The Oakland Post 1.25.23

PHOTO BY LINDSEY SOBKOWSKI

Oakland

EDITORIAL BOARD

Gabrielle Abdelmessih Editor-in-Chief gabdelmessih@oakland.edu

Tori Coker Content Editor toricoker@oakland.edu

Megan Parker Managing Editor meganparker@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Lindsey Sobkowski Photo Editor lsobkowski@oakland.edu

Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu

Arianna Heyman Features Editor aheyman@oakland.edu

Joe Zerilli Campus Editor jzerilli@oakland.edu

Bella Javier Arts Editor isabellajavier@oakland.edu

DISTRIBUTION

Sam Poudal Distribution Director spoudal@oakland.edu

Melanie Davis Distributor

ADVISING

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105

Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

AUTOMOTIVE ARISTOCRACY

Dodge and Wilson presence of Meadow Brook Hall.

PHOTO BY LINDSEY SOBKOWSKI

African American Celebration Month in effect until Feb. 16

PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

From Jan. 16 through Feb. 16, Oakland University will be paying tribute to African American heritage and culture through a variety of festivities. Various service events, panel discussions and presentations will be presented to educate attendees and honor the historical contributions of notable African American figures.

On Jan. 17, OU faculty commenced African American Celebration Month with an opening reception held in the Habitat of the Oakland Center. Several OU professors and administrators spoke on topics of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Attendees of the opening ceremony were reminded of the importance of DEI at OU. Representatives of the university explained that this month was a time to reflect upon and celebrate the historical and cultural contributions that African Americans have made in the past, whilst paying tribute to African American heritage and culture.

African American Celebration Month continued on Jan. 18 by celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. through an all-day volunteer event hosted by the Office for Student Involvement and THE Leadership and Volunteer Center. MLK Day of Service provided students with a variety of drop-in, stationary service activities to complete throughout the day.

Some service projects at the event included

DIY dog toys, literacy bookmarks for children and Valentine’s Day cards for the elderly. These completed projects will be distributed to a variety of charitable organizations throughout the community. Additionally, donations of nonperishable food items and toiletries were collected at the event for the Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry.

On Jan. 19, OU Libraries hosted a virtual panel discussion on Race and Policing to educate students on disparities in the treatment of people of color by law enforcement. The program served as an enlightening discussion on a difficult topic that causes disproportionate harm to the African American community.

Dr. Pernell Witherspoon, a criminal justice professor at Lindenwood University, served as moderator of the event, asking panelists Dr. Chandra Scott, Dr. Caress Dean, Christopher Knight and Destiny Williams to share their perspectives on modern policing and race. One big topic of discussion during the event was the recent policing incident at OU’s Recreation Center involving a black man.

Dr. Witherspoon began the event by playing a short video of the Recreation Center incident, after being reminded that OU is located 30 minutes north of Detroit, a city with a predominately African American population. Once the video was done playing, Dr. Witherspoon told listeners that we cannot be sure the incident qualified as racial profiling, and proceeded to analyze the behavior of the black man that was stopped by OUPD.

Destiny Williams, the director of student advocacy for OU’s Student Congress, provided a student’s viewpoint on this topic. Williams highlighted the importance of accountability in this scenario, which many believe the university lacked in this situation due to their delay in public response to the incident.

“I think it’s unfair to label his [the black man’s] reaction as ‘unreasonable,’” Williams said. “We see racial profiling on television all the time.”

Another panelist, lawyer Christopher Knight, discussed the need for reform measures in the current culture and training for police officers in the United States. Knight shared that terry stops (stop and frisks) must be handled calmly and peacefully by police officers, so the situation does not escalate further. (Will contiune on our website)

MLK Day of Service provides volunteer opportunities for community

PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

In light of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service, the Oakland University Office for Student Involvement (OSI) and Leadership and Volunteer Center (LVC) hosted a full-day service event.

The MLK Day of Service was held in the Oakland Center Gold Rooms on Jan. 18 from 9 a.m. to 9

p.m., with a goal to give back to local communities by providing students with service opportunities and connecting to MLK’s passion to help others.

OSI representatives Daryl Blackburn and Brittany Golston welcomed students to the event. The pair swiped the GrizzIDs of each attendee to track participation and handed out a variety of community involvement resources and free African-American Appreciation Month stickers.

Upon entering the MLK Day of Service venue, students were able to choose from an array of service opportunities. Some projects included creating blankets, decorating literacy bookmarks and crafting Valentine’s Day cards.

One unique project was the DIY dog toy table, where the OSI provided gently-used garments — collected from students and staff — and directions for weaving durable toys. The completed toys will be given to local animal shelters and leader dogs.

Student organizations were given the opportunity to sponsor a table, providing materials for a project to donate to the charitable organization of their choice. One such sponsoring organization was Project Big Sister (PBS), a group that seeks to advance young women professionally and personally through critical mentoring, support and sisterly counsel.

“When we realized how simple it was to sponsor

a table, we decided ‘why not?’” PBS member Tamia Smith said.

PBS decided to sponsor a Valentine’s Day card creation table. The completed cards will be given to nursing home residents in the local community.

Another group that decided to sponsor a table was the Residence Life Association (RLA). By using excess materials from previous RLA events, the department created a “message in a bottle” project.

For this activity, students were asked to write kind messages and place their notes inside tiny glass bottles. The completed bottles will be handed out to on-campus workers in order to spread kindness and positivity throughout the OU community.

The Student Program Board (SPB) made a surprise appearance at MLK Day of Service for their weekly Hump Day event. SPB representatives provided event attendees with a free lunch of bosco sticks, mashed potatoes, green beans and cookies.

“We were proud to provide free food and treats to individuals serving the community,” SPB Treasurer Cameron Roach said.

In addition to the interactive projects, the OSI hosted a canned food and toiletry drive throughout the duration of the event. The non-perishable food and hygiene items will be donated to the Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry, which offers the goods to students in need free-of-charge.

PHOTO BY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES

Washington D.C. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressing the crowds surrounding Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington.

Keeper of the Dream: Zoé Rosario

Autumn Okuszka Features Reporter

As Oakland University junior Zoé Rosario sat at the Keeper of the Dream Awards (KOD) ceremony, she cried as she reflected on her life. She realized that she was able to prove those who thought less of her wrong.

Rosario grew up in the predominantly white community of Royal Oak, Michigan. Being of Filipino and Puerto Rican descent, she knew from a very young age that the other children she attended school with were unlike her.

“Children of color understand race a lot more than I feel like people realize,” Rosario said. “For me personally, I recognize that [in] preschool I was kind of seeking out people who looked like me already because I didn’t really see it very often.”

Rosario recognized that the ignorance her classmates had in elementary school eventually grew into microaggressions she encountered in middle school. She caricatured herself to fit the image of what her peers wanted her to be.

“I was so young, I didn’t really realize that I was the butt of the joke,” she said. “These people who I thought were my friends were kind of using me for their own amusement.”

When Rosario entered high school, she was guided by teachers who helped her realize that she didn’t have to live in the box her classmates were placing her into. Instead of keeping her head down and not making a scene, Rosario lifted her head and began writing.

She wrote an op-ed at the end of her high school career detailing her life growing up in Royal Oak. While she received a lot of good feedback, an unspoken rule was still fresh in the back of her mind.

“When I first released it, there was some fear that was like, ‘oh god, I’m kind of setting myself up to be a target,’” Rosario said.

After Rosario’s op-ed was released, she began to mold the world she wanted to live in. When she became an OU student, Rosario ensured that she would be heavily involved in the Golden Grizzly community.

Rosario currently works as a

residential tutor, as well as a proctor at Disability Support Services. She is also the president of the FilipinoAmerican Students of Oakland University (FASOU). The group is closely aligned with The Purposeful Unconditional Service to Others (P.U.S.O.) Foundation, raising $1,200 for the foundation at their charity gala in August 2022.

When Rosario applied for the KOD Scholarship Award, she became overwhelmed with emotion when asked what the award would mean to her.

“It’s kind of like a testament of how far I’ve come,” Rosario said. “After winning this award, it really feels like, ‘wow, I’ve really come this far.’ I’ve been able to persevere, and most importantly, I feel like I’ve been given the opportunity to show others that they can be themselves.”

After graduation, Rosario hopes to become a high school teacher — to be a guiding light for students in the same way her high school teachers were for her.

“The younger generation is where we need to pay our dues,” she said. “We need to be able to bring them up with the right values and [teach] them about an accurate history of our nation, because they are going to be the next leaders of our world.”

This article is part of a series of articles about the 2023 Keeper of the Dream Awards recipients.

Looking back: People of OU: Streetwear fashion designer

Michael Sana

Alexander Gustanski Senior Reporter

Creating high-quality clothing that generates real change is designer Michael Sana’s personal mission.

In Jan 2021, Sana used his interests in sports, fashion and marketing to create Sana Detroit, a local fashion label. Since having started the brand, Sana has amassed thousands of followers, used proceeds to donate to local charities and even ran a pop up store at the Somerset Mall in Troy, MI.

Sana first began practicing graphic design, video production and photography during his high school years. Around that time, he also experimented with creating his own companies and running social media accounts. After graduating high school, Sana attended OU to pursue a degree in marketing. While on campus, he played hockey and soccer which deepened his love of sports.

He attributes his college years with helping him realize his goals saying, “I always knew I wanted to start my own company, and some of my teachers were really inspiring. I was always the kind of guy who would have rather worked than go to school but I’m very happy I did it all and I kinda miss it now.”

After graduating in 2020, Sana was inspired by his heroes Virgil Abloh and Casey Niestat to create his own viral streetwear startup.

“It started out as a fun little project. I just designed one Red Wings piece, I posted it on Instagram and said let’s start making clothes. We sold thirty shirts the first day and then thirty more another two weeks later” Sana said. He then released another piece and cemented the Sana Detroit Brand.

For Sana, his brand is not just about the product — it’s also about making an impact. Sana Detroit works with organizations like Say Play to donate ten percent of their proceeds to charity during some drops.

Say Play is a motivational learning center located in Detroit that helps underprivileged youth maintain a good grade point average and gives them a space to participate in recreational activities. The center is supported by Detroit’s major sports teams which ties Sana’s donations back into its athletic DNA. Sana also offers collaborators the ability to forgo their

cut of a product and instead donate that amount.

Another core tenant of Sana Detroit is creating an experience for consumers. The focus on creating an experience goes hand in hand with quality according to Sana.

“Everything from the way the tag is cut, to the way the tag is on the shirt to the feel of the tag, to how it’s put on, it’s all part of the experience and it ups the value of the brand,” he said. “We sell the hoodies for $118 because there’s so much that goes into it, but once people start touching it and feeling it and they receive the packaging, they truly can feel justified spending that money.”

The ultimate experience for fans was Sana Detroit’s month-long residency at the Somerset Mall. Sana and his friends took three weeks to assemble a fake burger restaurant. Guests would walk in and receive a ticket number, and ordered at the counter when it was called. Their order would be processed and delivered through a carryout hole to keep with the theme.

The popularity of the event put a lot of demand on Sana.

“There was more than one night where I was at the store until 7 a.m., left at 8 then showered and came back at 9 to open up the store.”

He went on to call it, “one of the best experiences of my life, but definitely the hardest month of my life.”

You can find Michael Sana on Instagram @michaelsana13 and @ sanadetroit.

Zoé Rosario at the Keeper of the Dream Awards ceremony.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SANA Streetwear designer Michael Sana with Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart.

Environmental exploration in Ecuador

ARIANNA HEYMAN Features Editor

This past December, Oakland University students were given an opportunity to embark on a study abroad trip to Ecuador to experience the natural beauty of the country firsthand.

The trip allowed students to make direct contact with the diverse ecology of the South American country and learn about the complexities of the environment over a 10-day period.

“The thing I was most excited about was learning about a different culture and getting to know Ecuador as much as possible,” psychology major Osvaldo Gonzalez Osorio said. “It was also a way for me to get out of my comfort zone and experience new things which I would probably have not experienced any other way.”

Many students, such as environmental science major Andrea Benchley, were also excited to experience a climate which is so different to the Michigan ecosystem.

“Before leaving on the trip, I was looking forward to being in a completely new environment,” Benchley said. “Living in Michigan, I’ve grown accustomed to the deciduous forests and oak savanna environment, so I was ready to have my mind blown being in the Amazon for the first time.”

Environmental science major Emily Grondin had her sights set on the different types of creatures which are native to Ecuador.

“I was really looking forward to seeing numerous

species,” Grondin said. “I was eager to see some monkeys in the Amazon and the blue-footed booby at ‘Poor-Man’s’ Galapagos.”

The trip also provided experiential learning that is simply not offered in a classroom setting.

“It is so unique and different from a classroom setting, because not only are you learning about the topic, but you are also then seeing it in person and experiencing what you are learning,” Gonzalez Osorio said. “If one day we learned about cloud forests, the next day we would actually visit one and experience and understand what we had learned previously.”

The study abroad program also helped students contextualize the future careers their chosen educational path can lead to.

“Personally, studying abroad helped motivate my interests. Before this trip, I wasn’t sure what I was doing with an environmental science major, and I struggled with making a connection of how college was going to get me to my future career,” Grondin said. “However, studying abroad gave me the hands-on experience that you don’t always get in a classroom setting, which more accurately displayed what my future career could look like.”

Not only were students provided an opportunity to learn about their field — they also experienced a once in a lifetime trip where they were able to connect with like-minded peers.

“Every student had their own research topics to discuss, and we were all learning from one another,” Benchley said. “That is probably the best skill that we all acquired — [which] was to become each

other’s teachers.”

Gonzalez Osorio believes that, if given the chance, students should take advantage of the many study abroad programs OU has to offer.

“I would definitely recommend the trip to anyone at OU — even if your major is not related to the subject of the course, as you will get a lot out of it,” he said. “This was really out of my comfort zone, and although I was skeptical at first, it really changes your life. The memories and the relationships you make are so unique that they become unforgettable.”

To learn more about OU’s study abroad opportunities, visit oakland.edu/ie/studyabroad.

The psychology of New Year’s resolutions

AUTUMN OKUSZKA

Features Reporter

“New year, new me” is a term often said at the beginning of each new year — and the new year after that.

According to a study by the Institut Public de Sondage d’Opinion Secteur (Ipsos), 55% of study participants said they keep their New Year’s resolutions for less than a year. It’s a practice that has been around for thousands of years, and yet, it is something that many are unable to follow through on.

Dr. Rebecca Malatesta, a psychology professor at OU, believes that despite the low odds of success, New Year’s resolutions remain popular because humans are constantly striving to better themselves.

“There’s a lot of stuff in research related to positive psychology and how we’re motivated toward improvement and being the best version of ourselves,” Malatesta said. “There’s various theories related to why, but we want to be the best versions of ourselves.”

The reason it may be difficult for some people to maintain their resolutions depends on the way they’re created. Malatesta believes that people need to ask themselves why they are setting a goal in the first place.

“For example, if you want to stop smoking, are you doing it because you actually want to stop

smoking or lose weight or whatever the goal is, or are you doing it for someone else?” she said. “You have to make sure that you have full commitment, otherwise it’s going to fail.”

Another reason people fail at keeping their resolutions for the new year is because they set goals that are “too lofty.” Malatesta believes the best goals to set are the ones that have the ability to be challenging, but are also specific and achievable.

“It has to be something that you can actually carry out,” Malatesta said. “So instead of saying,

‘I want to lose 50 pounds by the summer,’ [say] I want to lose a pound and a half a week. The more specific it is, the more likely you are to actually achieve your goals.”

If people want to succeed in their New Year’s resolutions, Malatesta emphasizes that it’s crucial to develop a plan. Resolution-makers must look within themselves and ask if their resolutions are something they actually want, or if they are motivated to keep them for someone else.

It is also imperative to take “decision fatigue” into account. It is estimated that an American adult makes 35,000 decisions a day. If people are making resolutions they aren’t fully committed to, the little decisions they make to maintain them on a day-today basis can be exhausting.

“If you can set up things where you’re not asked to make little mini decisions all day [so that] it’s just sort of natural, it’s so much easier,” she said. “Anytime you’re having to deny, deny, deny and make these constant decisions not to do something, it just wears you out.”

To summarize, Malatesta says to aim for goals which are achievable, specific, measurable and committable. She also believes it doesn’t hurt to tell others about your resolutions so that they’re tougher to break.

BY HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL ONLINE

“Some research does suggest that if you make the goal public by telling other people, it’s a little harder to quit,” Malatesta said.

PHOTO BY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY NEWS Students explore the diverse ecology of Ecuador.

PHOTO

Karylle ‘Kary’ Jabas

BELLA JAVIER Arts Editor

Dance, as an art and cultural practice, is deeply rooted in human history. People dance in many different ways and for varying reasons, but above all, it has the ability to unite people and provide a sense of belonging.When her family moved to the United States (US), Karylle (Kary) Jabas, third year electrical engineering major, was 12 years old. Having to uproot her life in the Philippines and relocate to the states, and at such a vulnerable age, Jabas naturally felt anxious. Dance, however, served as a common interest with others that helped make this transition smoother.

“[Coming] here during my teen years was very hard especially since I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb,” Jabas said. “I was able to bond with people through dancing […] I met some of my friends and got closer to them when we would learn new dances together.”

Jabas started dancing at a young age. In the first grade, she signed up for a class where she learned three different dances. At the end, when the class learned all the choreography, they showcased their hard work in a performance.

“[…] ever since then,” Jabas expressed, “I have been in love with dancing.” From that point on, she signed up for every opportunity there was to dance. Unfortunately, upon first moving to the US, Jabas was a little lost in terms of finding the chance to dance. It wasn’t until she came to college where the opportunities came to her.

“When my family first moved to America, I did not know anyone or anywhere that I could continue dancing,” Jabas said. “I wasn’t able to really dance anywhere other than learning Kpop/Pop choreography that I liked. [It wasn’t] until I met my mentor Jermaine, who was a part of the Filipino Org, when I was introduced to people that I could dance with, which really made me feel like I finally found my crowd.”

Today, Jabas dances with the FilipinxAmerican Students of OU (FASOU) and other local Filipino Student Organizations, organizing performances for Philippine Culture Nights (PCN) all around the Midwest. While she enjoys learning and dancing in styles such as Pop and Hip Hop, working with FASOU allows Jabas to incorporate traditional folk dancing into her repertoire. Jabas served on FASOU’s Executive Board last year and was particularly proud of the performance she helped put together for their PCN.

“Our dance included a mixture of traditional, old, and modern dances. I love being able to show my Filipino culture off, especially through dancing,” Jabas said.

Aside from bringing her a community when she eventually came to college,

dance is a way for Jabas to take care of her wellbeing. This became especially important during the height of the pandemic.

“Dancing really helped me when I was going through a rough time when the pandemic happened. When I started to notice that my mental health was suffering […], I made myself learn a new dance per day even if it was just short Tik Tok dances as a way to at least get out of bed,” Jabas said. “Ever since then, whenever I feel really down and just need something to make me feel better, I turn to dancing.”

Over time, dance became a way for Jabas to decompress from the stress of her day-to-day life while also giving her a boost of confidence.

“Honestly, dancing also really gives me so much confidence,” Jabas said. “Like what I said, when we first moved here I felt that I didn’t belong here so dancing slowly helped me get over my anxiety of being in front of people and even meet more.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF KARYLLE JABAS

Campus community reacts to new Moodle update

Students and faculty had a brand new Moodle interface staring back at them upon logging in for the first time this Winter semester.

Moodle 4.0 was released by the learning platform in April 2022 and implemented by OU in December. It introduced a new look for the platform that – according to Moodle’s website – was designed to both facilitate the prioritization and completion of coursework for students and to simplify the process of creating and editing course structure and content on the faculty side.

For students, this update includes a revamped dashboard fit with an interactive timeline and calendar housing assignment due dates, a collapsible sidebar course index, “to-do” and “mark as done,” tabs to track activity completion, and collapsible content dividers and informational resource sidebars.

As for faculty members, new features include the same collapsible content sidebars, plus the ability to restructure their course content by dragging items along the course index bar. This update also offers built-in video conferencing through BigBlueButton, which promises the same features familiar to Zoom users, plus the ability to share notes and interact on a whiteboard as a class. Additionally, Moodle 4.0 boasts advanced accessibility features, including an enhanced text editor which facilitates screen reader function and keyboard navigation.

According to Dr. Nic Bongers, an instructional designer at OU’s e-Learning and Instructional Support (e-LIS) department, these features culminate in what he calls “the best version of Moodle he’s ever seen.”

Bongers feels the new version is far more

intuitive than previous installments — and plenty of faculty are in agreement.

“For the first time, I feel like I enjoy going on Moodle to post things,” Dr. Kwama Sakyi, associate professor of public health, said. “I do really like the interface. It is lively and easy to navigate. I love how you can collapse materials on weeks and content that are no longer relevant — it creates less clutter on the page.”

From an organizational perspective, Sakyi identifies both pluses and minuses to the new version of the platform. While he misses the ability to indent certain pieces of content on the course landing page, he’s a fan of the collapsibility of content offered with the new edition, allowing class participants to hide materials from previous weeks to “create less clutter on the page.”

Dr. Kenneth Mitton, associate professor of biomedical sciences, said he uses Moodle to the fullest extent in his courses – from preparing informative resources for each class day to accepting all written assignments through various file formats on the platform – and has been pleased with the way this update has facilitated his processes.

“It is easier to access the design and settings for quizzes [with the new update],” Mitton said. “In the previous version of Moodle, the setup of quiz general settings and the building of questions for the quiz were accessed from completely separate menu navigations — now they are all in one set of tabs.”

Associate Professor of Communication Dr. Rebecca Mercado Jones’ strongest feelings regarding the platform’s update have little to do with the nitty gritty details and more with

the timing of the changes.

“That period between December and January is not the time to change an interface –the time to change an interface is over the summer, weeks before classes have started, where professors can have some time with the interface rather than open up the Moodle page to put all their new class materials on there and say, ‘holy sh*t, there’s a new interface, and I have to teach class in five days,” Mercado Jones said.

Mercado Jones is not alone in her frustration — many student reactions to the update have echoed a similar disapproval for timing of the change.

“I don’t really like how they changed Moodle, especially during break,” accounting major Lauren Weir said, “and then we get back to a whole new semester and need to learn how to figure out everything again.”

Bongers said e-LIS initially planned to implement Moodle 4.0 in July 2022, but ultimately decided to postpone the change until just after Fall 2022 grades were due out of a desire not to “cross contaminate” the introduction of the new version with other updates being made to e-learning servers around that time. Additionally, the e-LIS department wanted to devote adequate time to the production of instructional documents and tutorial videos to accompany the eventual launch of the new version.

In the months preceding the update, Bongers said the e-LIS department called upon the

e-LIS Advisory Committee (EAC), their faculty advisory board, to meet monthly for discussions about what was to come and experience the new Moodle version while it was still in its testing phase.

“We would show them the navigation, we’d ask for feedback on how it looks — in fact, the Moodle theme – how things are colored, how things look – we would bring up different options to that advisory committee and ask for feedback,” Bongers said. “So we’ve been getting feedback from faculty all along the way, before it was finally implemented.”

Bongers has also been providing workshops for faculty learning the ropes of the new Moodle version since November. On the student end, reactions to the update are mixed — a phenomenon nursing major Jonethan James attributes to somewhat of a knee-jerk reaction to change.

“I think anything new or a thing that brings change is a little upsetting or uncomfortable, but I think with time we’ll get used to it and start to enjoy it,” James said. “I do like how they kept the main parts of Moodle — […] I don’t think it’s too far removed from the old [version], where I’m completely annoyed. I did get comfortable with the old Moodle, obviously, so this was just like a, ‘oh, why now, with just one semester left?’ thing.”

STORY BY TORI COKER || DESIGN BY MEGAN PARKER & SEAN WHITAKER

Exciting book to screen adaptation news for 2023

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

It’s no secret that adaptations of popular books is a hit or miss category. You can either be like the “Hunger Games” movies or the “Percy Jackson” movies.

With many books such as “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses” being announced as getting a live action adaptation, I want to look at adaptation news of some of my favorites.

The “Percy Jackson” show, set to premiere this year on Disney+, is a show I’ve been anticipating for a while. Ever since the disastrous movies that were nothing like the books, “Percy Jackson” fans have been craving a true adaptation.

Author Rick Riordan has given hints to fans through his newsletters. Back in November, casting for Hades and Hephaestus were announced. Hades will be played by actor, writer and producer Jay Duplass, while Hephaestus will be played by “Supernatural” actor Timothy Omundson.

With filming of the show set to be finished sometime this January and a sneak peek teaser released late last year, many fans are curious as to when the show will finally debut on the streaming service.

“We have a long way to go still with the postproduction editing,” Riordan said, with respect to the strenuous post-production process.

Sticking with the track of popular fantasy books headed to screen, there’s some good news — the second season of Leigh Bardugo’s “Shadow and

Bone” series has an official release date for March 16 of this year. The popular Netflix show will be eight episodes long.

With a sneak peak of the second season released back in October, the book seems to combine the plots of Bardugo’s spin-off “Six of Crows” and the second book in the original trilogy, “Siege and Storm.”

Fans got an exclusive look at five of the Crows — Kaz Brekker, Nina Zenik, Inej Ghafa, Jesper Fahey and Wylan Van Eck — gearing up for their adventure. It appears that this season will follow the Crows attempting to break Mattias Helvar out of Hellgate, picking up where the finale left off.

“Siege and Storm” – the second installment of the “Shadow and Bone” trilogy — follows Alina and Mal on the run after escaping from the Little Palace in the first season. In order to take down the Fold, they’ll need allies.

Casting was already released for the newest additions to the cast — Wylan, Tolya, Tamar and our favorite privateer, Nikolai. I, for one, am very excited to see this entire cast in action.

Executive producer Eric Heisserer has expressed his excitement over the season.

“The most wonderful thing about Season 2 is that we get to advance the story of these characters that we’d left in precarious positions at the end of Season 1. There’s a lot of potential for them this season,” Heisserer said in an interview with Tudum. “They have to face the consequences for their actions, and they get to meet new people along the way.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF READ RIORDAN

‘Dog Gone:’ More than the expected dog cliché

LETICIA CEZÁRIO SANTOS

Marketing Director

On Jan. 13, Netflix launched “Dog Gone,” which has stayed within the platform’s top 10 trending programs ever since. Furry protagonist Gonker’s story is different from the ones you are used to — it has some treats and balls to fetch, but it also has some challenging moments, lots of anxiety and fewer tears than usual.

Based on the true story of the Marshalls family, “Dog Gone” features the surprising rescue mission the family embarked on to bring Gonker home from the Appalachian Trail in Virginia.

Starring Johnny Berchtold, Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Nick Peine, the film follows the family’s 15-day search for their pet.

“[...] The Marshall Family had 23 days to find the beloved pet before he could slip into a coma and his condition would become critical. Gonker had Addison’s disease and needed monthly shots of synthetic hormones to stay alive,” HistoryvsHollywood.com said.

Here are a few facts and curiosities that differ between the movie and the real-life story.

The story is based on a book.

“Dog Gone” is based on the 2016 book “Dog Gone: A Lost Pet’s Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home.” The curious thing is the fact-based book is not autobiographical. Still, its author, Pauls Toutonghi, has a direct connection to the real-life family: he married into it. Peyton Marshall, his wife, is the sister of Gonker’s owner.

The timing of the story is different from the real life occurrence.

The New York Post and the original book explain

that Gonker’s adventure unfolded in 1998. This represents a significant difference between the movie and real life, as in the movie, social media is cited as the news about Gonker spreads, and people post good wishes and clues.

Social media, as we know, only showed up after the middle 2000s. In real life, Gonker was found through traditional methods: flyers, calls and on-site search.

Gonker’s story ended up on the news.

Even if social media didn’t have an essential job

The New York Post reported that Fielding Marshall’s baby daughter died in 1991 during a procedure to repair her heart. His girlfriend at the time left right after the tragedy and disappeared without a word. Gonker was a cure for the resulting grief and sadness.

“Dog Gone” is actually more than a story about a dog. We are used to watching dog movies and expect the cliché. However, “Dog Gone” goes beyond Gonker’s adventure. The film is about a life journey of finding your purpose, the family dynamic of a father and a son understanding their relationship, Gonker’s and Fielding’s resilience, his mom’s determination and so much more.

“Dogs are almost always decent — unchanging, unaltered, predictable,” Toutonghi said in the book. “Dogs can make us more human — or more like what we imagine a good human to be.”

While the story got good reactions from many people, some viewers didn’t like how simplified Netflix’s version of this real-life journey was.

“’Dog Gone’ is a perfectly nice family film. But it’s also clear that the makers have taken only the very basics of the real incident to make a standard family drama that doesn’t go any deeper than it has to. Meanwhile, the real story is a lot more raw and intense,” Rati Pednekar said for The Review Geek.

in the real story, media coverage did.

“The media did go wild for this dramatic story about a lost dog on the Appalachian trail with a countdown looming until he needs his next dose of medication,” Laura Harman said for Woman and Home.

Fielding Marshall’s heartbreak was more profound than Netflix explained.

“Dog Gone” shows that Gonker was the cure for college heartbreak. However, in real life, the story is deeper than that.

According to History vs. Hollywood, Gonker lived another five years after his rescue, passing away at the age of 11.

“Everyone needs one soul who loves you because you are you. That’s who Gonker was for me,” Fielding said in the movie.

“Dog Gone” chronicles a story worth hearing, but one thing is true — the movie is not enough to make you like and admire this adventure. However, this real-life story has much more than Netflix portrayed.

‘Belladonna:’ Gothic-Bridgerton brilliance

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

Adalyn Grace, you are a genius. “Belladonna” is a book with drama, romance, beautiful world-building and a story that makes audiences’ jaws drop. Grace’s book has readers anticipating what will happen next right up until the very end of the book.

“Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her well-being - and each has met an untimely end,” the book’s synopsis said. “Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthorns, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy.”

Grace’s book follows Signa and her Hawthorn family as they navigate the mysterious murders happening in their manor. Signa also prepares for her debutante season with her cousins and new friends. It’s a brilliant combination of London’s societal expectations and the mystery.

With glittering gowns and magical settings, Grace nails the aesthetic of a Gothic-style Brigderton novel. This thrilling Gothic Fiction story had me flipping the pages wondering what was going to happen. I wanted to know who was behind the murder mystery, which was very well written.

I originally picked the book up because of its

Bridgerton aesthetic. I was curious to see how the glittering debutante society would mesh with the gothic ghost story. Grace wrote the plot beautifully, to the point where I was focused on the murder mystery more than the debutante plot.

Speaking of, the debutante plot made me excited to see how Signa moving to a new place would affect her fitting in with her infamous cousins and new girls in town. Signa’s story of feeling like she doesn’t fit in was dialed up to eleven with this plotline, which was done very realistically.

Grace does a wonderful job writing the chemistry between the characters, especially Signa and Death. How do you personify Death as a character and make him so charismatic? It felt like Hades from Disney’s Hercules jumped out of the book.

Signa and Death invented chemistry. Their dynamic goes way beyond protagonist and antagonist. Their witty banter and the way the pair play off of each other is mesmerizing writing on Grace’s part.

Each character was interesting — I didn’t feel like any represented wasted potential or were unnecessary to the story. Everyone suited the plot perfectly, which made the mystery of who was behind the murders so much more intriguing to follow.

Ghosts can be a hit or miss in a story. Belladonna took the theme of ghosts and haunted libraries and

made it into something that I wanted to follow, as someone who usually doesn’t partake in ghost stories.

This book is a story that not only pulled me out of a reading slump, but put me back into one. Reading a book this good — it was hard to find a book that would give me the same feelings as this one. At times I was on the verge of tears, and other times, I wanted to throw the book across the room.

If you’re a fan of Bridgerton, murder mysteries or the Gothic Fantasy genre, this is the read for you. Grace’s writing made it impossible to put this book down. I’m very much looking forward to the sequel “Foxglove” that is set to be released in August of this year.

Rating: 5/5

PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

‘Flowers’ marks lush new era for Miley Cyrus

OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Reporter

On Jan. 13, Miley Cyrus released new single “Flowers” — the first track off her upcoming eighth studio album “Endless Summer Vacation.” The funky, upbeat disco track is an ode to self love and independence, with lyrics playfully responding to Bruno Mars’ soulful 2012 hit “When I Was Your Man.”

As Mars laments that he should’ve bought his past lover flowers and held her hand, Cyrus powerfully declares: “I can buy myself flowers / Write my name in the sand / Talk to myself for hours / Say things you don’t understand / I can take myself dancing / And I can hold my own hand / Yeah, I can love me better than you can.”

The song was accompanied by a music video featuring Cyrus strutting down empty roads wearing a gold vintage Yves Saint Laurent Fall 1991 dress and gleefully dancing like no one is watching with bare feet and wet hair in an oversized black Yves Saint Laurent Fall 2022 suit — the symbolism!

The song was released on Cyrus’ ex-husband Liam Hemsworth’s birthday, spurring on evergrowing waves of theories platformed by TikTok and tabloids alike with some seeming reasonably plausible and some being completely made up, yet

still gleefully accepted by fans nonetheless — but this article is not about him.

Since its release, “Flowers” has proved to be a hit by breaking records across the globe. So far, the song has debuted at number one in the United Kingdom and Australia alike, while also debuting at number one on Global Spotify’s weekly top songs.

In under a week since its release, “Flowers” has become the fastest song to reach 100 million streams in Spotify history, while also breaking the Spotify record for the highest weekly streaming debut.

At the time of writing this article, the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 has yet to be announced, but if “Flowers” keeps growing at this unprecedented rate, it has a great chance of debuting at number one in the United States on Monday, Jan. 23. This would mark Cyrus’ first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 since 2013’s “Wrecking Ball.”

“Flowers” is also significant for Cyrus as it marks her first release since leaving RCA Records and signing with Columbia Records — the label that hosts industry heavy hitters like Beyoncé, Adele and Harry Styles.

The effects of this switch are already proving fruitful, with Cyrus enlisting producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson — longtime collaborators of Styles — on “Flowers.” A move that, to me, points all signs in the direction of the possibility of my dream collaboration between Cyrus and Styles.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOTIFY

Oakland’s fierce women’s basketball team defeats their rivals

SUMMER WEATHERS

Sports Reporter

The Oakland women’s basketball team put on a show at Calihan Hall against the Titans of the University of Detroit Mercy, pulling out a 81-66 victory on Wednesday, Jan. 18.

Senior Breanne Beatty had herself a night with a remarkable performance. She scored 21 points and also had five rebounds.

Freshman guard Brooke Quarles-Daniels contributed 17 points in the rivalry matchup as well.

The Grizzlies unloaded early and there was too much Oakland offense and the Titans could not handle it.

Alexis Johnson got it started wasting zero time knocking down the 3-pointer. Oakland was at a 7-3 lead with seven minutes left in the first.

Aaliyah McQueen hit a triple right off the bat as soon as she subbed into the game that added to Oakland’s dynamic offense. McQueen can give you whatever is needed during games and she makes an immediate impact when she is in. She shot 5-9, finishing with 13 points which is her highest of the season.

Oakland found themselves with the largest lead of 14. The Titans were in a scoring drought.

Beatty had 14 points already with less than five minutes left in the second quarter putting the Grizzlies up 18. A set, in rhythm, 3-pointer by Kennedie Montue didn’t disturb the net as Oakland’s lead grew larger.

The Titans had some opportunities in the first two quarters but didn’t quite have an answer for the dominant Oakland team. The Grizzlies were nearly halfway to 100 points at halftime, at a 49- 27 score.

Coming into the third quarter, there wasn’t anything too different than the start of the game that went on. The Titans had a hard time spacing the floor and Oakland used this to their advantage.

There was a spark in intensity between the two teams as the fourth quarter came. Detroit Mercy’s Myonna Hooper and junior forward Irene Murua picked the pace up for their team, shrinking the deficit to 15.

With five minutes left it was an 11 point game. Detroit Mercy executed a lot better than before and it came down to them needing some quick stops.

As time wound down, McQueen got another offensive rebound and put it back up as 1:30 remained.

Closing out the game with some free throws that kept the Grizzlies on top, was Johnson. She ended with a double-double, with 10 points and 11 boards.

Oakland ran the clock out on their last possession and this win added another notch in their belt.

Jalen Moore’s last-second 3-pointer gives Oakland new life

BROCK

HEILIG Sports Editor

One of the biggest upsets of, perhaps, the entire college basketball season almost panned out on Thursday night in Indianapolis, but Jalen Moore had other plans. Oakland was able to escape disaster versus IUPUI at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum with an 83-77 overtime win over the Jaguars.

Entering the contest, Oakland had won five of its last six games and was one of the hotter teams in the Horizon League. IUPUI, on the other hand, was not as hot.

In fact, the Jaguars entered the matchup with the Golden Grizzlies about as freezing cold as possible. Prior to Thursday’s matchup, they held a 3-16 overall record, and at 0-8, they had yet to win a Horizon League game.

In the early going, Oakland established an early lead, but it struggled to pull away from IUPUI as many thought it would. The Golden Grizzlies’ lead grew to as many as seven points, but the Jaguars hung around and cut the lead to three as the teams broke for halftime.

Although IUPUI only trailed by three at halftime, the writing was on the wall for Oakland to have a big second half and pull away from the Horizon League bottomfeeder. Through its first eight conference games, IUPUI came within 10 points of the opponent only twice.

Despite the recent trend, Oakland was unable to pull away from the Jaguars. Oakland opened up a nine-point lead early in the second half, but seven second-half turnovers plagued the Golden Grizzlies

as the Jaguars clawed their way back.

With 9:51 to play, guard Armon Jarrard made a jumper in transition, and IUPUI took its first lead of the game at 51-50.

The Jaguars then stretched their lead to as many as four points on three different occasions, and Oakland quickly found itself on the brink of embarrassment.

IUPUI guard Jlynn Counter made two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to give the Jaguars a three-point lead.

Moore responded, though, with a deep 3-pointer to tie the game and send it to overtime.

The Jaguars were no match for the Golden Grizzlies in the five-minute overtime period, and Oakland escaped, 83-77. Ten of Oakland’s 15 overtime points came at the charity stripe.

Forward Trey Townsend reached a milestone in the win. With 4:36 left in the second half, Townsend made a free throw to complete an old-fashioned three-point play.

The free throw marked Townsend’s 1,000th career point as a Golden Grizzly, making him the 37th player in program history to reach the mark within the program.

The junior went on to finish with 26 points and 15 rebounds in the victory.

Meanwhile, Moore poured in 27 points on 3-4 shooting from beyond the arc.

The two studs combined for 53 points on 18-34 shooting as they carried Oakland to its sixth conference win.

With the win, the Golden Grizzlies improve to 8-12 overall and 6-3 in the Horizon League. They currently sit in a tie for fourth place, but they trail the leading three teams by only one game.

The team will head to Calihan Hall on Monday to take on the Detroit Mercy Titans in a rivalry matchup. The game will start at 7 p.m. and it will air on ESPN+.

Jeff Tungate has returned to lead the Oakland women’s basketball team once again

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Jalen Moore scored 24 points in a losing effort against Northern Kentucky.

Women’s basketball falls short to IUPUI, 85-69

SUMMER WEATHERS

Sports Reporter

The Golden Grizzlies headed to Indianapolis this past Sunday to play the IUPUI Jaguars, but were defeated by a score of 85-69 that ended Oakland’s three-game winning streak.

It was a special game for Breanne Beatty, marking her 100th career start. She scored 15 points.

The Jaguars were quiet in the beginning as Oakland held down a 9-0 run. Alexis Johnson started Oakland’s offense but IUPUI buckled down defensively, getting some stops and it got things going offensively. Oakland still maintained their lead in the first quarter, up two at 19-17.

By the second quarter, the Jaguars came in with a different mentality. They outscored the Grizzlies 28-15.

It was the Jaguars’ Rachel Kent who had the hot hand connecting her 3-pointers. She had 19 firsthalf points. Kent led the team with the most points and a career-high of 30, going 6-8 from 3-point range. IUPUI guard Destiny Perkins was also shooting from distance with back-to-back buckets in the third quarter.

Miriam Ibezim did a great job of staying on the glass getting those second chance opportunities that cut Oakland’s deficit to 11.

There were some good things done by forward junior Linda Van Schaik as well. Not only is Van Schaik a shooter but she added some smooth finishes to her game as well with the up and under layup.

This gave Oakland a little push as it made some quick runs but was stopped once more by IUPUI. The Jaguars were getting looks down low and a lot of their shots came off of transition plays.

IUPUI was still in charge to start the fourth. It had Oakland on thin ice. The Golden Grizzlies eventually started full court pressure to make it tougher for IUPUI, but there wasn’t anything else to it the rest of the game because the Jaguars were still shooting efficiently down the stretch.

IUPUI closed out the game, at an 85-69 score. Although Oakland didn’t have that offensive power and fell short, they still showed great efforts and never let up.

Brooke Quarles-Daniels did it again, with another game in double figures with 20 points and Van Schaik ended with 12.

The Golden Grizzlies will now make their way back to Rochester to play on the blacktop for the next four home games, starting with the Mastodons of Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.

Legendary swimming, diving coach Pete Hovland to retire after 4 4 seasons

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

In 1979, a 24-year-old Pete Hovland joined the Oakland University men’s swimming and diving team as a mentor. Forty-four years ago, when Hovland first joined the program, Oakland was a small Division II school with minimal resources.

Hovland, who is now 68 years old, is set to retire in May after one of the most illustrious careers in the history of collegiate sports. His career numbers are so ridiculously outstanding that they almost seem erroneous.

But alas, the numbers are, in fact, accurate. Hovland was just that dominant.

He spent two seasons as a mentor/assistant coach when he first arrived at Oakland, before he took over as the head coach in 1981. From then on, one of the most impressive coaching runs of all time commenced.

Over the next 42 seasons, Hovland won the conference title all 42 times. Not once in his tenure as head coach of the men’s swimming and diving team did Hovland fail to win the league.

Apparently, though, winning the league year after year in the men’s ranks wasn’t enough for Hovland, as he took over as head coach of the women’s program in 2001.

Typically, it would be hard for a coach to manage two different teams, and a little bit of a drop off would be expected — but Hovland just didn’t stop winning.

Since taking over the women’s program in 2001, Hovland has won the league title every season.

From 2001 to the most recent 2022 season, Hovland never missed out on a conference championship on either the men’s or women’s side.

“I would like to thank my swimming and diving family first and foremost. Without them, my life would never be the same,” Hovland said in a statement. “Thank you for believing in me over the

past 44 years. Thank you for helping me build our championship culture and for allowing me to steer you down this wonderful path together. Thank you to those that have allowed [my wife] and I to remain in your lives and become even closer with you and your families today.”

Hovland and his wife, Laurie, have had numerous conversations over the years about what life will be like after retirement, and now, those days are just around the corner.

“In recent conversations with close friends, colleagues and my wife about when it was time to retire, they all said, ‘you’ll just know,’” Hovland said in the statement.

“Well, they were right, I now know what they meant,” Hovland said. “It’s time for change. It’s time for me to pass the torch. Time for my wife, Laurie, and I to step away in order to do some of the many things we’ve talked about doing over the years. Time to spend more time with valued friends. Time to fly-fish a few more rivers and streams. It’s time for change in leadership here at OU.”

Steve Waterfield, the director of athletics at Oakland, also gave a statement.

“A true coaching legend, Pete is among the greatest intercollegiate swimming coaches of alltime,” Waterfield said.

Waterfield’s statement is undoubtedly accurate. In fact, the same statement — minus the “swimming,” — would still be accurate.

COURTESY OF OAKLAND ATHLETICS

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Coach Peter Hovland was inducted into Michigan’s sports hall of fame in 2016.

Commiserating over TikTok consumerism trends

OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI & TORI COKER

This article must begin with an anecdote: It was like any other usual Monday morning when I first laid eyes on it. I was so shocked and confused as to why its presence was being treated as just a normal everyday thing, when in reality there was a massive intrusion in the dorm. So, I asked, “What is that giant cup?”

I was then told that it was the “Stanley cup,” with no other explanation willingly offered. It was later revealed to me that it was a TikTok trend, making me realize that I have apparently been blissfully unaware of the money guzzling product mill that TikTok has become.

So, let’s unpack that.

Stanley cups

Olivia: Now, when you search “Stanley Cup,” the first thing that shows up is that 40 ounce vat and not the championship trophy awarded annually to the winner of the NHL playoffs.

Never before would you have seen a “trendy girl” walking into class with a watercooler-sized jug as some type of accessory. “The Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler” is practically sold out in every size, color and material iteration, so I wish any potential buyers good luck in their endeavors.

Tori: Full transparency, it took me entirely too long to realize my For You page wasn’t just really hyped up over hockey all of a sudden.

At the start of my freshman year, approximately 50

years ago (COVID years are like dog years), it was Hydro Flasks that were all the rage. As a lover of vintage, I’m impatiently awaiting the prices on these babies to drop in the wake of everyone switching their gaze to Stanley — which I guess I’ll naturally wait to pursue myself until everyone’s moved onto Target’s Zak! Brand, or something even less assuming, in four years’ time.

Ultra Mini Platform Uggs

Olivia: These babies have been mentioned before in this publication. The article was innocently titled “What to wear this winter,” where I attempted to predict trends for this snowy season — and let me just say, my predictions were correct.

I have personally not given in to this trend because I am a staunchly loyal Ugg “Coquette Slipper” devotee — not to be associated with that whole Lana-Del-Reylace-blouse-cherry-flavored-cigarette TikTok realm. However, I wouldn’t even have the chance to get my hands on the “Classic Ultra Mini Platform” as they are perpetually sold out. Thanks, Bella Hadid.

Tori: This was really bound to happen, what with the collective resurgence of all things late 2000s/early 2010s happening right now. At least this trend will leave you comfortable on your trot into debt.

I haven’t been swayed by this one yet – instead I just find myself wishing I was one of the campus Ugg girls while I shuffle around in the hutch style boots that were on trend for about two days last September (kind of the epitome of falling victim to fleeting fads, and yet I will continue to take the bait for many a boot trend yet to come).

Dyson Airwrap

Olivia: Funny story — I kind of adhered to this trend unknowingly. A few months ago, my mom gifted me a hair dryer brush, and I felt like we had found God. I should have known that TikTok is always at the scene of the crime.

The real trending item here is the “Dyson Airwrap Multi-Styler,” a nearly $600 bristleless hair dryer/ curling iron all in one, repopularized by Swedish hair goddess Matilda Djerf. However, I saw Wildflower Case founder — and fashion mother to all of her TikTok disciples — Devon Lee Carlson use one of my brushes in a TikTok, so I feel content in my choice to inadvertently subscribe to the rival hair utensil.

Tori: As someone who is generally curling iron illiterate, never have I been so tempted by something so utterly overpriced. I try to be content with my Revlon round brush, I really do, but every video I come across of someone out-Racheling “The Rachel” with such minimal effort (the brush literally spins itself! Come on!) I grow weaker.

Even the Shark dupe for this product sits just under $300. To all of the TikTok hair goddesses out there, may I humbly request we turn the $12 mini crimper I picked up in the Kohl’s checkout line into a trend next? Think of the brand deal-less among your audience, I beg.

Literally anything Alix Earle touches

Olivia: When I asked said roommate about what other items were trending on TikTok besides the Stanley, she said, verbatim, “Literally anything Alix Earle touches.”