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AUTUMN OKUSZKA Features Reporter
College can be a challenging experience for any student. For those in recovery from addiction, it can be challenging in a way not many would understand.
According to a recent study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), over 80% of college-aged people across the nation reported drinking alcohol and over 40% reported marijuana use within the past twelve months alone.
In an environment where both alcohol and drug use is prevalent, it can be difficult for students in recovery to maintain their sobriety while also maintaining their class attendance, grades and social life.
The OU Counseling Center (OUCC) aims to ease those difficulties by introducing the Grizz Recovery Program, a Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) funded by The Children’s Foundation and Jamie Daniels Foundation.
A CRP is dedicated to building a supportive community for students in recovery, as well as those who hope to be in recovery. These students
are given the opportunity to have a genuine college education and experience free from alcohol and other substances.
Dr. David Schwartz, director of the OUCC, believes it could be beneficial to give students in recovery a place to gather and meet with other students who are experiencing similar challenges.
“Anytime you’re dealing with a health issue of any kind, you can feel like you’re alone,” Schwartz said. “I think having a program like this on campus will hopefully open people’s eyes to realize, ‘I’m not alone.’”
The Grizz Recovery Program currently provides a recovery lounge located in room 403 of Hamlin Hall to hangout in between classes as well as gather for weekly recovery meetings. The program also offers one-on-one individualized case management services and sober social events.
Jennifer Cervi is the coordinator of the Grizz Recovery Program. As someone who is in long-term recovery herself, Cervi has taken part in the development of other CRP’s across the nation.
“When I was looking at [graduate] schools and looking at how I was going to be successful, I needed
recovery support,” Cervi said. “That’s what gave me the inspiration to start the [CRP] at [the University of Michigan] during my master’s.”
Cervi is committed to giving students the opportunity to enjoy a genuine college experience without having to sacrifice their recovery. She understands that maintaining sobriety can feel like a full-time job.
“I love working with students, and I want to give them this authentic experience without having to sacrifice their recovery because it’s a tricky thing,” Cervi said.
Both Schwartz and Cervi are passionate about reducing the stigma around substance misuse. They hope that through the Grizz Recovery Program and other CRP’s in general, the stigma could be minimized on college campuses.
“One of the biggest mistakes we make when it comes to health in general in this country is stigmatizing things like this issue,” Schwartz said. “People will treat it like it’s a moral failing or a character flaw. It creates untold amounts of damage to not only the people most directly affected, but us as a society, too.”
Cervi and Schwartz want students who are considering joining the Grizz
Recovery Program to know they don’t have to be afraid to reach out. A lifetime commitment to sobriety can be intimidating, but it is something that the Grizz Recovery Program can help students navigate.
“[Students] don’t have to be afraid to walk in the door. You don’t have to have super long sobriety to come,” Cervi said. “We are one of the most welcoming groups on campus because everybody has been through a similar story. Here, you will find people that are going through the same thing.”
For more information regarding the Grizz Recovery Program, students can contact Jennifer Cervi at jcervi@oakland.edu.
The Oakland University Model United Nations (MUN) team traveled to Toronto, Canada to compete in the North American Model United Nations (NAMUN) Conference from Feb. 23-25. Despite a field of fierce competitors, the OU team had a strong performance at the event, demonstrating their knowledge of international relations and emulating the beliefs and behaviors of various global actors.
OU MUN may be one of the most decorated collegiate MUN teams in Michigan for many reasons. One aspect of the club that attributes to this is the large amount of time its members spend preparing for each competition. The team meets for two hours each week, and members are expected to conduct research outside of regular meetings.
A unique feature of OU MUN is that students may elect to take part in the club for course credit
as part of the political science department, registering under the course number PS3605.
“I strongly recommend that new members register to receive credit for MUN,” OU MUN team advisor and Professor Cody Eldredge said. “That being said, MUN is a group open for anyone, regardless of major or experience.”
Prior to every conference, each team member is assigned the role of a state or actor and a committee (general, specialized or crisis). The committee serves as a guide for specific areas the participant should research most closely and then shares the information they have gathered on their respective roles in their meetings.
The students must take a comprehensive approach while researching. They are not only expected to know their own state/ actor’s views on certain issues, but they must also conduct opposition research to understand where another state/actor may stand.
Besides research, a major undertaking for participants is learning the rules of parliamentary procedure. The OU delegates spent weeks reviewing over 20 pages of NAMUN procedural rules to ensure they displayed proper etiquette and language at the competition.
Throughout the duration of the NAMUN conference, the OU delegates engaged in intense discussion and debate with delegates from other universities across the continent.
“Students take away valuable negotiating and compromising skills from this experience,” Eldredge said.
In the competitive atmosphere of the conference, OU students were able to display their knowledge of complicated problems and understanding of state/actor ideologies. Furthermore, the conference provided a forum for participants to have difficult conversations about global issues related to equality, human rights and politics.
“I really liked the competitive
atmosphere of the MUN,” OU sophomore and first-year MUN member Eien VanRiper said. “Most especially, I enjoyed the opportunity to brainstorm solutions to realworld problems with other college students across the continent.”
Students interested in joining OU MUN can check out the club’s GrizzOrgs page or contact Eldredge at celdredge@oakland. edu for more information.
According to the University of Michigan’s Poverty Solutions initiative, approximately 11% of adolescents in Oakland County are struggling with food insecurity. For the wealthiest county in Michigan — based on personal income per capita — this statistic highlights that food insecurity is a widespread problem which permeates the everyday lives of many individuals in and around Oakland University’s campus.
OU students Sarah Nyquist, a junior majoring in radiologic technology, and Rachel Whalen, a senior majoring in medical laboratory sciences, recognized
this pressing matter and decided to explore available nutrition support programs for their Explorations in Collaborative Leadership and InterProfessional Education (ECLIPSE) Community Health Research Project.
The pair studied the nonprofit organization, Food Rescue US, to explore what may be done to mitigate food insecurity within Oakland County.
Food Rescue US has a rather fitting name, as its primary goal is to rescue food which would otherwise go to waste. Since its inception, Food Rescue US has provided more than 112 million meals to those in need and rescued over 141 million pounds of excess food.
“One of the things I love about Food Rescue is how it’s solving multiple social issues — helping keep food out of landfills, helping to feed people in need and helping to get more food into food pantries to serve more people,” Dr. Jennifer Lucarelli, a Food Rescue US community partner, said.
The organization empowers community members to serve others by recruiting volunteers, food donors and agency partners through the support of their mobile app.
“What I like about working with Food Rescue Detroit, in particular, is how easy it is to find a volunteer time slot that works with my schedule,” Lucarelli said. “The app is easy to use, and you can pick a one-time opportunity or you can adopt a recurring weekly rescue.
“I even signed up to get daily emails about what rescues are still available for the next day in case I happen to be free,” Lucarelli said. “I’ve been able to bring friends along with me, and we’ve had fun using our social time together to make the world a better place.”
Oakland County works alongside the Detroit chapter of Food Rescue US. The branch, founded in 2019, has saved over 8 million pounds of food through partnerships with over a hundred food donors.
The Neighborhood House, a nonprofit organization located in Rochester, receives a portion of these donations. With the goal of decreasing food insecurity across Oakland County, The Neighborhood House organizes and distributes this food to community members.
“As an OU student working with Food Rescue US, I would say that my perspective on food insecurity has broadened,” Whalen said. “Initially, when I would think of Oakland County, I only saw as far as the large houses and expensive stores. Now, I recognize that Oakland County presents just as much need as some of the surrounding counties.”
Getting involved with the Detroit Chapter of Food Rescue US is rather simple, with their mobile app making scheduling volunteer hours easy by listing the locations and times available.
Food Rescue US is always looking for volunteers and any OU student who wishes to start their
Throughout his life, Oakland University junior Kyle Griggs has yearned to belong to a community where he could be himself. When he became a Keeper of the Dream Award (KOD) recipient, he recognized that he didn’t have to look any further than his own backyard.
Griggs recalls having an atypical childhood. He attended the Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School (FLICS) in Detroit, where the main focus was to learn another language. Griggs credits his experience there as foundational in his enjoyment of learning about different cultures.
“[Learning about different cultures] is still something that I love doing today, just talking to people and learning about their experiences,” Griggs said.
Griggs also remembers feeling lonely during this time because he unconsciously kept his distance from people. Upon attending OU, he took it upon himself to break out of his shell by becoming an active member of the Grizzly community.
Griggs is a peer mentor for the Center for Multicultural Initiatives (CMI) as well as the Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC). He feels he already has a disposition to enjoy both positions.
“I’m a psychology major,” he said. “Learning about people by communicating and making community with people is something that I’ve always enjoyed doing. Being a mentor was just something that I felt was really beneficial.”
Though he was interested, Griggs refrained from applying for KOD in previous years. He only made the leap this year after a supervisor acknowledged the work Griggs is doing is significant beyond measure.
“I don’t have any huge leadership positions,” Griggs said. “I’m not a president or secretary of organizations. But even still, coming to terms that what I do is still important and still beneficial was something that really helped inspire me.”
Coming from a home with a limited surplus of means, Griggs is thankful KOD offers him a scholarship that makes attending college just a little bit more affordable.
“We live in a country where education is very, very, very expensive for a majority of people,” he said. “Any sort of financial aid is very helpful.”
KOD has also given Griggs the opportunity to network with people who share the same ideals as him — something he wholeheartedly appreciates.
“A lot of people who apply and are awarded the scholarship seem to have similar values,” Griggs said. “It’s always nice to find other people who are like-minded.”
Upon graduation, Griggs plans on taking a year off. Though he enjoys the education schooling provides him, he feels that he would relish in the opportunity to learn outside of a classroom.
“I plan on doing a little bit of volunteer work — that’s something that I really want to get into,” he said. “My areas of interest are advocacy or just community development in general.”
Griggs has learned a great deal from what he
has experienced throughout the course of his life. He believes that everyone should be a part of a community where they can be their complete and authentic selves.
“For me, that’s [being] Black, that’s being queer, that’s having all of those identity aspects and feeling like there’s room for that to exist,” Griggs said. “Wherever you are in the world, even if you’re the minority in a situation, you deserve to be able to feel confident and not have to choose what aspect of yourself you want to bring forward.”
This article is part of a series of articles about the 2023 Keeper of the Dream Award recipients.and register,” she said.
Professor. Mother. Bilingual Author. Musician. Artist. Winemaker. Auto mechanic. Proud owner of two goats. Excellence in Teaching Award recipient. Woman of numerous talents.
These are just a few of the many ways one could describe Dr. Doris Plantus, a professor in the Department of English since 2009.
A single mother of two boys, Plantus worked hard to provide for her sons, making auto parts for GM in her garage for six cents apiece and taking a job cooking before she went back to school to earn her Ph.D. in English.
“Well, happily, after all of this struggle, I got my Ph.D. at age fifty and that’s where my career at Oakland [University] starts,” Plantus said.
Shortly after earning her doctorate, Plantus began teaching courses for the Department of English and Honors College. Bible as Literature, an online course she created and further developed that she continues to teach, has remained a popular student favorite. Plantus was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award in 2012.
Emphasizing interdisciplinary thinking in all of her courses, Plantus encourages students to think — not feel — when exploring the contents of her class.
“My philosophy of teaching is teaching students how to think and not what to think. I never tell them, ‘This is the only way you must look at this.’ I expose them to all kinds of ideas, and encourage them to use their minds to think things through rather than
feel their way through subjects, which I think is kind of a real characteristic of our contemporary times,” Plantus said.
“People always default to how they feel. And I think, it contributes to a lot of strife and misunderstanding and angry discourse because people are trying to express knowledge through their feelings, rather than learning how to think about something and then having the language skills to put it in the right context and perspective, with respect for history and philosophy and other cultures and other times so that it takes us out of our very self-involved activities.”
Embracing her Romanian heritage, Plantus is the author of a novella titled “Sihastrul” which was published in both English and Romanian. As a bilingual writer, Plantus has also translated Romanian literature to the English language.
Outside of academia, Plantus plays six different instruments: the mandolin, accordion, and hammered dulcimer to name a few. Using art to express her passion for life, she paints Eastern Orthodox iconography and makes sculptures using stones from all over the world.
Dabbling in culinary crafts, Plantus also loves to cook, make homemade sausage, as well as honor family traditions by vinifying an Eastern European wine derived from red grapes.
Happiest existing in a pastoral setting, Plantus shared that she takes care of two pygmy goats, Raphael and Theo, on her property.
“They’re just a delight, they follow me wherever I go, they get in my house, they do tricks…They keep me very humble because I have to get up at five in the morning and feed them and make sure they have hay. The loft in my garage is filled with 20 bales of hay and straw,” Plantus said.
“They’re quite interesting and they have a good life, and it gives me pause. It lets me reflect on the simplicity of life and what people used to have to do and still do that have animals.”
As a woman who promotes interdisciplinary thinking in the classroom, Dr. Plantus certainly approaches her life outside of OU in a multifaceted fashion as well.
“I really love life in all of its different aspects,” Plantus said.
How harmful can light really be, anyway… (hint: it’s more hurtful than you think!)
Deep in the canopy of the Great Smoky Mountains, fireflies perform a “light dance” every June as their mating ritual. This phenomenon attracts tourists and scientists from all across the globe. Besides Tennessee and the Smoky Mountains region, the only other area that this dance occurs is in Thailand.
It all starts with a flash – from the airborne male as he flies through the trees – and the females respond with their own flash as they wait to find each other in the dark of night.
However, while this event may sound beautiful, its power and uniqueness are dwindling from the impact of light pollution. What exactly is happening, then? Tourists that flood the area with flashlights or cars with their headlights speeding by can actually throw off the synchronized dance that the fireflies perform. This is harmful towards their mating ritual, which is a rare chance for the species to continue its livelihood.
The solution seems simple: prohibit the use of flashlights and limit the number of cars near the mating areas. For other issues that light pollution poses, the remedy is not this easy.
Do you notice how when you move away from a heavily lit area during the night, the sky around
it seems to have an aura of light surrounding it? This is skyglow. Skyglow occurs when artificial light projects against the night sky, and it poses a great danger for stargazers alike. Because of the rapid increase in use of artificial light, whether to illuminate dark parking lots, city streets, or highways, we are essentially “erasing” stars from the night sky. In comparison to almost 20 years ago, one would be able to see roughly 2.5 times more the amount of stars that they could see today with the naked eye. Satellite measurements indicate that North America has an average of 10% increase in skyglow each year, greater than the 7% that Europe experiences. Urban environments are no longer able to observe stars and other planetary elements without the help of scientific instruments. While this is annoying, is skyglow a concern not only in the aspect of seeing stars?
Unfortunately, yes. Diurnal and nocturnal species are both impacted by skyglow and artificial light overuse. Diurnal (active during the day) animals may think that its daytime when it really isn’t, or nocturnal (active during the night) may have trouble discerning when it is truly night. This poses risks as these species may become active when they shouldn’t, impacting their reproduction, feeding, and even predator-prey interactions.
What kind of hope is there for the future? Ecologists and astronomers alike believe that if you don’t have to use a light, keep it off!
Any lights used outside should have shields
and be facing downwards so that they do not contribute to skyglow, and if you have a lot of lights because of safety concerns, consider installing a security system.
The International Dark Sky Association has a Dark Sky Week taking place from April 15th through the 22nd, promoting the awareness of light pollution and making knowledge about the issue easily accessible to all. To learn more, please visit this link.
Turn out your lights – if not for yourself, do it for the fireflies!
In colleges across the country, there are plenty of students who currently or plan to run their own business. This is no different at Oakland University, where two public relations majors are each showcasing their passions through their own businesses.
Jada Samuels and Drew Ulmer are both seniors who, within the last five years, have begun their journey of being both a student and entrepreneur. What each does is different to the other, but they each find their own joy in their business.
Samwell Solutions
Samuels, alongside her mom, Renee, runs a wellness business called Samwell Solutions where she tackles social, academic and mental wellness. They registered for the LLC in 2019 before the pandemic, and Samwell Solutions has come a long way since its inception.
“The website definitely looked different, and we were still brainstorming, like, ‘what are we doing?’ Originally, we were targeting parents specifically,” Samuels said. “That’s what it is — it was analysis paralysis most of the time. But it’s not a process that I regret, because I’ve learned a lot through it, and that’s why I’m even pursuing the degree I’m pursuing right now.”
The focus is now on three groups — students, teachers and parents — with resources like an online blog as well as a book written by Renee called “A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Children in Learning at Home.” With her mom being a special education teacher, Samuels and her mom shared a passion for the wellness of students.
Of the three types of wellnesses, Samuels said they need to focus a little more on academic wellness by introducing simple strategies people may not be familiar with.
“There’s a knowing-doing gap, like, sure, you might know how to do better, but you don’t actually necessarily do it,” she said. They would form ideas on resources for students to use throughout school, but for the parents and teachers as well, hoping to create a better
learning environment and better foundation for these practices. With the ideas in mind, they struggle with the consistency of scheduling, as well as the promotion of the business.
“What we realized, though, is with our focus on mental, social wellness, it’s kind of wild how if you want to be successful and get the word out, you have to obviously use social media. However, social media is also a huge detriment to your mental health,” Samuels said.
With her major and her entrepreneurship minor, Samuels said there was content which made her think more critically about the business and how to shape it, but public relations wasn’t always the focus. In the beginning, she wanted to go into education reform, but for now does not want to be involved in the education system.
One of the biggest focuses for Samwell Solutions has been boundaries. Samuels said it feels it is suddenly becoming a big thing, and she wants to help normalize it.
“I think boundaries are such an abstract concept that people don’t exactly know — ‘how do I even implement that?’” Samuels said. “It’s so vague, and yet it’s talked about so much.”
One project for them is the creation of a game called Why The Fuss (WTF), which helps explore these ideas in simpler terms. With this game still in the works, one thing they are still determining is who to market it toward. A diagram of determining who’s in your circle and determining boundaries has helped her understand boundaries more.
After graduation, Samuels hopes to take some time off from school while learning more about social media and promotions for her own personal brand to transfer that knowledge to Samwell Solutions. She has learned many lessons from the process so far, but one of the biggest is the importance of vulnerability.
“I always looked at it as weakness, as a lot of people do,” Samuels said. “With wellness in general, to make genuine connections you need to give a little, you need to be open and vulnerable — you don’t always have it together, and that’s okay.”
Ulmer’s passion led him to start a leatherworking business during COVID-19 to stay busy at home. Now at OU, he has mobilized his business to offer things like wine bags, bookmarks and his personal favorite, tarot cards.
He is able to work at OU with the limited tools he brought from home, and is typically still able to finish projects in a couple of days, when he has the time.
“I definitely have to prioritize classes and getting work done before I can do a hobby, and I kind of treat it as a reward, almost, where, if I can get this assignment done, or get this amount of work done, then I’ll be able to have time to do something that makes me really happy,” Ulmer said. What started as making armor and memorabilia from the media turned into everyday items which people can see on Ulmer’s Instagram page. While the end result is unique, the entire process is not wildly different, as it all starts with a rectangular piece of leather.
“I’ve done a few with deer hide, which is a softer leather — much more malleable, like, you could fold it if you wanted to, and that’s really soft and that one you can’t do a lot of tooling on,” he said.
“Whereas the veg-tan leather, which is what I use for the tarot cards and a few other packs that I’ve made, that’s a lot thicker. It’s more durable, and that’s the one that you can use stamps and the swivel knife to carve in designs and all the different patterns,” he said.
Ulmer echoes Samuels in the assistance the public relations major has given him to help grow and understand his business. He credits Dr. Chiaoning Su’s class where he learned the importance of a social media presence and trend following.
One of the hardest challenges aside from time conflicts has been the
learning curve of it all. Ulmer would do research on proper tools and the craft itself — starting with basic tools can be relatively cheap, but the advanced projects can tend to be more expensive.
He plans to continue with leathermaking, whether it be as a hobby or a way to make money on the side.
“It started out as kind of a form of therapy for myself during the pandemic, where there wasn’t a whole lot of what I could do between going to class, going to work and going to sleep,” he said. “It became an outlet for me, something that I could express myself, something that I’ve found passion in.”
STORY BY JOE ZERILLI || DESIGN BY MEGAN PARKER“mRNA” has become a buzz word from the COVID-pandemic and well-known vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna. Is mRNA a new technology? Surprisingly, no! While the rest of the world is learning about it in real time, this kind of research has been around for awhile within the scientific community. Even with its controversy, its future is getting brighter with each day.
What is mRNA? Messenger RNA is a form of genetic information that is transcribed from DNA and is transferred to the ribosome, where it is translated into protein. When trying to explain mRNA to others without a science background, one could refer to DNA as the recipe, mRNA as the ingredients and interpretation, and the protein as the final product.
Here’s are some notable points of time in mRNA research:
• Messenger RNA was first discovered in 1961 by Sydney Brenner, Francois Jacob, and Matthew Meselson
• The first delivery of mRNA into cells was completed in the 1970s
• An mRNA flu vaccine for mice was tested in the 1990s
• Human-research was conducted for an mRNA vaccine for rabies in 2013
As you can notice, there are some significant gaps of time – but this technology really isn’t in its infancy.
Katalin Kariko should be a household name when someone mentions mRNA. Alongside her partner Drew Weissman, they as a team developed the mRNA technology that powered both the COVID vaccine and the domino effect of change towards vaccine development and other therapies. During their work together than spans over 2 decades, they have proven that mRNA vaccines are both safer and more effective than traditional vaccination methods – with the COVID-19 vaccine accounting for a 95% efficacy rate.
What kind of applications does mRNA technology have the power to achieve?
• The National Institute of Health (NIH) has announced that 3 mRNA HIV vaccines are to be used in a clinical trial for the disease. As treatments for HIV are few and far between, and understanding of how to treat the disease has only just begun, this is a big deal!
• The basis of mRNA vaccines can be used to create a better and more effective flu vaccine – while the current option works just fine,
imagine what the future could bring with being able to create a vaccine as soon as a new strain arises
• Cardiovascular applications can come from mRNA and other cell therapies – the future of mRNA is not just in the vaccine
• Treating cancer with mRNA technology can allow for a personalized approach – attacking tumors without hurting the patient, especially those that cannot be resected, can prove as a promising result of this research
• Diseases such as shingles and lyme could become a thing of the past with development of vaccines and other therapies
While the word “mRNA” has become fairly politicized with the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread fear and misinformation shared, one cannot deny that its power holds great promise for the future of medicine.
In recent weeks, the media has been dominated with stories covering ChatGPT. The artificial intelligence bot, developed by artificial intelligence research laboratory OpenAI, has had its share of promoters and detractors.
Regardless of the mix of opinions, it is clear that ChatGPT is revolutionizing the way we interact with technology and changing the future of education.
So what is ChatGPT, and how does it work? The Oakland Post, with assistance from Tianle Ma, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, asked ChatGPT directly.
“ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence language model developed by OpenAI, designed to understand natural language input from humans and generate human-like responses that are both informative and engaging,” the bot said. “In other words, it is an AIpowered chatbot that is able to understand human languages and generate responses that are intended to mimic human conversation.”
As ChatGPT was trained on massive quantities of text data from the internet like books, websites and articles, the AI bot is able to learn the patterns and rules of human language.
“ChatGPT can understand and respond to a wide range of topics and questions. It can provide
information, make recommendations and even engage in casual conversation,” the bot said. “When you interact with ChatGPT, you can type in questions or prompts, and the model will analyze your input and generate a response based on its understanding of language.
“The responses can be anything from informative answers to playful banter, depending on the context of the conversation.”
Utilizing ChatGPT undoubtedly has its benefits. It’s accessible 24/7 to provide quick solutions to questions, give recommendations on products or services and can be a time saver for many businesses and organizations.
However, as ChatGPT will tell you, it has plenty of drawbacks.
“ChatGPT may struggle to understand the context of a user’s inquiry or the nuances of language, leading to inaccurate or inappropriate responses. ChatGPT’s accuracy and effectiveness depend on the quality and quantity of data it has been trained on,” the bot said. “If the data it has been trained on is biased, incomplete or inaccurate, ChatGPT may produce inaccurate or incomplete responses.
“[Additionally,] ChatGPT may store and process sensitive user information, which could pose security and privacy risks if the user data is not properly protected.”
There also is concern over how ChatGPT will
impact students and educators. The rise of the AI bot has alarmed schools across America.
“Students will absolutely be able to use it instead of just doing their homework,” OU student Nick Mumby said. “They would be able to write papers with it, and you won’t be able to tell the difference, because it’s not something’s been written before — it was written just then.”
ChatGPT itself warns of its own constraints for students. Despite being a powerful tool, AI simply cannot replace human influence.
“Looking ahead, ChatGPT and other AI-powered chatbots have the potential to transform education by providing personalized, accessible and efficient learning experiences. However, it’s important to use these tools in a way that complements and supports human educators rather than replacing them entirely,” the bot said.
“It’s also important to recognize the limitations of AI-powered chatbots and to use them in a way that balances their benefits with their limitations.”
It is evident that ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence technologies will impact our society in complex and multifaceted ways. As we progress into an ever-changing technological world, it is important to recognize the benefits and drawbacks of these advanced technologies and use them in a way that maximizes their benefits while minimizing their potential negative impacts.
First it was a movie — an iconic chick flick from 2004. Then, in 2018, it became a Broadway musical, which had an interrupted run with the beginning of the pandemic. Now, “Mean Girls” will be officially adapted into a movie musical. A bit confusing, I know.
With all of the buzz surrounding “Mean Girls,” the rumored movie musical and reappearing cast from either the musical or the original film, a lot has come out about the upcoming Paramount+ feature.
“Mean Girls” musical stars are set to return to the franchise in the musical movie. Reneé Rapp, who played Regina George, and Ashley Park, who played Gretchen Wieners in the original Broadway musical’s run will be in the film.
There are also a lot of big names that are going to be featured in the screen adaptation. Auli’i Cravalho (“Moana”) as Janis Ian, Jenna Fischer (“The Office”) as Cady’s mom and Christopher Briney (“The Summer I Turned Pretty”) as Aaron Samuels.
It has been speculated since the movie musical was announced that the original
cast of the 2004 movie would likely make an appearance in the musical’s screen adaptation. Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert and Rachel McAdams “would love to make a cameo,” according to Seyfried.
“I’m still hoping for a miracle. It’s not really up to us. Is it?” Seyfried said. “All four of us are in, 100% into it.”
Unfortunately, this may not happen after all. There has apparently been a dispute between the four OG “Mean Girls” stars and Paramount over pay.
“Paramount Pictures doesn’t want to pay the girls what they are worth,” a member of the production team said. “All four girls were willing to come back, but Paramount had not been respectful of what they are worth.”
Stalled talk over pay is definitely not ‘fetch’ for the Paramount film. It seems to be pretty up in the air over whether the original cast will be featured in the musical film or not.
In terms of casting news, there has been a new cast member added to the musical. Busy Phillips has joined the cast of the Paramount film to play Mrs. George — Regina’s mom. Angourie Rice will also be joining the cast to play the role of Cady Heron.
Tina Fey will be producing the film
with Paramount, along with Lorne Michaels. Arturo Perez and Samantha Jayne will also be directing the film.
“I’m very excited to bring ‘Mean Girls’ back to the big screen,” Fey said to US Magazine. “It’s been incredibly gratifying to see how much the movie and the musical have meant to audiences.
I’ve spent 16 years with these characters now. They are my Marvel universe, and I love them dearly.”
Production of the film started on March 6 of this year. There is no news on a release date yet, but it will premiere on Paramount+, as well as in theaters.
On Friday, March 10, Miley Cyrus released her eighth studio album, “Endless Summer Vacation” — a more pop-centered follow up to her 2020 glam rock album “Plastic Hearts.”
During promotion leading up to the release of “Endless Summer Vacation,” Cyrus explained that when it came to the sequencing of this album, she divided it into two parts: a.m. and p.m.
Cyrus explained that the first half of the album represents a.m., “the morning time, where there’s a buzz and energy and there’s the potential of new possibilities.” While the second half of the album represents p.m., inspired by the nighttime which carries the “feel[ing] like there’s a slinky, seediness and kind of a grime but a glamour at the same time.”
After seemingly getting a taste of this concept through her first single “Flowers” — released on Jan. 13 — I was very excited to see Cyrus’ vision fully fleshed out. So, when I hit play during the early hours of its release, I was kind of thrown for a loop. I have to be honest — upon my first listen, I did not really vibe with the album.
I spent those first 43 minutes anxiously anticipating the first song that would stick out for me to put in my eventual top five list, but it just never came. Instead of my usual task of narrowing down a long list of favorites, I was instead faced with the challenge of pointing out a song that I actually liked.
After spending a good few minutes of silence debating what I must have done wrong, I decided to listen through the album again — and I am so glad I did. While I still could not really identify the “a.m. and p.m.” theme of the album, I did figure out that I clearly like the first half better — so that’s something.
I also was able to confidently compile my top five list, so here is the manifestation of my ranking stress:
1. Flowers
The first single, the first song on the album and the first song on my list! “Flowers” truly deserves to be given its flowers, not only for its chart topping accomplishments, but also for its uplifting funky disco beat. I do imagine myself strutting Cyrus-style every time it comes on, an opportunity I will always indulge.
2. Jaded
On my first listen, I wasn’t too sure about this track, but after my second
listen I can confidently say that it is one of the better songs on the album. I can now appreciate the juxtaposition between the light, summery, twinklefilled instrumental and Cyrus’ raw vocals that she is known for. I can already imagine the concert crowd singalong that will accompany Cyrus as she belts the word “jaded.”
3. Rose Colored Lenses
I am now realizing my so-called “top five list” is no longer a ranking in order from best to worst, as I just decided that “Rose Colored Lenses” might be my favorite song on the album. The song truly embodies that dreamy optimistic feeling forever tied to the idea of seeing the world through rose colored glasses.
I also think I am drawn to this track because it feels like a cross between every song on the “Booksmart” soundtrack and “Woman” by Harry Styles — which makes sense, as it was co-written and coproduced by Tyler Johnson, the genius also behind Styles’ song.
4. You
Cyrus first debuted “You” during her 2022 New Year’s Eve special with Pete Davidson when it was so new that she hadn’t even recorded it yet. The live version of the song ended up going on her third live album “Attention: Miley
Live” back in April 2022, so the final version of this song has been a long time coming — and the passionate piano ballad did not disappoint.
5. Island
The final song I want to mention is “Island” — the only song from the p.m. side of “Endless Summer Vacation.” As its name suggests, the song has a smooth island groove that makes me, too, beg the question, “Am I stranded on an island? Or have I landed in paradise?”
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
PHOTO BY EMILY LATROU
The season of rom-coms is officially upon us, book lovers. The newest addition to my list of favorite guilty pleasure rom-coms is “Better Than the Movies.”
This Young Adult (YA) romance novel by YA (and Adult) romance author Lynn Painter has it all — fake dating (my favorite trope), witty, sarcastic protagonists and cheesy cliches.
Painter’s novel is a great example of emphasizing humor — starting with her book description.
“Liz Buxbaum has always known that Wes Bennett was not boyfriend material. You would think that her next-door neighbor would be a prince candidate for her romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only proven himself to be a pain in the butt, ever since they were little,” the description said. “Wes was the kid who put a frog in her Barbie Dreamhouse, the monster who hid a lawn gnome’s severed head in her little homemade neighborhood book exchange.”
I’m not sure how someone manages to make gnome decapitation and
neighbors tormenting each other in their youth romantic, but she does.
Liz and Wes have a complicated, love-hate relationship that draws readers in. They’re drawn to each other — not just because of their proximity, but because they have a genuine connection.
I loved Liz’s journey throughout the book. She’s one of my favorite romance story protagonists in a little while. She’s flawed, which I feel like a lot of protagonists don’t get to be,
to a certain extent. She acknowledges when she’s being a bad friend, or when she’s pushing her stepmom away during her senior year activities.
Wes cared about Liz, and I was grinning when Liz had her moments of confusion over their relationship. It was nice to see the characters being genuine friends before and during their fake dating plot. I enjoyed seeing how Painter planted those seeds throughout the book — it was the little moments that kept me turning the page.
This book touched on many things, not just romance. It tackled loss with the death of Liz’s mother. I liked how it was a constant in the book. It affected her behavior and how she saw her senior year. It gave depth to her character that made me want to read more. The story had complexity.
If a person is willing to not only fake a relationship with you to impress your crush, but also take you shopping, drive you around and make a romantic playlist with you — wow. Wes and Liz are adorable, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the two to realize their true feelings.
There is one scene in the novel that made me circle it on my page, not to mention almost throwing the book across the room. It comes towards the end after the big prom night that Liz had been anticipating the entire book. It’s three simple words that had me kicking and screaming “She isn’t you.”
Overall, I think any fan of the fake dating trope should definitely give this book a try. It has everything. I think Jenny Han fans would really enjoy this one.
Rating: 5/5
I have to admit — I love a good (or should I say so bad it’s good) rom-com. Present me with a group of good-looking twenty-somethings living in the big city with lavish lifestyles and massive apartments you know they couldn’t afford working in real life as a fashion magazine columnist or florist and I will watch it.
Bring on the upcoming nuptials you know will be interrupted by the bride’s handsome childhood best friend who realizes he’s loved her all these years. Dazzle me with a makeover montage. Turn enemies into friends and friends into lovers. Impress me with a surprisingly good soundtrack.
As an unabashed fan of these cinematic masterpieces of the nineties and early two-thousands, I’ve decided to rank a few from my least favorite (#10) to favorite (#1).
10.
Michael O’Neil is a walking red flag disguised as a twenty-eight-year-old sportswriter. Getting engaged to a twenty-year-old college student, practically coercing her to drop out of school, and stringing your best friend along for the ride is not the move. Jules — who also has her fair moment of crazy — and Michael deserved each other. Kimmy, stay in school and get that degree. I do enjoy the soundtrack, though. “I Say a Little Prayer” is nothing short of legendary.
9. “Sweet Home Alabama”
I hate everything about this movie except for the proposal scene between Andrew and Melanie. The man literally shut down Tiffany’s and told his fiancée to pick any ring. I mean — does it get any more
romantic than that? Talk about a dream proposal. Trey MacDougal’s “proposal” to Charlotte York in “Sex and the City” walked so that this proposal could run. This scene is the only reason this movie is included on my list. Tiffany’s and Patrick Dempsey happen to be a few of my favorite, unattainable things.
8. “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”
Funny? Yes. Predictable? Also yes, but isn’t every rom-com? A classic, but not my favorite. Sometimes the second-hand embarrassment of watching Kate Hudson’s and Matthew McConaughey’s characters is too much to bear.
7. “13 going on 30”
Still waiting to be thirty, flirty and thriving tbh. I loved this movie growing up. Does anyone want to eat some Razzles and dance to “Thriller”?
6. “Made of Honor”
As someone who confesses her love for just about every dog she sees on the street, I appreciate that a dog is what results in Patrick Dempsey’s character’s marriage epiphany. The shared humor and friendship between the two protagonists and their honored Sunday afternoon routine is heart-warming. Every time I watch I find myself searching for cheap airline tickets to Scotland. This film also solidifies that a good rom-com must include a cast member — or two — from “Grey’s Anatomy.”
5. “The Wedding Planner”
“You smell like plums and grilled cheese sandwiches,” is a line that could only be uttered in a cheesy rom-com. It’s the ultimate comfort movie: charming, sentimental and emphasizes that Matthew McConaughey is the ultimate rom-com king and J-Lo the rom-com queen.
4. “The Holiday”
My favorite Christmas movie and one of my favorite rom-coms. Surprisingly, this is the only Nancy Meyers film on this list, but that credibility certainly explains its high ranking. I adore the dreamy music, idyllic British countryside setting and absolutely everything about Jude Law’s character. A must-watch during the holiday season.
3. “Serendipity”
Another film that branches into the Christmas genre, but is also an excellent rom-com choice. The chemistry between Jonathan and Sara will make you believe in destiny — if only for one hour and thirty-one minutes.
2. “Only You”
Italy? Check. Robert Downey Jr.’s witty banter? Check. A re-enactment of the iconic “Roman Holiday” scene featuring The Mouth of Truth? Also, Check. While this is one of the lesser-known films of the rom-com genre, it deserves more recognition. If you see me in Rome searching for a Damon Bradley, mind your business.
1. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
Egyptians, like myself, and Greeks are like apples and oranges. Actually, it’s more like comparing two extremely similar apple varieties. I don’t think I have ever seen a more relatable and hilarious movie in my life. Having parents from two very different cultural backgrounds, being shamed for bringing ethnic food to lunch for school, deciphering the ancient origins of words and emphatic noes from family members are just a part of having a large and loving family from the Mediterranean — which is why I love this rom-com and how well it encapsulates that.
What’s the perfect gift for “Bridgerton” fans? Well, besides a Season 3 announcement, the long awaited teaser trailer for Shondaland’s newest story in the “Bridgerton”-verse: “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.”
Fans got a sneak peek at the prequel spinoff based around the fascinating character of Queen Charlotte and her relationship with King George III of England. Save the date: May 4, 2023 is when the show is set to debut.
With season 3 of Bridgerton still being filmed, many fans are speculating when more news about the trailer and release date for the third season will be announced.
There is a lot to unpack in the teaser trailer for the upcoming show. It opens with a shot of young Charlotte riding in a carriage on her way to a palace. She is greeted by an adoring crowd of people clamoring to see her.
The trailer then shows a clip of young Charlotte addressing young George as “Your Majesty,” and then him immediately reaching for her arm. We get a few shots of what appears to be the young couple dancing at a ball together.
We then hear someone say, “Your marriage is the business of this country. This cannot go wrong,” and “You
are the first of your kind. You must secure your position.”
The trailer ends with young Charlotte saying, “This is my home. I am the queen.” This is followed by a few shots of the couple’s coronation as king and queen of England.
The young versions of the characters are almost spitting images of their current “Bridgerton”
counterparts. The trailer is very well-put-together, foreshadowing the journey of young Charlotte and her love story with King George. The teaser shows the couple when they first meet, and the chemistry between the two is spot on.
“Bridgerton” actress Golda Rosheuvel will revive her role as the outspoken Queen in the spinoff, while her younger counterpart will be portrayed by “Sex Education” actress India Amarteifio. Love interest, young George, will be played by Cory Mylchreest. Other returning characters are Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, Ruth Gemmell as Lady Bridgerton and Hugh Sachs as the Queen’s advisor, Brimsley.
A fun fact about the show lies in its release day: May 4 happens to be just two days before King Charles’ coronation that will be taking place at Westminster Abbey.
There isn’t a lot known about the additional characters to the series, but in searching for the cast, an interesting revelation was found: Lady Danbury’s deceased husband, Lord Danbury, will make an appearance. Cyril Nri will portray the character.
Lord Danbury is not the only new character set to debut in the limited series. There are a few new characters to get acquainted with in this spinoff.
Princess Augusta will be played by Michelle Fairley, young Brimsley will be played by Sam Clemmett, Lord Bute will be played by Richard Cunningham, Adolphus will be played by Tunji Kasim and the royal doctor will be played by Rob Maloney.
“My Best Friend’s Wedding”‘Queen
The Oakland baseball team upset the University of Michigan baseball team, 4-1 at Ray Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor on Wednesday, March 8. It was the Golden Grizzlies’ third win of the season — in 11 games — with just five games to play before the Horizon League competition begins.
It’s been a rough start to the 2023 season for Oakland. Head coach Jordon Banfield and the Golden Grizzlies are coming off the program’s first winning season since at least the turn of the millennium, but the momentum has halted.
Oakland opened the 2023 season by getting swept by Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The Golden Grizzlies then dropped three of four to the University of Kansas, including a brutal 26-3 defeat in the third game of the series.
Wichita State then took two of three games from Oakland. In the series against the Shockers, the Golden Grizzlies gave up 40 runs over the span of the three games.
Then came Wednesday’s win over Michigan, where Oakland’s pitching and defense had arguably their best games of the season.
Redshirt senior pitcher Bryce Kotinzer pitched five innings of shutout baseball, and his stellar performance earned a win — his first of the season.
Konitzer gave up two hits and one walk in his five
innings of work. He walked just one batter, and struck out six as he had his way with the Wolverines’ lineup.
Oakland’s bats came alive in the second and third innings. Redshirt sophomore Drew Collins’ triple brought home redshirt senior Luke Malmanger in the second inning.
Collins then scored on an error by Michigan second baseman Ted Burton, and Oakland had an early 2-0 lead over Michigan.
In the third inning, graduate student Gabe Lux was hit by a pitch. Senior Ian Cleary then doubled, bringing Lux around to score Oakland’s third run of the game.
The three-run cushion was plenty for Oakland’s pitchers, who continued to mow down a struggling U-M batting lineup.
Graduate student Christian Stelling pitched a hitless two innings after Konitzer’s day was done. Senior Noah Stants followed it up with a hitless eighth inning, and Oakland had Michigan on the ropes.
Collins singled in the top of the ninth inning, bringing home redshirt senior Thomas Green. It was an insurance run for the Golden Grizzlies, and the Wolverines couldn’t put together a late, ninthinning rally.
Michigan left fielder Tito Flores launched a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to spoil Oakland’s shutout, but it was too little, too late. The Golden Grizzlies walked out of Ann Arbor with a 4-1 upset of the Wolverines.
Banfield’s team is set to begin conference play this week, as it will travel to Youngstown, Ohio to take on the Youngstown State Penguins on Friday, March 17.
Following the series with the Penguins, Oakland will make a pit stop in Oxford, Ohio to take on Miami in a one-game series, before it heads to Dayton, Ohio to continue Horizon League play against the Wright State Raiders.
I have a bone to pick with Major League Baseball (MLB) and its players.
In case you didn’t know, over the offseason, the MLB made up a list of a variety of new rules. These rules were put in place to attract more fans to the sport by making the games quicker and encouraging more base-stealing, among other things.
These rules include a pitch clock, a ban on shifts, pickoff limitations, bigger bases and a limit on when position players can pitch.
Spring training is about a month old, and we’ve had an opportunity to see these rules enforced.
Although the pickoff limitations, bigger bases and limits to when position players can pitch are odd rules, I’ll admit there’s nothing inherently wrong with them. However, I have a feeling that one of these rule changes would cause Abner Doubleday — the inventor of baseball — to roll over in his grave.
The pitch clock is arguably the worst rule change in any sport in the history of time.
Pitchers are given 15 seconds to throw a pitch with no runners on base and 20 seconds to throw when runners are on. Additionally, hitters must be in the batter’s box and ready for the pitch to be delivered with eight seconds remaining on the pitch clock.
If the pitcher fails to deliver the ball within the specified time, a “ball” will be automatically added to the pitch count. Similarly, if the batter fails to be in the batter’s box and ready for the pitch with eight seconds left on the clock, a “strike” will be automatically awarded to the pitch count.
What does this mean?
This means pitchers can potentially be awarded a strikeout without even throwing three strikes. And batters can draw walks without four balls being thrown.
What are we doing here? This is not baseball.
Although the pitch clock is certainly doing its job — spring training games are finishing 25 minutes faster than they did in 2022, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan — there’s a bigger, overarching issue.
Ever since Doubleday invented baseball in 1839, the game has been played at its own pace. No clock, no time limit, nothing to say the game is done except
27 outs for one team and 27 outs for the other team.
You might say, “what happens if teams struggle to get outs?” Well, too bad. It’s baseball. Get three outs, or you’ll be standing out in the scorching heat for quite some time.
As far as I know, the 2003 Detroit Tigers aren’t still standing out in the field at Comerica Park waiting to get their third out to finish off the ninth inning. One of the worst baseball teams ever got all the outs they needed. The games will always end.
Now, I understand that teams are still required to get three outs every inning — but what’s next? A two-minute limit per batter? A 15-minute inning limit? A two-and-a-half-hour game limit?
It’s a disgrace to the game that has been played the same way for more than 150 years.
Baseball is meant to be played at its own pace. Football is played for 60 minutes, hockey for 60 minutes and basketball for 48.
There shouldn’t be restrictions on the game of baseball. The beauty of the sport is that you can take a half day off of work and head to the ballpark on a beautiful summer afternoon to catch a 1:10 p.m. first pitch.
Now, I can probably count on two hands how many times this rule will actually be implemented throughout the 2,430 MLB games that will be played this season, but it doesn’t matter how many times the rule is enforced. What matters is the rule is bad in nature and will only ruin the game of baseball more.
A dying sport is becoming desperate to re-attract its audience to what once was known as America’s pastime. If football hasn’t already stolen that title, it soon will with the addition of this rule.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE JUAREZ
the journeys of five scrappy, queer artists from the margins of the underground comics scene to mainstream acceptance. They tackled the humor in queer lives in a changing world and the everyday pursuits of love, sex and community.
The film will be followed by a discussion with Kel Neveau, OU alum and creator of “The Sacrifice’s Purpose” comic series, and Isabel Clare Paul and Tim Retzloff, creators of “Come Out! In Detroit,” a comic that tells the story of Michigan’s first LGBTQ+ Pride celebration. Light refreshments will be served.
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