between art and craft, the work either focuses on character, tradition, or limitation,” she writes. In one work, what looks like a paper napkin is stitched into the piece and transformed—I was struck by how such a simple material could be elevated so much.

“Beyond Recognition” showcases the talent and creativity of the artists and is an engaging and captivating exhibit. I thor-

Other artists also used color in interesting ways. In Anna Kaufman ’23’s “Autumn Bark; Autumn Hands,” the artist creates a scene that is abstract but very methodical. On two pieces of paper next to each other, detailed patterns outline a cheerful landscape. From one piece of paper to the next, the patterns are continuous, but the color scheme changes.

Anne Goldsmith ’24 uses fabric with a variety of media—fabric, thumbtacks, patchwork pieces and ink—to create beautifully intricate pieces that are at once practical and eye-catching. As the caption of one

oughly enjoyed getting to know the work of Vassar artists through visiting the gallery, and I highly recommend visiting the show this winter.

'Topdog/underdog' is a top-tier Broadway revival

Booth copes through braggadocio and by embodying hypermasculinity, seeking to be the security he never felt, saying, “I’m a hot man.

Ihad the pleasure of seeing the revival of Suzan-Lori Parks’ “Topdog/Underdog” over Thanksgiving break. Playing at the Golden Theatre through Jan. 15, 2023, the show deals with themes of family dysfunctionality, sibling rivalry, poverty, toxic masculinity and the blurry relationship between past and present. The original production of Parks’ play opened on Broadway in 2002 and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, making her the first African-American woman to receive the award, according to The New York Times “Topdog/Underdog” follows a pair of Black brothers, Lincoln and Booth, who are haunted and traumatized by their childhood experience; they were named Lincoln and Booth by their father as a sadistic joke, abandoned by their parents as minors and left $500 each as an inheritance, Booth’s in a nylon stocking. They bicker and revel through their struggles with racism, relationships and money troubles while simultaneously relying on each other to weather these issues. Nonetheless, insecurity draws Booth into the confidence game of threecard monte. This rabbit hole tears apart every seam holding the brothers together and foments the rage, melancholy and mania the two had long suppressed.

“Topdog/Underdog” leverages Lincoln and Booth’s sibling rivalry to incredible effect and features the music of Nipsey Hustle and James Brown, among other musical artists. A two-person play, it spotlights bravura performances by Yahya-Abdul Mateen II (“Watchmen,” “Candyman”) and Corey Hawkins ( “The Walking Dead,” “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” “BlacKkKlansman”), who are charismatic and electrifying throughout. Hawkins’ Lincoln and Mateen’s Booth wind through labyrinthine conversations that devolve through stages of grief, from anecdotes and comedy to the anger and solemnity of bitter, shared trauma. As much as Lincoln and Booth bluster and perform for themselves, parental abandonment deeply scars the two.

I ain't apologizing for it.” Lincoln, meanwhile, trudges forlornly through life with absurd humor, fulfilling a parental role as the older sibling by supplying the pair’s food, rent and pocket money.

Both Lincoln and Booth engage with morbid obsession and depersonalization throughout the narrative. Lincoln works at an arcade where he re-enacts the Abraham Lincoln assassination in costume and whiteface.

Though he initially seems impassive about the job, its depersonalizing racial dysphoria and the constant re-enactment of the historical Lincoln assassination become traumatizing. Eventually, however, Lincoln begins to enjoy wearing the costume outside of work, blurring the line between Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln as his historical counterpart subsumes his true identity. Booth, meanwhile, asserts his ego by trying to learn how to “throw” the playing cards in three-card monte fast enough to rip off unsuspecting customers. He loses himself in the pursuit of skill, begging Lincoln to teach him how to throw despite knowing Lincoln quit the hustle after the death of a good friend. Booth, for all his efforts and the emotional compromise of Lincoln, is unable to improve his game, agitated and emasculated to the point of insanity.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Parks emphasized her intent is to make stories that connect with and create meaning for her audience, stating, “I’m like a bard, I want to sing the songs for the people, and have them remember who they are.” Parks’ portrayal of the Black experience in “Topdog/Underdog” is utterly compelling. Booth’s megalomaniacal search for approval is a deconstruction of the pernicious effects of hustle culture and the competence imperative Black masculinity tropes impose. At the same time, Lincoln’s loss of identity comments on how African Americans are forced to assimilate and suppress their racial identity to fare economically in a hegemonically white society.

Parks’ dense narrative content is brought to

life by fantastic acting in this run; Mateen embodies Booth as a kinetic force, always bursting with energy unleashed through crowing, raucous humor or rage. From the way he moves in jagged steps to the swaggering body language he conveys, Mateen imbues Booth with confidence and vitality and yet also suffuses the role with an underlying emotional vulnerability and barely-contained pain that boils just under the surface. Booth is a dynamic character, weaving between aggressive conviction and an underlying vulnerability and impotence, and the performance is a perfect reflection of that complexity. Similarly, Hawkins’ Lincoln is world-weary and small, carrying himself with hunched shoulders, shuffling steps and a harsh croaking tone that sounds like he has screamed and cried since time immemorial, eventually realizing the futility. Hawkins especially shines with Lincoln’s humor, conveyed through dark, winding anecdotes and reflections on the absurdity of the quotidian that both generates laughs and an uneasy apprehension from the audience. Hawkins also sings and plays guitar in the number “Lincoln’s Blues,” a diegetic elegy brimming with the melancholic blues lineage of institutionally ostracized Black men Parks

conjures; and if that wasn’t enough, his card throwing in the three-card monte scenes is legitimately impressive. Hawkins’ crestfallen pathos and low self-esteem mix perfectly with his evident talent on the stage to paint Lincoln as the former top dog, now relegated to underdog status.

Overall, “Topdog/Underdog” is a mustsee Broadway show. When Booth and Lincoln alternate coming on stage and playing three-card monte with the audience in an enchanting apostrophe between audience and performer, they throw the cards and shuffle, repeating the mantra, “Watch me close, watch me close now.” I hardly needed any imploration, as it’s a revelation to watch. “Topdog/Underdog” utilizes excellent performances, intense character portrayal and social commentary, all coalescing into an enrapturing play. Whether stricken by laughter or tension, Parks keeps the audience engaged in her dark tale of brotherhood, the Black experience and the horrifying power of collective trauma. I urge you to catch a performance of “Topdog/Underdog”’s revival and experience this play that remains as prescient to today’s cultural context as it was when it was first performed 20 years ago.

Ganesh Pillai/The Miscellany News.

Jesse Koblin Columnist

Jesse Koblin/The Miscellany News.

“'Beyond Recognition' showcases the talent and creativity of the artists and is an engaging and captivating exhibit."

"Each artist’s work is unmistakably unique, but the group clearly worked together with intentionality to arrange the space."

Metro Boomin soars above the rest on new project

Pillai Arts Editor

Acity engulfed in flames, a maniacal villain on the loose, with the only chance for salvation missing in action. As this terrorizing force continues to wreak havoc, a figure emerges from the darkness, knowing the fate of the universe is in his hands. “You need me to save you, you do/ I am the only one who possibly can,” asserts a voice. Music swells, and a batmobile-esque car pulls out of a driveway, and somehow, we know that even on the advent of apocalypse, there remains a beacon of hope to look towards. It’s not a bird or a plane or even superman, and yet we sense that this figure is hope, the chance at happiness, a hero.

Or, at least, that’s what Houston producer

"'HEROES & VILLAINS'" is an album with as many layers and points of views as the graphic novels from which it takes inspiration."

Metro Boomin wants to convey through his outstanding short film previewing his latest album. A dramatic, intense way to introduce a project? Yes. However, it frames the producing genius and his latest project as what they are–the exploits of a being bigger than the game itself. “HEROES & VILLAINS” is the producer’s eighth studio release, but the thematic successor to his 2018 work, “NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES.” Like Metro Boomin’s latest, it features collaborations with a “who’s who” of the game’s biggest names, with returning favorites like Gunna, Young Thug and Travis Scott and new arrivals such as Don Tolliver and Mustafa. In the lead up to the release of “HEROES & VILLAINS”, Metro Boomin introduced each of these figures on his Instagram with their very own, personalized comic book cover. Whether it be larger-than-life 21 Savage’s looming villainous presence over a city or the recently deceased Takeoff, effervescent as ever on his iconic rocket in space, the intricate detail and care put into each of these designs were only amplified by the aforementioned short film teaser depicting the dire, hopeless state crying out for a hero. Whether it’s saving the city, or the rap game, fans of the Houston native were anticipating something truly extraordinary.

In the short film, as we see Metro Boomin leaving for his confrontation with evil, and Morgan Freeman declares, “If Young Metro don’t trust, motherf*cker you better run,” we hear the sound of a sample loop and track so grand, so booming, it could only signify the entrance of the most heroic order. Enter Future, whose assertive, confident delivery of truly diabolical lines alert us that the track isn’t signifying good’s triumph—it’s a villain’s theme. Deceptively titled “Superhero,” the Atlantan brags about amassing possessions at others’ expense, disrespecting his opponents and disregarding the opinions of those not on his side. “Superhero” is a track about acknowledging the duality of man and embracing one’s dark side, and Metro Boomin’s legion of doom calls back this villainous theme throughout the project. 21 Savage and Young Nudy join forces on “Umbrella,” a collective calling out of their rivals, sharing an equally minimal level of sympathy for their foils. Riding a piano beat oozing with grime, trudging through a city of chaos, the pair recount its evil exploits. On “Metro Spider,”

Young Thug declares, “Bigger than the president, my life a scandal,” referencing his braggadocio unbound and the unwanted attention his lavish lifestyle can’t help but attract. However, “HEROES & VILLAINS” is not without its embracing of far more sympathetic perspectives. On the nostalgic ballad “Creepin,” a cover of R&B singer Mario Winans’ 2004 “I Don’t Wanna Know,” the Weeknd croons, “I don’t wanna know/ If you’re playing me, keep it on the low/ ‘Cause my heart can’t take it anymore,” allowing us to empathize with a figure attempting to preserve their idealized image of someone, despite evidence to the contrary. In a contradiction befitting an album highlighting two opposing ideals, on “Feel the Fiyaaaah,” A$AP Rocky and Takeoff take turns questioning the greed of humanity, with religious references abound. “Only got two seats/ Why we need a new coupe/ Only got two feet/ why need new shoes,” the New Yorker questions, going on to assert the true priorities in life and music. “That’s the most important part/ Started out we was only makin’ art.” Behind all of the material possessions and experiences funded through rap success lies a genuine desire to make something special, a shared piece of work that people from around the world could listen and understand.

While A$AP and Takeoff both contribute meaningfully to this reflection on music and its consequences for the artist, unfortunately not every track shares a parallel cohesion between voices. Chris Brown’s singing at the end of “Superhero” feels entirely disjointed and unnecessary (as his additions frequently are). 21 Savage’s monotone flow does not fit the 80’s pop style that “Creepin” is attempting to conjure. Future and Travis are underwhelming in one of the album’s later tracks, “Lock on Me,” which features an uncharacteristic, tried guitar loop from Metro

Boomin and a dearth of chemistry between the two talented emcees.

With that being said, Scott remains one of the absolute brightest points of this album, integral to many of the project’s best songs.

On the ethereal “Raindrops,” Scott’s languid, smooth hook of “Drop top in rain/ This might feel insane” does truly feel so addictive, it’s craze-inducing. On the spacey, delicate “Trance,” Scott reunites with familiar friend Young Thug as the pair effortlessly floats over Metro Boomin’s decisively airy beat. Tai-

"Tailor-made to fit the criminally complementary flows of the duo, 'Trance' is demonstrative of the producer’s unparalleled ability to provide beats that perfectly suit its rappers."

lor-made to fit the criminally complementary flows of the duo, “Trance” is demonstrative of the producer’s unparalleled ability to provide beats that perfectly suit its rappers. On the darker “Niagara Falls,” Scott and 21 Savage spit over a somber piano riff and accompanying strings about confronting uncomfortable truths. Scott says, explicitly, “Gotta keep my distance, they surrounding me/ Imma need an extra foot or two,” with Freeman returning to the picture to state, “Villains do not perceive themselves as wrong.”

Further comparing the similarities between the paths of both heroes and villains, this track feels like an acknowledgement

that the two personas, while often portrayed in opposition, sometimes share many similarities that we may not want to accept. Sometimes, someone’s fate is determined by factors entirely out of their control, leaving the blame and punishment far more difficult to assign. When someone commits a wrongdoing—hurting someone, making them cry (tears akin to “Niagara Falls”)—is this action a product of a person, or the symptom of a system that gave them little hope of heroism?

“HEROES & VILLAINS” is an album with as many layers and points of views as the graphic novels from which it takes inspiration. Embracing not only the arrogance of the villain, but also the sympathy of the hero, calling out enemies while acknowledging the pitiable circumstances that make adversaries, the producer’s latest project is far deeper and more thoughtful than the average trap album. Considering such questions, all while flawlessly assembling 13 of the rap world’s biggest superstars, deserves a tremendous amount of praise. With great power comes great responsibility, after all, and Metro Boomin certainly takes this duty seriously.

Ganesh

Image courtesy of Mario Millions via Flickr.

Ganesh Pillai/ The Miscellany News.

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Image courtesy of Sandro Luis Lorenzo ’24.

Emily Ratajkowski owns her experience in ‘My Body’

Nina Ajemian Editor-in-Chief

“My Body” is an exhalation. In her debut collection of essays, Emily Ratajkowski finally breathes out: repressed memories, indignation, youthful ambition. The result is profoundly personal, reading more as something she needed to write for herself than for anyone else.

Ratajkowski is a multi-hyphenate, with model, actor and business owner among her titles. She added New York Times bestselling author to the list with the 2021 release of “My Body.” The essay collection explores Ratajkowski’s relationships with her mother, her industry, her partners, her adolescence, her pain and herself. She dances between assertive commentary on damaging power dynamics and observant, uncritical acknowledgement of her past.

I devoured the essay collection while home last winter break. Now that I’m about to go home again—and the book is waiting for me on my desk shelf—I’ve been thinking a lot about Ratajkowski’s writing. I have loved a lot of books in my life, but I’m not sure if I’ve ever felt so seen by a piece of writing as I did with “My Body.” My life is nothing like Ratajkowski’s, and yet I found a piece of myself in her image, her words and her wonderings.

Thus, while readers may not have the same relationships as Ratajkowski, they have their own versions. There is a universality to Ratajkowski’s experiences and commentary on her body image, despite her inherently non-universal position as a public figure. It is easy to catch glimpses of yourself in reflective slivers of narrative. The rawness of her direct writing style invites readers into her world, only for them to realize that it resembles the world they themselves are living in.

While each essay could stand alone,

reading the collection cover to cover weaves elements of Ratajkowski’s patchwork narrative together. Ultimately, all essays lead back to the title of the collection: “My

power?

Unsolicited paparazzi photos, expensive artwork created using screenshots of Instagram posts or explicit Polaroids used for more than their agreed upon purpose all reveal that subjects often have very little say over the future of their own likenesses. Ratajkowski grapples with the emotionality—frustration, sadness, distance, desire— that this lack of control breeds, writing: “I will remain as the real Emily; the Emily who owns the high-art Emily, and the one who wrote this essay, too. She will continue to carve out control where she can find it.” This book is the only version of her body that Ratajkowski fully owns, and she takes full advantage of this. Unlike a two-dimensional image, which is inherently limited in its ability to depict multifacetedness, these essays have depth.

reer skyrocketed because influential men deemed her worthy (i.e. provocative, sexy, interesting, valuable) enough to have one in the first place.

Or perhaps people should care to read what Ratajkowski writes regardless of the men she has impressed. They should read her words because she skillfully strings them together. Because “My Body” is timely and sharp and relevant. Because you don’t have to be a model to have a contradictory relationship with your body and 21st-century beauty standards. Because even though these 12 essays are Ratajkowski’s relieved exhalation, we all know what it feels like to finally let go and breathe.

Body.” Ratajkowski is unafraid to profess love for her body. She is equally unafraid to protest her body and the challenges of living in it. Her writing validates both categories of experience, allowing them to coexist in conversation with one another. Both are equally worthy of her recognition.

In many ways, “My Body” feels like Ratajkowski’s attempt to gain control over her own body. This is especially relevant in the essay “Buying Myself Back,” which was published in New York Magazine prior to the book’s release. The essay, which became the magazine’s most-read piece of 2020, searches for answers to the weighted questions: Who owns an image? Who gets to control what happens to that image? And what does this say about who holds

Here, she finally becomes both muse and artist. She paints herself in different lights and does not hold back in favor of presenting a pretty image. “My position brought me in close proximity to wealth and power and brought me some autonomy, but it hasn’t resulted in true empowerment,” Ratajkowski describes. “That’s something I’ve gained only now, having written these essays and given voice to what I’ve thought and experienced.”

“My Body” is fiercely self-aware. Ratajkowski does not ignore the opportunities her career, and her body, have granted her. “Would anyone care to read what I write had I not impressed men like you?”

Ratajkowski poses in an essay responding to a photographer’s presumptuous email request. To answer her question: perhaps not. The initial allure of reading “My Body” is largely due to Ratajkowski herself. There is an undeniable intrigue in reading the thoughts behind such a recognizable face, the result of her successful career. After all, as Ratajkowski acknowledges, her ca-

Urumqi fire, restrictive COVID policies prove deadly

restrictions in the country, as many residents have been pushed to the brink by three years of forced lockdowns, quarantines and COVID tests, according to CNN. Remarkably, some protestors called for freedom of the press, democratic elections and even for President Xi Jing Ping to step down—risky declarations in an authoritarian state like China.

Protestors have taken up a striking symbol of dissent: the blank A4 paper. Blank paper serves as a symbol against censorship: If there is nothing to be said, let us say nothing at all. In an authoritarian regime where any word can be censored and anyone can be arrested for political dissonance, protestors hold up blank pieces of paper to capture not only their forced silence but also everything they hope to say without fear.

The mass presence of protests in China is remarkable. Protesting in China is not safe. The last notable nationwide protest in mainland China ended in the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. Student-led, pro-democracy protests began in the mid-1980s and involved millions of citizens who gathered in Tiananmen Square to protest against the repressive government regime. On June 4 and 5, 1989, the Chinese military was brought to quell the protests, shooting into live crowds. Thousands of people died that day, with thousands more arrested. Today, this topic is heavily censored by the Chinese government. In China, the internet is almost completely monitored by the government, with its infa-

mous firewall that blocks sites like Google, YouTube and Facebook, among others. To access these sites, citizens in the country must download a Virtual Private Network(VPNs) , a resource only the wealthy are able to access..

Vigils for the Urumqi fire and subsequent protests against COVID policies are not only occurring in China, but all over the world, wherever the Chinese diaspora has spread to. Several universities in the United States, including Duke and Columbia, held vigils on campus.

On Monday, Nov. 28, a group of Vassar students organized a vigil for the Urumqi fire. It began with several minutes of silence. The organizers distributed pamphlets describing the background of the Urumqi fire and what the vigil hopes to achieve. Student organizers also asked their peers not to take photographs, as many Chinese students present were risking their families’ safety in attending the event. Students spoke about their experiences with the Chinese COVID restrictions and read poems and prose they wrote about the lockdown. The vigil ended with a candle lighting to mourn the lives that were lost.

This issue is very personal to me. Earlier this year, I lived through the Shanghai lockdown. I was not allowed to leave the gates of my apartment compound for almost three months, from early March to June. This is not your typical lockdown; it is not the one you are imagining. My family was completely locked inside our apartment for four weeks because we had a positive COVID case in our

building. The only time we were allowed to leave our apartment to feel the sunlight and breathe in fresh air was for our daily COVID test.

To move around in China, you must hold a green health QR code proving that you tested negative for COVID in the past 72 hours. If you test positive for COVID in China, you are taken to centralized quarantine facilities, such as the Fangcang Hospital, originally the Shanghai Expo Center, which housed 4,000 beds in one massive room. There are few restrooms and zero accommodations for the elderly and disabled. If two parents test positive, their newborn infant might be left at home with no one to care for them. If a baby tests positive, they can be forcefully taken to centralized care, where one nurse takes care of over seven children.

In early 2022, a viral Weibo post detailed a hospital’s rejection of a pregnant woman because she did not have the necessary QR code. She and her baby died the next day. Hundreds of similar stories circulated around the internet, such as the story of a 14-year-old girl who died in a quarantine facility after not receiving adequate medical care for her fever, as reported by CBS. During city-wide lockdowns, most medical workers were dispersed to conduct COVID tests at every single residential compound in the city, which meant there were few left to take care of other medical needs. I personally knew people who did not have access to medications or were in long lines for much needed medical attention.

My family ordered our food through online

WeChat groups, where vegetables and rice were sent in bulk to apartment compounds. Simple vegetables like cabbage could be sold at over three times the price it usually was. The government distributed food packages, but supplies ran out quickly (and it was noted by many Chinese citizens that the expiration dates of the delivered foods were far in the past, or that the production dates were placed in the future). The problem of sustenance intensifies if you do not speak Chinese or know how to use WeChat. Thousands of elderly people living alone struggled to get food.

I remember a discussion I had with my French professor about the fire exits at the quarantine hotels, which were blocked to prevent people from escaping. We talked about the dire consequences that would occur if there was a fire at any of the hotels. To be honest, I was surprised a fire-related tragedy like this occurred so late in the nationwide lockdown.

Online discussions and protests occurred every day of our lockdown, but obviously, most viral posts were immediately taken down by the authorities. Certain codewords were censored across all Chinese social media, people had their accounts deleted, and millions of people lost their incomes. We had no voice and nowhere to go. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

As we read about the protests in Iran, the war in Ukraine and the demonstrations in China, I hope we realize the enormous amount of privilege we have to have a free voice.

Image courtesy of Macmillan Publishers.

"Ratajkowski is unafraid to profess love for her body. She is equally unafraid to protest her body and the challenges of living in it. Her writing validates both categories of experience, allowing them to coexist in conversation with one another. Both are equally worthy of her recognition."

HUMOR

Breaking News

From the desk of Madi Donat, Humor Editor

Holiday shopping for the terminally

Alyssa Willeford Gift-Giving God

Well, it’s that time of year again. Do you celebrate one of the Unspecified Wintry Holidays™? Does said holiday happen to involve gift-giving? If so, you’ll currently be plunging into the ho-ho-holly jolly hell of holiday shopping, hoping against hope that you can find a gift for each of the important people in your life. These gifts have to be just so: cheap enough not to be awkward, expensive enough not to offend, personalized enough to warm the heart, but also useful enough not to just create clutter. In other words, they have to be perfect–and don’t forget, the stakes are immense. There’s nothing worse than smiling awkwardly as a close friend looks up in disbelief after unwrapping their container of vintage 1993 Cool Whip, or their fishbowl-sole disco shoes or their rhinestone-studded iguana harness. Don’t strike out yet again; follow my holiday shopping tips to make the season bright!

But first, a confession: I am terrible at holiday shopping. If you’ve ever bought anyone a gift, you know that the instant you begin to consider the question of what to get them, you realize just how difficult it is to find something good for even your closest friends. Ev-

eryone has hobbies and interests, of course, but you know far less about another person’s hobbies and interests than they do. Maybe there’s an avid cheese sculpture carver in your life, but how on Earth do you know that you’re getting them the right thickness of cheese wire? Which variety of cheese do they usually work with, and how might that affect your choice? And do you even use cheese wire to carve cheese sculptures? That was sort of an assumption you were rolling with, but now, as you think about it, you’re realizing that maybe it’s not such a sure shot after all.

ally, though, how many chocolate bars and pairs of socks and scented candles does the average person need? The answer is: probably not as many as they’re going to receive from the horde of other desperate gift-givers this holiday season. Remember, for as much as you’re struggling, so is everybody else!

See how difficult this is?

If you don’t go the hobbies-and-interests route, though, you’re left with attempting to find something generic and inoffensive. Re-

No, it’s clear that you’re going to need a Nondenominational Holiday Miracle to find the perfect gift for that special person. That’s why I’m about to give you the perfect gift right now, in the form of my Hot Tip to end all Hot Tips: my foolproof, sure-shot, failsafe, one-hundred-percent perfect method for finding a great gift each and every time, a gift that says “I care about you,” but not in a weird and creepy way if you’re not really that close to the person, but also not in an impersonal and distant way if you ARE close to them, and yet definitely not in a way that leads them to suspect that you just got the same thing for everyone else on your holiday gifting list, which you definitely did that one year after you won that palette of Beach-Fun-scented Yankee Candles in a raffle drawing, so you’re already in the doghouse and need to tread carefully.

If you haven’t caught on yet, the Hot Tip is this: Stall for time. It’s socially acceptable to show up, apologetically, on the big day and

plead that you definitely ordered the perfect thing, but that it just hasn’t quite arrived yet. If the person forgets all about your purported gift in the holiday chaos, then mission accomplished; if not, you can pull out the big guns and divulge that it’s something that hasn’t quite come out yet. Make it sound as though you’re going to get them a really great gift, like a copy of the new “Legend of Zelda” game, or a spot at a midnight-release party for “Despicable Me 4,” or tickets to the One Direction reunion tour that’s definitely, definitely going to happen at some point. It’s going to be just peachy, if only they can be patient for a little while longer. Repeat ad nauseam until you both die of old age.

The fact is, anticipation of a great gift is almost as good as the actual gift itself. As long as you can keep the ruse up, you’ll be doing something nice for them, more or less! And if this all seems like a cop-out to you: Look, the holidays are hard. Rather than just getting presents for other people, why not give yourself the gift of rest, relaxation and peace of mind? Telling endless lies is a small price to pay for a little success in life. Speaking of which, have I told you about my surefire new cryptocurrency offering? It’s going to the moon!

Visit these famous geographical lines over winter break!

Nicholas Tillinghast Earth Inhabitant

Alot of students will probably find themselves sitting around the house during winter break, enjoying the holiday spirit, but I must tell you, there’s another way. There are five famous geographical lines just waiting for you to visit them. And they will be pleased to see you.

The Equator

It’s hard to talk about famous geographical lines without mentioning this instant classic. Coming in at zero degrees latitude, this is probably my favorite geographical line and the top line for many Geoliners out there. Not many lines can say that they span the entire circumference of the globe, and do so in such a major way. We call it winter break, but cross over the equator and they’re celebrating something I like to call summer. I recommend visiting the equator in either Ecuador, Kenya or anywhere in the Pacific Ocean–it’s one of our finest oceans.

Prime Meridian

If you ever wanted to build a giant knife and chop the earth in half, this is where you would want to do it. Sitting at zero degrees longitude, this cut would effectively split Great Britain in half (fine by me, they’ve had it too good for too long.) I recommend visiting the Prime Meridian in Ghana, because it has easy boat access into our middling Atlantic Ocean, where you can go out to the famed “Prime Meridian-Equator intersection.” This is a wonderful opportunity to visit the equator again. The equator will appreciate it.

Montana-Idaho Border

This one goes out to all the Americans out there. This is a top three U.S. state border that doesn’t play by the rules. It’s both extremely crooked and quite curvy, and best of all, it looks vaguely like a face on the Montana side. As far as borders go, this is one of the least controversial out there–and we should applaud them for that.

Meridian (feel free to use that one). While the Prime Meridian is straight as can be, the International Date Line is shifty and crooked, accommodating Oceania as well as the longness of Russia. If you’ve ever wanted to be as far away from the Prime Meridian as possible, this is the place to be.

Tropic of Cancer (Don’t go to it!)

I really only included this one in here to say that it's completely overrated and that you shouldn’t visit it. People always tell

me, “Oh, I just visited the Tropic of Cancer–best vacation of my life!” and then they show me a bunch of pictures of them at the line. Big whoop. As someone who's visited the Tropic of Cancer, take it from me—there’s really nothing there.

Skip the holiday festivities this year, and talk to your local travel agent about visiting these famous geographical lines (except the Tropic of Cancer). You’ll have plenty of line anecdotes to share when you return to campus!

Arctic Circle

Don’t let the name fool you-—sometimes lines make circles. This is easily one of the coldest of the famed geographic lines— bring mittens. I recommend visiting this line on the winter solstice where every year, the sun decides not to show up for an entire day. That’s pretty cool.

International Date Line

This is one funky line. On one side of it, it’s another terrible Tuesday and on the other, it’s wacky Wednesday. Coming in at 180 degrees longitude, the International Date Line is like the evil twin of the Prime

The semester is almost over, which is proof that time must be fake because there’s no way we’re doing finals already

clueless

Nicholas Tillinghast/The Miscellany News.

"It’s clear that you’re going to need a Nondenominational Holiday Miracle to find the perfect gift for that special person."

"Skip the holiday festivities this year, and talk to your local travel agent about visiting these famous geographical lines."

ARIES

March 21 | April 19

TAURUS April 20 | May 20

HUMOR

HOROSCOPES

Madi Donat Astral Projector

Sometimes it feels like everything is falling apart. There’s drama all around, whether we are involved or not. In these times, it can be nice to find the humor in all the stress. Next time you think you (or those close to you) may lose it, provide a trusty joke. This will create a sense of calm and maybe also get people mad at you. Oops.

LIBRA

September 23 | October 22

It’s nice to feel like everyone loves you. It’s also nice to feel like everyone wants to hang out with you right now. It’s less nice knowing that you and everyone else are busier than God and thus cannot hang out. Try to do some fun friend studying, or wake up early to get breakfast with people. Or just abandon your finals.

GEMINI May 21 | June 20

Are you comparing yourself to others a lot recently? Don’t do that! I mean, obviously. But sometimes we can’t help it. If you find yourself screaming and wailing because you’re creating a false competition inside of your brain, remember that the world isn’t ending, and you aren’t a terrible person. It’s just December.

SCORPIO October 23 | November 21

When faced with much work, our tendency can be to avoid everyone and be alone. But that’s not helpful! We need human contact to live. You should have a party once finals are over. Possible themes: Dip (everyone brings their favorite dip). Actually, I think that’s the only theme you need. Dip party or no party.

Are you feeling particularly volatile recently? Do you hate the idea of having to sit still and think about anything like, I don’t know, your finals coming up? Keeping yourself busy is nice but can only help you for so long. Don’t turn to new, drastic measures to run from your feelings. The tried and true ways work perfectly fine, after all.

CANCER June 21 | July 22

Starting can be the hardest part. (Assignments, workouts, getting out of bed…) But don’t worry: Once you’ve started, you’ve started! Of course, you have to start first. If you struggle with getting out of bed, chuck your phone across the room in the morning. Do not sue me for monetary damages to your technology, though.

SAGITTARIUS November 22 | December 21

Impulses run high this week. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—we all have moments where all we want to do is chill and get trashed. But consider giving in to your impulses in more creative ways. If you want adrenaline, start telling lies instead of doing drugs. How long can you last before they find out? I’m on the edge of my seat.

CAPRICORN December 22 | January 19

Are you struggling to articulate your emotions? When you get upset or stressed, is your first instinct to shut down rather than explain yourself to others? Well, no more! This week, if you’re feeling upset, make it everyone’s problem. Scream, wail, thrash, explode. Don’t let anyone stop you. It’s your right.

LEO July 23 | August 22

VIRGO

August 23 | September 22

Now is the time to unabashedly argue (sorry, debate) with your friends about pointless nonsense. Interrogate what words mean only to use their own definitions against them. That’s what college is about. If you suck at arguing, this will just make you better. And you won’t lose friends, maybe. Probably. No, yeah, for sure.

Spotify Wrapped is out! I like looking at mine, because there are always various periods where I listen to one song on repeat for months on end. That’s how J.S. Bach ended up on my top artists sandwiched between Maisie Peters and MUNA. Before you judge, listen to the first movement of the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto. He put drugs in there.

AQUARIUS

January 20 | February 18

PISCES

February 19 | March 20

Exhausted? Burnt out, even? Too bad! It’s just like Katy Perry said: Just because it’s over doesn’t mean it’s really over. She meant that about a relationship, but I mean it about papers and things. You do all this work for a final, but then guess what? Boom. Another one. It’s a scary world out there. Be safe. Get some Vitamin C.

Discomfort may run high this week. The cold has been making me achy and itchy, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. If you go for a walk, your problems probably won’t go away, but at least you will have gone for a walk. And maybe you can listen to that one song you’re obsessed with and not think about how you want to claw your dry arms off.

Know before you go (to the Raymond first floor bathroom)

Emma San Filippo Habitual Restroom User

Did you know that the average person spends a year and a half of their lives in the bathroom, according to Immerse? Although that may not seem like a lot compared to the average human lifespan, I still think it’s important that every bathroom experienceTM is a good one. Unfortunately, some bathrooms make this quite difficult, as I’ve learned after living in Raymond for the past few months. Here are some things to know before you have the Raymond First Floor Bathroom Experience:

1. The door can’t open all the way due to the stalls blocking it. It gives me flashbacks to my tiny Jewett suite bedroom when my door would collide with the leg of my bed whenev-

er I opened it.

2. That reminds me—the stalls themselves are so small that I’m convinced airlines are using them as models for their plane seats in order to squeeze as many passengers on their planes as possible. At least I don’t have to worry about anyone reclining their seat on me here, I guess…

3. The arrays of spiders and cobwebs. I appreciate the Halloween decorations, but it’s December…time to take them down now… come on…

4. We have a bathtub! I recoil at the thought that at some point in Vassar’s history, someone may have sat in it. Fun fact—the shower stall with the bathtub is the only one I use because the other stalls are dark due to the bathroom’s poor lighting and give me

the heebie-jeebies. I often fear that a demon might actually appear while I’m washing my hair.

5. One of these other shower stalls contains two completely separate shower units in the same stall. It’s perfect if you want to shower with your partner but leave room for the Holy Spirit.

6. The loud and incessant fan!! It’s the only fan in the bathroom and, to my knowledge, the only fan of the bathroom!

Well, there you have it, folks. All of the lovely things that make the Raymond First Floor Bathroom ExperienceTM one-of-a-kind. I hope this article inspires you to take your bathroom at home for granted less often…and to think twice before submitting an application to change houses during room draw season!

Poetry Corner

Anna Kozloski

THE END

She swings above, from bough to bough, And sweetly sings, “The end is now!”

Emma San Filippo/The Miscellany News.

OPINIONS

Public transit is cheaper than college-provided shuttle

Harrison Walker Guest Reporter

As we jump into the holidays, most of us are antsy to get the heck out of dodge after finals. If you tend to head out of America’s favorite B-tier flying option in New York City (NYC), the infamous LaGuardia Airport (LGA), then this article is for you. While Vassar College offers a shuttle to LGA for the not-insignificant cost of $50, I implore you to take a moment to consider public transit options instead that can get you there in a bit more time, but for under half the cost. Yeah, I’m not kidding—it’s half the cost. If you look closer, NYC commuter transit is incredibly useful for travel, and the route from campus to LGA is not that difficult.

First, Vassar’s shuttles to Poughkeepsie Station are completely free, making the first step of your journey free of cost. And if the timing of those shuttles doesn’t work for you, try the bus. It surprises me how few students realize that the entire Dutchess County bus system is free to use with the presentation of a Vassar ID. According to Dutchess County Public Transit, the L Route (Main Street Shuttle) stops at campus and runs around much of Poughkeepsie’s downtown. It’s about a 16 minute bus ride on the Eastbound option, and it’s cheaper than whatever you can get from a company like Lyft or Uber, costing on average just over $10 according to AboutList.org. Once you’re at the train station, you’ll want to ride the MTA Metro-North into the city. Trains leave Poughkeepsie station on the 45th minute of each hour, (8:45, 9:45, etc) and it will take about an hour and 45 minutes to get into the city. If you travel in off-peak hours, the ticket is only $19.25, as opposed to $25.75 for peak hours, according

to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. If you ride the train all the way to Grand Central Terminal, you can access any train option from the heart of Manhattan, including the NYC Subway, which can take you just about anywhere (including JFK). Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Hey transit geek Harrison, doesn’t LaGuardia famously not have a metro stop?” to which I respond, “The metro isn’t the only public transportation in the city! Try the M60!”

If you instead stop at Harlem/125th St. (right before Grand Central) and walk a block and a half to the 125 St./Lexington Ave. bus stop, you can board the M60-SBS (Select Bus Service) which services LaGuardia airport. This is the only part of the journey that requires a little bit of navigation, but I promise it’s super simple. It’s a three-minute, 0.1-mile walk to the bus stop, as seen in the Google Maps screenshot. The bus fare is $1.50, and you can board with luggage because plenty of New Yorkers use the bus to get in and out of LGA too. It will stop throughout Queens before stopping at Terminals D, C, B and A, in that order. From Lexington Ave., the journey is about 30 minutes. Then you can go catch your flight! I’ve made this journey at least 5 times now, and nothing has gone wrong yet.

If you want your trip to be even simpler, download OMNY, MYmta and TrainTime on your phone. OMNY, or One Metro New York, is a contactless payment system for all NYC public transit, including metro and bus, per the website. I registered my smart wallet credit card with OMNY and can tap to pay and enter the bus or metro system easily. While designed for frequent travelers, it makes using NYC transit infinitely more convenient. MYmta and TrainTime are both available on the Apple App Store and Google Play for your smart device, ac-

cording to the MTA. TrainTime can help you buy online tickets and search for departures for Metro-North and other trains. MYmta serves a similar purpose, and you can use it to track the location of the next arriving subway, train or bus that you need to catch. After I arrive in Harlem on the Metro-North, I use MYmta to see how long I have to wait at the bus stop before the bus gets there, and it makes the process less stressful.

Looking at the total cost of the journey, it’s $19.25 plus $1.50, assuming you’re off-peak, and $25.75 plus $1.50 during peak times, totaling to either $20.75 or $27.25, both a pretty penny less than the $50 one-way shuttle Vassar offers. And while the shuttle runs at only specific times, you can leave campus early using these options if your finals schedule allows you to. According to Google Maps, it will take between an hour and

a half to two hours by car using the shuttle, while the public transit will take likely twoand-a-half hours, so the shuttle is certainly faster and more convenient. But supporting public transportation is very important now more than ever: Metro-North is currently at 80% of its pre-pandemic ridership, and the subway and bus ridership range between 54% and 73% of what it had before COVID-19 hit, according to the MTA. These vital, publicly run systems are facing much less use, and in order to maintain them, it's important that we use them wherever possible.

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of an extra $20-30 saved, and give yourself the gift of public transit—because it ought to be valued. The Vassar shuttle is easier, but it’s worth looking at all the options before making the decision that works best for you and your travel plans.

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

Where does religion fit for students at Vassar?

Emma daRosa Guest Reporter

Vassar is known for its small population of forward-thinking, curious, academically driven students. This population is, in many ways, a paragon of small liberal arts colleges. There are many qualities that make up a typical Vassar student. One of these assumed characteristics is a decisive lack of religiosity—you’ll be hard-pressed to find many staunchly religious students on our campus. The religious communities that do exist on campus are generally small and, if you aren’t looking for them, can be difficult to find. All of this contributes to the perception that religion doesn’t play a role in most Vassar students’ experiences. In reality, religion and the liberal arts are, in many ways, inextricably linked.

Vassar students preach tolerance, but of course, this tolerance has limits. Unfortunately, for many students, this limit exists where religion begins. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the discomfort that a religious presence can bring. Many of us chose Vassar with the intent of joining a community that didn’t center religion. As a queer woman who grew up in a primarily Mormon community, I know as well as anyone the pain that religious communities can inflict on outsiders. Escaping the prying eyes of my friends’ mothers and the incessant knocking of missionaries seemed like a dream when I first arrived on campus. I know that I was not alone in this feeling of freedom. Many of my peers expressed similar pleasure at joining a group of people who seemed perfectly content to ig-

nore the looming presence that religion has in so many places across the country. There was a sudden lack of shame and pressure to live by someone else’s rules. We could all just be.

The problem is, whether we like it or not, religion has played a key role in the development of the communities that we come from. It is effectively impossible to find a place in the world that hasn’t been shaped by religion in some form or another. Vassar is a bubble. We are not always going to live in this utopian secular environment. In order for our liberal arts curriculum to truly be successful, all of us must, at one point or another, reckon with religious influences, and there is no better time or place to do that than right here and right now. Vassar students are privileged to be in an environment where the very best of religious communities are on display. For me, Vassar was the first place I had ever seen joyful interfaith collaboration. Just last weekend at the annual Service of Lessons and Carols, students from a range of religious organizations acted as readers for the service. And at the newly opened Pratt House, students from all kinds of faith backgrounds are invited to break bread, pray, meditate and build community together. This collaborative faith community is one that is hard to replicate in day-to-day life. It is by virtue of being on this campus that students are able to find such radical acceptance.

The interfaith collaboration on campus allows for religious students to explore their faith in a way they may never have been able to before. There is space to ask whatever questions you want, to stop or start attending

services, to pray in new ways and to explore new communities you may not have even heard of. The liberal arts curriculum at Vassar means that students can take a religion course and learn about what they’ve been taught their whole lives from a new perspective. This is especially key. For many of us, this is the first time we are able to explore these questions in an academic setting. Faithful students are given new, safe ways to explore their faith and allow it to change and grow with them, in and outside of the classroom. But then, where does this leave students who are not religious?

There is no obligation to partake in any religious exploration in college, especially not at Vassar, and many students never will. That being said, these students will, in time, be forced to face the way they perceive and interact with religious people. Vassar provides a new perspective of religiosity for all students, faithful or not. I have yet to find or hear of a truly hateful expression of religion at Vassar. This is wonderful, but not really representative of the world we’re going to find ourselves in after graduation. Religion can be a breeding ground for intolerance, but the solution is not to respond with more intolerance. Religion is ingrained into daily life for many people; it is something we’re all going to face in the real world. A liberal arts education should prepare us for this reality. As Willis J. King says of religion and social issues in “The Place of Religion in the Liberal Arts College”: “All of these problems must be in the purview of any institution that proposes to prepare for the serious business of living. The Liberal Arts College, our best-equipped institution for this

purpose, cannot escape its responsibility in this matter.”

At first glance, it may seem that religion has no real place at Vassar. It’s a community of generally open-minded and progressive students. These adjectives are not usually what first come to mind when thinking of religious communities. Vassar’s religious communities challenge these preconceived notions. Exposure to this new, accepting form of religiosity is a privilege that comes with being a student at Vassar. Vassar has whatever space for religion that any individual needs it to have. All of us are lucky to have the opportunity to challenge and explore our own relationship (or lack thereof) with religion, however that may look. This is a keystone of a liberal arts education that we should all be taking advantage of.

The opinions expressed above do not represent those of The Miscellany News as a whole. MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE

OPINIONS

Don't downplay your heavy workoad

Britt Andrade Guest Reporter

As another finals season looms over the Vassar campus, I find myself thinking about the pressures existing in the dorms and study spaces of our community. We hear a lot about self care during finals because we put a ton of pressure on ourselves to do well, but what about the rest of the year? How are we managing our expectations for our work and mental health on the regular? For me, that means not downplaying my workload. I'm busy. I have papers to write, I'm active in my student org, I write for the paper, I have a work-study job, and I'm raising a rambunctious toddler. I'm busy. But you know what I tell people when they ask how I'm doing? I say I'm fine. I tell them that I'm handling it or that I have a great support system. If someone tells me it sounds like a lot of work, I have the habit of saying that it’s not that much. While I do have a great support system, telling people that it’s all fine isn’t doing me any favors, and it’s not fair to my peers.

I’m not the only one who does this. Everyone I’ve talked to about finals has given me a laundry list of things they need to finish before winter break. They always follow it up with reassurance that they can handle it and that it’s not actually that bad. With all of us telling each other we’re fine, it’s no surprise that students choose to suffer in silence. We aren’t valuing ourselves, our time, our energy or our minds when we downplay the work. Worse, we’re setting ourselves up to repeat the cycle forever. I’ve been downplaying my accomplishments and my work ethic for literal decades and do you know what it gave me? Anxiety and an inability to say no to others. Society has us schooled into believing that to talk can-

didly about our accomplishments is to be conceited and to speak honestly about our workload is just complaining. So we dismiss our stresses in favor of a brave front. Society is even harder on feminine-presenting people and people of color in its expectations. Motherhood has made me keenly aware of the levels of martyrdom I’m expected to reach instead of complaining. So how do we, as a community, become more honest about our workload and the stressors that come with it? Personally,

I’ve started trying to be more honest about my schedule. It’s not easy. I want to dismiss how hard it can be to juggle life, but this urge is important to resist. By being honest about my workload, I’ve found I’m less likely to take on too much. More importantly, because I’m being honest about how much I’m doing, I’m valuing myself a lot more realistically. I’m less willing to work for free and more willing to actually clock how much work I’m doing each week. I’ve even managed to get to the gym

this week because I’m not agreeing to too many projects. I forgot what relaxing felt like. So as we all go home for the holidays to communities and families that don’t value us enough, I ask that we try to value ourselves. Don’t let society place a dollar sign on your time or your energy. Be honest about how hard you’re working and the amazing things that have or will come from it. You’re crushing this school thing and this life thing, and you deserve to talk about it with a caveat.

Trends in anti-transgender sentiments have severe consequences

Miller Dauk Guest Reporter

The last decade has proven to be a complex time for the transgender community. Transgender and nonbinary people are becoming increasingly visible, yet vulnerable; socially acceptable, yet legally suppressed; outspoken, yet unheard. Negative representation in the media and a growing amount of anti-transgender legislation in recent years have made strides to undermine the trans experience.

This complexity has only increased since the internet started to be used as a source of discourse for human rights issues. Transgender people are constantly ridiculed and targeted in today’s society, which to no surprise has been exacerbated by popular media sources. The internet has made information more accessible, and with accessibility comes visibility. Visibility efforts that the transgender community has control of have been helpful in terms of mutual aid, connection, knowledge-sharing and gains in affirmative policy.

For example, March 31 honors International Transgender Day of Visibility. According to the Human Rights Campaign, trans visibility is an effort to counter the invisibility of trans and nonbinary people, and to acknowledge that when trans people are represented, they are portrayed in a negative light, outsiders from mainstream society.

Past and present negative portrayals of trans people have severe consequences on us and our livelihoods, as it’s common that both transgender and cisgender people learn about the existence of trans and nonbinary people

through the media. This representation impacts the security and well-being of members of the community in a multitude of ways, threatening physical safety, financial stability and mental health, to name a few. As transgender people are receiving more unwanted representation, it is no surprise that legislation has followed suit to match conservative sentiments. Anti-transgender bills target transgender and nonbinary people to discriminate against them by undermining their fundamental rights to personal safety, bodily autonomy and, overall, the right to live freely.

188 anti-transgender bills have been introduced in 2022 thus far. 188.

The term “record-breaking” has become common in anti-trans legislation reporting in recent years, as bills are being introduced at exponential levels. As of Dec. 2, 2022, the American Civil Liberties Union has recorded 188 introduced pieces of anti-trans legislation for the year. That is 57 bills more than in 2021 and 128 bills more than in 2020. This trend is not expected to cease anytime soon, given today’s worrisome sociopolitical climate. Proposed restrictions are disturbing, as they aim to strip basic human rights from the transgender community, including restrictions to healthcare, athletics, educational curriculums and access to single-sex facilities.

It is exhausting to think about how these thoughts and policies affect the trans experience. A little personal narrative feels appropriate to explain what these effects look like on a small scale. Hi, my name is Miller, and I use he/they pronouns. I am pre-hormone replacement therapy and top surgery, which, in

some cases, are considered life-saving treatments for transgender individuals. I often feel disconnected from my body. This is common for trans people who deal with gender dysphoria. I should be able to look in the mirror and understand what is being reflected, yet every day I stand genuinely confused. If I were able to access masculinizing treatments, I am confident that this confusion would alleviate. But for now, the media and Catholic rhetoric have influenced my family’s perception and will keep me from safely accessing treatment. It is a scary thought, not knowing when I will be able to safely start my physical transition— and not knowing how long I can mentally last without it. I struggle to wriggle a binder onto my chest and throw on a baggy T-shirt most mornings to start my day. Over the years, this process has developed into it being hard to breathe with the binder on or off, as its use has affected my ribs and lungs. Though harmful, it eases my dysphoria in an almost euphoric manner, so the process continues. These are common experiences for trans males, and while a binder is one technique to masculinize one’s chest, many other techniques put the user at more serious bodily harm. Transness is beautiful, yet so very costly.

Being transgender is not just a fad or a phase as the media often paints it to be. It is not a sin nor a reflection of bad parenting. And it most certainly is not a choice. Why would anyone choose to live such an isolated life? To live in a body that feels like someone else's, with no one able to fully understand those thoughts, almost seems like a curse. As if scrutiny from society wasn’t enough, the weight of 188 pro-

posed bills attempting to dehumanize you surely would have you “choose” against it. And unfortunately, the weight can become unbearable. As I mentioned earlier, this kind of treatment can be life-saving. Data from the National Library of Medicine indicates that 82 percent of transgender individuals have considered suicide, with 40 percent having attempted. I introduce those numbers not as a correlation to treatment access, but to show how negative portrayal, legislation, interpersonal relations and mental health crises affect the trans community.

I await the day that my siblings in the transgender and nonbinary community—especially those from marginalized racial and cultural backgrounds—and I can live without fear. I await the day when stares turn into smiles. I await the day when no explanation is needed. I await the day when there are no hate-fueled killings. I await the day when our government recognizes us as people. I await the day when society stops beating us down and lifts us up. And I await the day to unapologetically be myself.

The opinions expressed above do not represent those of The Miscellany News as a whole.

Monika Sweeney/The Miscellany News.

Image courtesy of Humanitate eta Hezkuntza Zientzien Fakultatea via Wikimedia Commons.

Women’s rugby captures second consecutive national title

son.

In 2021, the Brewers finished the season 15-1, with dominant wins over the Coast Guard Academy in the National semi-final and Temple University in the championship.

This season, Vassar finished the season 13-1 and handily defeated Temple in the semi-final and the Coast Guard in the National Championship game.

But while the results might be near duplicates, the two championship rosters are far from identical.

“I think the most satisfying aspect about earning this championship is the fact that over half the squad are rugby rookies,” Head Coach Tony Brown told The Miscellany News in an email correspondence. Of the team’s 38 players, 21 were new to collegiate rugby when the fall semester began.

“The upperclassmen this September did a wonderful job recruiting freshmen and others to join the team,” Brown said.

When fielding such a young team, no matter how evident the athlete’s natural ability for the game might be, lack of game experience is bound to emerge as an obstacle. This was only furthered by the fact that many of the players that did return to the roster from last season lost opportunities to gain competition experience because of COVID-19.

“The focus each year is about quality of performance, but this particular squad was very short on game experience on account of losing the Spring 2019 semester and the academic year of 2020-21. So the major challenge was organization, i.e. game management,” Brown admitted.

The 27th year coach praised senior leadership for adeptly conquering that obstacle.

“Captains Kasey Drake and Louise Am-

bler, both seniors, had the least amount of game experience of any leadership team of the past 25 years, but they grew into the role and led the team admirably.”

This year’s team had every reason to excuse the 2022 season, brushing off expectations of success as unrealistic. Instead, the program flexed its strength as a perennial playoff team that has made the Division II Final Four in nine of the last 10 seasons.

As the man largely credited with build-

ing both the women’s and men’s rugby programs at Vassar, Brown takes pride in the legacies that he has empowered his athletes to create by forming such a successful program.

“The lasting legacy of this leadership will be the players they recruited to the team, the joyous atmosphere they have created of being a member of the squad and that attention to detail with basic rugby skills will provide opportunity for success,” Brown

said. “A great legacy for sure.”

Now as a back-to-back national champion, Brown is also looking ahead to what the future holds for Vassar women’s rugby. And after such an inspired season, he has every reason to be optimistic.

“There is a lot of enthusiasm allied with a real sense of journey and purpose. We have only four seniors so if the current squad sticks with the program, and works hard, they can be highly competitive.”

Bringing human rights into focus at the World Cup

Jacques Abou-Rizk News Editor

Every four years, the world is united for the only global fútbol tournament: the FIFA World Cup. As with every other aspect of life, the pandemic and rising political instability around the world have taken a toll on the widely-anticipated global competition.

A new Netflix series, “FIFA Uncovered,” takes a deep dive into the power struggles and global politics necessary for FIFA to hold such a prestigious tournament. Undoubtedly, issues of corruption and political interference have interfered with the enjoyment of the game we all love. And no, I am not referring to American football (The Super Bowl: 100 million viewers. The World Cup: 3.6 billion viewers, according to Statista.)

But as the global economy slowly recovers from pandemic times, political uproar has sparked a rise in voices around the world. In China, protests have rocked President Xi Jinping and his zero-COVID policies. Young crowds are wondering just how far to push for their freedom, as reported by The Wall Street Journal

In Iran, conservative Sunni women are joining progressive protestors against the brutal oppression of women in the country, a result of the killing of a 22-year-old woman last year. According to Al Jazeera, “[A]s Iran competes in the 2022 World Cup, politics are on the pitch.”

And while the pandemic has been on the decline for a while now, this juxtaposition

between politics and sports has been reignited with Qatar’s already controversial World Cup, given allegations of corruption and human rights violations, according to Reuters.

In a highly controversial speech, FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended Qatar, saying, “Reform and change takes time. It took hundreds of years in our countries in Europe. It takes time everywhere, the only way to get results is by engaging … not by shouting.” Human rights groups have since spoken out against FIFA and Qatar’s reportedly dangerous conditions for migrant workers, according to CNN.

Perhaps no moment of tension was more direct than when an Iranian journalist confronted Captain of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team’s (USMNT) Tyler Adams, who identifies as Black, at a press conference before the teams faced off in a vital Game Three of the Group Stages.

According to Newsweek and multiple other outlets, the Iranian journalist said, "First of all, you say you support the Iranian people, but you're pronouncing our country's name wrong," Javanmardi said. "Our country is named ur·aan, not eye·ran. Please, once and for all, let's get this clear." Then, he asked Adams, “Are you OK to be representing the U.S., meanwhile, there’s so much discrimination happening against Black people in America?”

While the journalist put Adams in a spot that tokenized him and aimed to take advantage of his position, he does indirectly bring up a valid point about human rights abuses: They should be condemned everywhere.

We have a tendency, especially in the West and the United States, to point out the errors of other countries, while failing to acknowledge our own history of slavery and oppression. There’s an urgency to address the historical lack of reparation and action against the racism and abuses ingrained in our country.

Adams’ response to the journalist was brilliant and deeply respectable: In short, he said, “[In the U.S.], we're continuing to make progress every single day.” If you haven’t seen the interaction between the two, I highly encourage you to do so. Their comments should be used like a guide for international cooperation against inhumane conditions of any sort.

But what is helpless is the United States’ performative social justice—in the form of

altering the Iranian Flag to remove the word “Allah” from the center in a tweet of their group standing, according to NPR.

Besides angering many Iranians, who called for the United States to be disqualified from the tournament, the action did very little to change the course of events. The tweet was removed. Iranians are still suffering from an authoritarian regime. Americans are no more aware of the issues at stake than they were before. As Adams described to the Iranian journalist: “[O]bviously it takes longer to understand and through education, I think it's super important. Like you just educated me now on the pronunciation of your country.” It’s not wrong for the United States to seek to assist those fighting for equal rights, but it must be done leading by example.

Karen Mogami/The Miscellany News.

Image courtesy of Nina Fishman '25.

As the NFL season winds down, who are the real contenders?

Doug Cobb Sports Editor

Week 13 of the NFL season has come and gone, and while there is still plenty of season left for teams to either take a step forward into contention or collapse into irrelevancy, we now have a much clearer playoff picture than we did just a couple weeks ago. With less than a third of the season remaining, it is time to ask: Who can win it all? You could simply look at the standings, but records can be deceiving, especially this year. Heading into Week 13, there have been 79 games decided by six points or fewer in 2022, an NFL record, according to its website. There are 14 playoff spots (seven per conference) and 32 teams fighting for them, so let’s take a look at our contenders.

AFC Initially, the AFC seemed to have one or two main frontrunners, but as the season progressed, we have seen more and more parity from this conference. The Kansas City Chiefs (9-3) and Buffalo Bills (9-3) still seem to be the frontrunners, but the gap between them and the rest of the pack is not so large anymore.

Heading into this past weekend, the Chiefs had won five straight games and were cruising behind superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes. But they lost a tight game on Sunday to the Cincinnati Bengals, and although they have a lot of wins, they haven’t been crushing their opponents and don’t have very many wins against good teams. The Chiefs have lost to the Bills and now the Bengals, arguably the two best teams they have played all year. However, they are taking care of business against bad teams, and both of those Chiefs losses were by four points or less. There isn’t any reason to worry too much about Kansas City, but they do seem mortal. Having said that, the Chiefs hold a comfortable lead in their division (which has been weak despite all the preseason hype around the Broncos and Chargers) and are still very much in the conversation for the AFC’s number one seed. They still look like the strongest team in the AFC to me, if not the entire NFL.

The Buffalo Bills currently hold the number one seed in the AFC, in addition to clinging to a one- game lead in their division. The Bills have looked quite good all year, with a couple of strong wins against the aforementioned Chiefs and their fellow division leaders the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) and Tennessee Titans (7-5). However, they lost a very winnable game a few weeks ago when quarterback Josh Allen fumbled on his own goal line against the Minnesota Vikings late in the fourth quarter. They also lost to their division rivals, the Miami Dolphins (8-4), who are breathing down their necks for the division title. They still have one more game against Miami to prove they are the top dogs in the AFC East, and they are coming off a strong road win against their much-hated rivals the New England Patriots, who themselves are a decent team. The biggest concern with the Bills is health. They recently placed star LB Von Miller on injured reserve (IR), and although the team expects him to come back in January, in time for the playoffs, it is anybody’s guess as to whether or not he will be able to perform at 100 percent capacity. Additionally,

Josh Allen is dealing with a UCL strain in his right elbow. Although he never missed any games for it, and it seems to be improving, he has not played as strongly since he suffered the injury and any time a QB hurts their elbow, it is a huge cause for concern. That said, assuming Allen doesn’t have any

setbacks, I would still pick the Bills as one of the favorites in the AFC.

The Miami Dolphins are in second place in the AFC East, just one game behind the Bills. At 8-4, the Dolphins have had some real ups and downs this season. They started off 3-0, with wins against the Bills and Ravens, and looked like the best team in the NFL to start the season. But then in a Week Four game against the Bengals, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a horrific concussion and was hospitalized mid-game. Including the game where he was injured, the Dolphins lost three straight games and fell to 3-3. But then Tagovailoa returned to the field, and the Dolphins rattled off five straight wins. They are coming off a loss to a good 49ers team, and seem to be in good shape overall these days. Their true test will come against the Bills in Week 15. If they can win that game, they will likely win the division. Either way, I would certainly expect them to at least be a wildcard team. The Dolphins have the potential to make some noise in the playoffs.

“Brian Daboll seems to be a good Head Coach who has the rebuilding Giants ahead of schedule, QB Taylor Heinecke continues to be a great underdog story for Washington and the whole NFL has enjoyed seeing a late career resurgence from Seahawks QB Geno Smith.”

The Baltimore Ravens are one of the more frustrating teams in the NFL. They sit atop the AFC North with an 8-4 record, which is good, but in those four losses they blew fourth-quarter leads of nine points to the Jaguars, 10 points to the Giants, 21 points to the Dolphins and a 10-point second-half lead to the Bills. Two of those teams are strong contenders, and two of them are mediocre. The Ravens leave a lot to be desired despite their talent, and things just got a whole lot more complicated in Week 13 when quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a knee injury. While likely not season-ending, a knee injury is still a huge cause for concern, especially for a QB who relies so much on his running. Additionally, the Ravens don’t have much breathing room in the division standings, so even a missed game or two from Jackson could cost the Ravens big time. I think the Ravens will definitely make the playoffs, but probably as a wild card at this point, and I don’t trust them at all once the playoffs roll around. They could be looking at a first round exit. Next up in the AFC North are the Cincinnati Bengals (8-4), who had a slow start to the season but have gotten hot recently and are coming off a huge win against the Chiefs. Since they started 0-2, quarterback Joe Burrow has been on fire, throwing 22 touchdowns (TD) to just four interceptions (INT) with a quarterback rating of 111.4 in his last 10 games, according to Pro Football Reference. The Bengals have won four straight games and just got their star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase back from injury. They are surging, and with a Week 18 matchup with the Ravens still to come,

I expect the Bengals to take the division title. I still put them a step below the Bills and Chiefs, but the Bengals can absolutely win some playoff games and have a shot to go deep.

NFC

The NFC is much weaker than the AFC this year. It has a few good teams but also a whole lot of bad ones. The best of the NFC can’t compete with the Bills or Chiefs. Before I dive into the real contenders in this conference, let me get the frauds out of the way first. The Washington Commanders (7-5-1), New York Giants (7-4-1) and Seattle Seahawks (7-5) have all had decent seasons where they managed to stay above .500. Brian Daboll seems to be a good Head Coach who has the rebuilding Giants ahead of schedule, QB Taylor Heinecke continues to be a great underdog story for Washington and the whole NFL has enjoyed seeing a late career resurgence from Seahawks QB Geno Smith. All three of these teams have a decent shot of picking up a wildcard spot, but none of them will win come playoff time. If any of these teams make it, I expect them to lose in the first round. They are all fatally flawed teams that have benefitted from a weak conference. Additionally, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) actually lead their division with a .500 record. Once again, Tom Brady is benefitting from having a putrid division. It seems as if there is some universal law that he must get an automatic pass to the playoffs every year, no matter how bad his team is. The Bucs could make the playoffs with a losing record, and although it is never possible to fully rule out Brady, I don’t think it is reasonable to call the Buccaneers real contenders. Now let's move on to the actual good teams of the NFC.

The Philadelphia Eagles (11-1) have the

“I think [the Cowboys] are the best team in the NFC, but I can’t pick them to win since they have such a prolific history of choking. I expect everybody to have a grand old time watching “America’s Team” blow it against some inferior opponent like they always do.”

best record in the NFL, but I do not believe they are the NFL’s best team. QB Jalen Hurts has had a great season, and the Eagles seem like a pretty complete team, but something about them makes me hesitant. I am not sure exactly what it is—maybe it is the fact that Hurts’ MVP caliber season has come out of nowhere (he was only okay in his first two seasons) and the fact that Philly hasn’t beaten many good teams. They do have wins against the Vikings and Cowboys, but they have recently had some close calls with not great teams such as Green Bay and Indianapolis. It feels like they may have peaked too early by starting 8-0, but only time will tell. On paper, there aren’t a lot of holes in their team, and they are in a great spot to earn the number one seed in the NFC and receive a first round bye in the playoffs. The Eagles are surely a contender, but my gut says to be wary of picking them

to go all the way.

The Minnesota Vikings (10-2) have surprised everybody by being one of the NFL’s best teams this year. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is having a pretty mediocre year, but his flaws have been covered up by a monster season from wideout Justin Jefferson and a strong running game led by Dalvin Cook. But the Vikings leave a lot to be desired on defense, and although they have some impressive wins to their name (Week 10 against the Bills, for example), they had a head scratching 40-3 pummeling at the hands of the Cowboys just a couple weeks ago. Like the Eagles, I think the Vikings are a good team, but they make me a little nervous. They have the tools to go far, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them lose in the divisional round. They just don’t scream “Super Bowl contender” to me.

Although they are in second place, the Dallas Cowboys (9-3) have looked very good this year. They have a strong defense led by LB Micah Parsons, QB Dak Prescott is looking strong again after returning from injury, and the rushing attack is solid as always. The Cowboys are coming off an absolute thrashing of the Colts, where they put up 54 points against Indianapolis; they have some wins against better teams as well, including the aforementioned drubbing of the Vikings. Although they lost to the Eagles in October, I feel like both teams have been trending in opposite directions since then, and I actually think the Cowboys might be the strongest team in the NFC right now. Having said that, recent history has not been kind to the Dallas Cowboys. They have not reached the NFC Championship since 1995 and have not won a playoff game since the 2018 season, according to Pro Football Reference. I think they are the best team in the NFC, but I can’t pick them to win since they have such a prolific history of choking. I expect everybody to have a grand old time watching “America’s Team” blow it against some inferior opponent like they always do.

Finally, we have the San Francisco 49ers (8-4), who I so badly want to pick to go to the Super Bowl because of how complete they seemed just a week ago. They have some of the most skilled players in the league, including Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk. They have a strong defense and seemed to me to be the most complete team in the NFC by far. But then their quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo broke his left foot on Saturday and could be done for the season. Garoppolo has taken his fair share of criticism over the years, and he is not an elite quarterback, but he was having a great year (16 TD, 4 INT, 2,437 yards with a 103 rating) and has lots of experience, including playing in the Super Bowl a few years ago. He has a 40-17 career record, including 4-2 in the playoffs, according to Pro Football Reference. His teams usually win, and now the 49ers will be without him. What’s worse is that they don’t even have a solid second string QB. Trey Lance kicked off the season as their starter and was supposed to be the next rising star in the NFL after being drafted third overall the season before, but he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2, leading to Garoppolo taking over. The 49ers offense was not driven by great quarterback play, but it will be hampered by sub-par quarterback play. They now must turn to rookie Brock Purdy, who was the very last player selected in this year’s draft. The 49ers are such a well-rounded team that they might still win a playoff game, but I find it hard to fathom them making the Super Bowl led by Brock Purdy.

“Clued In”

By Harrison Walker