March 2022 Issue by SPA Publications

RUBICON

the

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

rubiconline.com

Randolph Campus shifts to mask-optional SALAH ABDULKARIM EDITOR IN CHIEF

After almost three years of continually evolving health practices influenced by the pandemic, the school has begun a cautiously optimistic return to pre-COVID times. Most recently, the Omicron variant resulted in a spike in the number of cases within the community, in January but it dissipated rather quickly. On Feb. 18, Head of School Bryn Roberts sent a school wide email outlining an update to the masking protocols for both Randolph and Goodrich Campuses. Many factors played a role in the determination of this decision, “Since the beginning of February, five students and one faculty member have tested positive…this past week we have had no new cases of COVID on either campus…given the rate of vaccination and our number, we still have a very low risk of transmission within the school because we’re social distancing, because we’re doing contact tracing, and because we’re making sure kids stay at home when they’re ill,” Roberts said.

On Feb. 28, the upper school became a mask-optional environment for all students and adults. This policy applies to all parts of the campus, barring high-attendance events. Other changes outlined by this update include the removal and repositioning of the dining hall tables and all grade level assembly attendance returning in the spring. Given the gravity of COVID, administrators worked closely with the school’s medical director, Dr. Paul Anderson, to ensure the changes do not pose a significant danger to the community. As this pandemic has had a profound impact on many people, some more than others, many have extremely varying thoughts on the new policy and its safety. The return to school was met with tension Monday, not knowing how peers would react to personal choices on masking. US Principal Theresa Collins said, “I would love to adhere to the mantra of ‘stay curious’. Try not to jump off the ladder of

the student newspaper of St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave St. Paul, MN 55105 Volume 49, Issue 6

@therubiconspa

STUDENTS ON MASKING I don’t necessarily approve of [optional masking] but I don’t really mind it because personally, I’ll just keep wearing a mask. I guess it is okay because I’m triple vaxxed and boosted so I don’t really mind other people not wearing a mask as long as I have a mask on. sophomore Henry Giles I think that [the new protocol] is fantastic. It brings me back in the day from when I was in middle school. sophomore Lucas Shanno

RUBICON PHOTO: Hazel Waltenbaugh

MASK OPTIONAL. Facilities added signs to the doorways, indicating the new mask optional practice on campus and removed the masks required signs from walkways entering the school for the first time since the fall of 2020. Head of School Bryn Roberts said the decision was made in collaboration with Dr. Paul Anderson, who has worked with the school on mitigation strategies for the past two years.

inference, instead, ask a question, lean into that curiosity. ‘Can I ask you a question about this?’, ‘Do you feel comfortable talking about this?’, those kinds of questions. We should approach each other with compassion, empathy, and curiosity.” While this policy does allow for greater flexibility when it comes to masking for the time be-

BOTH CAMPUSES REPORTED ZERO COVID CASES THE WEEK OF FEB. 11-17. ing, the situation is being closely monitored and may change if necessary. In the email outlining the new policies, Roberts told the communi-

ty, “Should conditions change, we may be compelled to return to stricter mitigation measures which may include a return to full-time masking.” Probable causes that would call for a reversal or revision of this policy would be either a returning surge of Omicron cases, or the emergence of a serious new variant.

I’m going to continue to wear a mask because I am consistently in close contact with someone who is at high risk, so I don’t want to get them sick. sophomore Amalia Laguna I think that it is a great choice that you can have the freedom to not wear a mask and feel comfortable, and other people are doing so also. It’s really nice, and I’m hopeful for the future. My freedom, my beliefs, I’m vaccinated, I’m boosted. junior Nelson Wodarz

read more perspectives at RubicOnline

As national COVID infection numbers decline, states lift mandates NEIGHBORING STATE CASE RATES

MN SD

WI IA

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

INFOGRAPHIC: Leo Sampsell-Jones

GOOD NEIGHBORS. COVID case rates per 100,000 people by state, with Iowa having the highest.

CATHERINE HOOLEY THE RUBICON

On Feb. 24, Minneapolis and St. Paul announced the city mask mandate was no longer

in effect. The order, which went back into effect Jan. 6, was implemented in response to the Omicron variant. The end of the mandate means individuals

USE YOUR VOICE Walkouts have been the historical root of change since the late 1950s. How are students’ calls for safety and justice met today?

are no longer required to wear a mask indoors or during athletic events unless specified by an independent business or organization. Mandates are still in effect on public transportation and in government buildings. The shift is not a complete change, but it is a step towards fewer COVID precautions. “Just as we took a gradual approach to implementing the vaccine and mask requirements to slow the spread, we are taking the same gradual approach in lifting them as we track promising downward trends in Ramsey County,” Kamal

“

I KNOW OUR RESIDENTS WILL CONTINUE STEPPING UP FOR ONE ANOTHER AS WE NAVIGATE THIS NEXT PHASE. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey

Baker, spokesperson for St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter said. The decline in cases involving the Omicron variant has contributed to this decision. The Minnesota Department of

CHANGE THE WORLD

Two grads share where they are now: one, a professional athlete playing in Iceland; another, a YouTuber reviewing movies.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Health reported a death toll of 414 for the month, a steep decline from the 1,067 deaths reported in December. David Montgomery of MPR News, reported that cases have fallen from about 5.4% to below 5% in the past two weeks. He also noted that the death rates have lowered and the non-ICU hospitalizations have decreased from 200 to less than 100 cases this month. Minnesota is making this change in a similar manner to the rest of the country. In fact, there are few states with mask requirements. As of press time, a mask mandate is

in effect in the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington. In addition, masks are required for only the unvaccinated population in California and Connecticut. Otherwise, statewide mask mandates, separate from city-wide mandates, are not being enforced. “Today, the Twin Cities has good reason to be hopeful for the future, and I know that our residents will continue stepping up for one another as we navigate this next phase together,” Minneapolis Jacob Frey said in a public statement.

ROW THE BOAT Senior Griffin Ziemer talks crew through adversity, making it to nationals, and finding a lifelong passion.

1-2 - News • 3-5 Opinion • 6 - Good Question

• 7- Food • 8-9 - In Depth • 10 - 11 Feature• 12-13 - Sports • 14-15 - A&E • 16 - Music

NEWS THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

Ryan Companies begins row home sales in Highland LUCY THOMAS STAFF WRITER

After 86 years of operation, the Ford Plant shut down on Dec. 19, 2011, and 30,000 working Minnesotans lost their jobs. From this tragedy, a neighborhood filled with shops, residential areas, and parks will emerge. Ryan Companies acquired the 122-acre site, using it as an opportunity to bring new urbanism to the Highland Park neighborhood. The Ryan Company project is committed to bringing all members of the community together regardless of social-economic status. 20 percent of the residential areas will be affordable housing, meaning by federal regulation it will cost less than 24 percent of the area’s median income. Bobak Razavi said it will be, “Limited in what

is affordable”, but with the investors on the line 20 percent is still a good amount. The first market-rate apartments will be ready to lease in spring 2022. With an opening price of $639,815, these urban apartments will be

“

ELIMINATING THE STRESSORS OF HAVING TO WATCH OUT FOR CARS AND NOT BEING RUN OVER BY A TRUCK. freshman Georgia Ross

centrally located and sustainable. The affordable house has yet to come, but these new apartments are the first major step to completion in the

Highland Bridge project. New Urbanism is a city development project oriented toward diversity, mixed-use housing, sustainability, and improving the quality of life for its inhabitants. Highland bridge is taking this to heart creating mixed-use housing which Razavi defines as “Commercial on the first level and apartments or condos up top, by doing that you got mixed use.” To improve the quality of life for its residents, the highland bridge neighborhood is oriented towards pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport. Freshman Georgia Ross enjoys walking with her friends in urban settings and said that the new area would be “eliminating the stressors of having to watch out for cars, and not being run over by a truck”.

Sustainability is created not only by pedestrians but in the 50 plus acres of parks, waterways, and open space. They have also committed to integrating public transport “Every single building will be within a quarter-mile of transit”, by shortening distances dramatically increases the likelihood of use according to SAGE journals. Ryan companies is also committed to 100 percent carbon-free and renewable sources of energy with the largest solar area in St. Paul. Although not all of these amenities will not be open now for the first building, it shows the investment that the renters and owners of the new apartments are making for their future. The Highland Bridge site will open to the public this spring. The district that comes from this project is set to be the mod-

PHOTO: Olivia Campbell NEW URBANISM. Construction continues on the Highland Bridge neighborhood Mar. 3, eleven years after the closing of the Ford Plant. Ryan Companies announced the project in 2017. Lots and the first row homes went on sale in late-February.

ern standard for neighborhood developments. Highland bridge is created for the community, as Ryan Company states in their mission statement, “value they bring to the people who use them and

the communities that surround them.” Although the road will be long, this building is only the first step.

Roe v Wade SCOTUS discussions extend to Minnesota Legislature CLARA GARNER

Within the SPA community students have mixed feelings about the overturning. Junior Joey Stolpestad shared “I don’t think kids are fit to like, have a kid sometimes.” He goes on to reflect on how in the immediate SPA community many stu-

THE RUBICON

The Supreme Court of the United States has opened a debate that has the opportunity to overturn the famous 1973 Roe v. Wade case, which legalized abortion. For Minnesota, bans or restrictions on abortions are unlikely according to the Guttmacher Institute, an organization focused on research and policy of abortions primarily in the United States. Additionally, according to a poll by Pew Research Center, 52% of Minnesotans think abortions in some form should be legal. While this is not likely to impact the legal status of abortion in Minnesota, Minnesotan legislators are concerned with this possible ruling and the impact this might have on the country. Senator Tina Smith has been involved in efforts to advocate against the overturning of Roe v. Wade by backing bills that have the potential to change the outcome of the trial in the supreme court.

“

Flickr CC: Lorie Shaull

MY BODY MY CHOICE. Minnesotans protest at the state capitol in 2019 after then President Trump vowed to overturn Roe v. Wade. While SCOTUS is currently reviewing a case with the potential to shift the federal guidelines set by Roe v. Wade, 52% of Minnesotans think abortions should be accessible in some form.

While pro choice advocates continue to fight against these potential changes. Pro-life supporters continue developing cases to ban and prevent abortions. This effort has been a work in progress since the legalization of abortions with success along the way in states that tend to prolife. In 2019 Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine passed the “heartbeat law” which prohibited abortions after heartbeat becomes

detectable. Now pro life legislators continue working to support the current Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson women’s health organization which would overturn Roe v. Wade. The Dobbs v. Jackson case questions if elective abortions are constitutional. This case questions if people have a constitutional right to an abortion with Dobbs arguing that pre-viability abortions are unconstitu-

CORRECTIONS POLICY Corrections are printed at the bottom of News p. 2. Corrections will be published in the month following the error and, if the story is also published online, will update following the online corrections policy.

tional. If the case passes it would not only overturn Roe v. Wade, but also allow pro-life leaning states to continue to prevent and in some cases completely ban abortions. This case follows recent attempts to ban and prevent abortions in various states with much buzz specifically surrounding Texas, where Dobbs v. Jackson focuses on a Mississippi law that banned abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

ITS MAKING IT MORE CLEAR, BEFORE I FEEL LIKE IT WAS EASIER FOR [PEOPLE] TO JUST USE THE UMBRELLA TERM OF “I’M [PROLIFE]”. senior Sarah Oppenheim

dents have the resources to support a child, but most teenagers in the state and the country do not have these resources. Additionally, he said “It’s obviously a challenge… that would change your entire life.” While most people fall under pro-

choice or pro-life even within those identifiers people disagree. As Senior Sarah Oppenheim said, “it’s making it more clear, [because] before I feel like it was easier for [people] to just use the umbrella term of ‘I’m [pro-life]’.” While students shared their opinions on the current status of the abortion debate, many felt uninformed about what was happening in the senate and the implications of this. “I don’t really know the details exactly just because I don’t pay too close attention to it, but I have overheard my mom and dad talking about it,” said Oppenheim. While it seems unlikely that Minnesota will ban abortion, Minnesotan legislators and government officials are working to advocate against bans throughout the country, and these legislators are listening to the people of Minnesota’s concerns about abortion bans throughout the country.

NEWS 2 - typo in Violet Benson pull quote: it should say “I learned how to be flexible.” EDITORIAL 3 - typo in Editorial headline should read “Engage with your community”; the Editorial Cartoon should be credited to Annika Kim. GOOD QUESTION 6 - Money Matters caption should say 75% of students said wealth does influence popularity. FOOD 7 - recipe for breakfast is cut off. Full recipe can be found at www.clarascorner.com. FEATURE 10-11 - apologies for so many typos: “MATERIAL GIRL” in hammer headline and spelling mistakes in caption, multiple errors in caption for Rohweder”

EDITORIAL THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022 OUR MISSION We strive to capture the spirit of the community through its stories while inspiring deeper conversations. Above all, we stand for integrity in our pursuit to inform and engage our readers.

THE RUBICON St. Paul Academy and Summit School 1712 Randolph Ave • St. Paul, MN 55105 rubicon.spa@gmail.com www.rubiconline.com @TheRubiconSPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR

Salah Abdulkarim Leo Sampsell-Jones

NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR GOOD QUESTION EDITOR FOOD EDITOR IN DEPTH EDITOR FEATURE EDITOR

Hazel Waltenbaugh Maddy Fisher Annie Bai Clara Garner Hobbs Lillygreen Milkii Tigro, S1 Eliza Farley, S2 Orion Kim Catherine Hooley Claire Kim

SPORTS EDITOR A&E EDITOR MUSIC EDITOR

VISUAL AND INTERACTIVES BEATS MANAGER

Elle Chen Elizabeth Trevathan Henry Burkhardt Tommy Verhey

NEWS EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR FEATURE EDITOR A&E EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR

Zadie Martin Zekiah Juliusson Ali Browne Eliana Mann Alexandra Cardwell

CO- DIRECTORS OF ONLINE

MULTIMEDIA RUBICON TV

PODCAST EDITOR ILLUSTRATOR

Siri Pattison Ivy Raya Clara McKoy Rita Li Kevin Chen

STAFF WRITERS

Aarushi Bahadur, PJ Bohjanen, Sawyer Bollinger Danielson, Marius Elias Morse, August Gaspard, Charlotte Goings, Carys Hardy, Annika Kim, Mariam Malik, Alison Mitchell, Will Moran, Johanna Pierach, Davan Rosen, Georgia Ross, Lucy Thomas, Nelson Wodarz, Annie Zhang

ADVISER

Kathryn Campbell, CJE PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANT

Colton Werner

MEMBERSHIPS

Columbia Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association MN High School Press Association Quill and Scroll Honor Society

PUBLICATION AWARDS

NSPA All-American, Pacemaker CSPA Gold Medalist CSPA Crown Award Winner SNO Distinguished Site JEM All State Gold

EDITORIAL CARTOON: Annika Kim YES WE CAN. Student activism and voluneering will help close the achievement gap, but only if there are structures put in place at a legislative level by voting adults that create the conditions for success. the staff 100% ofagree

Work to close the achievement gap EDITORIAL THE RUBICON STAFF

Living in the state with the largest achievement gap between white and BIPOC students, it is important to recognize the reasons and significance behind the disparities to find ways to close the divide. While attending a private school does not necessarily contribute to the achievement gap, it does provide advantages. Independent school funding provides access to top-tier curricula and facilities, in addition to networking connections and low student teacher ratio. College acceptance rates are at 100%. It is crucial to understand that this is not the case for most, especially along racial and socioeconomic lines. At SPA, for example, 66% of students are white. Socioeconomically, we come from neighborhoods with resources and families that feel empowered to make school choices. What we do with this advantage can contribute to closing the achievement gap for others. Being educated on the reasons behind the achievement gap in Minnesota is crucial in beginning to make a difference. The NPR podcast NPR Early Risers hosted by Dianne HaulIT IS IMPORTANT TO cy, explains how early childhood plays a huge role in how children process trauma and ways in which the achievement gap UNDERSTAND THAT NOT can be changed in Minnesota. Early childhood (birth to age EVERYONE HAS THE five) is a crucial time for brain development. The education a young child receives—from books at home to daycare and preSAME EXPERIENCE. school—has a major impact on learning at grade level. Consider volunteering at and/or raising money for organizations that support early childhood learning. Data also shows that kids surrounded by other smart kids can have huge benefits. Peer tutoring at an after school program or running a book club through a local library is another way to use independent school education to increase reading and math proficiency for other students in Minnesota. The next part has to do with public policy. Advocating for a shift in property tax allocation at the state level is one way to close the gap. Public schools are funded by property taxes collected by respective districts, and since most schools are connected to neighborhoods, this creates large funding disparities. Minnesota has one of the widest gaps between white and BIPOC homeownership, a significant determinant of wealth. More white families have homes in richer neighborhoods, which means they have a better chance of sending their children to better-funded schools. One of the major factors for racial disparities in school systems is historic racial segregation, redlining, and the disadvantages many BIPOC people continue to face. If the state took all property taxes, and divided that money evenly amongst all students, the per pupil funding, one significant determinant of success, would be equal, giving each student an equal number of tax dollars to cover the cost of books and supplies, nutrition, and support staff regardless of their address. Voting for candidates and public figures that are working to close the achievement gap, not just in Minnesota but across the nation, can make a huge difference. While many students are not old enough to vote, using a quality education to work to change public policy is effective. Keep up with legislation. Intern for candidates who support education in campaigns. Using personal access to quality education to provide others with similar opportunities, working to change public policies, or simply learning more about why the achievement gap is so severe are all great ways to help mend the disparities within the education systems in Minnesota.

OPINIONS THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

Student voices and activism bring positive change AARUSHI BAHADUR STAFF WRITER

On Feb. 8, hundreds of students streamed into the parking lot at Central High School, demanding the Minneapolis Police Department reevaluate their SWAT practices. Three weeks prior, students from multiple St. Paul schools gathered to appeal for greater guidelines and resources to combat the pandemic. This isn’t just localized to the Twin Cities; school walkouts are sweeping the country, as students protest gun violence, racism, policing, COVID safety standards, and other pressing issues. Though walk-outs have regained prominence in recent years, walkouts have been the historical root of change since the late 1950s. So why are students’ calls for safety and justice today being met with silence? Some classic arguments against student activism suggest that walkouts are merely a convenient excuse to skive off classes, or that they are the pawns of teachers unions. The concept that students have insight into the world around them equal to that of adults is often brushed aside. After the Jan. 18 walkout, the board of Saint Paul Public Schools announced that it wouldn’t move school online like the students had hoped. Instead, they only introduced a new metric to determine when schools must make the switch. While the SPPS hold-

ILLUSTRATION: Johanna Pierach

PERSONAL CHOICE. Don’t expect everyone to be ready or willing to not wear a mask. Masking can still be a personally sensible option. Regardless of one’s decision, everyone should be paying attention to case numbers.

ILLUSTRATION: Aarushi Bahadur

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDEST. Walkouts have historically inspired change. Though success is never guaranteed, students activism is still important.

ing a meeting was a good first step, it lacked something valuable: student voices. Once again, at the moment when the decision—which affected the students—was being made, there were no advocates for the students’ desires there. With regards to walkout counter-arguments, a number of points must be raised: firstly, students are there to support the cause, and many often get permission to attend in advance. The motive behind these walkouts is to spark change, not to skip classes. Besides, not all walkouts take place during a scheduled period in school hours. Lastly, while adults may help organize events, it’s mainly students hosting, planning, and speaking at walkouts. The students are taking initiative, with their own actions and words, to draw attention to something that they

feel strongly about, not anyone else. Walkouts have left large marks historically—the Children’s Crusade of 1963, or the East L.A. Walkouts in ‘68, for example. They proved that student activism can garner massive amounts of attention that can help solve societal issues, if not in the present, then in the future. But when students are the minds behind walkouts yet don’t end up influencing any decisions brought about by the attention they may have garnered, what was achieved? If change is to come about in the world, it’s going to be the next generation pushing it. And if positive change has come about through student activism in the past, why stop it from happening today?

Wearing a mask remains a personal decision JOHANNA PIERACH STAFF WRITER

Starting Feb. 28, SPA students, faculty, and visitors will be allowed to do something they haven’t done for nearly two years: show the bottom half of their face. But not everyone will, and that’s perfectly okay. With omicron on the downtrend, when to lift mask mandates has been a popular question, with the discussion mainly centered around schools. The SPA community got their answer on Feb. 18, when Head of School Bryn Roberts announced that masks would become optional on SPA’s Randolph Campus. This decision also applies to athletics, extracurriculars, and school-sponsored events, with some exceptions. Such a drastic change comes after weeks of considerable decline in cases, both in and out of SPA. New coronavirus cases have dropped more than 80% nationwide since their peak in mid-January. As of Feb. 23, the daily average of new cases has fallen 77% in Minnesota over the last 14 days. There were no new cases across either campus the week before Roberts sent the email. These numbers, along with the school’s high vaccination rate, provide significant and logical incentives to lift the mandate and for any individual to take off their mask. However, not everyone will be ready to make such a drastic change,

and don’t expect them to. Different lives come with various factors and priorities. Some students and faculty may put themselves or their loved ones at risk if they don’t wear masks. Some may follow the CDC guidelines, which recommend consistent mask-wearing by students and faculty indoors and regardless of vaccination status. They also urge mask-wearing in areas of “substantial” or “high transmission,” which currently applies to most U.S. counties, including Ramsey County. SPA is a small, highly vaccinated community that saw a significant spike in cases in January. But there’s still reason to be apprehensive at this point in the pandemic, and continuing to wear a mask remains a sensible decision for many. Though the guidelines have eased, wearing a mask is still valid. Individuals, whether they choose to mask or not, need to remain conscious of the numbers. Being finally allowed to take off one’s mask is not an invitation to forget about COVID-19 completely. Having the responsibility to choose does not give one the right to judge others’ decisions. Hold back from making assumptions about why someone is wearing a mask, and recognize that everyone has their decision. Read more about school masking policies on - NEWS p. 1

PUBLICATIONS POLICIES PUBLICATION INFO The

Rubicon is published eight times a year. We distribute 450 free copies of each issue to the upper school.

ADVERTISING The Rubicon

does not accept advertisements.

ANONYMOUS SOURCES

Although it is always preferable to use names when reporting, there are times when it is necessary to protect those we report on. In the case of a student, the use of grade level as a name designation (i.e. Sophomore Student) will be the

preferred method of anonymity. BY LINES credit the individual who conducted interviews, drafted, revised and factchecked an assigned story. Shared bylines are given to joint effort assignments, with reporters listed alphabetically by last name. Stories that include supplemental materials include a credit at the bottom that states “Additional reporting by” followed by the reporter name.

EDITORIALS articulate the

collective opinion of The Rubicon staff, while minieditorials, opinions pieces, arts reviews, and columns belong to

the author.

NAME & PRONOUN USE

In our student publications, it is a priority for us to be fair to the lived experience of our sources and our community. While we may clarify use through school records like Veracross, we use the name and pronouns reported to us in interviews and on surveys by the individual we are reporting on. To that end, each interview begins with a request to say and spell the person’s name and to share the pronouns they would like to see published in the story, and the reporter is transparent about where the story will be

published. We do this because we understand that there are people who exist in different spaces using different names and pronouns: people may choose one set of names and pronouns with friends, or in class, or at home, and choose to use different names and pronouns when being reported on in a public forum. We honor and respect an individual’s right to choose the places where they are out and where they prioritize safety, relationship or privacy by using other names and pronoun choices. If a mistake is made in the course of reporting, a correction will

be posted with a print or online story per the corrections policy. The yearbook may include multiple names and pronouns based on when an individual’s name and pronoun information was shared with staff; yearbooks cannot be edited for names and pronouns after signature printing. No changes will be made to archive stories in any publication.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Opinions are welcomed as Letters to the Editor or Submitted Opinions and may be published in the print or edition. Letters to the Editor

should not exceed 400 words and Submitted Opinions should not exceed 650 words. Both may be edited for length and style. All pieces must be submitted and will be published with a full name.

UPDATES & CORRECTIONS

During the post-critique process, staff members identify inaccuracies and report feedback from readers. The staff publishes corrections when an error is discovered during critique or reported to a staff member. Corrections should be directed to the Editor in Chief or appropriate section editor.

OPINIONS THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

Universal healthcare: a right for every body ANNIE ZHANG STAFF WRITER

The ability to receive aid and medicine is a basic human right, but the issue is medical bills can be costly. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, fixing a broken leg costs around $7,500, a three day stay in the hospital can cost up to $30,000 and treating cancer can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. For many, costs this high can leave them in debt. As reported by the United States Census Bureau in 2020, the average household income is $67,521. With state taxes, mortgage payments and more, this doesn’t leave many households with a lot of disposable income. Why should a basic human right be out of reach for so many citizens? How can the dilemma be solved? Simple solution: universal healthcare. But what exactly is universal healthcare? It’s a tax-based system that gives citizens access to healthcare without the hardships. Under universal healthcare, no matter how much someone is able to pay, they are not denied access to care.

If implemented in the US, universal healthcare could benefit millions of citizens. To citizens, this would mean financial stability as well as standardizing receiving care, lowered overall healthcare costs and an overall improvement to the quality of public health. To elaborate, standardizing acceptance of care would mean that every citizen would receive the same level of care. This action would eliminate hierarchy based on the ability to pay when receiving aid. Lower overall healthcare costs would not only be directed at citizens, but the government as well. With universal healthcare, the government would be able to determine the cost of healthcare and greatly reduce and regulate charges. Universal healthcare would also terminate administrative costs for doctors and nurses, leading to an absence for insurance. Despite how average salaries for both doctors and nurses can be quite high, there is still a certain amount they must pay to insurance in the case of being sued. Universal healthcare will lead to

ILLUSTRATION: Annie Zhang

BILL OF HEALTH. Despite its flaws, universal healthcare would greatly reduce access inequality.

TO RECEIVE MEDICAL AID SHOULD NOT BE OUT OF REACH FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. freshman Annie Zhang

the improvement of public health as citizens will have easy access to both physicians and medicines to prevent sickness. Although universal healthcare seems like the perfect solution to many of the US’s problems, it is not flawless. A universal healthcare system may

lead to more costly and risky medical treatments being eliminated, longer wait times for treatment and aid, lower salaries for doctors and less motivation to stay healthy. In a universal healthcare system, citizens pay the same amount for healthcare regardless of their actual health. To sum it up, this leaves healthier citizens paying for sick citizens to receive aid. This cost is sort of like a healthcare tax and isn’t more than other taxes that citizens pay. It may seem like a lot, but the cost of this tax is still tens of thousands of dollars less compared to the average hospital bill. However, this lowered cost leads to lower sala-

ries for doctors and nurses which gives less incentive for many to pursue careers in the medical industry. Another downside of universal healthcare is that potential life saving treatments could be eliminated since the correlating cost could be too high for such a low chance of success. If the US changes to a universal healthcare system, longer waiting times to receive medical aid would also follow, since under this system, patients with severe illness and injuries are prioritized. Although universal healthcare can lead to improved public health, there is also less reason to stay healthy, leading to people taking larger risks and making

poorer decisions since all trips to the hospital and emergency room are taken care of. Regardless of the negatives in universal healthcare, there are plenty of reasons that it would benefit everyone. Lower costs for all would give families more disposable income and not having to feel the stress that comes from paying hefty bills will just eliminate huge amounts of stress altogether. To receive medical aid should not be out of reach for millions of people. It is a basic human right as well as a necessity to live. Universal healthcare is a system that benefits everyone.

Go to space for Spring Break? Maybe not. ALISON MITCHELL STAFF WRITER

Space tourism has been making headlines in recent months due to a number of successful spacecraft launches. At first glance, the achievements of this growing industry can seem like another big step for mankind, however, the rise of space tourism actually raises significant moral and environmental concerns. Space tourism is defined as “the practice of traveling to space for recreational purposes”, and is a subject that has become increasingly popular in recent years. In 2001, American engineer Dennis Tito became the first space tourist when he paid a whopping 20 million dollars to ride Russian spacecraft Soyuz TM-32 to the International Space Station (ISS). Now, space tourism sees billionaires like Richard Branson, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos founding their own companies and launching their own

THE ADVANCEMENT OF SPACE TOURISM DOESN’T TRULY ALLOW FOR MORE PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE SPACE TRAVEL. junior Alison Mitchell rockets with the intent of making space tourism, or even life on other planets, a possibility for a greater share of the world’s population. Musk, Branson, and Bezos have all emphasized the fact that the rise of space tourism will give way to the increased accessibility and normalization of space travel. However, these trips to space can hardly be called accessible when a single ticket costs a few hundred thousand dollars. Of course, that’s not even a drop in the bucket for Bezos, who spent 5.5 billion dollars on his most recent trip to space. The vehicle that Bezos traveled in was built so that it could return to space multiple times, thus lowering the overall cost of space travel, but

that didn’t stop news outlets and common people alike from calling Bezos’ endeavor a gross display of wealth or “[a] joyride for the wealthy”. In a July 2021 article, Global Citizen compiled a list of ways in which Bezos’ 5.5 billion dollars could have helped to solve humanitarian issues here on Earth. Key examples include: fully funding humanitarian efforts in 6 countries, saving 37.5 million people from starvation, and obtaining vaccines for 2 billion people in low-income countries. The rise of the space tourism industry also raises significant environmental concerns. “The carbon footprint of launching yourself into space in one of these rockets is incredibly high, close to about 100 times

higher than if you took a long-haul flight,” said Eloise Marais, a physical geography professor at the University College London. Even when alternate fuel sources are considered, rockets still release soot and water vapor, which can adversely affect the Earth’s ozone layer and rapidly accelerate global warming. The soot released from just 1,000 space tourism flights could warm Antarctica by almost 1 degree Celsius. And while 1,000 flights may seem like a lot, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic has a goal of eventually launching 400 flights a year. This means that the company would reach the 1,000 flight threshold in just two and a half years. It’s also important to remember that the carbon footprint of these flights stems far beyond just the launching of the rockets. The research and development required to create these vehicles as well as flights taken by crew members to reach the launch site account for a

ILLUSTRATION: Alison Mitchell

WASTE OF SPACE. Space tourism has incredibly detrimental impacts on the environment. Each rocket launch has a carbon footprint 100 times that of a long airplane flight.

majority of the total carbon emissions. With figures like Branson, Bezos, and Musk as the spokespeople for space tourism, the development of this industry can seem like a beneficial idea. However, the advancement of space tourism doesn’t truly allow for more people to experience space travel. In actuality, it allows for the super-rich to use space as their playground and throw away billions of dollars that could be

spent fixing pressing issues here on Earth. The industry is also on track to rapidly accelerate global warming and damage the Earth’s atmosphere. So no, billionaires, the rise of space tourism is not another big step for mankind or “the best day ever”, it’s a sure-fire way to accelerate the Earth’s problems and drive the nail into the coffin for us all.

GOOD QUESTION THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

What makes students productive?

STUDYING STRATEGIES BY THE NUMBERS

Students said that they got the most work done during free period

54%

Of students said that setting a timer does not help them be productive

Students agreed that making a checklist helped them be more productive

45%

Of students said that they got the most work done in the evening

Students gave themselves an A+ in productivity on most school days

3:2

Ratio of students who do homework right after school to those who do it right before school

students in grades 9-12 participated in the survey

CLAIRE KIM

THE RUBICON

Science can bring structure to the art of working efficiently, because there’s only so much time in a day. Whether it’s the time of day or the environment, different strategies can help maximize an individual’s productivity. While some factors may just be preferences, other natural effects can also provide scientific benefits to all people. One of the biggest issues most students face is overcoming procrastination. While procrastination abounds among students, it ultimately comes down to how the brain works. A study from Ness Labs found that the limbic system (which processes unpleasant situations to avoid) often overpowers the prefrontal cortex (where decisions are made); this makes the decision to do what feels good at the moment instead of working. Procrastination can put the pressure on students to get work done, even though it often ap-

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: Leo Sampsell-Jones

MAKE WORK WORTHWHILE. Finding a setting to be productive in can be a process of trial and error. For example, while some may finding the subconscious pressure of having others around to be helpful, others may prefer working alone. “I like being around other people as long as everyone is working because that helps me work,” freshman Grace Medrano said.

circadian rhythms, which are natural processes that follow a 24-hour cycle. Based on the main sleepwake cycle, the Harvard Business Review found that a person’s alertness peaks around 3 P.M. and 6 P.M., and fluctuates between those times. Following natural ener-

KK Welsh does most of her work in her room because of its quiet and comfortable atmosphere, while using strategies that motivate her. “Generally I am pretty self-motivated eventually, but I definitely tell myself that I can do things like getting ice cream from the freezer after I finish an assignment,” Welsh said. On GENERALLY I AM PRETTY SELFthe other hand, freshman MOTIVATED EVENTUALLY, BUT I Grace Medrano enjoys working around others as DEFINITELY TELL MYSELF THAT I CAN long as everyone is focusDO THINGS LIKE GETTING ICE ing on being productive, so a study environment CREAM FROM THE FREEZER she frequents is the liAFTER I FINISH AN ASSIGNMENT,” brary. Factors such as the ensenior KK Welsh vironment and time of day can vary from person to person. However, pears as worse on paper. gy levels can maximize quality of life improve“I would say I am an ac- performance when hard- ments such as air quality, tive procrastinator [...], er tasks are completed light, and temperature and putting off work also during a period of high can still apply to different gives me more motiva- alertness. lifestyles, no matter the tion to do it later,” sophoHowever, busy sched- setting. Even the color of more Humza Murad said. ules often do not allow a workspace can have a “Procrastination gives for students to follow positive effect; according me a reason to be more circadian rhythms to the to Entrepreneur, calm efficient when the time dot. Instead, smaller and greens and blues can imcomes.” more frequent ultradian prove focus, while yellow Similarly to Murad, rhythms can be used to can help with forming freshman Grace Medrano boost productivity re- ideas. procrastinates regularly gardless of the time of Even though it may be and later completes tasks day. “I usually do not sit a trial-and-error process in one go. “Sometimes I down for more than 90 to find out what strategies procrastinate to the ex- minutes at a time because work or don’t work for an tent where I just have my brain starts drifting individual, lifestyle imto do it and then I chug off, so I take short breaks provements are relatively through it like on Sunday in between work to reset,” easy to maintain and can night, which probably Murad said. The peak of be beneficial for everyisn’t a good habit but it productivity during an one. On top of that, findgets all my work done,” ultradian rhythm cycle is ing a rhythm that works she said. However, Medra- actually around 90 min- can improve productivity no also stays organized by utes, with ten or fifteen outside of school as well. making schedules and al- minute breaks when en- Try out some different lotting certain amounts ergy is depleted, accord- reward systems, orgaof time to certain tasks. ing to Blue Zones. nization techniques, or Although strategies for Another general way setting switches, and see being productive depend to improve productivity how science can maxion the individual, one is to find a setting that fits mize work output. way to naturally test pro- personal requirements to ductivity is by following be able to focus. Senior

“

MUSICAL MOTIVATION. In a survey with 53 students in grades 9-12, 70% said that listening to music does help their productivity. According to Zapier, listening to music while working can improve both mood and work quality. However, the effects can be different based on the type of music, the type of work, and personal preference.

CHECKED OFF. In the same survey with 53 students in grades 9-12, an overwhelming 71% said that making checklists helped them be productive. However, 60% said that using a planner did not help them be productive. Different methods of organization can also have their benefits and disadvantages.

FOOD THE RUBICON - FEBRUARY 2022

CALLING ALL CULTIVATORS. This map of Minnesota maps the location of all the reservations in the state. Additionally, the blue area of the map shows where wild rice normally grows in Minnesota.

An exploration of the role of food in Indigenous cultures and why people are fighting to protect it ORION KIM

THE RUBICON

It is important for anyone living on Indigenous land to ask themselves what they have actively done to support Indigenous sovereignty. One starting point is by supporting local Indigenous food places. The history of indigenous food originated far before modern-day agricultural techniques, and many of these styles of farming are still used today. According to an article by the First Nations development institute, Indigenous people had complex food systems

that were sustainable and diverse thousands of years before European contact. “An intimate understanding of seasonal food was important to diversify food types, enhance nutritional balance and ensure the long-term production of Native food systems,” the article continued. Indigenous food is produced by the most bio-diverse food system in the world. Biodiversity is essentially the variety of organisms within an area. Indigenous people around the world

make up only 25% of the world’s population but produce 80% of global biodiversity. According to the International Institute for Environment and Development, “Biodiversity underpins the earth’s life support system…Biodiversity keeps water fresh and air clean; it increases soil fertility and promotes pest control and pollination.” Liz Cates is the Education Program Coordinator at NATIFS, an organization that promotes Indigenous foodways, education, and facilitates In-

digenous food access. For her, food is an extremely important aspect of Indigenous culture. “My grandma, she has raised us. She would often talk about her first food being wild rice. And the first words I ever learned in Dakota were from her. So when I went to college, I studied the Dakota language and started learning more about just the vast multitudes of power to start bringing back a culture or revitalizing a culture,” Cates said. Cates also emphasized the importance of Indigenous food sovereignty. “In treaties made a long time ago, it says, the native peoples will be allowed to hunt and gather as they originally did. But that’s not the reality that we see right now with restrictions and laws. So the food sovereignty movement right now is about navigating those laws and at times, changing them so that we still have access to the waterways and the land bases that we want to gather,” she said. Some ways that non-Indigenous people can contribute to the Indigenous food sovereignty movement is by educating themselves.

INDIGENOUS FOOD IN MINNESOTA “You can start with what’s around you. You can change the narrative by not disregarding plants that are essential to our culture. For example some people call dandelions weeds, but they don’t know what it’s actually called. Dandelions are medicinal. Reframing your ideas around that and educating yourselves on what plants are around you can help you develop a good relationship with your area and beyond that your community,” Cates continued. Another way to support Indigenous food sovereignty is by consuming more local produce. According to an article by Rita Klavinski of Michigan State University, local food is better for the environment, has more nutrients, and promotes a safer food supply. One local Indigenous food source is the Dream of Wild Health Farm. They sell produce at the Four Sisters Farmers Market in Minneapolis, and also have volunteer opportunities that include assisting with weeding, harvesting, or watering. The organization that Cates works at has community service opportunities as well. One of these opportunities is volunteering at the Indig-

enous Food Lab located in the Midtown Global Market. Here, workers can both learn about Indigenous food and help package food for people in need. Another way to support Indigenous food sovereignty is by dining at Indigenous restaurants. Owamni by the Sioux Chef, located on 420 1st St S, Minneapolis, is a great option. The restaurant was named 50 best places to eat out by the New York Times, and for a good reason. Its excellent reviews, service, and diverse menu offer a unique take on Indigenous food. Their menu consists of multiple fixed courses consisting of many distinct dishes. These dishes include many traditional Indigenous foods such as wild rice, squash, bison, and walleye. According to their website, they don’t use colonial ingredients in their kitchens such as foods like wheat flour, cane sugar, and dairy. Instead, it is sourced from local and national Indigenous food producers who use sustainable agriculture.

INDIGENOUS FOOD IN THE AREA

PHOTO CREDIT: Clara Garner

Owamni By the Sioux Chef

Dream of Wild Health

Pow Wow Grounds Coffee

Started by Sean Sherman

With a farm located in

Located in Minneapolis,

and Dana Thompson,

PHOTO CREDIT: dreamofwildhealth.org

Hugo, MN and an office

PHOTO CREDIT: Powwow Grounds Coffee Facebook

Pow Wow Grounds Coffee serves a variety of

Owamni is a restaurant in downtown Minneapolis dedicated to serving

based in Minneapolis, Dream of Wild Health offers a food share and

Indigenous foods made from local and Indigenous sourced ingredients.

sells fruits and vegetables at various farmers markets across the state.

foods including Native American staples including frybread, Monday

Owamni serves foods that are entirely free from wheat flour, dairy, and

Additionally, Dream of Wild Health offers youth programs that teach

to Friday. Pow Wow Grounds Coffee is also connected to the All My

refined sugar.

Native American youth about farming and the history behind it.

Relations Gallery which showcases exhibits by Indigenous artists and

Learn more at: owamni.com

Learn more at: dreamofwildhealth.org

focuses on the diversity of the Indigenous experience and engages

OR visit at: 420 SOUTH FIRST STREET MINNEAPOLIS MN 55401

OR donate at: www.givemn.org/donate/Dreamofwildhealth

with Indigenous histories and cultures. Learn more at: powwowgrounds.squarespace.com OR visit at: 1414 E FRANKLIN AVENUE MINNEAPOLIS MN

IN DE

You’ve got

THE RUBICON -

me feeling

emotions Emotional

mirroring

The science and effects of empathy HAZEL WALTENBAUGH

Being able to feel someone else’s emotion is the product of two things: either having experienced that emotion or one similar in the past, or the mirroring effect that the brain triggers in response. Have you ever yawned after watching someone else yawn? Or say one of your friend’s scores in their hockey game and they are really excited about it. Even though you didn’t score, chances are you feel really happy too. This is because I AM USALLY VERY EMPATHETIC, BUTthe parts of your brain that are responsible for activating and feeling emotions can be SOMETIMES IT’S HARD BECAUSE triggered after viewing someone who is YOU WANT TO BE THERE FOR experiencing an emotional reaction. The SOMEONE BUT I TRY NOT TO viewing participant’s brain can mirror their emotions, which can mean physically mirINSERT MYSELF TOO MUCH roring the emotions with their facial expressions, or even beginning to experience their INTO THEIR EMOTIONS own emotional reaction. Emotional cognition, or the way emojunior Greta Magnuson tions can be contagious from one person to the next, can have a greater impact on the people one surrounds themself with. In “I feel your pain: the Neuroscience of Empathy” researcher Kim Armstrong explores how the brain reacts to others’ emotions. Armstrong found that it’s more likely for a person to mentalize (meaning they begin to start feeling others’ emotions) the emotions of others when they have experienced that emotion or behavior. The same research was explored on rats. Christian Keyser from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience in Amsterdam found that rats who observed other rats being shocked were less likely to have a reaction if they themself had not yet been shocked. THE RUBICON

“

Similarly, humans are more likely to experience shared pain or a mirroring effect in people that they are close to, or when those people are experiencing something that the person has also experienced. “I feel like I am usually very empathetic, but sometimes it’s hard because you want to be there for someone but I try not to insert myself too much into their emotions. There’s like a balance where you want to listen to them, but you don’t want to give advice if they aren’t in a place to hear it. When other people are upset, it usually makes me feel sad too because I want to try and help” Junior Greta Magnuson said. A recent study at Stanford concluded that people’s reactions to how others are feeling can reflect how they want to feel as well. Researchers learned that people change how they express their own emotions in response to how the people around them are feeling. After participants had learned that someone else around them was angry, the participants who wanted to feel angry were more likely to mirror the emotions of the upset person. It demonstrated that humans have some control over the ways they want to feel or the emotions they want to express. It also demonstrates that the people around you can influence how one expresses or feels their emotions. But how much do the emotions of those around you actually affect you? Are emotions actually contagious? Say you are constantly around someone who has been dealing with a lot of things. You want to be supportive and be there for them, but their emotions have felt really draining. Are their emotions making you feel sad too or is it just the emotional cognition of being around them that is draining you?

EPTH

- MARCH 2022

All around

the world

How culture affects emotional expression ANNIE BAI

Do humans control emotions or do emotions control them? Emotions are a naturally complex phenomenon that exist in human’s daily lives whether intentional or not. Every individual is affected by emotions in a variety of ways and has their own perspective on them. Many cultures and languages explore and express emotions differently and people all around the world have varying ideas around emotions as well. What are the ways in which humans across the globe perceive emotion and how do the differences in culture and language influence that view? Humans aren’t born with complex emotions or knowledge on how to use them. Humans learn from surroundings and from watching others. According to Psychology Today, “Emotions are cultural phenomena because we learn to have them in a cultural way.” Emotions are affected by the cultural backgrounds individual to everyone. Sophomore Annika Lillegard’s mother is Norwegian and her father is from America. In terms of exIT CHANGES pressing emotions, Lillegard has a blunt HOW YOU approach, “I guess I’m pretty straightforWOULD ward,” she said. Lillegard agreed that cultural and linMANAGE THEM guistic differences shape emotions, “It DEPENDING ON changes how you would manage them HOW CERTAIN depending on how certain culture deCULTURES picts it should be managed. Lillegard’s mother and the house she DEPICT IT. grew up in influenced her emotions too, “That’s how my mom changes how she sophomore manages her emotions and that probaAnnika bly changed how I managed mine and Lillegard how I grew up.” Lillegard said. Junior Clea Gaïtas Sur’s family is from Greece and they speak Greek at home. “Culture doesn’t really have any effect on my emotions, but I would say Greek people are very vibrant so I think I’m not afraid to be very vibrant,” Gaïtas said. Gaïtas Sur considers emotional differences personal yet still affected by cultures depending on how homogeneous they are. “I know that in more homogeneous cultures, generally speaking, you don’t have to do as much to show your emotion whereas in cultures like the United States, where it’s sort of a melting pot, you have to figure out a more broad symbol,” Gaïtas said. Freshman Mason Hang grew up spending most of his time with his grandparents. Hang’s grandparents babysat him so he was immersed in Hmong culture. Hang agrees that culture affects emotions, “Yeah, totally, all the time. I’m culturally based and family based. It really shows me and makes me appreciate how much I have because of the things my grandparents and my parents had,” he said. Hang’s appreciation and determination were both affected and influenced by his cultural background, “No matter where you come from, you can always persevere and keep growing,” Hang said. Science Direct talks about the differences of emotional responses around different parts of the world, “Western culture is related to high arousal emotions, whereas Eastern culture is related to low arousal emotions. These cultural differences are explained by the distinct characteristics of individualist and collectivist cultures.” Students’ backgrounds exist in multiple places, Gaïtas Sur’s Greek background, Lillegard’s Norwegian heritage, and Hang’s Hmong culture show the differences around emotion in different cultures. The vibrancy Gaïtas Sur mentioned, and Lillegard’s straightforwardness are influenced by their Western background, Hang’s appreciation and gratitude in his emotions are influenced by his Eastern background. Cultural and lingual diversity affect students’ emotions. The connection between culture and emotion and the difference between different cultures aren’t always apparent, but it became clear that students have different ways of expressing emotions among their different backgrounds. THE RUBICON

“

FEATURE THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

How common is your common space? ANNIE BAI

M at h

Zoe Cheng Pinto because it’s where my friends and I hang out together.

so me and my friends like to sit in lower Schilling

The study rooms are a fun place for us where we can

I like to have a workable space, but not too quiet,

m on

St u

Elizabeth Malloy

I spend my free time in study rooms. I chose that space

THE RUBICON

and the math commons. I think it’s nice when

chat and play video games or study, it’s like having a little

sometimes there is jazz music playing.

Coda Wilson I stay in Redleaf

Ganga Corsaro I mostly gravitate where my friends and their

because it’s a decent place to hang out when

Red

L ow

lli n

le a

ons mm

pocket of SPA just for us.

friends hang out. I like the lights, beanbags, and windows of lower Schilling especially.

I have time.

Two alumni, two very different paths

FAIR USE: Karsten Runquist (YouTube)

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Kent Hanson

AROUND THE WORLD. Kent Hanson currently plays basketball for Hrunamenn in Iceland. Prior to that, he played in Kazakhstan for a season. “I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to use basketball as a vehicle to travel the world,” Hanson said.

FAIR USE: @karstenrunquist on Instagram

FAIR USE: karstenjrunquist.com

FILM FANATIC. Karsten Runquist is pursuing his dream of filmmaking in a few different ways. Besides his YouTube channel, he has also made an actual film called Dirtbag (screencap pictured) and hopes to make more.

CATHERINE HOOLEY THE RUBICON

College can be an overbearing topic for SPA students, but the talk of colleges being so prevalent diminishes the idea of what comes after. SPA prepares students for a variety of career paths, but what are SPA alumni doing right now? Kent Hanson graduated from SPA in 2016 and was especially known in the basketball community. Hanson played Division III basketball for Carleton and earned awards such as the 2020 All-American and the 2020 CoSida Academic All-District First Team. He was also a finalist for the 2020 Jostens Trophy, which honors the NCAA DIII athlete excelling in the classroom, community and court. After four successful years of college basketball, Hanson was signed with the Dagger Basketball Agency in 2020 with the intention of playing basketball professionally overseas. “Very few leagues were actually playing as a result of the pandemic, so I had a brief stint as an investment banking analyst until I finally got an offer to play for a team in Kazakhstan in January of 2021,” he said. Once his season in Kazakhstan ended, he traveled to Iceland and has since been playing on the Division I Hrunamenn team. “It still feels completely surreal to be fulfilling my lifelong dream of playing basketball professionally. Not only has it been phenomenal to be able to continue to play the game that I love at a competitive level, but I am also beyond thankful for the opportunity to use basketball as a vehicle to travel the world and experience new cultures,” Hanson said. As of right now, he plans on continuing with his basketball career in Iceland.

For another 2016 graduate, interest lies in the arts and the internet. Karsten Runquist graduated from SPA and attended Depaul University to study film. Starting in his freshman year of college, Runquist began making film-related video essays on YouTube and amassed a large audience. The videos ended up being his primary source of income throughout his time in school. In 2020 he graduated with a BFA in Film with a concentration in editing. After college, his YouTube following only grew; Runquist now has 510,000 subscribers. “My life is a mix of YouTube, directing, writing, editing, and podcasting,” Runquist said. “I’ve been fortunate to make enough to support myself on Youtube through sponsorships, so I have been doing that as my full-time job. A recent highlight was getting sponsored by Sony,” he continued. Not only does Runquist produce videos on YouTube, but he also films a podcast called Karstcast and a sleep podcast called Geosleepr. “Neither is nearly as popular as my YouTube work, but I’m still pretty proud of them,” he said. Runquist also experiments with filmmaking and recently released a comedic short film entitled Dirtbag. In the future, he hopes to make the shift from mainly YouTube to filmmaking. “I’m in the drafting stages of a feature film script called Sucker that I’m hoping to start pre-production on within the next year,” he said. “Sucker is my main priority as of late and having just completed the first draft, I’m extremely excited to see where it goes. I want to try my hands at directing more just because of how fun it is,” he added. For right now, Runquist’s interests lie in filmmaking and YouTube. He recently started a new series on his channel called Knife Out, where he reviews a movie and pairs it with a meal. “My mom loves it, so I’m gonna consider it a hit,” he said. Runquist is still young and has a lot of potential business opportunities, so currently, he is just focusing on doing what he loves.

THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

ELI PERES

A house-half-full kind of person just so that I can actually stay clean,” he said. It’s also hard to have friends over. “I have so many siblings that there’s essentially nowhere that I can just hang out with people. And when my siblings have friends over,

“

WHEN I WAS REALLY YOUNG, I ALWAYS HAD PEOPLE TO GO TO. sophomore Eli Peres

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Eli Peres

SEVEN’S COMPANY. Eli Peres (far right) stands with his family for a snazzy photo.

ORION KIM

THE RUBICON

A full house: not the popular late ‘80s sitcom, but the reality of many families living in the U.S. According to the most recent census, over 478,900 households have 3 or more children under the age of 18. Sophomore Eli Peres has four siblings that he

shares a household with, and life can get crazy at times. One of the biggest struggles he has to deal with is the precarious task of showers: “I normally wake up at 6 a.m. and then immediately run to the shower. Because even though I leave at 7:20 I gotta get up like a whole hour and a half before

it gets really crowded. So having lots of siblings isn’t very fun for things like that,” he said. Of course, the cons of having so many siblings are minimal compared to the pros. For Peres, the best part of a full house is always having something to do. “When I was really young, I always had people to go to. I was never really bored. Also, when I go on trips, it’s really fun because I’m not just

alone with my parents for a month. That’d be pretty boring,” he said. Peres often plays games with his family and stays up really late. “The other day, we were up at like 1 a.m. just playing a game called Gang Beasts. And that was a lot of fun to just hang out with them. Most of the time we get food and talk,” he said. The late nights Peres spends chatting with siblings might also have long term benefits. According to the Institute of Family Studies, kids with siblings have more social awareness. Even though they might bicker, the relationship and communication skills formed as a child help them throughout adulthood. Weighing the pros and cons together, Peres still wouldn’t give up anything for the full house he lives in. “I enjoy having siblings. I think it’s a fun time. There are some cons but I think overall, I just don’t think I’d be the same person without them,” he said.

INDEPENDENT STUDY SPOTLIGHT

Burris-Brown “psyched” by research STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

Contact the teacher you

Talk to Dean Anderson

Complete the form with

Set a weekly meeting with

would like to work with to

about your idea and get an

your goals, special projects,

your Independent Study

see if they offer Independent

Independent Study form

possible readings and get the

teacher for check ins.

Studies and share your idea.

from the admin offices.

required signatures.

SALAH ABDULKARIM EDITOR IN CHIEF

Sometimes a semester, or even a year, is just not enough time for a student to fully engage with course material. That’s where independent studies com in. They allow students to gain credit while working one-onone with teachers to explore what they’d like. For senior Spencer Burris-Brown, an independent study was the perfect way to continue to engage with the research he conducted last year. “My independent study is related to the psychology project I completed last spring in Advanced Science Research. I’m working with Ms. Drilling to bring that research to upcom-

ing science fairs,” he said. “My topic was about the relationships between personality traits and procrastination habits in adolescents, and how those relationships vary by age [and] grade.” As with all independent studies, the course proposal had to be approved by a number of faculty. “Any given independent study needs to be approved by the teacher you’re studying with, your advisor, the chair of the relevant department, and the academic dean,” Burris-Brown said. Since the independent study is one-on-one, it does not use a scheduled class period, but it still allows Burris-Brown to meet with his teacher to help him remain on track.

“I don’t necessarily have an independent study ‘period’, but I check in fairly regularly with Ms. Drilling to make sure I’m on the right track and meeting important deadlines; roughly twice a week[…] I aim to complete and submit a revised draft of my research paper, a ten-minute video presentation about my project as well as a two-minute elevator pitch, and also participate in the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair, and hopefully the MN Science Fair [and] the International Science and Engineering fair,” he said. While independent studies can very well pertain to a science-based class, they don’t have to. Burris-Brown says that independent studies are

YOU &A FEATURE

great for students who’d like to push their learning beyond the scheduled classes SPA offers. “I would suggest an independent study for anyone that wants to learn more about a topic [or] field that SPA doesn’t offer a specific class for, or anyone who feels that an independent study format as opposed to a traditional class would better suit their needs in a specific situation.” Burris-Brown’s independent study is just one of many potential options. Students can choose to do independent studies on a number of academic topics that interest them.

a monthly 3-5 question feature submitted by you

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Annika Brelsford

FLOWER POWER. Annika Brelsford embroidered a cloth with a colorful flower design at a camp this summer. She loves “art in any form” and pursues her passion in multiple ways, from quiet, independent activities to vibrant theater performances.

MEET ANNIKA BRELSFORD Q: What is one book everyone should read and why? The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho; even though the book starts off slow, I find it to be such an inspiring book that reminds me of when I first read it in fifth grade. As happens with The Little Prince, it puts me in a kind of spiritual coma after finishing the last page.

Q: If you could pick any language and learn it instantly, which one would you pick? Although I want to speak many more languages than I do, I don’t think I’d want to speak any given language instantly because when I think to the years I’ve spent learning French, I love that I can look back on 4th grade me who was struggling with counting to 100 and see how far I’ve gotten. Weirdly, I want to struggle through it and learn languages that I’ll be able to see through a foreign lens instead of just speaking it without knowing how the language and culture work together.

Q: What do you like to do? Making art in any form -- theater, knitting, drawing, sculpture, painting, embroidery... read more You & A features at the:

RUBICON

online

SPORTS SPORTS

THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

TEACH

LIFE-LONG

LESS

ONS PHOTO: SPA Smug Mug SUBMITTED PHOTO: Griffin Ziemer REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION: Nate Lam

VERCOMING OBSTACLES

Lam bonds with friends and the wall

ELIZA FARLEY THE RUBICON

Hanging from a grip without a harness in sight: to most, this is a nightmare scenario, but to freshman Nate Lam, it’s just practice. Instead of the drop, he’s thinking about what his next move should be—a foot over there, or a hand over here? His sport of choice,

bouldering, is full of these difficult decisions; core strength and strong arms are only half the battle. Bouldering is rock climbing without harnesses, and almost always has an element of spatial reasoning baked in. Lam has been bouldering for two and a half years now with the Minneapolis

Bouldering Project and enjoys the sport for its problem-solving aspects. “It’s almost like trying to figure out a puzzle on the wall,” he said. After all, it’s no accident that bouldering courses are called “problems.” The difficulty of the sport lies not only in building strength to hoist yourself from hold to hold, but also in developing the problem-solving skills necessary to choose the best path to the top. Because of the nature of the sport, bouldering practice involves training both the body and the mind. “We’ll get [to the

gym] and do part of the warm up off the wall… pull ups, push ups, pretty basic stuff,” Lam said. “Then we’ll get on the wall and do some easier stuff… And then we’ll move into some sort of actual activity for the day.” “Actual activity” can vary; sometimes it’s circuits, where you cycle through many problems quickly, and sometimes it’s projecting, where you work on one problem on a granular level. Both types of practice prepare climbers for critical course examination while building bodily

strength. The fun of bouldering isn’t just the athletics, however. While people from the same climbing gym don’t compete side-by-side, they practice together and build friendships just like those in team sports. “I quite enjoyed being on the team… it’s just a good place to learn and grow with other climbers who are my age and skill level,” Lam said. Team relationships in rock climbing add highly satisfying experiences to the highly challenging sport. “I went to this competition in Chicago last

year, and it was a super fun time to hang out with my teammates over there while trying out some really neat boulders,” Lam said with a smile. Bouldering isn’t just climbing for climbing’s sake. Sometimes, new friendships and exhilarating opportunities only become apperent with a shift of perspective— from ten or fifteen feet up, everything certainly looks different. The push might just need to come from below.

SPORTS THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

NAVIGATING ADVERSITY WITH GRIT Ziemer finds ways to train despite frozen rivers MADDY FISHER THE RUBICON

Senior Griffin Ziemer knows what it means to set the pace with an oar and glide through water as the sun rises. Though more commonly known as “crew,” rowing involves racing boats with long oars attached to oarlocks. Originating on the River Thames in London, England in the early 17th century, rowing has since spread across the world and was added to the Olympics in 1900. “My brother rowed in college, so I thought I’d try it out,” Ziemer said. “I ended up really liking it.” He has been rowing since freshman year. “I got pretty serious about it towards the end of my sophomore year.” He currently rows with Minneapolis Rowing Club, an organization with 300 members. Founded a few years after World War I, the club was named in honor of an earlier organization that was founded in 1877 and met its end at the beginning of the 20th century. For Ziemer, rowing is a year-round commitment. In the winter, spring, and summer, races (known

SUBMITTED PHOTO: Griffin Ziemer

THROUGH THE FOG. Similar to navigating through the fog, Ziemer has learned to overcome the challenges of rowing in the frigid cold winters of Minnesota. “We’re off the water half of the year...It’s pretty hard to stay in competition,” he said. Despite the challenges Ziemer will be competing at a final in nationals.

as regattas) are generally 2000 meters, while the fall consists primarily of 1000 meter races. Each year, there are about 13 regattas. Regionals take place in early spring and nationals at the end of spring. To qualify for nationals, a team has to place top three in their regional final competition. Once at nationals, teams compete in time trials that determine whether

they will be placed in a final. Individually, Ziemer has committed to a regular training schedule, exercising six days a week for three to four hours each day. He wakes up at 4:30 in the morning to work out and also trains after school, either on his own or at team practices. “I think it’s really important to have something like that in your

life, so you can step away from work or school or whatever,” he said. Although Ziemer trains regularly, the time he spends actually rowing is limited by harsh Minnesota winters. “We’re off the water half of the year,” he said. “It’s pretty hard to stay in competition.” When they don’t have access to water, Ziemer and his teammates rely

on ergometers, indoor rowing machines that simulate the actions performed in a boat and are colloquially known as ergs. In spite of the challenging climate, Ziemer and the Minneapolis Rowing Club are successful, qualifying three boats for nationals in the spring of 2021, the most the club has ever sent: “We were coming off a long break

because of the pandemic,” he said. “We had our first regatta in probably a year, and our team went out, and we qualified three boats. Seeing that we could hold our own with other teams who hadn’t stopped training during COVID was pretty cool.” Rowing in a quad (four rowers with two oars each), Ziemer’s boat was the only one of the three that made it to a final at nationals. “To be a part of that was pretty special,” he said. For now, though, it’s time to step into the boat, fasten the oars in the oarlocks, and push into the river. “It’s a great environment, a great community, and a great way to stay in shape,” he said. “ I would definitely encourage more people to do it. It’s a little bit of an out there sport, especially for Minnesota in the Midwest, but...it would be pretty fun to see more familiar faces at rowing practices.” Ziemer was recently recruited to Oregon State University’s rowing team and plans to continue rowing for the rest of his life.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND TIME MANAGEMENT Barkwell balances social life and multiple sports with homework HOBBS LILLYGREEN THE RUBICON

PHOTO: SPA SmugMug

ALL TOGETHER. Barkwell (number 6299) runs alongside many of her good friends, including Inga Wing. Wing is also a serious athlete who Barkwell often trains with.

Freshman sports enthusiast Taylor Barkwell’s journey with athletics started young, and the experiences, memories, and people the world of sports brings makes Barkwell who she is. Barkwell runs track, is a water skier, and participates in cross country and Nordic skiing. Barkwell plays sports for both SPA and teams outside of the school. She skis Nordic for SPA and runs too. The people she’s met through sports include friends at school and outside of school, such as those on club teams. The activities Barkwell participates in have brought community by force, “When you’re training with other athletes, it

“

WHEN YOU’RE TRAINING WITH OTHER ATHLETES, IT KIND OF CREATES A BOND, AND A LOT OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE FROM SPORTS. freshman Taylor Barkwell

kind of creates a bond, and a lot of my best friends are from sports,” Barkwell said. Specifically, club teams hold significance for Barkwell as they provide a source for new connections and individualized coaching. “I think because sometimes the school doesn’t invest

all they could in some sports, when you go to outside clubs you get better coaching and more specialized coaching— high school is kind of just for everyone and everything,” Barkwell said. Club sports teams’ specialization brings opportunities, traveling, training sessions, and time spent together that sports at school don’t offer. “We go on a lot of training camps, with club teams, where we’re training at least three to four times a day, which is really helpful, and you don’t get that through high school [sports],” Barkwell said. All the time spent training and conditioning makes it difficult to balance academic, personal and social life equally. During the week,

homework and training is a balancing act. “You’re spending at least two hours every night on your sport, and then you have to come home and eat dinner and get all your homework done, and you’re not done with all of that until at least 11 p.m., which can get frustrating,” said Barkwell. Specifically, attending a rigorous school dramatizes how Barkwell balances her friendships, sports, and academics. Missing out on things has created lots of stress, “especially going to SPA because we have such a heavy workload. That means you’re missing out on a lot of your night and because of sports it can get really stressful really easily,” Barkwell said.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

[FILM REVIEW]

New Kanye West documentary is CLAIRE KIM

THE RUBICON

While new headlines constantly appear about the unpredictable rapper Kanye West, the documentary Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy offers a fresh and emotional look into his career. Directed by filmmaker duo Coodie and Chike, the documentary covers over 20 years of West’s life leading up to his fame and tells the

story of his journey from a renowned producer to a widely recognized rapper. Starting from West’s hometown, Chicago, Clarence “Coodie” Simmons decided to begin collecting footage of West when they met in 2002. At the time, West was only known for producing songs for other artists, including prominent o n e s like

CREATIVE COMMONS PHOTO: Photo Giddy

OUTSPOKEN. West’s confidence shines through in the three-part series, but it is clear that he keeps his humble beginnings in mind.

Jay-Z. However, seeing his dream to become a rapper himself made Simmons drop his former career as a TV host documenting Chicago’s hip-hop culture and dedicate himself to following West. Simmons’ narration throughout the film provides a vivid look into West’s underdog era and evokes sympathy as he guides the audience through West’s initial failures. Even with the support of famous rappers such as Mos Def and Kweli, he wasn’t originally able to sign with Rawkus Records as an artist. However, West signs with number one label Roc-A-Fella Records towards the end of the film and even becomes part of the Roc-A-Fella Dynasty Tour, demonstrating the progression of his success. One of the most meaningful moments was the footage of West’s conversation with his late moth-

FAIR USE: Netflix

FAMILY BUSINESS. The family-loving and hard-working sides of West are highlighted in the documentary.

er, Donda West, to whom his most recent album was dedicated. Simmons had recorded Donda’s advice to remember to stay humble while still supporting his confident self-expression, displaying her prominent role in his life. The visual element of black-and-white photos of the two with no movement made for a touching break between the activity of West’s search for a record label. On top of the content, the film itself is visually

pleasing, as the grainy and desaturated footage makes the documentary feel more authentic. Simmons’ inclusion of small details, like younger West taking out his retainer every time he rapped, also contribute to a further look at who the “old Kanye” was. Overall, the documentary is engaging in that it covers West’s earlier career from a very inside perspective rather than simply reporting on it. Jeen-Yuhs gives the current

Kanye West another layer as to how he became so successful, especially with the documentation of his humor and ambitious character. The second and third episodes, which are available to watch on Netflix, cover the rest of West’s career and the conflicts that arise as a result of his success.

RATING: 5/5

Backpack optional: explore the outdoors with Eleanor Smith CLARA GARNER RUBICONLINE

There are over 400 national parks and nearly 4,000 state parks in the United States. Minnesota is home to six national parks and 66 state parks. The main difference between a state park and national park is that national parks are governed by the federal government and state parks by state and local governments. Senior Eleanor Smith is an avid national and state park explorer, visiting them has given her numerous experiences and taught her how to visit and explore national parks. The first time Smith went to a national park was on a road trip that took her from Wyoming to Yellowstone when she was 10. ‘“There’s so many things to do so we never run out of camping spots, swimming spots and things to do,” Smith said. In order for a park to become a national park it must be significant to the

country either culturally, naturally, or recreationally. National parks are managed by the natural park service. State parks are formed similarly, but instead of being significant to the country the space must be significant to the state or the community in which it resides. Millions of people visit parks of all kinds in the United States each year including many people traveling from outside the country to see the wonders of the parks in the United States. The most popular national parks in the US are may be surprising: the National Park Service lists Blue Ridge Parkway (NC) at 15.9 million visitors last year, followed by Great Smoky Mountains (Appalachia) at 14.1 million, and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (CA) at 13.7 million. While some may see visiting national parks for the first time as a daunting task, Smith shares that even her family started as novices.

MINNESOTA STATE PARKS Mississippi National River & Recreation Area Hidden Falls Regional Park Coldwater Spring Lilydale Regional Park Mississippi Gorge Regional Park SUBMITTED PHOTO: Eleanor Smith

Shadow Falls Park

ENDLESS ADVENTURE. Along with the never-ending list of activities comes never-ending fun for campers and adventurers.

William O’Brien State Park

“There are a lot of people there who are very experienced and there are people who are not, but people are always happy to have you there and there are many ways to gain experience,” Smith said. The community of national park goers is welcoming and willing

St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park

to share the beauty of national parks with others interested. “There’s something for everyone hiking wise and in the national parks there are so many different things to do,” Smith said. There are national and state parks all over the country with something

different to offer to park goers. While camping or driving through some parks—like Glacier National Park or Yosemite National Park—require paid reservations, three quarters of all national parks are free for the public to enjoy.

Sand Dunes State Forest Whitewater State Park Afton State Park

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

Ma Jiang for beginners

KEY TERMS HOBBS LILLYGREEN THE RUBICON

Clue, rat slap or spoons—there are many classic games that are played among friends, but it’s time for a change. Ma Jiang is a game originating from China consisting of four players competing for a hand that has three sets of matching tiles and one pair of matching tiles. Ma Jiang’s 136 tiles are divided into three primary groups: number, bamboo, and dot tiles. The game is based around the goal hand including four sets of three matching tiles and one pair of matching tiles. Ma Jiang is played differently in different regions of China and now it’s spread around t h e world. T h e v e r sion described

in this article is the H u n a n version, the region in China which T i a n Wang, US Chinese teacher, learned it. One of Ma Jiang’s tile groups is number group. This category is made of tiles that start from one thousand then continually increase t o ten thous a n d . Tra d i tional C h i nes e numbers i n scribed on the pieces. The second category of the Ma Jiang tiles is the dot tiles. The dot tiles start from one dot and increase consecutively until nine dots. Similarly, the bamboo tiles are like

the dot tiles where they are numbered one through nine, though the first of the bamboo is a picture of a bird instead of a bamboo stick. The bamboo, dot and number tiles can all be ordered in consecutive sets of three tiles (ex. 123, 456, 567, 234) or matching groups of three tiles (111, 222, 333). The game of Ma Jiang has two more categories called the winds and the dragons. Both groups can only be ordered in matching sets and cannot be matched consecutively. The direction category, traditionally called the wind c a t e g o r y, includes north, east, south a n d west,

which are labeled in the Chinese translations. The dragon tiles include tiles with the character 中 inscribed, tiles with a rectangle inscribed, or a tile with 撥 inscribed. To start the game, dice will be rolled once per person, the people with the largest number will roll one die again then add the two numbers they rolled and count counter clockwise from there to see who will start the game. From there the winner will take eight tiles from the stacks the players have set up. While playing the game players can shout the word chao

or chi for an advantage. If the player before you places a tile that would complete a consecutive set of three then the word may be said in order to finish that set. The word peng can be shouted if another player in that round discards a tile that completes a matching set of three. If either word is said aloud, the player who said it has to lay down their set and may not take it apart to finish other matching sets.

WALLS: The four rows of tiles between the players’ hands and the discard pile, from which players draw tiles. HAND: The thirteen/fourteen tiles in front of a player that she attempts to use to win. LIMIT HAND: The highest possible scoring hand. Worth 13 faan. SELF PICK: To draw your winning tile from the wall, as opposed to winning off of a discarded tile.

DRAKE GALLERY

Foundations exhibit showcases art elective creations LEO SAMPSELL-JONES CHIEF VISUAL EDITOR

WONDROUS WORKS. Two ceramics projects sit next to a display of tie-dyed cloth. The Foundations Exhibit, which is open through March 18, explores the fundamental skills of art. LOOK CLOSELY. These works exhibit fundamental art skills, such as playing with line, shading, and color.

FUNDAMENTALS. The middle and upper school art classes display well-executed experiments in color, light, and photography.

COLOR THEORY. Sunlight illuminates the vibrant designs in the Drake gallery.

HAND THROWN. Artists were pushed to go back to basics, experimenting with pottery to create illustrious works.

MUSIC THE RUBICON - MARCH 2022

PHOTOS: @pinkpantheress, @lilnasx, @dameliofamilyofficial on TikTok

ONLINE STARDOM. Many chart-toppers blow up on TikTok before official release, showing the power of media presence. For example, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” entered Billboard charts in 2019 after going viral, and PinkPantheress’ “Pain” similarly brought fame to the artist in 2021. Although TikTok songs like Dixie D’Amelio’s “Be Happy,” released in 2020, often receive criticism, negative attention can still contribute to a song becoming popular or receiving recognition.

TikTok advances consumption of the music industry

How the famous social media app affects users and artists ELIZA FARLEY THE RUBICON

TikTok is not your grandmother’s radio. Children’s songs play back-to-back with sexual liberation anthems, classical ballads complement vicious hyperpop, and stars that have been in the spotlight for decades share the stage with newbie bedroom producers. The musical diversity of TikTok is astounding, but opinions are split on whether that’s a blessing or a curse. After all, the longevity of TikTok trends (and the popularity of the music associated with them) is ever-shortening, and the sheer number of participants means that songs get played to death. What was once an enjoyable snippet becomes skull-smashingly annoying, and many who loved the song simply drop it off their playlist altogether. The randomness by which songs get selected is also an oft-cited gripe. Less well-known artists sometimes have their music thrust into the public eye through TikTok videos, and fans who pride themselves on liking obscure music may suddenly feel ostracized. New fans who found the band or song through TikTok are often

mocked for “ruining” the fanbase, and old fans feel as though the tight-knit character of their community has been lost. Some new songs attempt to beat the randomness factor by purposely adding elements that could work on TikTok, like referencing trends or adding phrases that could easily be turned into dance moves.

“

[...] I ALSO FEEL LIKE ARTISTS ARE CHANGING THEIR MUSIC BECAUSE OF [TIKTOK’S] POPULARITY.

senior Ganga Corsaro

While it might help for getting popular, this technique doesn’t necessarily make for good music. “I think that it’s fun to hear your favorite songs made into TikTok trends, but I also feel like artists are changing their music because of [TikTok’s] popularity,” senior Ganga Corsaro said. “I don’t think you should only get songs based on trendy songs and sounds on TikTok.”

The artist can come out on top through all of this, however: because TikTok pays royalties (although they’re a pittance), singers and songwriters can directly benefit from their music going viral. And most famous TikTok songs also end up high on the charts, so artists who are enjoying their fifteen seconds of fame can also see more long-lasting benefits. Regular users reap these rewards, too. “I think it’s fun when underground music blows up on TikTok,” sophomore Emma Krienke said. “A lot of good music is not given the spotlight because it’s hard to get music into the algorithm without social media.” TikTok’s growth shows no sign of slowing down. In 2020, it was the most-downloaded mobile app, and as of February 2022 it’s the seventh-most used app in the world—even more popular than Snapchat. Its problems will surely continue to grow as its user base does, but so will its benefits. Small musicians will sit in their basements, headphones clamped over their ears, tweaking their newest track until it’s perfect for TikTok and hoping for a miracle.

75%

TikTok users who discover new artists through TikTok

63% Users who have heard music they have never heard before on TikTok

67% TikTok users who are more likely to search for a song they heard on the app on a music streaming platform

72%

Users who agree they associate certain songs with TikTok

SOURCE: TikTok Newsroom