South Quad construction prompts detours, longer commutes around campus
By CAT MURPHY Associate News EditorDetours and delays marked the first week of Quinnipiac University’s spring 2023 semester as students, faculty and staff returned to campus amid ongoing South Quad construction.
Construction on the three buildings encompassing the university’s South Quad project began shortly after the conclusion of the fall 2022 semester. The $293 million project received final approval from the Hamden Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 13, following several months of public hearings.
Sal Filardi, vice president for facilities and capital planning, notified the Quinnipiac community in an email on Jan. 12, about “construction-related changes” to the south side of the Mount Carmel Campus. The specific implications of the construction were communicated to the Quinnipiac community in a follow-up email on Jan. 20.
“As you have likely seen by now, construction has already begun, and Facilities has made several changes to the Mount Carmel Campus that you should be aware of as we begin the Spring 2023 semester,” Filardi wrote. “Thank you in advance for your patience as we begin construction and get used to new ways of navigating our campus.”
Although Bobcat Way remains accessible to vehicular traffic via the New Road entrance, Filardi informed students, faculty and staff that the South Lot and the access road connection between Bobcat Way, Hilltop Road and Pine Grove Road had been
See SOUTH QUAD Page 2
ChatGPT, artificial intelligence programs raise concerns about academic integrity
By KATIE LANGLEY News EditorAs schools nationwide continue to ban online artificial intelligence programs such as ChatGPT, Quinnipiac University community members said that we should embrace the technology, not use it to cheat on class assignments.
ChatGPT, short for Generative Pretrained Transformer, is a free online AI model launched in 2022 by OpenAI. Similar to programs such as rytry.me and articleforge, ChatGPT can generate answers to prompts based on a few keywords.
This means that chatbots can “write” college-level essays with a click of a button, which English professor Valerie Smith said threatens academic integrity and the important process of learning to write.
“Writing is not just scribbling on a piece of paper, marking symbols and that sort of stuff,” Smith said. “It’s thinking… It takes a long time to develop thoughts and ideas, and then figure out how to revise them into something that is going to be clear.”
AI programs like ChatGPT are large language models, meaning it is trained to emulate human writing by searching through large amounts of data that is available publicly on the internet, said Jonathan Blake, professor of computer science and software engineering.
“The way these programs work is that they’re largely trying to guess the next word to put into a sequence of words based on
how often these words end up showing up next to each other,” Blake said.
Unlike other computer programs, chatbots don’t simply take in the data fed to them by programmers; it can learn from anything that is published online. Blake said this means that AIs pose an issue to those who write online content such as blogs or articles.
“ChatGPT is using your words to learn how to write,” Blake said. “So as a producer of this text that you’re copywriting– it’s your stuff– you should be very upset that it’s being used without your knowledge.”
While programs like ChatGPT use a process called supervised learning to fix wrong answers to prompts, Blake said that AIs that use unsupervised learning will not correct themselves, which could increase the possibility that the information they produce is false or negative.
“If we send this large language model off on the internet to learn, what do you think it’s going to learn?” Blake said. “It’s going to learn how to swear. It’s going to learn how to make fun of people. It’s going to learn a lot of really bad things.”
When it comes to academic integrity, Provost Debra Liebowitz told the Chronicle that the university is not planning on changing its policies to specifically ban AI chatbots.
However, the current academic integrity policy already prohibits the “possession or use of unauthorized device or materials,” such as online sources on assignments. Liebowitz said this policy includes AIs if professors prohibit
them on their syllabuses or tell students they are not allowed.
Liebowitz said that AIs can possibly help teach revision, since humans have a better understanding of context and audience than computers. Blake agreed that AI-generated papers can serve as an example of what not to do.
“I think that faculty members can maybe even potentially embrace this notion of ChatGPT,” Blake said. “So you’re in an English class, you have (students) write papers… you have ChatGPT papers produced. You hand them out, and you say, ‘Edit this.’ Students are going to say, ‘Well this is crap.’”
Liebowitz said faculty members are in conversations about how to deal with AI in the classroom.
“People have used the calculator analogy, this is different than a calculator, but calculators in class were much less common a couple of generations ago,” Liebowitz said.
While AI could have a place in the classroom, Smith said that the issues faced during the writing process are all part of an important developmental skill, while AIs encourage the easier way out.
“Think of the analogy between the threeyear-old who’s like, ‘I don’t want peas and carrots, I want candy corn,’” Smith said. “As the parent, do you just say, ‘Okay, here, have some candy corn for dinner.’ Or do you say, ‘Well, I think that will stunt you.’”
The application searches pre-existing internet data, making it possible for ChatGPT to produce material that is similar to articles that
are already on the web, which raises plagiarism concerns, Smith said.
To combat plagiarism, OpenAI is currently working on a prototype watermarking tool which would identify all content produced by the AI, according to techmonitor. In addition, there are several AI detection programs which could allow educators to check if assignments are produced by AIs.
Junior software engineering major Christopher Rocco tried ChatGPT when it first came out in November 2022 and decided to show it to his professors, who were astonished by the technology.
“I was playing around with (ChatGPT),” Rocco said. “I’m like, this is something that could change the future of jobs, if you can just be outsourced to a bot.”
Rocco said that ChatGPT should be used with discretion, but it can be a useful research tool because of how quickly it gathers information about a given topic.
“In my major, software engineering, it’s an endangerment,” Rocco said. “You can look up how to code certain things and it’ll give you full scripts. But the thing about that is, if you don’t know what any of it means, it’s useless.”
However, Blake and Smith both agreed that papers produced by ChatGPT do not show the same understanding and critical thinking as those written by humans.
“I don’t think ChatGPT is ever going to write the next Pulitzer Prize novel, but it could write the next space opera,” Blake said.
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New shake cafe opens in renovated Recreation and Wellness Center
By ZACK HOCHBERG and CAT MURPHYQuinnipiac University celebrated the launch of a shake cafe on the Mount Carmel campus on Jan. 28, amid the grand opening of the recently constructed Recreation and Wellness Center.
Founded in 2011, Shake Smart has expanded to more than three dozen college campuses nationwide, according to the company’s website.
The menu features a variety of protein shakes made from a protein powder and milk base. The station offers chocolate, vanilla and cookies and cream flavored whey protein powder as well as a plant-based protein powder substitute. The cafe also offers several milk base options, including low-fat, nonfat, oat and almond milk.
The cafe also serves coffee and tea, oatmeal, nut butter sandwiches and several blended and non-blended acai bowls. Many of the menu items, including several smoothie options, are customizable and made-to-order.
However, large crowds in the store’s opening days have prevented some students from being able to try the choices.
Although sophomore occupational therapy major Amanda Salomon said she has not had the opportunity to try Shake Smart due to long lines, she said the menu appeared enticing at first glance.
“It has a variety of healthy options and is located super conveniently by opening up inside the new gym,” Salomon said. “I love that it’s not just smoothies, but also oatmeals and protein bowls.”
Although several students expressed frustrations with the lengthy wait times, others said the long lines seem to move relatively quickly.
“They’ve been long, but it seems to go pretty quickly, considering how many people are waiting,” said first-year nursing major Emily Whitters.
Some students criticized the order process, which requires customers to place a mobile order on the Shake Smart website or submit their orders on storefront self-service tablets before paying at the register.
“I didn’t know I had to wait in the line,” said Lara Matrone, a sophomore psychology major. “The setup of it was just very confusing.”
However, Matrone also said she appreciated the convenience of the new shake station.
“I used to make protein shakes in my dorm,” Matrone said. “So now, coming to the gym, then right after coming to get a shake is really useful.”
Other students said they enjoyed the cafe’s environment.
“I like the aesthetic in here,” said Gabrielle Grillo, a sophomore psychology major. “It’s a good place to sit and do your work.”
“I love coming here after working out,” Whitters said. “It’s almost like a Starbucks kind of vibe.”
Anthony Rossi, a junior finance major, said he welcomed the addition of “something new and something unique to the campus.”
“If you can get more people out of the library and out of the cafe and somewhere else, I think it’s a good use of space,” Rossi said.
The Recreation and Wellness Center was the first major completion of the master facilities plan announced in January 2021.
As a part of the renovated Recreation and Wellness Center’s grand opening, the university also hosted an opening celebration on Jan. 26, entitled RecWell After Dark.
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However, Filardi also wrote that “new vehicular traffic routes have been created to allow access to various parts of the Mount Carmel campus” and directed students, faculty and staff looking to park in the Hilltop Lot, the College of Arts and Sciences Lot or outside of the facilities building to use the service entrance behind the CAS buildings.
The construction site has also been fenced off “to restrict foot traffic from anyone who’s not a construction worker,” Filardi wrote.
As a result, the pathway connecting Bobcat Way to the CAS buildings through Pine Grove is closed to pedestrian traffic. Students, faculty and staff can access the CAS buildings from Bobcat Way via the pathway behind The Commons residence hall.
Marcus Ferreira, a sophomore computer science major, credited the university with publicizing the route between Bobcat Way and the CAS buildings but characterized the lengthy detour as cumbersome.
Whitters added that the new station had the climate of a coffee shop.
I planned my classes around the old commute,” Leduc said. “I knew that there was going to be construction, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this prominent and cause this many problems.”
Tom Ellett, chief experience officer, wrote in a Jan. 19, email to Leduc that the South Quad residence hall and the two new academic buildings would take approximately 18 months and two years to complete, respectively.
“There could possibly be a walkway added between the projects once the footings and building core is established (in) 12 months,” Ellett wrote in the email communication Leduc provided to the Chronicle.
John Morgan, associate vice president of public relations, confirmed on Jan. 31, that “this is something that is being considered.”
The event featured free food, T-shirts and a variety of student-organized games and activities that utilized the new equipment and space, according to the university.
alongside The Commons residence hall.
“I won’t make it to class if I don’t,” Leduc said, noting that taking the dirt path is a minute-and-a-half faster than the detour route. “I still will often be late, but I’d be later without it.”
Ferreira also said he has become accustomed to using the unofficial shortcut instead of the paved pathway.
“You’re clearly not supposed to walk there,” said Ferreira, who has a 15-minute window to commute from the CAS buildings to the CCE. “It’s not super pleasant, but I think it’s worth it because it’s quicker.”
Both Ferreira and Leduc characterized the hilly shortcut as unsafe, and Leduc described seeing students slip in the mud.
However, both students also pointed out safety issues associated with the lack of separation between the painted pedestrian pathway and oncoming vehicular traffic on Hilltop Road.
“It doesn’t feel very safe,” Ferreira said. “There’s just people, just because there’s no room, walking outside of the path.”
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“They do have enough signs up that I wasn’t really confused on how I was supposed to get there,” Ferreira said. “It’s definitely inconvenient, but it’s well-communicated.”
Sarah Leduc, a sophomore biomedical science major, also expressed frustration with the inconvenience of the new route.
“It’s been really tough, especially since
Leduc, who has a 10-minute window between classes to travel between the CAS buildings and the Center for Communications and Engineering, said she planned her class schedule last semester with a six-minute commute in mind. However, Leduc said the detour pathway has doubled her commute time and forced her to be late to class.
“I actually looked into seeing if I could move the class that was in CAS,” Leduc said. “(The professor’s) only section was right after, when I had another class in the same room, so I had no choice.”
Like many other students, Leduc said she has resorted to cutting through the grass
Leduc said she was most frustrated by the university’s seeming lack of consideration for its current student body.
“I think they care more about the students that will be coming in a few years and their money instead of our money and the students who are currently here,” Leduc said. “Right now, everyone that I’ve talked to about this feels very ignored.”
Quinnipiac to form student-led emergency response team
By LILY PHILIPCZAK and CAT MURPHYQuinnipiac University is forming a campus chapter of a Community Emergency Response Team this semester to provide students with basic disaster response skills and the campus with an additional level of student volunteers in the event of an emergency.
CERT is a nationwide initiative sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to educate community members in emergency preparedness and train civilian volunteers to assist first responders in emergency scenarios.
Although CERT programs are not exclusive to universities, there are “dozens” of CERT teams located on U.S. college campuses as of July 2022, according to FEMA. Collegiate chapters are designed specifically to “enhance existing capabilities,” per the FEMA website.
Jennifer Sacco, chair of the department of philosophy and political science and the Quinnipiac CERT faculty adviser, and Ari Hyman, a senior political science major, received funding through the Quinnipiac Public Service Projects Fund to develop a CERT program on campus.
The comprehensive CERT curriculum will train students, regardless of major or prior experience, to administer basic first aid, establish security perimeters and distribute food and medical supplies during emergency situations, such as natural disasters. However, the unpaid volunteer program will also prepare students to assist the Department of Public Safety during nonemergency situations, including graduation and move-in.
“As QU EMS supports with medical
emergencies, CERT would complement their efforts with mostly non-medical logistical support,” Sacco wrote in a statement to the Chronicle on Jan. 27.
Hyman, who helped found the initiative, said she believes it is important for students to have a voice in emergency scenarios.
“Faculty can be intimidating,” Hyman said. “A student might actually be more knowledgeable about different routes to take, or maybe bring a fresh and creative perspective on the situation.”
Sacco also wrote that she wanted the CERT team to have the opportunity to work with local officials to “provide volunteer support to town affairs,” including food, toy and clothing drives. Hyman added that she hoped local CERT involvement would help “strengthen the relationship between the town of Hamden and Quinnipiac.”
Members of the Quinnipiac CERT branch will receive 20 hours of formal community assistance training over an eight-week period during the spring 2023 semester, according to an informational flier distributed at a preliminary interest meeting in December. CERT training sessions will be held every Tuesday night beginning on Feb. 21.
Students who complete the training will receive a disaster response backpack from FEMA with several emergency preparedness tools, including a first-aid kit, a flashlight and a reflective vest.
Trained CERT members are eligible to become a member of a volunteer on-call CERT unit. Hyman said that the on-call team may be deployed alongside Public Safety officers “if there is a situation on campus that needs immediate attention.”
Students assigned to the on-call CERT
unit will also be eligible to run for leadership positions on the executive board, including vice president, secretary, finance officer, public relations officer or class officer. Hyman will serve as the president for the remainder of the spring 2023 semester.
However, students who complete CERT training are not required to become active members of the on-call team. According to the interest meeting flier, there will be a separate section of the Quinnipiac CERT team reserved for “those that have completed training and opted out of the on-call unit.”
The extent to which the Department of Public Safety intends to collaborate with the CERT team remains unclear. Tony Reyes, chief of public safety, did not immediately respond to the Chronicle’s request for com ment on the relationship be tween the department and the new student volunteer group.
However, Sacco said she and Hyman are so lidifying the operational and logistical framework of the Quinnipiac CERT branch with the university, the town of Hamden and the Connecticut Division of Emergency Manage ment and Homeland Security.
Sacco said her local CERT involvement inspired her to help form a campus-based CERT
organization at Quinnipiac.
“I am a proud member of the Hamden CERT team, and I have enjoyed the opportunities it has given to me,” Sacco wrote. “The pandemic made me acutely aware of the need for basic household preparation for unanticipated disruptions.”
Hyman said that current events, including gun violence and climate change, have motivated her to prioritize emergency preparedness.
“I want our students to be completely safe no matter where they are on campus,” Hyman said. “So, if we need to learn skills to try and keep ourselves safe, keep our community safe, then that’s what we should do.”
QU adds administrative position focusing on university-wide career development
By KRYSTAL MILLER Associate News EditorAs a Quinnipiac University student, you go to class, you get great grades, but you’re not sure what the next step is to stand out
in the job search. Kafui Kouakou, Quinnipiac’s first assistant vice president of career development and experiential learning, can help you pinpoint what skills you need to be ready for the workforce.
Provost Debra Liebowitz said although Quinnipiac has opportunities for career development such as student media or working on podcasts, there is still more that can be done, which this position will fulfill.
“What we don’t have is a coordinated approach to that work, and our goal is to strengthen that work that’s already happening by better coordinating and supporting it and helping to grow it,” Liebowitz said.
Having positions in career development at Quinnipiac is a way for students to be coached in how to present themselves in a stronger way, Liebowitz said. It is also a way to get help with work such as resumes or interviews.
“You get to work with someone, or an office that knows what’s happening in the communications industry, knows what’s happening in the school and can look at what you’ve done,” Liebowitz said.
Kouakou said when he graduated from the York College of the City University of New York, he applied for a lot of jobs and wasn’t hearing back from employers.
Despite his good grades, employers
were seeking candidates with experience. Kouakou said this interaction inspired him to take a position where he could help others acquire the tools to be successful straight out of college.
“In that moment, I realized there was a piece that was missing in that equation, which was building the experience parallel to going to school, going to class, still getting the good grades and then to graduate,” Kouakou said. “So from there, I decided that I want to have a career in experiential learning.”
After getting a second degree in mathematics, Kouakou became more involved with student affairs. He said he started building relationships and skills that helped him build a career.
“I think because of that understanding of all the pieces it takes to be successful, and what I went through personally, I think I’m in a good position to be able to provide that support to students so I can equip them with everything they need in order to be successful,” Kouakou said.
Kouakou said that the position was appealing to him because it was an opportunity to bring all the great things happening at Quinnipiac together.
“It so happened that this position aligned perfectly with all my values, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s the right position for
me,’” Kouakou said.
Liebowitz said Kouakou’s background in experiential learning was the reason why he was the perfect fit for the role.
“I’m incredibly excited to have Kafui on board, he brings tremendous knowledge, expertise, and energy and excitement about helping students in this regard, and I think for those reasons, it’s great to have him here,” Liebowitz said.
His plan for career development is first to increase the number of job employers Quinnipiac works with, but also to improve the quality of job employers, Kouakou said. He said Quinnipiac will be using the platform Handshake, which allows students to talk to employers, get career tips, and read reviews for companies.
This semester, Kouakou said he plans on listening to staff and faculty as well as students to learn what students need help and support with. He said he invites students to engage with him.
“My office can support you in developing what I call the ‘power skills,’” Kouakou said. “When you talk about power skills, those are the transferable skills that will go no matter where you end up, no matter which sector, which field you end up in, those skills will be of service to you.”
Opinion School is expensive, textbooks shouldn’t be
By A.J. NEWTH Associate Opinion EditorCollege isn’t cheap. For some students, financial aid can make or break their college decisions. For others, they’re comfortable enough to attend any school of their choosing. But one thing that most students can agree on from both ends of the financial spectrum is that textbooks are ridiculously expensive.
I attended a public high school, so before college, I never needed to purchase expensive educational materials besides the occasional $20 vocabulary book or the latest trendy folders and binders.
I was warned about the cost of textbooks in college, but I never imagined that the average textbook would cost between $80 and $150, according to the Education Data Initiative. Additionally, the site states that the average college student spends anywhere between $628 and $1,471 annually for textbooks alone in an academic year (consisting of two 15 to 17 week semesters).
This spring marks my fourth semester at Quinnipiac University excluding summer and January courses, and almost every class I have taken has required a textbook. As a freshman, I was naive to purchase those materials, only using them a handful of times during the semester.
At first, I wondered who was more at fault, the professors for requiring a material that was then used minimally, or the bookstore, for charging expensive prices for products I wouldn’t touch. The solution became more clear the more I examined the dilemma: universities should provide required textbooks to students free of additional charge.
The market value of the global digital educational publishing market is projected to reach $41.5 billion by 2031 per Allied Market Research. Not only is the growth exponential, but the industry is able to continue to profit by printing new editions of textbooks every few years or bundling the books with software add-ons like Cengage or McGraw
Bobcat Buzz
Hill. When professors require these new versions, it eliminates the possibility of reselling old books or buying them from previous students, per U.S. News & World Report.
Textbook companies definitely have the upper hand, but university administrations are the ones at fault. Even though purchasing textbooks is a method of furthering education, colleges use convenience as an advantage and upsell the already costly materials at the school bookstore in order to make a profit off their students.
I understand that education is too valuable to put a price tag on. But at what point does the cost become unfair and unethical profit? I believe if universities really cared about their students, textbooks would be more accessible to all, financially struggling or not.
Even with the prices of textbooks currently, some students will stop at nothing to acquire reading materials deemed necessary by their professors, even if it’s illegal. Some websites make it simple for students to obtain their textbooks for free. The only cost they pay is piracy.
Approximately 22% of students in 2019 downloaded educational texts from a free website, including pirated versions, according to EdSurge. This statistic is more comforting than the whopping 65% of students who opted to not purchase a textbook because of the price and the 94% of students who were nervous that their decision to forgo that purchase would negatively impact their grade, according to a U.S.
PIRG Education Fund survey. If students work hard enough to be accepted into a university only to have their education suffer because they cannot afford a textbook, what does that say about the education system?
The average college tuition in America is around $103,000 for four years when you’re an in-state student and approximately $180,000 for the same duration when you’re an out-of-state student. Private institutions like Quinnipiac might even cost more, per Education Data Initiative. The average $1,500 per academic year may seem like a small price to pay for a high quality education and college experience,
but if it is so little, why not have the university cover it?
I do understand that in some cases students may receive scholarships for their textbooks. Quinnipiac considers textbooks an indirect cost when determining financial aid and scholarships for incoming freshmen, so depending on aid-determining factors like household income and expected family contribution, textbooks may be no cost at all for certain attendees, per Quinnipiac University’s Guide to Undergraduate Financial Aid. While I always support giving aid to students who need it, I think textbooks are a cost that the university should adopt for all students, regardless of their financial aid package.
I am extremely grateful for my education and all the opportunities that come with attending college. However, I disagree that the expense for required educational materials should fall on the shoulders of students who already took out loans to sit in a classroom.
If textbooks are such a valuable asset to education, then universities should be happy to supply students with the resources they need to be successful.
The new Recreation and Wellness Center was worth the wait
By MICHAEL LAROCCA Opinion EditorAs someone who makes an honest attempt to work on my physical health throughout the year, coming to Quinnipiac University in the fall of 2021 made things pretty tough. I learned quickly that the Recreation and Wellness Center offered to students wasn’t going to make things easy for me.
For the first three semesters of my Qunnipiac experience, I was forced to deal with a small, crowded gym. There was little equipment to go around, and poor air circulation forced the gym-going public to endure the perpetual stink emanating from every surface. I got to a point where I could only force myself to go to the gym once per week.
The one thing that kept me go -
ing was knowing that a brand-new RecWell Center was coming at the beginning of the fall 2022 semester. However, the university announced that it would take several more months for the facility to be fully ready. As a result, many students, as well as myself, began to think this would be another half-fulfilled promise from administration.
The new RecWell Center began gradually opening in August, with a large portion of the facility opening in November. As I explored it more, I’ve been slowly convinced that this is the best improvement done to the Mount Carmel campus since I became a student. It was worth the wait.
All of my complaints regarding the old gym were resolved. The gym layout is now much more spread out, allowing for more equipment and
more students to use the facility without it feeling crowded. The quality of the equipment also finally feels up to par with what a university like Quinnipiac should provide. The building’s new size also eliminates all of the previously present funky smells.
Above all else, the RecWell Center is a place that makes me excited to workout again. The one time a week I went to the old building has now been bumped up to three times at the new one. I haven’t tried the new smoothie bar or participated in fitness classes yet, but I have heard nothing but good things from those who did.
This is an exciting time to be active at Quinnipiac and I can only hope that future initiatives are completed with the same love and care as the RecWell.
“If students work hard enough to be accepted into a university only to have their education suffer because they cannot afford a textbook, what does that say about the education system?”
– A.J. Newth ASSOCIATE OPINION EDITORPEYTON MCKENZIE/CHRONICLE The new Recreation and Wellness Center had its grand opening Jan. 27.
Private stories aren’t as simple as they seem
By NEHA SEENARINE Arts & Life EditorSeveral social media platforms allow their users to post content to a selected group of followers better known as private stories, but the post is not just between you and your five friends.
In 2013, Snapchat launched private stories for its consumers. Users are allowed to make separate stories with specific people to view it and those who are not added will not know there was a private story made. Other social media platforms followed suit with Instagram introducing “Close Friends” in 2018 and Twitter adding “Twitter Circle” last year.
I utilize a different type of private story almost every day, whether it’s sharing an odd experience on Snapchat or a raunchy meme on Instagram’s Close Friends. I’ve had my social media accounts since middle school and sometimes I think to myself, “My lab partner from 10th grade chemistry doesn’t need to see this.” I doubt they care, but I would prefer to share content with my friends who might relate to it.
Perception is vital on social media and we can’t control how people see us in person or online. Despite my retweets of Cincinnati Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow or my selfies on Instagram, some content is just not
meant for everyone to see.
I’m a fan of using this feature, but I know it’s not entirely private.
On private stories, I add my friends I talk to all the time or people I find cool. The big idea is only they can view the content. However, it does not always end up true.
It’s naive to think your friend won’t show your tweet from Twitter Circle to the person right next to them or screenshot your “Close Friends” story and send it into a group chat. Although Snapchat alerts its users when someone takes a screenshot, it doesn’t stop a person from grabbing a secondary device and taking a picture of the story.
I’m guilty of being the “bad” friend. My mutuals on social media add me to their private stories and their content can be hilarious. There have been times where I screenshotted the stories and shared them with other people. My intentions are never foul, but you never know what motives other people can have.
Users on social media should post whatever they want at their own discretion. However, the mentality of thinking a private story will stop an outside bubble from viewing it may not be the correct thought process. If you’re not comfortable sharing a tweet about how rude your friend was today to the public, what is the value of sharing it with
three people exclusively? You may never know if one out of three people chooses to share it with others.
If a post from one of my private stories was exposed, I wouldn’t care too much. I know my posts wouldn’t be harmful to my reputation. Also, my intention is to share content with a direct audience that I know may like it.
In the digital age, college students are
expected to have professional profiles. Job recruiters tend to look for employees with unproblematic posts. However, this puts a boundary on college students because they may be afraid to retweet a video with vulgar language or post a picture of them at the bar.
Private stories do give people the opportunity to express themselves in different ways, but in the digital age, privacy only goes so far.
Why European football is worth the watch
By NICHOLAS PESTRITTO Staff WriterIf you asked me a year ago if I knew anything about European football, I would not have been able to tell you much about the sport. After watching the 2022 FIFA World Cup, I learned how fascinating the sport really is and how vastly under-appreciated it seems to be here in the United States.
Only 7% of U.S. adults consider themselves to be avid soccer fans and 25% consider themselves to be casual soccer fans, according to an April 2022 poll from intelligence company Morning Consult. This is a small number of people for a wildly fun and crazy sport to be a fan of.
According to the ESPN Press Room, the 34 Major League Soccer regular season
matches televised on ABC and ESPN networks in 2022 delivered an average audience of 343,000 viewers per game. This is a shockingly small number compared to National Football League viewership in 2022, which Forbes reported was at an average of 16.7 million per game for regular season matches.
There is so much to love about European football, known as soccer in the U.S., and how it is played across the different countries. With several different leagues throughout the continent, it makes for exciting entertainment and brings ever-changing levels of competition to the sport. While the U.S. does have the MLS, it does not at all compare to how the game is played overseas.
The Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, the Bundesliga in Germany, Serie A in Italy and Ligue 1 in France represent the big five. Bleacher Report lists these as the top leagues of European football that represent the fiercest competition and some of the best athletes in the entire world.
Many of us Americans only pay attention to the sports being played here in the U.S., but it is time for everyone to watch more European football. It is an insanely interesting sport to follow. Even when the team you support is not doing well, there is still so much constantly going on around the leagues.
Unlike the U.S.’s NFL, European football has several leagues intertwined across countries, providing many teams to watch and more games played in a single season. Along with that, instead of using a deadline when player trades can happen, there are two transfer window periods when players can be transferred between teams and often between leagues.
European football leagues also operate on a relegation system. This means that the bottom few teams in each of the leagues throughout Europe get pushed down to lower leagues. That feature of the sport is extremely important, as it drives up the level of competition each season because it is a big deal when a team gets relegated.
The seasons of European football are often enhanced by mid-season tournaments, season-long tournament leagues and international tournaments like the FIFA World Cup that takes place every four years. Playoff tournaments that usually go on throughout the season, like the Union of European Football Associations Champions League and Europa League, bring massive crowds
and attention to the sport. The UEFA Champions League ultimately decides the best football team in Europe every season. There are constant twists and turns throughout the season that mainly runs from August to May. European football is a must-follow sport for anyone looking for something they can actively engage with every season and every game. The sport is ever changing and will continue to grow as we progress into the future.
With the FIFA World Cup coming to North America in 2026, it will give all of us here in the U.S. a great opportunity to see the best players of football and will only help further our knowledge of the sport. Since the tournament will be played in several major U.S. cities all across the country, it will only help increase the viewership of the sport and people will finally start to appreciate it more.
There is more to the world of sports than what exists in the U.S.,and if we expand our views outwards and try to learn something new, it could create a lifetime of entertainment. European football, in my opinion, is one of the greatest sports on the planet and America should work towards fully embracing it.
For such a massively entertaining, yet under the radar, sport as European football is in the U.S., Americans should try to leave the comfort of only watching U.S. sports and find a new passion and new sport they can be fans of. Learning something new is always valuable no matter what stage of life someone is at. The world of European football truly is great and many of us living in the U.S. should absolutely pay more attention to it.
Arts & Life
Pop punk proves it's here to stay
By ZOE LEONE Associate Arts & Life EditorPop punk fans around the world reacted in a mix of awe and disbelief as Jan. 24, brought a day many never thought would come: the legendary band, Panic! At The Disco, was officially disbanding.
Frontman and sole original member, Brendon Urie, took to the band’s Instagram page to announce that after 19 years, the band would be no more due to the upcoming birth of his and his wife’s first child. While the comments were filled with heartbroken fans and fellow musicians, the overall reception of the news was a mixed bag.
Panic! At The Disco has been a pop punk staple since its first album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” dropped in 2005. As the years continued and the band’s fame grew, the band’s once revered reputation became tainted. The departure of all of the original band members other than Urie, recent albums with mixed reviews and old videos resurfacing with a variety of problematic comments lost the group many fans.
With the departure of one of the icons that once made up what was lovingly referred to by pop punk fans as “The Holy Emo Trinity” (Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance rounded out the trio), it’s easy to believe that the beloved bands of the 2010s era are officially no more. However, while Panic! At The Disco may be out, the revival of the pop punk that marked so many middle and high school years is back in full swing.
After a three-year music break, pop punk’s
reigning champion, Fall Out Boy, dropped a new single, “Love From The Other Side,” and announced that they would have a new album released in late March 2022. Their last two albums, “American Beauty/American Psycho” and “Mania,” were both excellent, but included a much more of a pop sound than their earlier material. “Love From The Other Side,” however, proves that pop punk never dies.
The single is reminiscent of the absolute brilliance of “From Under the Cork Tree” and “Infinity on High,” two of the band's most popular albums that cemented it as pop punkroyalty. The shredding guitars and heavy drums melt beautifully with powerhouse vocals led by lead singer and guitarist Patrick Stump to create a song that is simply so classical Fall Out Boy.
In a world where pop punk has been marred by TikTok stars releasing amateur-hour tracks about falling in love with emo girls and exgirlfriends sucking, Fall Out Boy’s epic return to the genre proves that the music many of us fell in love with is still here to stay.
Similarly, Paramore has been having a resurgence as well. While the band’s music has remained infinitely more pop than punk since the days of the “Riot!” and “Brand New Eyes” albums, the group has been celebrating its roots on its current tour ahead of the release of its new album in February.
While Paramore has often played its older, more pop punk records on tour, one famed song has been notably missing from their line-up for many years: “Misery Business.” In 2018, frontwoman Hayley Williams opted to retire the song after being called “unfeminist” due to the
usage of the word ‘whore’ in one of the verses. The new year, however, brought the song back, as well as a new tradition.
The beloved song is not only being played by the band once again, but the members have started choosing one lucky fan to join them on stage to sing along with them. Videos quickly began circulating from each night on tour featuring fans screaming and dancing with Williams as the crowd cheers along.
While its music has continued to evolve away from the pop punk genre, Paramore’s dedication to celebrating its roots only brings a celebration to the era of music that it rose to fame in.
Panic! At The Disco might be bringing on the end of an era, but the bands of 2010s fame have proved that the much-loved genre is here to stay. So break out your eyeliner and Doc Martens because 2023 is going to get a little pop punk again.
Sugar and Spice is everything nice about 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
By DAVID MATOS Arts & Life EditorSeason one of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” made its way to our television screens in 2009. Still, it wasn’t until season 15 that a pair of twin brothers competed against each other for the crown, collectively making some of the best television the series has ever seen.
The Emmy award-winning reality competition announced the cast of season 15 on Dec. 13, 2022. Even before the season began, some major firsts were revealed. For one, the cast includes 16 contestants, the largest group to compete for the cash prize of $200,000, the largest winnings ever for the franchise. Personally, the biggest takeaway from the announcement was that this year’s competition will include the drag queen duo known for their TikTok persona — Sugar and Spice.
The duo’s drag aesthetic is heavily influenced by their childhood in the early 2000s, taking much inspiration from the Bratz dolls they played with. They are also best known for their bimbo persona on TikTok. But like most self-named bimbos, they’re a lot smarter than you think.
The twins share a TikTok that boasts over seven million followers. Because of their Y2K-inspired looks, rehearsed dialogue and their relationship as identical twins in the same profession, their TikTok fame came long before they got onto the show.
Honestly, because of how big they were outside of the show, I didn’t think they would ever audition because they didn’t need the exposure, but I am so glad they did.
When the twins walked into the “werkroom” in their Phoebe and Roxxi Bratz doll-inspired looks in the first episode, the rest of the
contestants underestimated the duo. Truth be told, you can’t really blame the other competitors because Sugar and Spice are known for doing drag in their bedrooms and posting content online, not performing.
I mean, Jax, one of the contestants competing this season, jokingly said, “So, this week is going to be a double elimination?” when the twins entered the competition. The queens were clearly ready for the twins to leave.
As part of their first challenge, the queens were tasked to participate in the “One Night Only Talent Show.” Sugar and Spice chose to perform original songs that matched their respective personas. Despite the twins having little performance experience, they both put on a great show. They were then perceived as a threat.
One of the most refreshing things the twins brought to the competition other than, well, being twins, was how much fun they seemed to be having.
As the stakes have gotten higher every year as “RuPaul’s Drag Race” has grown in popularity, the queens have gotten more stuck up. But Sugar and Spice didn’t seem like they were there for a crown because they didn’t need it. They already won in life so in reality, they had nothing to lose.
Personally, I would much rather see drag queens have fun in their craft than take it too seriously to the point that it almost becomes a chore.
I mean, Spice literally removed her wig to wear a shower cap during a photoshoot challenge for no other reason than because she
wanted to despite some pushback from RuPaul, and I respect that.
Also, one of the most admirable things about the twins being on the show is learning about their story.
In “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked,” episode four, Sugar revealed that they have been misunderstood their whole lives. When the twins acted like themselves growing up, whether that meant playing with dolls or dressing up in drag, it was never celebrated. Because of this, their bond as twins just grew stronger.
“My whole life I was made to feel embarrassed for the things I like,” Spice said.
This revelation from the twins is relatable for a lot of queer people out there, including myself. Queer people are so often misunderstood and made to feel embarrassed for not fitting into society and it’s admirable to see the twins be vulnerable and share the experiences that so many young queer people face.
In episode four of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” was when the twin’s storyline came to a close when they were inevitably forced to lip-sync against each other to stay in the competition. The twins took it upon themselves to choreograph their lip sync and just have fun one last time together.
Though it was sad to see Sugar leave the competition that week leaving Spice to compete on her own for the first time, I’m intrigued to see how the rest of the season will play out now that their double act on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” was no more.
Whatever happens, like most of the internet, I have already fallen in love with the twins and can’t wait to see their careers blossom postdrag race.
Arts & Life
Other supermarkets have nothing on Trader Joe’s
By NICOLE MCISAAC Managing EditorIt’s that time of the week where your fridge and pantry are both completely empty, leaving you to try to make a meal from mustard and pickles. Your only option now is head to the grocery store.
Some might dread that supermarket visit — and that might be the problem. If you’re looking to upgrade your snack game and find delicious food items, look no further. Trader Joe’s has you covered.
Headquartered in California, Trader Joe’s is an American chain of grocery stores that are unlike any other. Starting with a greeting from employees dressed in Hawaiian-themed shirts, you will quickly realize the stark differences between your local supermarket and Trader Joe’s.
From the countless array of unique snacks, sauces, spices, frozen foods and produce, it’s no wonder why Trader Joe’s has gained so much popularity throughout the years. If the eccentric products won’t sell you, the store’s low prices certainly will.
With only a roughly 25-minute drive from Quinnipiac University’s Mount Carmel campus to the nearest Trader Joe’s location in Orange, Connecticut, there is absolutely no reason to continue shuffling the aisles of Shoprite or Stop & Shop for quality tasting meals.
Maybe that short drive could be your next Sunday bonding event with your roommates or a solo trip to de-stress from your academics.
While I could spend hours giving you my ins and outs of the store, here are my
top favorite items that I recommend from Trader Joe’s:
Tomato and basil hummus
As a huge fan of always having multiple dips and spreads handy for all my hours of snacking, this hummus makes the top of my list every single time. The combination of both the tomato and basil complement each other extremely well. Whether your dipping weapon of choice is peppers, carrots, crackers or pretzels, this tomato and basil hummus will have you running back to the store for more.
Chili and lime flavored rolled tortilla chips
It is nearly impossible to find these bad boys not sold out every single time I browse the aisles at Trader Joe’s. After a rumor that these chips were discontinued in the summer of 2022, people quickly took to the internet to advocate that they stay on the shelves no matter what.
By NEHA SEENARINE Arts & Life EditorI’ve been told before that drinking water fixes everything, whether it’s getting rid of acne or boosting energy. It seems simple enough to hydrate myself, but my battle is drinking enough water daily.
Purified water is a resource that no one should take for granted. Over 40% of the world's population doesn’t have access to clean water, according to a report by Canada’s Global Affairs. The report predicts 1.8 billion people living in different countries will face a water shortage by 2025.
I’m fortunate enough to have access to clean drinking water, but I know I’m not consuming it to its full potential.
I should be drinking about 11 cups per day. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies revealed an adult woman should drink 2.7 liters of water daily, which is equivalent to 11 cups, and an adult man should drink 3.7 liters, or 15 cups, a day. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that American adults only drink around 1.18 liters, or 5 cups, a day.
My mentality is to drink water for balance and that’s not a good mindset to have.
I find myself drinking water the most after I feel awful eating a sugary cannoli.
The crunchy and spicy combination of chile and fresh lime is the perfect late-night snack that you won’t want to share with anyone. Move over Takis.
Frozen Mandarin orange chicken
Being a college student who doesn’t have a lot of time free in their schedule on a daily basis, this quick and delicious frozen meal is the absolute key to my heart. I normally stick these in my air fryer and toss the sauce on once they are finished to achieve the perfect amount of crispiness. Although I am not a huge advocate for frozen meals, the quality of the meat and sauce easily taste like my favorite Chinese food from down the block. I will never have to justify to myself why I need more than one bag of this in my freezer at all times.
Hold the Cone ice cream
This ice cream is the one item from Trader Joe’s that will have me sarcastically saying “Oh, these are so awful. You should absolutely
not eat these.” Ranging from vanilla, chocolate and seasonal flavors such as ginger or peppermint, these individual mini tasty treats satisfy that late night sweet tooth craving — but without the guilt. When I say run to Trader Joe’s for these, I mean it.
Blueberry pomegranate green tea
Calling all my tea drinkers: this delicious and refreshing beverage is the perfect substitute for Starbucks order. Preferably consumed ice cold, this blueberry pomegranate tea is absolutely divine with a fresh-cut lemon in it. On the plus side, the tea’s zero sugar content is a lot healthier than other alternatives you can buy on the shelves of other stores.
Cuban-style citrusy garlic seasoning blend Wondering what to put on your chicken?
This product has you covered. The Cuban-style citrusy garlic seasoning is a combination of mouth-watering lime, garlic, onion and red-pepper spices — all of which will take your cooking to the next level. While a lot of other seasonings at the store consistently continued to be raved about, this one sits at the top of my list and eye level in my cabinet every time.
Runner-up products: Green dragon hot sauce, roasted tomato and basil focaccia bread, vegan harvest chili, everything but the bagel seasoned smoked salmon and cookie butter ice cream.
ILLUSTRATION BY EMMA KOGELThe hike to hydration
Also, my biggest hydration defeat is at 3 a.m. reaching over my nightstand for a generous gulp of water. I also like to think of myself as a “three-beverage girl” — a drink for hydration, a drink for caffeine and a drink for fun. I finish two out of three drinks every time and water is not one of them. If those are the only occasions I can recall drinking water, I have a hydration problem.
However, social media has influenced me for the better.
For the past year, I’ve been looking for a sign to get active and maintain a healthier diet. I can assure you nothing influences me more than the internet. On my TikTok “For You” page, I saw multiple creators hitting the gym and doing cardio. They were dressed in stylish athleisure wear and carried a water bottle.
I thought that if they can do it, I can do it too. I used to make up excuses on why I couldn’t be active, whether it was being too consumed with work or not being able to afford a membership, but I was only hurting myself.
My first step was to get a water bottle. As simple as it sounds, it was a complicated journey. It was almost as if I was shopping for a wedding dress without an engagement ring on my finger. I scoured the internet to compare prices and sizes. Of course, I
wanted a bottle that was pretty, I’m the one that has to use it after all.
I came across water bottles that were over $50 and some with time stamps to ensure the consumer was drinking the correct amount of water per day. However, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stick to a schedule and I’d be racing to get the accurate time marker.
Once my hot pink water bottle was delivered to my home, there was no going back. I wasn’t going to waste $20 in an inflated economy. With the new year, I owe it to myself to be kinder to my body and support it with hydration. My current water bottle holds about six cups. It may not be the daily recommendation, but it’s a work in progress to becoming a better me.
‘That ‘90s Show’: A reboot we’ve been waiting for
By KEITH SAVAGE Contributing Writer
Growing up I casually watched “That 70s Show” and loved the humor. The cast was elite with Topher Grace, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and more. The show was a major success, running for eight seasons from 1998-2006 on Fox. The much-awaited spin-off “That ‘90s Show” was released on Netflix on Jan. 13 — in my opinion, it was a success.
Most popular shows warrant a spin-off and that is what happened with “That ‘90s Show.” Some shows fail to see success and should never make a new series, but this series has a great future. It is filled with young actors who are looking to get a big-time jump in their careers, similar to the original cast.
Most of the main cast made a cameo in the spin-off, except for Danny Masterson who played Steven Hyde in the original series and was excluded after being arrested and charged with sexual assault in 2020. If his character was in the new show, the plotline likely would have been completely different, with him dating Kunis’ character Jackie Burkhart.
But the show did a great job at avoiding Hyde at all costs by having Burkhart and Kutcher’s character, Michael Kelso, married with a son named Jay Kelso, played by former Nickelodeon actor Mace Coronel. He was perfectly cast to be their son because of his similar resemblance to Kutcher.
Callie Haverda’s character, Leia Forman,
did an amazing job as Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti’s daughter. Leia Forman was supposed to go to space camp with her father before meeting Gwen, who is the neighbor to her grandparents. Gwen ironically lives in the same room that Pinciotti grew up in. Leia Forman was fond of Gwen so she decided to stay with her grandparents for the entire summer.
Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp were the only two main cast members from the original show that appeared throughout the entire series as Leia Forman’s grandparents. Their basement was where the friend group in “That 70s Show” and the new one spent time together. An easter egg that I liked was that the couches in the living room in the original series were moved to the basement for “That '90s Show.”
Smith and Rupp did an amazing job fulfilling their roles as Red and Kitty Forman. Kitty Forman was thrilled to have her granddaughter back because her house was busy again, but Red Forman preferred a quiet home. The duo is unmatched as they are hilarious together.
Leia Forman, Kelso, Gwen, Nikki, Nate and Ozzie played the show’s teenagers. Ozzie was arguably the funniest character, most notably when he had the plan to come out as gay to his parents but told certain people to practice making that announcement. When he told Kitty Forman that he was gay and had a boyfriend in Canada, she responded with the story of her friend who had a bad experience with a Canadian man, but she was happy that Ozzie told her because it made her feel important.
Leia Forman and Kelso have an interesting relationship together. She ended up dating Kelso after a few episodes. At the end of the season, he is uncertain about commiting to a long-distance relationship, as he lives in Wisconsin and she is going back home to Chicago. But something that is not talked about in the show is that his
father has another daughter named Betsy that was born at the beginning of season seven of “That ‘70s Show.” Ironically, he moved near Chicago in season eight to be closer to his daughter. So there also could be a possibility that Kelso will spend time near there to see his sister. But I thought it was weird that she was never talked about in the show.
Nate dates Nikki and is Gwen’s half-brother. His character development starts as a character happy to have a girlfriend and be best friends with Kelso. But he ends the show frustrated with his girlfriend not knowing if she wants to go long-distance with him.
Leia Forman relates to this plot because she wants to be in a relationship with Kelso. Leia Forman and Nate proceed to talk about how they both want something similar and are about to kiss before Gwen walks in. After Kitty Forman finds out that Kelso is uncertain about going long-distance, she fears that her granddaughter will never want to come back to visit. Kitty Forman convinces him that long distance could work, so at the very end of the season finale, he says he is willing to attempt it. If there is a season two I am interested to see how Leia Forman and Nate’s relationship turns out.
Gwen and Nate have the same mother but different dads. They both slightly talk about their fathers, but never show or say who their dads are. A popular theory online has been people thinking Gwen is Hyde’s daughter. However, I don’t think that is true because the show could get a lot of backlash if his character returns.
With so many questions that remain unanswered, I would be upset if this show is not picked up for another season. I found it as successful as the original and would be interested in how the group turns out the next time Leia visits home. I’m excited about the future of “That '90s Show.”
‘The Spectacular Spider-Man’: A flawless representation of an iconic character
By CONNOR YOUNGBERG Associate Design EditorSpider-Man is one of the most iconic characters in the world. Since the web-slinger was brought to life by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in the 1960s, there have been countless comic books, TV shows, movies, video games and more that feature the iconic character. Every single depiction of Spider-Man is different, but there is one that stands above the rest as the best.
“The Spectacular Spider-Man” premiered in 2008 as an animated series focused on a high- school-aged Peter Parker. While many movies and shows had done that before, they never quite nailed it. However, “The Spectacular Spider-Man” nails it.
The show faced an abrupt ending following season two, but fans of the series finally have something to look forward to. Producer of the upcoming animated film “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” Chris Miller, confirmed on his Twitter account that this version of the character was included in a recent promotion for the film. Although his role will likely be limited in the film, hopefully Parker’shis appearance leads to a potential season three and a continuation of what I believe to be the best representation of Spider-Man.
Arguably the best part of the series isn’t Spider-Man, but rather the relationships between characters. The show's ability to create new, unique storylines while remaining true to the character’s comic book counterpart is outstanding. Parker’s two main friends are Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn, with Mary Jane Watson, Flash Thompson and Liz Allan as recurring characters.
I love the show’s ability to balance all of
the characters into one series without it being too much. For some reason, nearly all of the Spider-Man depictions never have Watson and Stacy coexist, which never made much sense. This show gives both of them meaningful roles, neither of which are not exclusively as a love interest.
In fact, Allan is the main love interest for most of the series, much to Thompson’s dismay. In most Spider-Man media, Thompson is simply the bully that stuffs Parker into lockers. While this version of Thompson still plays the classic bully role, he’s willing to give Parker a reality check without using his fists.
There’s an ongoing joke among fans that Spider-Man fans don’t like to see Spider-Man happy and it’s relatively true. A huge part of
the character is that he struggles to balance his life as Parker and his life as Spider-Man. Keeping his secret superhero identity is extremely important and he often has to suffer with the consequences of his actions. Even if his actions are justified by his secret heroics, the people around him can’t know that.
The villains in the series are also spectacular. Spider-Man has a huge gallery of iconic enemies and the way this show introduces every villain is flawless. In nearly every episode, a character will be introduced as a henchman or in the background. Then in the next episode, viewers see that same character become the main villain. The formula works because there is a sense of familiarity with the character before they become the main antagonist.
The series doesn’t just have the classic one villain every episode formula that many other animated series have. There is the occasional one-off character, but for the most part everything takes place in a season-wide storyline, which includes Green Goblin and Tombstone as the main antagonists.
Green Goblin is easily the most famous and recognizable Spider-Man villain, but Tombstone is not. He takes on a crime boss role, which is not typically the archetyperole he plays. However, he plays it perfectly and it creates such a new and exciting story.
Everyone who worked on the show clearly understood the character of Spider-Man and the voice cast brings these characters to life. Josh Keaton is the voice of Spider-Man and he is not just an actor looking for a paycheck, but a huge fan of the character, which elevated his performance because he knows how the character should be portrayed. Keaton still makes the occasional video on social media talking in the iconic Spider-Man voice.
Some of the best voice actors in the world got to work on this series including Clancy Brown, Grey DeLisle, John DiMaggio and more. Every single person in this show is giving their absolute best performance and it boosts the enjoyment of the series very much.
Unfortunately, “The Spectacular SpiderMan” was canceled after just two seasons. The story they were building was incredibly special and the season two finale was clearly setting up something much bigger that fans thought they would never get to see. However, with his upcoming appearance in “SpiderMan: Across the Spider-Verse,” there is now a glimmer of hope.
The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s ‘It Ends With Us’ marks the pinnacle of BookTok’s power
By MELINA KHAN Editor-in-ChiefWith the age-old pipeline of book to motion picture, movie adaptations of preexisting stories are far from uncommon. But as development for the film version of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel “It Ends With Us” advances, what sets the adaptation apart is the source of the story’s popularity: TikTok.
The book follows the story of Lily Bloom, a woman who aims to combat a generational cycle of abuse while both navigating a new relationship and attempting to move on from an old one.
Sales of the novel — originally released in 2016 — increased in the summer of 2021, a publisher from the book’s publishing house, Atria Books, told Publisher’s Weekly in September 2021. The book has sat atop the New York Times Best Seller list for 84 straight weeks, since June 2021.
Its rise in popularity five years after it was first published came thanks to a community of content creators who began discussing the book just under two years ago on a corner of TikTok known as BookTok. The community is maintained by videos reviewing novels, most often those in the contemporary fiction
or romance genres. To date, the hashtag that houses #BookTok on the platform has been viewed more than 106 billion times.
Hoover’s more than 20 published books have long monopolized the BookTok community. Videos tagged with Hoover’s name or nickname, CoHo, have been viewed nearly 4 billion times on the app. Videos featuring “It Ends With Us,” her most popular book, have been viewed a collective more than 3 billion times alone.
Hoover even thanked the TikTok world in March 2022 for “single-handedly reviving” the book, which she said allowed her to buy a car for her mother, who initially inspired the story.
As Buzzfeed News reported in July 2022, the BookTok community has the power to turn internet popularity into real-world success and Hoover is the primary example of that. This sentiment has only been amplified by the news that “It Ends With Us” is set to be turned into a film.
On Thursday, Deadline reported that Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are set to star in the movie, playing Bloom and Ryle Kincaid, respectively. Baldoni will also be directing
the film. The movie is in the development stages, with no word yet on when it’s set to be released.
However, the announcement was not met without controversy because many users previously shared their own ideal cast for the film that didn’t include Lively or Baldoni. In protest of Baldoni’s casting, some TikTokers began tagging videos with #NotMyRyle. The tag has been viewed nearly 9 million times to date, further emphasizing the far reach of BookTok.
Regardless, the effect of the platform on the widespread success of “It Ends With Us” is undeniable. TikTok’s influence on popular culture has been explosive in the past few years, and this adaptation is just the latest example.
“It Ends With Us” won’t be the first or last example of BookTok entering the mainstream, either. Another fan favorite, “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, will be hitting Amazon Prime Video as a mini series in March.
Of course, social platforms don’t have an eternal lifespan, and TikTok— and BookTok, for that matter — are no different. But as the
reach of the community continues to extend beyond a nook of the internet, it’s fair to say the power of BookTok is only at its height.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY SABRINA KHAN
'It Ends With Us,' a contemporary romance novel by Colleen Hoover, has sat atop the New York Times Best Seller list for 84 straight weeks.
PHOTOS: Recreation and Wellness Center hosts its first Rec After Dark event
By PEYTON MCKENZIE Creative Director
Quinnipiac University celebrated the opening of the longanticipated Recreation and Wellness Center with a RecWell After Dark event on Jan. 26. Hundreds of students flocked
to the new facility to enjoy its amenities in their entirety for the first time since construction began. The RecWell team hosted competitions in basketball, dodgeball, pickleball and volleyball. A highlight of the night was the rock-climbing wall which students raced up to compete for the fastest time.
Logging on
Women’s cross country crowned MAAC champions
How the QU Super Smash Bros. team marketed and recruited its way to national esports relevance
By RILEY MILLETTE Staff WriterThe Quinnipiac men’s basketball team upset Siena to stamp its ticket to the MAAC tournament semifinals on March 10, 2022. The women’s basketball team was resting after beating Saint Peter’s the day before and would play its semifinal match on the same day.
Both teams attracted crowds and had media outlets clamoring for the big interview. But neither of them were the most successful Quinnipiac team in Atlantic City that day, or even that week.
That honor belonged to a group of 10 men playing video games 20 minutes down the boardwalk.
That’s where the Quinnipiac Super Smash Bros. Ultimate esports team stormed its way through the MAAC and won the conference title.
The team hoisted the MAAC trophy for the first time since the team’s inception in 2018. And the road to that achievement could not have been any less friendly.
The $360,000 esports suite on the York Hill campus that boasts 24 gaming computers was not always at the players’ disposal. For a while, they had to play — well, really anywhere.
“I remember playing some games in a dorm room, what was it, Irma?” said senior journalism major Julius Millan, a member of the team and a Chronicle staff writer. “I remember playing in a random room in the School of Business. I remember playing in (Cafe Q), in the student center. There were so many rooms we played in that it’s kind of hard to keep track of.”
Problem No. 1 with having a traveling office — or gaming suite — is Internet connection. The esports teams on campus played mostly in SC207 before the esports suite was built, but having a semi-permanent location didn’t solve any problems. Good luck finding 10 conveniently-placed Ethernet hookups in one room that work.
“It was fights for months to get Ethernet in there, we were playing on hotspots at one point,”
said Justin Ellis, former Smash team captain and 2022 Quinnipiac graduate.
In order to use Ethernet connection to play games, which is far quicker and more reliable than Internet, IT had to grant each player special permission. Most universities, Quinnipiac included, have a firewall installed that prevents such a connection.
Director of Recreation Mike Medina advocated for resources for the teams, and was a leading voice in the fight for Ethernet alongside Ellis.
“Adding (Medina) is a big help because he cares, he’s someone who wants to get stuff done,” Millan said. “(Medina and Ellis) were able to lead the negotiation so that we can be where we are now.”
Medina, whose 8-year-old son plays Smash, recognized the potential of esports before anyone else. Back in 2019, when the industry was beginning its meteoric rise, the esports team was the “Quinnipiac Gaming Club” and was unrecognized as a club sport by the school.
Medina pitched the idea of giving the esports teams their own dedicated space to Chief Experience Officer Tom Ellett and Provost Debra Liebowitz in 2020. And before he knew it, there were plans for a brand new esports suite.
“It wasn’t difficult for (Ellett and Liebowitz) when they started talking about what esports is and where it’s going, to really feel like we’re not only taking the student experience piece, but they’re also taking something that is a future career path for the students because of the multibillion dollar business that esports is right now,” Medina said.
Most of the players on the team are computer science or game design majors, and access to the esports suite meant an opportunity for both them and the school — hence the recent creation of the esports management major.
The Smash team rode the perks of its brand-new space all the way to a MAAC championship, which had two big effects for the players. The first was that, obviously, they had won something.
“It was so much joy. I wasn’t really thinking anything at the time, it was just so much excitement,” said Jonathan Mason, a junior computer science major and the captain of this year’s team.
But it offered them exposure to a world no esports team at Quinnipiac had ever experienced. Having won the MAAC, the team was invited to the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup in Atlanta as one of 16 competitors in a national tournament.
Despite struggling with the budget and even considering taking the club into a deficit for the year in order to make the trip, the team decided to go anyway. The siren call of the national stage was too tempting, even before Quinnipiac decided to chip in a $1,000 stipend.
“Esports is not like your traditional athletics, where your Stanfords and your Ohio States and your Michigans and your UConns of the world are going to pump out championships,” Medina said. “It’s smaller schools who are making an investment in esports that can certainly become the best teams around. (CECC) is a door that opens to allow these students to have not only the regional recognition, but the national recognition that comes along with participating in this event.”
Quinnipiac’s match against Shenandoah on Sept. 9, 2022, is proof of that. The Bobcats were underdogs to the NACE competitors, but still pulled off the victory.
Even though Shenandoah’s stream had two commentators supporting the gameplay, graphic overlays to signify stoppage in play and several sponsors padding the empty space on those graphics, Quinnipiac proved anything could happen.
The Smash team’s transformation from a regional program to a national program has been a swift one. All of Quinnipiac’s esports teams are now members of the National Association of Collegiate Esports, a nonprofit group that provides some structure to national esports and hosts annual in-person events. Think of a weaker, less restrictive NCAA — that’s NACE.
Except this time, hopefully it’ll put money in the team’s pocket instead of burning a hole in it.
The Smash team launched a robust social media marketing campaign and is now streaming its matches. The MAAC has pushed all its members to stream more in order for the conference to collect its brand deal checks, but it’s a facet of the sport Quinnipiac has probed for its own benefit.
“Exploring sponsorships is something that’s gonna require more than just myself,” Medina said. “It’s a full institutional backing that needs to happen. I think the students are very receptive to it, because it’s going to reduce their costs that they would have to pay out of pocket.”
As the captain, Mason has taken some of that responsibility, and he doesn’t just want to stop at product placements and brand deals.
“I already have one person that’s lined up to do commentary for our matches, and there’s one more person that I still need to get on board with,” Mason said. “And as soon as I can get them on board with it, then all of our matches will have some commentators on them. So rather than just a silent stream, there’s more chance for people that might not be on the team but want to be involved to get their brand out there.”
It’s a simple equation: higher production value plus a winning team equals more engagement. More engagement equals more sponsorship deals. More sponsorship deals plus more winning equals higher production value.
And the cycle repeats. Except with each cycle, the stakes get higher and the prize gets bigger.
Despite a 7-0 record in the NACE regular season, the Smash team lost to Shenandoah in the NACE Conference Championship on Oct. 30.
This March, when both of the basketball teams head off for Atlantic City, the Quinnipiac esports teams won’t be far behind them. And even though the Smash team took home hardware last year, there will still be something to play for this year.
How Mackenzie DeWees’ return affects the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team
By BENJAMIN YEARGIN Associate Sports EditorIf you had never seen Quinnipiac women’s basketball graduate student guard Mackenzie DeWees play, you would know that she’s a valuable asset to the program just from the pre-game ceremony conducted on Jan. 28, against Siena.
Returning from a right knee injury that sidelined DeWees for the first 18 games of the season, she had her fiancé locked in one arm and her parents in the other. DeWees walked between two lines of her Bobcats teammates to half-court, where Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri awaited to give her a basketball and a bouquet of flowers honoring her reaching the 1,000-point career milestone.
Fabbri knows exactly what having DeWees back means to the team.
“Besides an emotional lift, (DeWees is) just a great player in the uniform,” Fabbri said postgame on Jan. 28. “It’s been great to have her back.”
DeWees said on Twitter last week she underwent multiple tests and injections throughout the past three months. A player as resilient as her will provide an immediate impact on this iteration of Quinnipiac women’s basketball. An
impact that adds mentorship, stability and an improved offensive and defensive presence.
The most important contribution the Maryland native adds to the squad is her leadership and ability to be a mentor. She’s a team-first player, who finished second on the team in assists last season, a selfless mentality DeWees possesses is obvious in her relationships with her teammates.
“I just felt sorry for my team and my coaches, I didn’t even feel bad for myself,” DeWees said in a video released on Jan. 29, by Quinnipiac Athletics. “It doesn’t just impact me.”
That selfless attitude lifts her teammates, and when she’s playing, DeWees’ chemistry of four years alongside graduate student guard Rose Caverly and senior forwards Cur’Tiera Haywood and Mikala Morris is evident. When DeWees returns to the starting line-up, fans can expect a lot of assists to Haywood, Morris and Caverly.
Quinnipiac has experimented with different rotations throughout the season, seeking out combinations that maximize the potential of the team. With DeWees back, Fabbri has more options and stability in her line-ups.
In the very beginning of the season, the Bob-
cats used a five-woman rotation, changing out each person on the floor in what Fabbri dubbed the “gold rush.”
The starters included Caverly, sophomore guards Reiven Douglas and Jackie Grisdale, Haywood and Morris.
They were switched out for graduate student forward Mary Baskerville, redshirt freshman guard Rose Caso, junior guard Makenzie Helms, sophomore forward Grace LaBarge and freshman forward Ella O’Donnell.
O’Donnell and Baskerville have both stepped up as the season has worn on, with the former earning a spot in the starting line-up and the latter being the sixth man, garnering the most minutes off the bench.
In the Bobcats most recent game against Siena, Fabbri started off with the “gold rush,” but the combination changed. Douglas was out and has been coming off the bench since Nov. 27, O’Donnell was starting and DeWees came off the bench.
Later on, Fabbri elected to go back to a normal one-by-one rotation, primarily putting in Baskerville and DeWees, who finished with 26 and 20 minutes respectively. Baskerville tallied more minutes than Morris, who started at center,
Return of the Mack
we sold out both nights … I think this gives us momentum into next year.”
two seasons.
that no matter what, we’re not out of a game.”
Following Quinnipiac’s victorious weekend, there are a number of storylines I wanted to highlight going forward.
What’s next for CT Ice?
The third iteration of Connecticut’s collegiate state championship showcased the same high level of play as the first two, but a hectic buildup created a number of questions for the tournament’s future.
The tournament was not formally named “CT Ice” until Jan. 27, the day of the semifinal games, and was without a broadcast partner until the same time. New York-based network SNY, who put on the first two events, aired the games, but was not connected with this year’s tournament until the announcement on Jan. 27.
Previously held at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, this year’s tournament shifted sites to Quinnipiac’s own M&T Bank Arena. This trend is expected to continue in the future, with each participating school rotating years to host the event.
“I’ve always wanted the rotation,” Pecknold said. “I thought it was really important this year that we get momentum for the tournament, and
On the other hand, UConn head coach Mike Cavanaugh said he would like to see the tournament hosted at the same neutral site every year – creating a parallel with the Beanpot in Massachusetts, hosted at TD Garden. It’s an event Cavanaugh is very familiar with, coming to UConn with 18 years on the staff at Boston College under his belt.
“I think this should be played at the XL Center,” Cavanaugh said. “I think it should be played at a big venue. I think we’re shortchanging ourselves by limiting it to 3,600 fans. I really believe that this tournament would get 8-9,000 fans at the XL Center.”
It should be noted that the XL Center was previously the exclusive home site of UConn men’s hockey prior to the opening of the Toscano Family Ice Forum in January, and will continue to host Huskies’ home games at least through the 2023-24 season.
Home-ice advantage
While Quinnipiac suffered its second and third losses of the season a week and a half ago, the Bobcats are still unbeaten at M&T Bank Arena this season (11-0-1) and have only two losses on their home ice in 32 games the past
in the game.
“It’s going to be a challenge with who’s playing well,” Fabbri said. “But you do get a flow and find a rhythm with who’s giving you what out there on the floor.”
Fans can expect DeWees to slowly accumulate starting minutes in the next couple of games. In Quinnipiac’s previous bout against the Manhattan Jaspers, DeWees only played 12, so Fabbri is progressively building her up.
A player of DeWees’ magnitude, with accolades like MAAC Player of the Year, two-time All-MAAC first team and a 1,000-point club member, will start when she’s fully healthy.
What DeWees also adds to the team is a defensive prowess beyond the arc. Last season, she led the team with 106 total steals, a number that tied her for fourth in the nation with 3.3 steals per game. This year, the Bobcats have turned the ball over more per game than their opponents (17.8 to 16.3). Besides limiting them, another solution to win the turnover battle is to force more, which DeWees is the perfect person for.
DeWees is like a magnet to the ball. In her three seasons of starting for Quinnipiac, she has finished third, second and second in total rebounds on the squad. For a guard to be able to
grab a board and either drive in or distribute is something the Bobcats have sorely lacked.
Quinnipiac already has some power in the paint with Morris leading the team in blocks and Baskerville leading in steals, and both are first and second on the roster in rebounds, respectively. But what DeWees brings defensively is the ability to force turnovers and collect rebounds.
Finally, on the offensive side, DeWees brings the capability to score inside the arc. When DeWees is on, she can seamlessly drive in the paint, and either stop her momentum and put up a shot or force her way to the basket and earn two points.
DeWees’ ability to drive on the baseline or into the paint may be inhibited by the injury to her right knee, but when she’s fully healthy, driving to the basket comes naturally to her. It’s common for DeWees to score points like that or pass when a shot isn’t viable.
But there’s a twist: she’s a dual threat offensive player too. Right off a pass she can pop a three or deep two, keeping the defense on its toes.
DeWees is a priceless player to this team, whether it’s her mentality or what she brings to the court. The only way to see exactly what she does is to keep an eye on Quinnipiac’s next game on Feb. 2, when they host Rider at 6 p.m.
A big reason for this has been fan support. Quinnipiac has brought in over 3,000 fans for six of its last eight home games, including a 3,625 person crowd (as listed on the Quinnipiac Athletics website) in the CT Ice semi final against Sacred Heart on Friday, 239 more than the arena’s listed capacity by Centerbrook Architects.
“The crowd was great,” Brind’Amour said. “They helped us play a full 60 and it was a lot of fun out there.”
The Bobcats have at least four more home games this season, starting with the Battle of Whitney Ave. against Yale on Feb. 17, and concluding with an ECAC Hockey quarterfinal series the second weekend in March.
A balanced scoring attack
At first glance, looking at the scoring leaders on this Quinnipiac team, one name stands out from the rest: sophomore winger Collin Graf, who sits fifth in the NCAA with 36 points in 26 games. But Graf is just a portion of the Bobcats’ high-powered offense, which itself is fourth in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 3.89 goals per game.
Graf factored on none of the Bobcats’ four goals on Saturday against UConn, rather, it was graduate student winger Ethan de Jong who
carried the scoring load, recording two goals and an assist in a four-goal game.
De Jong is just one of six Quinnipiac skaters above the 20-point mark this season, and one of six with seven-plus goals. While the Bobcats’ top unit of Graf, sophomore center Jacob Quillan and freshman winger Sam Lipkin have received a bulk of the praise this season, Quinnipiac’s talent pool up front is deep.
The aforementioned Brind’Amour is having a breakout campaign, already surpassing his career high in points in 15 fewer games and tripling his goal output as a tip artist in front of the net on the power play.
“To be honest it’s probably a little bit of puck luck right now,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s just getting to the right spots. A lot of these goals have been great plays by guys and I’m just there to tap it in.”
Graduate student TJ Friedmann is another forward on pace for a career year. The centerman has nine goals and 17 points on the season, even with a five-game point drought, which he snapped against Sacred Heart this weekend.
One of the reasons the Bobcats’ offense has been so successful this season is because of that depth. They come at teams in waves, mounting pressure shift-by-shift until the opposing defense cracks.
Capturing Connecticut
Storylines and notes from CT Ice
By CAMERON LEVASSEUR Sports EditorOne year ago, Quinnipiac men’s hockey rode a third-period surge to topple UConn in the Connecticut Ice Tournament championship. This past weekend, the Bobcats found themselves in a similar situation.
Down 3-2 to the then-No. 12 Huskies heading into the third period of Saturday’s championship game, then-No. 3/4 Quinnipiac was on the ropes. The Bobcats gave up two goals during the final two minutes of the middle frame, a collapse reminiscent of a week prior, when Colgate roared back to score three unanswered and hand the then-No. 1 team in the nation its third loss of the season.
But hardships leave their mark. Quinnipiac mounted a comeback of its own in the final 20 minutes to take the lead and the tournament, leaving behind the ghost of the Central New York swing in the process.
“We all chat about ‘hey, there’s adversity,’” head coach Rand Pecknold said following the win. “You’ve got to deal with this in the NCAA Tournament or Frozen Four or wherever you are in the playoffs, so we’ve got to find a way … which we did.”
Of course, losing is never the goal when a team steps on the ice. But there is something to be said for how a loss can help a team, if they take it the right way. It seems as if the Bobcats have done so, using the winless weekend at Cornell and Colgate as fuel to raise a trophy and develop a more battle-tested aura in the process.
“There’s always going to be adversity, you’re never going to be able to go through a season with rainbows and win every game,” senior center Skyler Brind’Amour said. “(We’re) learning lessons. It’s something going forward,
‘It’s so rare’: Quinnipiac athletes and coaches react to Pecknold’s milestone 600th win
By ETHAN HURWITZ Sports EditorIt’s an illustrious milestone: hit 600 career home runs and the team will mob you on the field, score 600 touchdowns and the game will stop to recognize you. But for Quinnipiac men’s hockey head coach Rand Pecknold, his 600th career win was business as usual.
When Pecknold reached the 600-win plateau Friday night after a 5-0 beatdown of Sacred Heart in the CT Ice semifinals, he was more focused on the game the following day.
“We’ve had a lot of really good players over the years and a lot of really good assistant coaches that do a great job,” Pecknold said. “It’s a nice reward, but we’ve got to reload here and get ready for 601.”
That’s just who Pecknold is. That’s how he’s always been since beginning his Quinnipiac career in 1994. Back then, the Quinnipiac College Braves were a Division II program that boasted only two of its current head coaches — Pecknold and women’s basketball’s Tricia Fabbri.
“Rand and I have been here the longest, he was here a year before I was,” Fabbri said. “We have a very unique bond … to watch what he’s been able to do with his program and bring it to No. 1 in the country. I think it’s so rare in college athletics, it’s something we both cherish.”
Since his hiring, Pecknold has helped put Quinnipiac hockey on the map. With two nationally-ranked programs, the notion that “Quinnipiac is a hockey school,” would not exist without Pecknold.
The man behind the Bobcats’ bench now becomes the third head coach in NCAA Division I history to record 600+ wins with one
program, joining BU’s Jack Parker and Michigan’s Red Berenson. He also climbs to 11th all time on the Division I collegiate hockey coaching leaderboards.
“He is so supportive of our team,” Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey head coach Cass Turner said. “Whenever we need something, he’s there for us.”
Graduate student forward TJ Friedmann has been able to reflect on his last five seasons with Pecknold behind the bench. From his time as a freshman in 2018-19 to now, he has seen the development of the program from a first-hand view.
“He does a real good job … You can see the success of the program over the last few years,” Friedmann said. “He does a great job with the development side of things.”
Sophomore forward Collin Graf, who transferred from Union this past summer, feels the same way about his new coach.
“I think he’s great,” Graf said. “Whether it’s before the game or during the game … he’s always ready to do video, whether personally or as a team.”
Graf is new to Hamden, but his teammate Friedmann has a fair share of Pecknold memories – so much so that he isn’t able to pick a favorite.
“It’s tough to pin down just one,” Friedmann said. “You spend five years at a place and days start to blend together. We were here our freshman year for his 500th … I don’t know if I can pin down one specific memory.”
While the days may blend together for some, Pecknold has certainly not lost his com-
petitive fire as of late. From coaching Team USA at the latest World Juniors to making time for his kid’s youth hockey teams, Pecknold just loves the sport.
“He is a student of the game (and) has grown so much as a coach and just loves the game,” Turner said. “He’s worked very hard for it.”
Pecknold’s career has been filled with these accomplishments, whether it is a conference title or being named the 2016 Spencer Penrose Award winner as the nation’s top head coach. The one thing that eludes him is the national championship trophy, something that the current Bobcats have in mind.
“We got our five trophies we want to win throughout the year,” Friedmann said. “It’s always fun … working our way down the checklist.”
When the team begins to ramp up for the ensuing ECAC Hockey playoffs and NCAA Tournament, regardless of any pregame nervousness, the Bobcats will be in good hands.
Why? Because it doesn’t matter if it is a regular season game at M&T Bank Arena or a postseason appearance in Lake Placid. For Pecknold, it will just be another rung on the ladder on the road to the next achievement.
