Volume XXIX Issue 5 December 5 2019

5 December 2019

scrippsvoice.com

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DROP SODEXO EFFORTS CONTINUE

By Eve Kaufman ’20 Staff Writer

icture Malott, a notorious dining hall P destination. It has not always been such a contested space — in fact, until

recently, it was not common knowledge that Sodexo, the catering company responsible for Malott’s food, also operates private prisons across the world.

After Sodexo’s investments and practices came to light, many Claremont students found it difficult to remain silent.

“At Scripps we are taught about the prison-industrial complex (PIC)... When it comes to aligning our mission statement to our practice, it’s deeply uncomfortable,” said Sophie Peters ’20, one of the current organizers of Drop Sodexo, the movement to end 5C dining halls’ contracts with Sodexo.

The movement initially began at Pomona College, a former Sodexo client.

It took organizing power from all five campuses to successfully pressure the administration to oust Sodexo as a contractor.

Sodexo's long-running contract with Scripps is up for renewal in 2020, which presents an opportunity for Drop Sodexo.

“Drop Sodexo is very much focused on actually trying to accomplish the goal of ending the contract with Sodexo,” said Niyati Narang ’20, SAS President and Drop Sodexo organizer.

“Scripps students have put the energy toward and indicated this to be a priority for Scripps students.”

If the movement succeeds, Scripps would be the second 5C campus to sever ties with Sodexo. Each effort is a highly strategized and intensive campaign, requiring support from all 5Cs in order to target one campus at a time.

Organizers hope that after Scripps, other campuses such as Harvey Mudd might be able to address their own support for Sodexo.

“A win will certainly bolster more

action,” Peters said, suggesting other campuses would receive the full support of committed Scripps students.

As for taking on another project in this moment, “We don’t do anything ceremoniously” Narang stated, noting that organized action at Mudd would work only as a performative action.

Though a specific date has yet to be announced, within the coming two weeks Scripps will interview new catering companies and has reportedly committed to place a special emphasis on candidates’ ethics, worker treatment and investments. Sodexo is known for its particular lack of consideration when it comes to any of these issues, but it is not the only major multinational corporation that profits from private prison management—plenty of other large domestic corporations employ prison labor or otherwise invest in private prisons. In fact, many dining hall providers in the US hold such affiliations. Investing in prisons is typical practice, as prisons provide sources of cheap labor, and tend to have lucrative payouts for private companies who benefit from the exploitation of the US justice system. “[Drop Sodexo is a] way to help people realize the implications of the PIC don’t just live in prisons, its on college campuses… it’s all around us,” Peters said.

That is not to say Malott itself is responsible. Scripps College employs most of Malott’s staff, who will not be affected by a new supplier, according to Peters.

For Narang and Peters, maintaining space in the conversation for Malott staff is a priority. According to the organizers, based on discussions held with staff they have found support for the movement, and various actions.

“Drop Sodexo really supports [the staff], and they support us,” Peters said.

The recognition of Sodexo’s practices is strong between the groups and now the main concern is getting Scripps administrators to follow through on

Visiting Former Nuclear Weapons Designer

Discusses Rocky Ties Between India and Pakistan

By Theresa Aronson ’20 Staff Writer

n Nov. 5, CMC’s International PoO litical Journalism class hosted Blake Woods, a former physicist and

nuclear weapons designer at Los Alamos National Laboratory, as a guest speaker for its international conflicts unit covering nuclear weapons.

According to Woods, a recent series of military clashes along India and Pakistan’s border last week is raising serious concern.

On Oct. 29, a cross-border exchange occurred along what is known as the Line of Control (LoC), a highly militarized frontier where the two countries frequently exchange arms and other artillery. India and Pakistan blame one another for the cross-border shelling in the Kashmir region that killed and injured soldiers and civilians— including

women and children — on both sides.

The foreign affairs ministry reported that six military personnel were killed and several others were seriously hurt in areas near the LoC. News channel Al Jazeera described this as one of the deadliest days since India revoked Kashmir’s special status in August.

Indian defense spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia characterized this incident as an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan.

“Our troops retaliated strongly, causing heavy damage and casualties to the enemy,” Kalia said to a New Delhi reporter with Al Jazeera. According to Kalia, his troops used larger-round artillery fire to hit “terrorist camps.”

Pakistan has rejected India’s accusation that they antagonized the matter, maintaining that India’s attack in Jura, Shahkot and Nowshera sectors on Nov. 7 were indiscriminate and unprovoked,

the request of multiple generations of students and workers from across the 5Cs. This push to Drop Sodexo began in in 2017, following revelations that a Sodexo-contracted company had used domestic prison labor to build furniture that was then acquired and distributed throughout Scripps’ campus. This led to a particularly large protest, motivating Peters to become involved. Peters joined the Malott boycott and became inspired by the overwhelming support and crowd. At a pivotal moment, she chose to stay on board and continue organizing.

Narang became involved after taking a Scripps course on politics and organizing at Scripps. Sharing the class with the upperclassmen leading the movement at the time, Peters soon found herself swept up in activism.

Narang and Peters have carried the organization with the guidance of alums and the support of incoming classes.

They even studied abroad in opposite semesters to maintain a presence on campus.

Understanding and learning from the roadblocks previous Drop Sodexo efforts faced, Narang ran for SAS President to gain a direct channel to the Scripps administration. She now has a standing meeting every week with President Lara Tiedens and can navigate inter-grade dynamics with ease.

Part of Narang’s job is introducing firstyears to campus, and she makes sure to include an in-depth history of the politics on campus and the current political climate: Drop Sodexo is both an immediate and frequent topic of discussion.

Drop Sodexo has remained powerful throughout its iterations because it engages all class levels on campus.

Narang listens to and represents these different years through her position.

Narang's conscientiousness has united student generations, those of which have already graduated to our new first

years and transfer students. Current organizers even continue the dialogue with graduated organizers through FaceTime.

This continued connection, along with the passion of the organizers and the support of students and faculty alike, have bolstered support for the movement prior to the upcoming announcement of the dining company finalists this month. Last semester, Drop Sodexo garnered over 1000 signatures on a petition to drop Sodexo, and in recent months hundreds of emails were sent to Scripps administration as an additional effort.

More recently, Drop Sodexo has ensured that a comprehensive list of questions be asked of the prospective dining hall companies in review. The list is substantial, and concerns not only ties to prison labor, but also other things such as workers’ pay and healthcare as well as sustainability practices.

“Once the companies are announced, we will be doing a lot of research into them to see if they align with Scripps’ standards,” Narang said.

With the new companies up for consideration, this coming year might mark the end of the movement; the moment Scripps drops Sodexo.

“This has been built on the backs of so many organizers,” Narang said. “And this is the final push.” So what can the collective community do now? “Show up,” Peters and Narang said. The following weeks will be crucial to the history of Scripps, and now is the moment students will decide its future.

Following the announcement in the next two weeks, Drop Sodexo organizers will release information regarding potential new contractors as they receive it. Staying educated and up-todate on this rapidly growing movement will impact how the student body enters the next semester, and empower them to vocalize and support the best choice come the final days of Sodexo’s contract in Spring 2020.

as they deliberately targeted civilians.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistani Armed Forces, told the Al Jazeera reporter that they responded “effectively” in killing nine Indian soldiers and destroying two bunkers.

With continued violence in the Kashmir region and a surge of activity by Pakistani-based militant groups and the Indian Army, concerns over a military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remain ominous.

India currently has in its possession a nuclear triad, and claims to be developing thermonuclear weapons under the ‘Cold Start’ initiative, according to Dr. Woods. The Indian Army’s ‘Cold Start’ doctrine is a military defensive doctrine that allows India to undertake limited retaliatory attacks on its neighbor without crossing Pakistan’s nuclear threshold. Similarly, Dr. Woods sees Pakistan’s development of “shortrange, forward based, battlefield nuclear weapons,” as a defense against the Indian Army’s Cold Start doctrine. Cold Start is a doctrine geared toward swift offensive operations designed to seize Pakistan without, in theory, risking a nuclear conflict.

“Even though the United States and Russia hold the vast majority of the world’s nuclear weapons, countries with smaller nuclear arsenals, such as India and Pakistan, that are actively engaged in regional conflicts, are considered to be ‘nuclear hotspots,’ because of the high risk for a nuclear conflict breaking out over the ongoing war in Kashmir,” said Woods when asked which countries currently hold the greatest nuclear threat.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed media at the 42nd session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last week, accusing India of human rights atrocities in Kashmir and asking for international intervention to help de-escalate the conflict between the two nuclear nations.

While speaking Al Jazeera, Khan stated that there is a possibility for a war with India that could “go beyond the subcontinent. “That’s why we have approached the United Nations, we are approaching every international forum, that they must act right now,” Khan said. According to Khan, he “absolutely” believes war with India could be possible.

“If the world does nothing to stop the Indian assault on Kashmir and its people, there will be consequences for the whole world as two nuclear-armed states get ever closer to a direct military confrontation,” Khan said to Al Jazeera.

Khan’s comment comes after India’s defense minister issued a not-so-covert nuclear threat to Pakistan, saying that the future of India’s “first use” policy of nuclear weapons “depends on circumstance.”

Indian officials still have not indicated when they plan to lift the security restrictions or release the thousands of people who have been jailed. Until such time, negotiations concerning Kashmir have been tabled. In his open-letter published in the New York Times, Khan writes: “When two nuclear armed countries fight, if they fight a conventional war, there is every possibility that it is going to end up into nuclear war.”

1030 Columbia Avenue | Claremont, CA 91711 | Box 839 | scrippsvoice@gmail.com | Volume XXIX | Issue Five

2 • Features Lisette De La Trinidad: Meet TFH’s Newest Associate Director Hana Ahmed ’23 Staff Writer

O

Photo Courtesy of Chloe Gorman ‘22

n Friday, Nov. 15, members of the Claremont community ventured to Bowling Green Lawn for the annual 5C Fresh Check Day. Fresh Check Day is part of a nationwide campaign to promote dialogue around mental health and suicide prevention on college campuses in an engaging way.

One of the main proponents of this event was Associate Director of Tiernan Field House (TFH), Lisette Nicole De La Trinidad. De La Trinidad works backstage to implement many of the health promotion and education outreach programs that occur on Scripps’s campus, including Movies for Mental Health (M4MH), Sex in the Dark, and Be Well Fridays. As a behind-the-scenes leader, her contributions to the Claremont community often go unnoticed by the public. However, I recently had the privilege of sitting down with De La Trinidad for an interview to learn more about her presence at Scripps College and her journey to this point in her life and career.

The Scripps Voice (TSV): Can you tell me about your position at the Field House?

De La Trinidad (DLT): [Recently] I’ve accepted the position of Associate Director... I started at the beginning of this month. I’m going to be responsible for implementing and evaluating evidence-based and needs-based health education programs

relating to alcohol, tobacco, and drug use. I’m going to be primarily focusing on prevention, risk reduction, and helping support different intervention programming for the campus community. I also help with the management of the day-to-day operations of the Tiernan Field House, and [development and implementation of] a comprehensive training model for the TFH staff.

TSV: What would you say is your favorite part of your job?

DLT: Definitely working with the students. But I’d [also] say the fact that I find this work meaningful and purposeful; I always wanted a career where I can wake up every day and be happy to go to work and find meaning in what I do. [And] I think that college is very influential and impactful in an individual’s life. It’s a time when students are definitely going through a high amount of stress, and I feel that especially being in this community, at a high achieving academic institution, students feel that [academic] pressure at the same time they’re trying to balance work and apply to internships and study for midterms and finals. It’s completely overwhelming, and it’s easy at times to neglect our own personal wellbeing and adopt harmful coping behaviors in exchange for meeting all of our commitments. These harmful coping behaviors are really habits that are forming, and that’s going to carry on throughout the students’ lives, throughout their professional careers. So I see the work that I do as an important opportunity to intervene at that influential time, and support them in reframing their thinking and providing them [with] the resources and tools needed so that they focus on what’s really important, which is their wellbeing.

TSV: How do you practice self-care and look after your own well-being?

DLT: I feel like I have a great support system. My husband is definitely somebody I can go to to vent [or] talk about my day with. My family has always been incredibly supportive; they’ve always instilled the notion that, yes, my academics are important, my professional and personal goals are important–but what comes first is my own wellbeing. I think that’s why I hold those values so closely, and I want others to realize that that’s what’s important at the end of the day, too. I think another thing that I do is make a lot of time for self-care. No matter how overwhelmed I feel, I make sure that at least one point in my day is focused towards some type of self-care.

TSV: What projects or events have you been

involved with that are particularly memorable or important to you?

DLT: One that comes to mind is the completion of the Wellness Room. Conception of that space began in Fall 2018, and that’s when we started reaching out to our Peer Health Educators, to different student groups on campus, to SAS, and started asking them what they wanted to see in a wellness space. We really wanted to bring that space here in the Field House because we wanted to reframe the way students and the campus community were viewing the Field House. We were being viewed as solely a fitness facility. And it’s great, but that’s only a part of who we are...[The Wellness Room] really helps reframe what this facility does, and so I’ve really enjoyed seeing that space come to life.

TSV: Are there any other resources or services provided by the Field House that you wish people knew more about?

DLT: Yeah, one of them being our Peer Health Educator (PHE) hours, [which] I feel are a bit underutilized by students. These are dedicated hours where students can have one-on-one coaching with our [PHEs]; they can receive information from how to navigate a difficult class to finding out about different health and wellness resources on campus... I’m hoping now that we have that space, students will begin to utilize those office hours a little bit more.

Another program... is our Condom Canary program.

That’s a free sexual health subscription program where students can opt in to receive [a personalized kit with] sexual health and wellness supplies. [Students] can go online and customize a little package that gets sent to their mailbox, and they’re able to opt into that once a month. [We hope] this will help in overcoming different barriers, like privacy or cost.

TSV: Is there anything else you want the 5C community to know about health and wellness in general?

DLT: I would just want them to know that health and wellness is a subjective thing. [Tiernan employees are] not here to tell students and the community, ‘This is right, this is wrong; this is healthy, this is unhealthy.’ We’re here to provide students and the campus community [with] the tools, resources, [and] knowledge around how they can improve their quality of life. We all have our own unique definitions of what ‘wellness’ means to us. We know what makes us happy. I want the community to know that the Field House is here to support that.

Cake Pops and Macarons Galore

Amalia Barrett’s Baked Goods

Megan Chow ’23 Staff Writer

I

f you’ve noticed a delicious scent coming from the direction of Revelle House this semester, it is most likely Amalia Barrett ’21 whipping up a new dessert from the comfort of her common room kitchen.

Barrett blames the Food Network for initiating her passion for baking.

“Coming home from elementary school or over the summers I would binge cooking shows for no apparent reason, internalizing general recipes for foods I don’t even like to eat out of pure boredom,” Barrett said. “I think I actually started baking the stuff I saw because of Buddy Valastro, the one and only Cake Boss. I watched it like it was a weekly sitcom.”

Barrett is all too familiar with the patience, dedication, and precision necessary when it comes to baking. “[There are] those few times where something just isn’t working (it’s usually french macarons), where I’m following the recipe to a T but it refuses to work with me--they droop, or are too tall, or taste nothing like they’re supposed to--and then finally after the smallest tweaks it turns out perfect and pretends like nothing ever happened,” said Barrett.

“I like thinking [that] the baking gods take pity on me and finally let me succeed.”

However, when reflecting on her favorite baking

memories, she recalls her more distressed “I found out about the Motley bake-off last moments. year and it was the perfect excuse to carve out “I remember in 7th grade I wanted to bring this more time to bake in my schedule, plus everyone elaborate Frankenstien’s monster cake to school, else could try the baked goods and not just my no rhyme or reason I just wanted to make it, and I roommates and friends (who I think were getting was up until at least 2 am, having burst out crying kind of stuffed),” Barrett said. “I had sold the stuff I multiple times because the nose wasn’t right or the baked maybe once or twice in high school, but the frosting was lopsided,” said Barrett. “Now, I think Motley was such a great opportunity for me and it’s one of the funniest things because I have no other student bakers to share our food.” clue why I was invested in this stack of cake I was Barrett continues to pursue her passion for apparently making for fun.” baking and is currently selling her baked goods to Despite her dedication to the process, Barrett 5C students on Facebook. finds that the impact her creations have on other “After the [Thanksgiving] break, I hope to people is the most rewarding part of baking. be making some Christmas-y things; maybe “I love making food for other gingerbread cookies, holiday themed cake people… I find joy in making sweet pops, and other wintertime favorites,” little things for others that Barrett said. might have been craving a Barrett also accepts customspecific thing or having a made baking requests, whether not great day,” Barrett said. it be for special occasions or Barrett also participated simply a sweet tooth craving. in the Motley Student Bake“I’m very open to making Off last year, where she made people desserts for special cake pops as well as three occasions, friend’s birthday different types of mini macarons. parties or other fun events, or if Photo Courtesy of At this 5C competition, students someone just wants a specific food Amalia Barrett can showcase their baked goods for for themselves, I’m pretty confident I a chance to be voted by their peers can make it for them!” Barrett said. “I as a winner and sell their baked goods just want people to have access to their at the Motley Coffeehouse one day of favorite desserts when they want them, the following week. just like I would want.”

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

Features • 3

Epitomizing Effective Peer Leadership: Nandi Jennings

By Hannah Grunow ‘23 Staff Writer/Photographer

H

ave you considered being a Peer Mentor or holding a position as Residential Coordinator (RC) or as a Community Coordinator (CC)? Nandi Jennings ’22, a Biology major from Oakland, California, provides a unique outlook on these roles.

As a CC and Peer Mentor, Jennings works to foster connections among her fellow students in a relaxed way.

According to Jennings, as a Peer Mentor to incoming first years this fall, her goal was to help new Scrippsies feel comfortable by offering a laid-back environment of support.

“I wanted to show that you can be a leader in a

different way,” Jennings said. “For me, it always kind of stressed me out when I was in a new place and everybody was so extroverted. As a Peer Mentor, I tried to be upbeat, but still really laid-back and calm so that hopefully the new students would be less nervous, too. Orientation is a lot! They have events every day, and then it’s like ‘Okay, time to start class!’

I wanted to help the new students feel comfortable as they dealt with all that.”

As a Peer Mentor, Jennings aims to ensure that all students felt included in the Scripps community.

This means working to facilitate connections among students.

“I wanted to make sure that the [students] would get to know each other, so right off the bat they’d have connections,” Jennings said. “I wanted them

Photo by Hannah Grunow

to be able to see each other around campus and know each other’s names so that they’d always have someone to talk to. I made everybody go around in a circle every time we met and say their names, and I’m not sure they liked that, but I think everybody learned each other’s names by the time orientation was over!”

According to Jennings, she also felt it was important to get to know each of the students in her group personally.

“When I was first getting to know the students I was mentoring, I tried to ask them questions that they really wanted to answer, instead of the typical, ‘Oh, how was your summer?’ Like I tried to ask about their interests, things like music, and things that made them passionate and really want to open up,” Jennings said.

As a CC, Jennings sees her commitment to forming a personal connection with each student as key to fostering community within her residence hall.

“I know everybody’s names, and I always wave and say hi to everybody on my floor,” Jennings said.

“I like being more laid-back, because I think it helps everybody feel comfortable.”

According to Jennings, “at the beginning of the semester, [my roles were] a lot! I had a lot of work to do as both a CC and a Peer Mentor, so I planned fewer big events as a Peer Mentor — but I also thought it might be better for the [first years] to have some free time and not have to be doing events constantly.”

Despite the workload, Jennings says she highly recommends taking on the dual role. “It was a really great experience,” Jennings said. “I definitely plan on being a Peer Mentor again.”

If you hope to mentor incoming students next fall or would like to foster community as a CC, Jennings exemplifies the effectiveness with which these roles can be taken on and highlights the importance of knowing your leadership style, such as how casual you want to be, how you want to get to know your students, and how you want to approach the creation of community. To speak from personal experience, Jennings is a wonderful example of a peer mentor.

By answering all of my questions and making an effort to get to know me, she made me feel welcome at Scripps before orientation even started.

What Was Writing 50? : A Look into the Former GE Requirement

By Annie Wu ’23 Staff Writer

“W

hat is all this I hear about Writing 50?”

When Scripps’ class of 2023 first learned about Core 1, we quickly found out that we were the first class for whom the Writing 50 requirement had been omitted. We heard from older students that Writing 50 had been a separate course alongside Core 1, designed to help first-year students establish a foundation for analytical writing. This year, Core 1 took a different trajectory: a single class would place equal emphasis on reading, writing, and discussion.

The hope was that the writing emphasis of Core 1 would compensate for the elimination of a class focused solely on writing skills.

Students who took Writing 50 saw both advantages and disadvantages of the course. Some students who took Writing 50 last year believe it was helpful because it provided practice for analytical and argumentative writing through a series of interesting topics; however, they felt there were other ways to put their writing into practice.

“Core without Writing 50 covered many of the skills we learned in analytical writing,” Sylvie Alexander ’22 said. “ I think more than anything, writing is something that is integrated in a variety of subjects and has been in practice throughout our

other courses as well. ” Previous students who have taken Writing 50 also invoke another dilemma: “Writing 50 essays and Core essays were often due at about the same time, and I often dedicated more time to the Writing 50 ones,” Esther Adeniji ’22 said.

However, these students agree that an undeniable benefit of Writing 50 was the opportunity to hone skills unique to college-level writing that they otherwise may not have developed in time for classes that would require those skills.

“I feel like that semester, I became a much better writer,” Adeniji said. “There were many useful opportunities for peer review and paper revisions and it made me more critical of my own writing.”

“Writing 50 also helped me acclimate to the college standard of writing, so I didn’t think there was much to complain about” Natalie Vu ’22 said.

Given these benefits, students and faculty alike agree that Writing 50 could have done with more weighing of its pros and cons before being eliminated as a whole.

“Given the importance of writing in our students’ college careers, the process of rethinking the Writing Requirement should have included a much more lengthy and thorough discussion,” said Writing Department Chair, Professor Kimberly Drake.

Core professors appreciated the opportunity

Writing 50 gave students to focus on their writing but many remain open-minded to the new trajectory of Core 1.

“Writing 50 gave students the time and resources to establish a foundation for strong communication through writing, which is a skill for everyone and everything,” said Professor Gabriela Morales, Assistant Professor of Anthropology. Morales currently teaches a section of Core 1. In her class’ experience, they often run out of time, simply because of the amount of ground that must be covered through practicing reading, writing, and discussion skills.

Nevertheless, regardless of whether writing skills are being taught in a distinct class or in combination with Core, Core Mentors and the Writing Center each continue to provide crucial resources in guiding the first-year’s experience with writing.

As a whole, the advantages and disadvantages of Writing 50 continue to be weighed as Core 1 takes a new approach this year. We must ask, is Scripps’ first year curricula serving its central purpose: to ease first-year students into their academic journey at Scripps? The omittance of Writing 50 continues to be an ongoing conversation, but one thing is clear: the discussion around Writing 50 reflects the commitment of both faculty and students alike to ensure a quality experience for Scripps first years.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

4 • Features

“Contrary to popular opinion...

I guess senior thesis can be an enjoyable challenge?”

By Crystal Juan ’22 Staff Writer For some of us, senior thesis is still a few years down the road, while for others, it’s already breathing down our necks. Hearing about the seemingly unending deadlines, the fight against procrastination, or just the sheer number of unwritten pages, thesis

Huntly, a 1799 American Gothic novel, and Le Horla, and 1887 French fantastique short story. Basically, I’m bringing together these two stories that were written at different times, in different countries, and by different authors, and showing how they address the issue of the other in similar ways. Both use the notion of the other as a way of projecting fears of interacting with international outsiders who pose a threat to

“Didn’t want to post publicly because I’ve had a really positive experience with thesis so far. It’s a really great opportunity to pursue something I’m interested in alongside professors who I truly admire.

I also think that there’s so much negative rhetoric surrounding thesis at Scripps that we all tend to make ourselves miserable before we even start.” -Anonymous is an experience that students might find difficult to look forward to. I reached out to current seniors at Scripps who are in the process of writing their theses and interviewed Hannah Orrahood ’20 about the ups and downs she’s encountered so far with her thesis.

The Scripps Voice (TSV): Why did you decide to study English and French?

Hannah Orrahood (HO): I knew I wanted to be an English major before I even came to Scripps. I simply loved reading, thinking, and writing about books too much for me not to consider majoring in English. Plus, the English faculty at Scripps are absolutely phenomenal. I couldn’t have chosen a better department to call home for the past four years. The French major came as a surprise. I actually hated my French 22 class during my first year; I was convinced I was the worst student in the class. But my professor made a point of making it known to me that she really believed in me as a student. At the end of the semester, she asked me if I had ever thought about studying abroad in France and minoring in French. I was shocked, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I wanted so badly to master the French language, and I knew I would take as many French classes as I possibly could to try and improve my French. After doing the math on how many French courses I would have completed after studying abroad, I realized that that would basically complete the major, so I thought why not just add it as a dual major?

TSV: How did you ultimately decide between a dual and double major?

HO: I knew from the start that I wanted to pursue a dual major. For me, bringing my two majors together for an interdisciplinary project like for my senior thesis was the perfect way for me to draw my studies to a close. I’ve been studying these two majors separately

American/French national identity. They use the narrators’ descent into madness as a way of depicting the consequences of coming into contact with the other. However, critics have shown that this descent into madness is not a process of transforming into the other but instead an awakening of the repressed self. This deconstructs the entire notion of the other because it shows that the very traits that once were used as grounds of difference between people are in fact traits that are common to all.

TSV: Describe some obstacles you’ve faced so far and how you overcame them.

“This is in response to your post about thesis! I didn’t want to comment on the post because I didn’t want to seem like I was trying to invalidate the other people’s experiences but I think it’s important to have a positive perspective as well! Thesis for me has been not nearly as bad as I had expected. I think at Scripps we have this culture of dreading thesis--we hear from seniors that it’s this awful nightmare and then we come into the process believing that. And when you start out with that attitude, it makes it a lot harder!” -Anonymous HO: The hard part… for me has been the fact that the 5Cs don’t offer any comparative literature classes/ guidance, so I’m diving into an area that I have no experience in. The last Scripps English/French major I knew ended up switching to a double major senior year because it was just too complicated to try and bring the two majors together. Lots of people think that dual majoring is easier than double majoring because you only have to write one thesis instead of two. I would say that this is not necessarily true. The time you save by only writing one thesis often gets spent instead on trying to come up with a creative way

“Really all thesis is is a long paper about something that you are passionate about. You get to become an expert in something, you get to create an original piece of scholarship, and I have found that process incredibly rewarding. Of course it can get stressful because it’s a lot of work, but it’s all about how you’re thinking about it, in my opinion. I think we really need to reframe how we talk about thesis so that rising seniors get excited rather than scared!” -Anonymous for a long time now, why not try to bring them together for my last year of study? The process has definitely not been easy, but it has been incredibly rewarding, and in the end I know I’m going to produce something that I will be proud [of].

TSV: What is your senior thesis?

HO: The title of my thesis is “Then I Opened my Eyes and the Nightmare was Me: Deconstructing the Other in Charles Brockden Brown’s Edgar Huntly and Guy de Maupassant’s Le Horla”. In short, it’s about breaking down the concept of othering that is posited in Edgar

the Registrar’s office to try to figure out how to make this work. It is totally doable though, and in the end your professors really want to be there to help you make it work. The process has not been easy, but I’ve received incredible support from all of the professors I’ve been talking with throughout this process.

TSV: Do you enjoy the process of writing a senior thesis?

HO: For the first two months, not really. The beginning of the process was incredibly difficult for me and there were a lot of times where I was just feeling behind and uninspired. However, these past few weeks have been pretty decent... Every thesis has different writing requirements, so everyone experiences the writing process differently. I think the enjoyability of the writing process is something that ebbs and flows throughout the duration of the semester/year. There are going to be times when you feel really excited and inspired about your thesis, but there are also going to be times when you feel incredibly lost, hopeless, and unmotivated to write.

The important thing I’ve learned is that you need to keep writing in both of these kinds of situations. Part of the thesis process is learning how to write when you really don’t want to, and I think that’s just part of the experience for everyone.

TSV: What has been the most rewarding part of thesis so far? Or what is your favorite part?

HO: Seeing it finally start coming together. I spent a lot of time thinking I had made the wrong decision

to tie your two majors together in a way that is clear and makes sense. I chose the two books I wanted to write about back in September, but I honestly only gained a clear sense of the direction I [want to] take and the way I want to bring them together as of last week. It was really hard feeling so lost for so long, but honestly these things only get better with time, so you just have to be patient. It’s a lot of extra work on the administrative side too, trying to logistically bring together the two thesis processes. The English thesis is a one semester thesis and the French thesis is two, so I went through a lot of meetings with professors/

or chosen a topic that was too hard to research or complicated to write about, but things are finally starting to come together and I’m so proud of the growth that I’ve made... One of my favorite parts of the process has probably been the reactions I’ve had with my professors throughout the process, both my readers and other professors I’ve talked to about thesis. They have all been so incredibly supportive.

They have believed in me in moments when I haven’t even believed in myself. Their unwavering faith and support in their students is something I find incredibly inspiring, and it’s been so cool to experience it to such a high degree.

TSV: How will you be celebrating completing your senior thesis?

HO: Oh, I haven’t thought about this yet! I’ll probably go to Some Crust or Créme and buy myself a really fancy pastry. When I was studying abroad in France, I celebrated the end of finals week by going out to a pastry shop and buying the fanciest, chocolatiest pastry I could find. I feel like this would be an appropriate way to celebrate the completion of my French/English thesis.

Hearing about the varying experiences of current seniors was comforting to say the least. Through interviewing Orrahood and talking to other seniors, I’ve come to realize that mindset plays a big role in determining one’s senior thesis experience. That’s not to say that it’s everything, but heading into senior year with a positive outlook has the ability to make the process a bit less dreadful. And dare I go so far as to say that senior thesis can be an enjoyable challenge?

Who knows… maybe in two years’ time I’ll find out that I spoke too soon.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

Features • 5

Hey VSCO girls: Boycott Brandy

By Amelie Lee ’23 Copy Editor Intern

Photo Courtesy of Pinterest

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get it: ethical capitalism is hard. From Chik-Fil-A to IHOP, corporations that are frankly delicious, but also huge donors to the Republican party, cause a moral quandary to my grumbly stomach quite often. Things get even dicier when looking at the fashion industry, with fast fashion and questionable human rights issues at play as broke college students weigh the pros and cons of buying that 75 percent off sweater from Forever 21. When it comes to Brandy Melville however, fast fashion

crosses a line by promoting an incredibly damaging platform and perpetuating a culture of teen manipulation.

I’ll admit it, stuff from Brandy Melville is cute.

If you are part of the miniscule percentage of the population that can squeeze into their “one-sizefits-small” clothing, it’s hard to resist colorful little crop tops and tight gingham dresses. Unfortunately, Brandy’s effectiveness as a company comes down to a marketing strategy that manipulates the body-image of tweens and teenagers. Despite general knowledge about Brandy’s questionable decision on model choices and sizing options, the company continues to do well among people our age, with the company bringing $300 million in 2018 and with almost 4 million followers on Instagram.

Rather than starring professional adult models, Brandy uses girls around the ages of 13-20 that work in their store to model their clothing on social media. Brandy ensures that those who model and work for them fit a perfect cookie cutter image: size 0 teen girls with conventionally attractive features. This idealized figure isn’t only showcased on their social media, but evident in the sizing of their clothing. The company only makes one size and anyone who has attempted to try on one of their tank tops know that it’s somehow tinier than a normal Extra-Small.

Scrolling through Brandy’s Instagram, it’s hard to believe these posts are from 2019. Even after years of the body positivity movement encouraging diversity in fashion and advertising, Brandy’s platform has stayed consistent. The photos aren’t particularly professional, seemingly taken by a cell phone camera at some hip aesthetic location.

Nearly single girl featured is white, and even though they feature the occasional Asian teen, every model has the exact same body type and conventionally attractive European features.

While the issue has been brought up by several YouTubers, Brandy’s hiring system has not caused

nearly as much alarm as its damaging process calls for. Rather than a normal resume and application system, Brandy hires their staff almost exclusively on whether or not they fit their branding and image.

Instead of an interview, the company asks for a social media account and takes a picture of your outfit when you walk in. Some girls have reported walking into a store to ask if they were hiring and being immediately hired or rejected on the spot.

The casual nature of their Instagram and hiring process appeals to the younger generation much more effectively than professional models and photoshoots could. Brandy posts send a message that “Maybe this could be you! You’re our age, have an Instagram, and you could be just as popular and attractive if only you could wear our impossibly small clothing and be cute enough for us to hire!”

Their Instagram ads are the equivalent of what heroin-chic advertising embodied in the 90s: painfully obvious promotion for an unattainable body type. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that their target demographic is incredibly young and impressionable. Brandy’s optimal figure is most achievable for prepubescent girls—and the success of a few young girls at the company further promotes a culture of unrealistic Euro-centric beauty standards that likely persists among their peers at school.

Despite the company’s popularity, the racial and size limitations that their company promotes should no longer be considered acceptable. With companies slowly moving to more plus-sized options and diversity in the beauty industry, we have to force companies like Brandy Melville to stop perpetuating beauty standards that are hurting the youth who frequent social media.

With this awareness, to the style icons and fashion-forward attendees of Scripps College: it’s time to take on our responsibility as ethical consumers to boycott Brandy Melville, turning to someplace else to buy cropped t-shirts and cute colorful dresses.

Why is Oat Milk so Goddamn Delicious?

By Kendall Lowery ’22 Food Columnist/Copy Editor

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e all remember our first time. Maybe you mulled over the decision with a Motley barista or made an adventurous jaunt down to Augie’s; regardless of locale, you took a leap of faith, and if you’re anything like me, you didn’t look back.

My first foray into the realm of oat milk took place on a rainy fall day in late 2018. The Motley had just received their first shipment of the beverage and I was feeling curious, so I decided to mix up my (admittedly banal) go-to order of a dirty chai by adding an oaty twist. The surprising creaminess, satisfying froth, and comforting oat flavor satiated my famously discerning palette and simultaneously satisfied my slight lactose intolerance.

As if the experience weren’t convincing enough, according to the Water Footprint Network, growing a pound of oats requires merely one seventh of the water necessary to grow a pound of almonds, and making the switch somewhat alleviated the nagging guilt that had been fuelled by my almond milk habit. The culmination of all of these factors has resulted in my genuine dedication to the alt-milk (I may or may not have finished my second oat-milkbased beverage of the day while writing this).

Needless to say, I’m hooked -- and I’m clearly not the only caffeine-fiend swept up in the oat milk craze.

Within the past three years, oat milk has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity in

coffee shops across the United States. It was first developed by Rickard Öste at Sweden’s Lund University in the early 1990s, who coaxed the plant matter out of the grain by soaking it in water and adding natural enzymes. Öste quickly went on to help found Oatly, an international producer that is still a dominant force in the

Illustration by Vivian Monteiro ‘23

oat milk market. The Swedish brand officially launched in America in 2016, successfully gaining a foothold in the U.S. market by courting

boutique coffee shops with free samples of the product; according to a survey by Deloitte published by Statista, Oatly’s revenue has skyrocketed from approximately $377,317,300 USD in 2015 to a whopping $907,855,200 USD in 2018. Baristas praise it for its creaminess, frothability, and comforting yet relatively neutral base flavor.

Oat milk circumvents the wateriness of other alt-milks and is substantial enough to provide a hearty template for a variety of drinks without intruding on their flavor profiles. Its reliable consistency also provides an advantage over its plant-based competitors that are prone to curdling when exposed to heat or cold. Unfortunately, until alt-milk supply chains can compete with those of the dairy industry, you may still have to pay an extra surcharge in some coffee shops to enjoy lactose-free caffeination.

We live in an era that boasts innumerable technological innovations, ranging from the quantum computer to the 20 types of plantbased milks that line our grocery store shelves.

I for one am grateful that oat milk has joined their ranks, and I have a feeling that it’s here to stay.Whether it’s your first time trying oat milk or if you’re a long-time oat-convert, here are recommendations from our local baristas: Clara Grim ’22 and Elle Biesemeyer ’21 are proponents of the classic oat milk latte. Biesemeyer additionally endorses an oat milk matcha cha cha.

If you’re feeling sweet, Maddie Moore ’22 recommends ordering an oat milk pumpkin pie hot cocoa.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Four

8 • @Scripps

Dressing for the Weather: Winter Fashion in Claremont

By Aya Burton ’22 Staff Writer

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his time of year in Claremont, dressing for the weather can be a difficult thing. Contrary to what friends attending school out east or in the midwest might think, Southern California isn’t always sunny and 75 degrees (although one must admit it’s been an astonishingly mild semester).

Still, in a single week, temperatures can fluctuate from high and dry 80s to gray, drizzly 50s. After leaving the dining hall post-dinner, the descending darkness and accompanying chill often make one wish they’d brought along an extra sweater to layer over their afternoon tank-top.

Though some hardy New Englanders or Seattle rain-lovers might scoff, students now adapted to Claremont’s climate dread the cooler weather forecasted for finals season. As temps drop into the 60s, out-of-staters begin to regret not packing their winter parkas and scarves and can be seen donning layer upon layer of cotton. Meanwhile, California natives throw their Patagonia Synchillas on over every outfit.

As students head home for Thanksgiving break, they carefully strategize what summery items to swap for warmer, more practical attire.

Lugging back overstuffed duffels filled with flannels and fleeces once thought unnecessary for So-Cal weather, they skillfully reorganize

their small dorm wardrobes MarieKondo style, rolling cable-knits next to corduroy.

Some winter staples and basics to beat Claremont’s cold weather: longsleeve tops for layering under dresses and tees, tights to pair with skirts and slips, a comfortable pair of ankle boots to keep you warm on your walk from Scripps to south Pomona and more sweaters and sweatshirts than you think you’ll need. If you can’t fit all your winter gear into your suitcase over Thanksgiving break, you can always bring it along after winter recess – it won’t be getting any warmer. And if you haven’t already, consider investing in an umbrella. Last spring proved to be an especially rainy season.

Picking out an ensemble in the morning proves to be a challenging task as temperatures skyrocket around lunchtime, only to plunge right at sundown. Every day presents a battle between Birkenstocks or Blundstones, a sundress or a sweater. Instead of choosing one item of clothing over another, some students expertly layer turtlenecks under jumpers, sherpa jackets over crop tops and denim shorts. Transitional dressing

Illustration by Vivian Monteiro '23 takes on a whole new meaning.

Really, anything goes. It’s not rare to see a student rocking riding boots and an oversized wool sweater next to someone in flip flops and jorts. While some articles of clothing definitely make dressing for the seasonal changes easier (like a good fleece or easily-layerable jacket,) everyone seems to respond to Claremont’s climate differently. And if you neglect to pack a good sweater or forget to pair your midi skirt with a cardigan on one of Claremont’s “colder days,” everyone knows that complaining about the weather is a favorite 5C conversation topic.

Put the S back in CMS- Why Don’t we Wear Green to our Own Games?

By Sophie Schwartsman ’22 Guest Contributor

In the previous issue, the Scripps Voice published an ar ticle entitled “Rarity of Recognition: The Relationship between Scripps and its Athenas,” which illuminated Scripps student athletes’ dissatisfaction with the support they receive from the institution, ranging from unsympathetic professors to low fan turnouts due to lack of student body awareness of athletic events. While the article focused on potential solutions to repairing Scripps shaky relationship with its student athletes, a larger question remains. Why is it that Scripps, despite its notable contributions to the 5Cs athletic programs, is almost always left out of the narrative of the consortium as a school for scholar athletes? While there are many possible explanations, including the obvious: good, old-fashioned sexism perpetuates the idea that women are inferior athletes. There are also institutionalized decisions that push Scripps out of the athletic narrative. Why are the CMS athletics colors only gold and maroon when they represent three, and not just two, schools? Pomona Pitzer’s colors combine the blue of Pomona and the orange of Pitzer, indicating that the baseline trend for consortium athletic teams is to feature the colors of all of the colleges represented by the sports teams. Therefore, because CMS represents Claremont Mckenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps, the athletics department should

hypothetically both tangibly and visually represent all three colleges which comprise its athletic membership.

Now, one could argue that because CMS represents both the Stags and the Athenas, and the Stags do not currently (to my knowledge) feature any Scripps athletes, it doesn’t make sense to have green on the Stags uniforms, and in order to have a cohesive athletic department, it makes sense for all of the teams have the same colors. Yet, the men’s athletics teams still fall under CMS athletics (note the presence of the ‘S’), because there is an implied contribution from Scripps that transcends the presence of Scripps athletes. The Scripps contribution is most notable in the fact that Scripps’ athletic funding goes towards CMS athletics, and not just the Athenas. Additionally, the same logic that demands color cohesion across the Stags and the Athenas should then hypothetically be applied to state that all CMS athletes should represent all three colleges. And of course, let us not forget that Scripps is only a historicallywomen’s institution, and I hope I speak for the student body when I say that we would all cheer just as loudly for a Scripps student representing the Stags as we would the Athenas. On the subject of aesthetics, the lack of visual Scripps representation could easily be written off as too chaotic or unattractive, however, if PP can willingly combine blue and orange, then there is no tangible obstacle to adding some green to CMS athletics. Lastly, one could argue that

because Scripps only has members on half of the CMS teams, it is simply a logistical decision to not feature their colors. But, the 5Cs do not have conventional college sports team structure by any means, and it is time to stop pretending that the teams’ colors cannot follow the same nontraditional composition.

While it might not seem like a big deal that Scripps colors are not featured on the CMS sports teams’ athletic apparel, it is simple acts of unconscious discrimination that assist in institutionalizing and perpetuating attitudes of prejudice. And yes, colors do not define sports teams, but it is well known that visual cues are critical in creating brands, experiences, and memories. The visual association between red and gold and CMS in turn creates neurological association between Harvey Mudd and CMC with CMS while leaving Scripps classic, characteristic green, and its athletes, out of the picture both visually and symbolically. Why is it that Scripps students can’t wear their own colors to their games where they go to cheer on their own athletes? Unconscious biases are aided by conscious decisions made by people in positions of power, which subtly dictate how we construct our ideas of the world around us.

It is a well-known fact that Scripps is subjected to sexist and belittling treatment by the other colleges on the consortium. And while we cannot erase sexist attitudes overnight, we can all be more conscious of the subtle ways in which sexism operates on our campuses.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

Advice • 9

Self-Care 101

By Megan Chow ’23 Staff Writer

A

s college students navigating consistently busy schedules, the importance of simple acts of selfcare is often overlooked. As a result, these practices are often left out of one’s everyday routine, despite their significance to our health and lifestyle. Practicing self-care can help you refocus on where you find value in your life, as well as realize your own personal goals.

Self-care is about understanding yourself, realizing your worth, and caring for yourself so that you can improve your overall well-being and better understand how to care for your loved ones in a similar way.

When discovering what self-care means to you, it’s important to understand that anything that makes you feel good is usually a means of self-care. Here are 20 suggestions to consider as you think more about what practicing self-care means to you: 1. Engage in your passions What reaffirms your greatness? What gives you a feeling of empowerment and freedom? Find something that is meaningful to you and that allows you to harvest your talents and watch yourself excel. It’s incredibly important, especially for people of color and from the LGBTQIA+, community to discover creative outlets that are not only empowering and strengthen one’s skills, but also allow one to fully express themselves and recognize self-potential.

2. Sleep It may sound simple, but it’s definitely difficult to get enough rest when you’re constantly swamped with work from classes and club activities. Getting an adequate amount of sleep each night (7-9 hours), or even just dedicating a time or day to catch up on your sleep is important to not only your overall physical health and wellbeing, but also improves your mindset, concentration, productivity, and decreases stress levels. However, it’s not just getting enough hours of sleep that’s important; the quality of your sleep also matters! Making sure you are in the right environment for sleeping (lights turned off, electronics put away, and silence) and finding your perfect sleeping position or space (what makes you feel most comfortable in bed) will also ensure that you get a good night of sleep, leaving you to feel more energized and positive the next morning.

3. Exercise Exercise is as good for our emotional health as it is for our physical health. It increases serotonin levels, leading to improved mood and energy. In line with the self-care conditions, what’s important is that you choose a form of exercise that you like!

4. Take a long, relaxing shower or bath Your shower time is also your alone time where you can destress and think about happy thoughts. It’s the time where you can escape from any worries or responsibilities you have.

5. Make a photo album This can be a physical photo album or a digital album on your phone camera roll filled with your favorite pictures. This way, you can always reminisce about your happiest memories and remember how you felt in that specific moment. Instead of wishing to go back to the past, use this as a way to reflect on what caused that positive feeling and think of ways to recreate such emotions in the present and future as well.

6. Engage in solitude Whether you’re an extrovert or introvert, everyone needs at least some alone time to unwind. Where are some places you enjoy spending time alone? On campus, I personally enjoy visiting the Margaret Fowler Garden or The Sallie Tiernan Field House’s Wellness Room to unwind after a long day.

7. Clean With this, it’s important to realize that what constitutes as clean is different for everyone. Cleaning doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore you feel required to do. I find that tidying up my personal space makes me proud afterwards, since I can see the physical results of the time and effort I spent cleaning. Having a more open, organized space helps me feel more open-minded and flexible to change. I also feel more comfortable welcoming company over, which is similar to the feeling of creating a safe space and community of friends for myself.

8. Write in a journal Journaling doesn’t have to require a specific structure, routine, or time commitment. Instead, you have the freedom to determine when you want to write in your journal, what you want to express in it, and how much. Writing down your thoughts and significant events that have occurred can help you decompress and feel less overwhelmed. It can also help you reflect on past events and change your way of thinking in certain situations. For those who find journaling to be too time-consuming, Penzu is an alternative to the traditional paper and pen method. It’s a private, online journal that you can take with you anywhere and quickly record daily reflections.

9. Listen to your favorite songs or make a new playlist Listening to music can help you destress and relax.

When I have free time, I enjoy searching through different genres and radios to find new music that I could add to my current playlist. I find that exploring different musical genres and discovering new artists is an exciting, unique feeling that I can’t get from anything else.

10. Watch your favorite movie or TV show Spend time catching up on missed episodes of a TV show, watching the latest movie released, or rediscovering an old YouTube channel you used to binge watch.

11. Cook your favorite meal Eating your favorite meal or comfort food is the perfect way to feel more relaxed. When you’re away from home, there are meals that you might miss eating or they just aren’t the same when made by the dining hall. Go grocery shopping for ingredients and recreate your favorite dishes for a positive boost to both your stomach and well-being! I’m personally horrible at cooking, but my friend and I recently made taro smoothies in a dorm kitchen. They didn’t come out tasting as amazing as I had hoped, but putting the time and effort into preparing the ingredients and following the recipe was very calming as I could work at my own pace within my own comfortable environment.

12. Relax Read a book, light a candle, make yourself a cup of hot tea, listen to a podcast, create art, dance, or go on a hike. What are some other things you enjoy doing that you often don’t have the chance to do in the midst of a busy semester? For me, I enjoy completing my skincare routine as a form of self-care at night before I go to bed. It’s a way for me to unwind and feel refreshed after a long day as I apply my favorite products, knowing that I am taking good care of my own skin.

13. Build a support system Whether it be trusted friends and family members or a community of people with similar experiences as you, creating a space where you feel comfortable openly communicating about your feelings and experiences can have a profound impact on how you feel and reflect on your own life and cope with struggles. Talk to a close friend -- set time aside to grab dinner one

night or simply sit on a common room couch and chat. Whatever the medium, it’s an opportunity to connect with others who have similar experiences to be available when needed. There are always people in your corner, so find your community and hold onto that.

14. Catch up with an old friend or family Facetime a family member or an old friend and catch up on all their new life updates. Sometimes, hearing about others’ experiences can help you feel more connected to others and less alone. Talking to them about your day can also help you feel less overwhelmed by all the events that have occurred or any upcoming responsibilities.

15. Write down what you are grateful for Gratitude is a powerful tool that can shift your usual perspective. Remember what or who you are grateful for, and appreciate everything that has helped you along your path so far.

16. Identify negative thoughts What is making you feel down lately? How can you change your way of thinking so that you have a more positive mindset? Is there something specific that is causing these negative thoughts, such as an environment, class, or person? What can you change in order to get rid of these thoughts and their causes?

17. Write an affirmation letter to yourself Remind yourself of your worthiness and importance.

Be proud of yourself and your accomplishments.

Consider your personal goals and how you can accomplish them. Recognize that you are beautiful, brave, and strong. While writing this letter, consider the following questions: What motivates me or gives me strength? What advice would I give to my younger self?

What are some things I am proud of myself for? How have I grown over the past years? How can I celebrate my personal achievements and triumphs?

18. Acknowledge your worth Know that you are always worthy of respect and acknowledgement. You are valued and loved by so many people. You may have not realized it, but you have touched someone around you. Your very existence has changed someone’s life, bringing happiness and positivity to them. You are important!

Nothing and no one can replace or change who you are. Stay true to yourself and realize that you deserve nothing short of happiness.

19. Seek culturally competent mental health services Seeking mental health services that will understand your personal desires and needs can be difficult, especially for people of color. Oftentimes, mental health service providers are catered towards Caucasians, and it can be hard for them to relate to or understand the different experiences people of color have. This is significant as it will change the way these providers respond to the health needs of a patient of color, whether it be the way they conduct a therapy session or the amount of medication they prescribe. There are, however, resources that assist in finding a therapist or psychiatrist of color, such as the Tessera Collective.

20. Destigmatize mental health This is arguably the most important part of practicing self-care. Taking care of yourself is NOT selfish. You are worthy of care and happiness. Self-care is what allows one to be more productive and effective in their everyday lives. It also helps prevent burnout, which is common for stressed college students.

It’s also important to learn how to love and care for yourself before understanding how to do the same for others. By practicing self-care in a healthy way, you can learn to make healthier life decisions and improve your overall physical and mental well-being.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

10 • Satire & Entertainment

Age: Not just a number

Amelie Lee ’23 Copy Editor Intern he year is 2021. Joe Biden sits in his retirement mansion in frustration, sadly sifting through printed photographs of the day he was first elected into public office. Despite having a heartwarming 79th birthday with his children and grandchildren, Biden often finds himself upset thinking about his political failures.

It’s been a tough year for the former presidential candidate. Not only has he had to deal with the loss of last year’s presidential election, for the first time in his life, he has been largely confused with the world of recent politics. Biden spends most of his time trying to analyze exactly why he lost in 2020, despite being a very successful politician earlier in his career.

“I don’t quite understand it,” Biden said. “Everyone used to be on my side, and all of a sudden, the Democrats turned on me. It doesn’t make sense, I’ve stayed consistent this whole time. Surely if I was on the right side of history as a young politician, there’s no need to update my stances and positions as time goes by. It’s not like there has been massive political upturn in the last few years.”

In his spare time, Biden often looks back on the election with nostalgia and regret. Once a leading contender, the now-retired politician spends most of his time creating scrapbooks in remembrance of the Obama Administration and rewatching VHS tapes of his political career. When not reminiscing, Biden analyzes his loss in 2020. While the 2008 tapes present him with fond memories, he confusedly reviews the recent election with more determination.

“I just don’t understand why I lost, Biden said. “I was just as radical as Bernie or Elizabeth. Unlike Trump, I supported young people. Remember when I supported public housing in 1969? I also was interested in civil rights in the seventies. If there’s

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anyone who supports young people, it’s me.”

During a recent visit to Biden’s home, Biden viewed a tape with his adult grandchildren.

“I could’ve rejuvenated our country if I became president,” Biden said as the camera scanned through an uproarious crowd of white, middle-class baby-boomer Democrats. “There wasn’t a single demographic that didn’t love me!”

“I was a fantastic politician when I was first elected, so good with both Democrats and Republicans,” Biden explained to his grandchildren.

“Trump was an aberration in American politics— there was never anything wrong with me or the Republican party back when I worked on bi-partisan bills dealing with drugs and crime.”

At press time, Biden was asked about what he thought about LGBTQ justice, to which he began to look nervously around.

“Didn’t we fix all that in 2015?” Biden said confusedly. “The Supreme Court figured that out while Obama and I were in office right?”

Image courtesy of Esquire

“Charlie’s Angels”, “Booksmart” and the power of Female Directors Abby Sorkin ’20 Staff Writer

S

eeing “Charlie’s Angels” reminded me just how extraordinary it still feels to watch a female driven, female directed movie. It’s the waning months of 2019 and I still can count on one hand the movies I’ve seen where women were the focus.

Note the plural there; I don’t want to diminish the impact of a single heroine like Katniss Everdeen or Captain Marvel but the fact remains that seeing movies where multiple women take up most of the screen time is incredibly rare.

In fact, only two come to mind immediately.

“Charlie’s Angels”, directed by Elizabeth Banks and “Booksmart”, directed by Olivia Wilde.

Both movies were directed by actresses, both focused on coming of age and perhaps most importantly, the core of both movies were friendships between the women.

The core relationship in “Charlie’s Angels” is between Sabina, portrayed by the always talented Kristen Stewart, and Jane, played by the brilliant newcomer Ella Balkinska, with the two being the audience’s introduction to the world and the emotional center of the movie. These two represent a genderbend version of a type of relationship that traditionally occurs with male characters: equals with different skills and contrasting personalities who learn to not only respect but care for one another.

That description brings to mind several different male friendships from Sherlock Holmes and John Watson to Steve Rogers and Tony Stark, but female

examples seem much more scarce. Male-female friendships like this also come to mind: we have seen this with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger or Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. However, those eventually develop have a romantic bond.

In this way, Sabina and Jane break the mold of what is expected. This is, however, only possible because there are so many roles for women to play in this movie. Women in “Charlie’s Angels” are not just confined to the smart woman who stands her ground, the flirtatious one, or the kickass fighter.

Sabina may play the role of the flirtatious vixen, but we also learn that she is also the damaged sassmaster. Elizabeth Banks, who plays Bosley, is both the woman on the headset and the woman behind the crown. These characters are allowed to play more than one archetype and as a result engage in more complicated relationships.

The emotional peak of the movie is the scene where Jane is crying over Sabina after they both nearly die in an explosion. This scene had elements of the typical stoic character breaking and the fun loving character being serious yet still sarcastic. It seems utterly unremarkable upon my first watch of this film but on my second viewing it tugged at me.

It’s a scene I’ve seen over and over in fantasy, but it is never between two women. Repeatedly, it has just featured one woman. From Sam and Frodo to Peter Parker and Tony Stark to Oliver Queen and John Diggle, male friendships always undergo an emotional resolution. With male-female relationships, it is typically a romantic one. Female friendships are nearly always an afterthought, the

catharsis granted from seeing growth is nonexistent.

Until “Booksmart”. Until “Charlie’s Angels”.These two movies bring female friendship into focus and allow us to see that relationships between women— and women themselves — are not one-dimension.

Like Charlie’s Angels, the core of Booksmart is the friendship between two high achieving seniors about to graduate from high school. Amy (Kaitlyn Dever), and Molly (Beanie Feldstein), go on an adventure worthy of Bill and Ted themselves. However, amid the laughs and the first times and crazy encounters, the ultimate emotional moment comes during the party they’ve spent the entire night trying to get to where the fear of losing each other lays them both bare and truthful in front of everyone they’ll be leaving behind tomorrow.

It’s a buddy cop movie that should ride with the best of them. But the tears I cried during Booksmart were absent when I saw 21 Jump Street.

There’s a rawness that comes from being seen, even on a movie screen, even through fiction. And that rawness is something that I felt during both of emotional climaxes of these two movies.

I can’t help but think that having a female director is why these moments felt so real, why the friendships followed common patterns, why they were fun but also meaningful. There was no doubting the sincerity of the moments.

Maybe they represent a new age, maybe we’ll see more media where the center is women. Again, note the plural there.

But regardless of what might happen in the future, they both exist now. And that matters.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XIX • Issue Five

Entertainment • 11

“Last Christmas”: Yet Another White Knight

by Julia Cox ’23 Staff Writer

F

eeling down? Struggling to find a good job? Don’t fret — just get a boyfriend!

Just in time for the end of cuffing season, “Last Christmas” is here to remind us that finding a cute boy will make us not only happier but also better people.

Besides this overwhelmingly problematic suggestion, the storyline was unrealistic and not heartwarming enough for a successful holiday film. Full of cheesy and predictable moments, “Last Christmas” is at best mildly entertaining and at worst unbearably idyllic and disappointing.

The movie follows an aspiring singer recovering from a semi-recent surgery, Kate (Emilia Clarke), who meets a happy-go-lucky yet mysterious man named Tom (Henry Goulding). As Kate and Tom grow closer, she begins to see the world through a different, more positive lens. Taut with familial drama and the tension caused by Kate’s family’s fear of deportation, “Last Christmas” does have a few deeper elements but overall fails to produce any sort of meaningful message. The role of Tom as Kate’s savior is one I’m sick of, and the plot is unrealistic and fails to invoke any meaningful emotions. If anything, the one partially redeeming moment is the shocking plot twist near the end of the film. Trust me, don’t look this one up: the reveal will most likely be the best part of the film.

It’s a bit silly, but nevertheless it’s an exciting moment for viewers.

Though the idea of “Last Christmas” was indeed unique from other holiday movies, the plot still lacked creativity. While basing the story of “Last Christmas” on Wham!’s hit of the same name seems interesting

Image courtesy of IMBD at first, the idea quickly fell flat. More of a childish idea than a realistic premise for a movie, I believe that the storyline should have been rewritten immediately upon first review. Even a read-through of the song’s lyrics should have demonstrated how impossible it would be to successfully adapt it for the screen. As a result of this poor writing, the plot was senseless, cliche, and doomed the movie from the beginning.

What most excited me about watching “Last Christmas” was the feature of George Michael’s music. I’m a huge fan of his, and I was excited to watch a holiday rom-com with a great soundtrack. Though the film did integrate songs such as “One More Try” and “Freedom! ’90” well, at other times the music didn’t seem to fit the tone or storyline of the movie.

Overall, the addition of Michael’s music felt forced.

While I’m always happy to listen to Michael’s music, the integration of his work into the film should have been more thought out.

I admittedly had low expectations for “Last Christmas,” but what could have been a pleasant feel-good film was corny and mostly predictable, albeit with one plot twist you won’t see coming. The lows of the movie felt inauthentic while the highs were cheesy and meaningless. Though Clarke and Goulding are talented, it wasn’t enough to save a sloppy plot. It would have been refreshing to have Kate pull her life together on her own, but unfortunately the movie mandates that a man rescues her from her problems.

“Frozen II”: We Still Can’t Let it Go

Image courtesy of IMBD

by Amelie Lee ’23 Copy Editor Intern When “Frozen” came out in 2013, middle-school me rewatched the movie three times in theaters, enraptured by the unforgettable music and emotional relationship of Anna and Elsa. Sitting in the Claremont movie theater six years later, surrounded by excited college students and a few dressed-up children, those enraptured feelings came back while watching Frozen II, whose gorgeous animation and unexpectedly heavy plot kept college-me just as compelled.

With dramatic family conflict and refreshingly sharp humor, “Frozen II” delivers what audiences loved from the original: an emotional tale of love, family and talking snowmen. While the story of Frozen didn’t necessarily need to be expanded, Disney’s most recent moneygrab still creates a compelling story to watch on the big screen. The movie follows the sisters (Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Olaf

(Josh Gad) and Sven as they search for answers to Arendelle’s past, raising questions about their country’s treatment of the indiginous tribe Northuldra as they explore a magical forest with hostile nature spirits.

While the plot wasn’t nearly as airtight and structured as the original, the additional complexities allow the audience to reconsider the morality of historical leadership—a surprisingly complicated theme in line with more adult Disney works such as “Thor Ragnarok” or “Captain Marvel.”

The first half of the movie was pleasantly paced, allowing the audience to figure out the woods’ mystery along with our beloved characters. Frozen II is visually gorgeous, with red and yellow leaves and icy oceans filling the big screen with truly beautiful animation of the world around Arendelle. I was completely hooked in the enchanted forest and the new characters it presented.

However, as the movie continued, I found myself

wishing that some of the storyline were more fleshed out in the second half. As a two-hour children’s movie, it’s difficult to expect every plot-point to be addressed, but I left the theater a bit unsatisfied with Kristoff’s character arc, with his problems magically disappearing as the story winds down from its climax. Additionally, while the idea of Arendelle having to sacrifice their country to repair damage to the Northuldra people was brought up, the movie never fully follows through, leaving a confusing moral lesson about reparations and the responsibility of historical predators. Predictably, the talking snowman and magical queen move quickly past this, with Frozen II spending more time on the movie’s sublime soundtrack instead.

While these new tracks will not become instant classics like “Love is an Open Door” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman,” the soundtrack of Frozen II doesn’t disappoint, with catchy music that fits the storyline and stays in your head for days afterwards. The movie starts with the enchanting lullaby “All is Found,” setting the stage for Anna and Elsa’s new mystical adventure.

“Some Things Never Change” is a fantastic upbeat reintroduction to Arendelle, and Elsa’s two new solos showcase Menzels’ impressive range, rivaling the iconic “Let it Go.” However, Kristoff’s song is by far the most memorable, with “Lost in the Woods” causing non-stop laughter from the audience for the entirety of its performance. A perfectly cheesy 80’s power ballad complete with reindeer backup singers and dramatic boy band poses, the song is perhaps the most enjoyable moment of the entire movie.

Kristoff’s scene is an example of “Frozen II”’s best quality: its humor. While Olaf was a slightly annoying quirky comic relief in the original, he steals the spotlight in the sequel— every scene he is in is hilarious. From reenacting the entirety of the original movie to his jokes about the crises of adulthood, Olaf is much more than a slapstick sidekick in the new movie, giving the movie’s adult audience witty and existential quips to enjoy.

Overall, “Frozen II” accomplished what it set out to do, building an intriguing new world for children to see their favorite characters in and painting it’s now-older audience a complex portrait of historical responsibility. While I might not be Disney’s target demographic, “Frozen II” left me just as excited and unbearably prone to bursting out in song as the first.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

Lifestyle • 12

This Holiday Season’s Ultimate Gift Guide

By Theodora Helgason ’22 Staff Writer

Image courtesy of My Wonderful Walls

s winter break approaches it’s A time to start checking off gifts for everyone on your list! Whether you

appreciates the immaterial more than the material, a gift that commemorates a memory or your relationship as a need a gift for Secret Santa, for your whole is the most fitting. A scrapbook roommate or for your grandparents, or a framed photo are classic gifts this gift guide is sure to help. for sentimentalists. Getting creative and giving a personalized ornament, a FOR THE ARTIST playlist that speaks to your relationship, If creativity runs through their veins, or crafting something that only they then giving them the tools to create is could truly appreciate will be sure to a thoughtful idea. If they have a favorite warm their heart. art supply store, a gift card to alleviate the costs of supplies is a great idea. A FOR THE EXTROVERT fun DIY kit from Etsy or a craft store is The best gift for an extrovert is to give always an entertaining winter activity. them an experience! Is there an artist or Looking to artists around campus for musician they love that you can snag gifts is a great way to both support tickets for? If they love trying new things, a local artist and give a gift that the SoFar Sounds hosts concerts in pop-up artist in your life would appreciate. A venues and with unknown artists. In this group gift could be to create something unique concert-going experience, you together for the artist. Putting together only find out what artists you’re there to a book of poems or making jewelry are see after you arrive at the venue. SoFar personal gift ideas that speak to their Sounds is a great way to support artists artistic sensibilities. and find community in a more intimate concert space. Another experience to FOR THE COOK give would be tickets to an interactive An incredibly specific cookbook is the exhibit in LA where they can get all the best gift for the chef in your life. For photos they need as a keepsake of the example, if they have recently tried to occasion (Museum of Selfies or Flutter cook more vegan recipes, a cookbook Experience anyone?). centered around plant-based cooking is a great idea! If they have a love for FOR THE COFFEE OR TEA matcha, a cookbook like "The Matcha LOVER Cookbook" is the best fit. Are they a A gift card to their favorite spot, minimalist? There are lots of cookbooks whether it’s a Motley coupon, a gift card that aim to use as few ingredients and to a cafe in the Village, or a Starbucks time as possible, such as "The Super gift card they can use wherever, is a Easy 5 Minute Cookbook". If they have great gift for those beverage lovers a love for art, Dorothy Iannone’s "A who probably spend too much money Cookbook" is a lovely artist book that is on coffee and tea. Alternatively, the also a cookbook. No matter what kind tools to make their own great coffee of chef they are, there is a cookbook out and tea in their dorm room is a gift that there for them. they could keep for years! If they love matcha, a matcha starter kit can teach FOR THE SENTIMENTALIST them how to make their own traditional If someone special in your life matcha. A special teapot or tea kettle

accompanied by their favorite flavor of tea is another considerate gift. If they love coffee, a French press makes a great gift that isn’t overly expensive. On the more expensive side and great for a group gift, an espresso machine for the coffee lover to make their own lattes and mochas can also be a thoughtful choice.

FOR THAT PERSON YOU LITERALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO GIVE What is their favorite movie? TV show? Book? Place? You are sure to find stickers or patches online that have charming illustrations of their favorite things. Look into posters of their favorite movies and TV shows to see if any seem like a good fit for them.

Finding a special edition of their favorite book is also a great gift. Look into items that show off their hometown or home state. What is their favorite store? Walk around the shop or browse online until you see the perfect gift, or just go with a gift card. These are thoughtful gifts that you can give to anyone!

GET CREATIVE! Sometimes the artist in your life is also sentimental, and the cook is also an extrovert. Combining gifts to give the total package is a thoughtful way to show your loved ones that you understand all the roles they play in your life. Giving is the best part of the holiday season because it is an opportunity to show everyone you care about how much you appreciate them and how well you understand them. Remember, you do not necessarily need to spend to give. A simple note, hug, or a bouquet of fresh-picked flowers from the Rose Garden will always do the trick.

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

SPOTLIGHT

6

101 Things to Do Before You Graduate

7

By Sarah Nunez-Lafontaine ’22

In honor of the impending end of the semester, I (along with some very good friends) compiled a bucket list of all the things to do before that fateful day: graduation. Use this as a guide for how to spend your time at the Claremont Colleges. I want to ensure that you and your friends are making the most of your college years.

1. See the bonfires at Harvey Mudd and call

26. Steal someone’s Motley drink on purpose

55. Worship The Hub’s mozz sticks

81. Get in a heated debate on the 5C meme

2. Lose your underwear somewhere around the

28. Get mono

57. Catch someone having sex in the

82. Develop at least one weird kink

911

5Cs

3. Get cuffed

4. Don’t read any of the books for CORE

5. Fill your dorm with candles, fairy lights, and any other banned items

6. Get really into slacklining at Pitzer 7. Fall in love with a hookup

8. Host a beer pong tournament 9. Go to toga

10. Hate toga

27. Get an STI test

29. Sign up for 20+ clubs at turf dinner, attend zero (0) meetings

30. Buy, but never use, a skateboard

31. Chase your tequila with Emergen-C

32. Chase your Emergen-C with tequila

33. Do the 5 Pees 5 times (5 Pees squared) 34. Ride the bull at Wild Wild West 35. Throw up in the Pitzer pool

36. Tell a stranger “Did you know this is where they filmed the ending to Bird Box?”

56. Join a band

common room

58. Go vegan for two weeks 59. Hotbox the Cube 60. Try choking

61. Like choking

88. Get a piercing at Laughing Buddha

40. Cry in the Honnold-Mudd library

66. Smoke weed and love it

42. Pull an all-nighter before a paper’s due

68. Eat your feelings at Jay’s Place

yourself)

15. Get a job (good luck)

16. Complain about the annoying couples on

41. Play drunk Twister

date, and then complain when you get a B-

the dance floor who are making out

43. Change your major

couples

45. Wonder whether a minor is even worth

17. Be a part of one of those annoying 18. Pet a therapy dog

44. Change it again anything

19. Consider getting a therapy dog

46. Get the worst hangover of your life

21. End an email to a professor with “I love

48. Be the Yoko Ono of a band

20. Actually get a therapy dog you”

22. Drop your Hydroflask in a crowded lecture hall

23. Use a life-straw to drink the Cube water 24. Accidentally end up in a long-term relationship

25. Steal someone’s Motley drink by accident

47. Do it on a ~twin xl~

49. Pump before Pirate Party

50. Spread hand foot and mouth disease 51.

Join The Scripps Voice

52. Drink a Four Loko and secretly like it

53. Go on a date at all seven dining halls (yes, even Oldenborg)

54. Fall in love with a professor

way too often for it to be an accident

64. Develop strong opinions about which

accidentally buy $15 worth of cheese

65. Run from the police after a 240 House

empty liquor bottles that you drank by

once and thought you’d never see again

86. Plan at least 3 LA excursions

39. Almost burn your dorm down with a candle

84. See that one person you made out with

63. Go to the farmers market and

nothing happened

13. Question your sexuality

14. Decorate your dorm room a la CMC (with

until parents weekend

85. Make a playlist with songs from the

37. Fall in love with a Pomona soft boi 38. Grow to hate Pomona soft bois

83. Dye your hair and don’t tell your family

62. Cry in office hours but walk out like

11. Steal the “T” balloon at toga

12. Make a playlist about how lonely you are

queen FB page

dining hall has the best chocolate chip cookie (it’s Collins) party

Motley

87. Never go to LA

89. Claim you’re broke but go to Coachella with 7 of your best friends

90. Put stickers over the alcoholic drinks in

your Instagram posts so your parents don’t yell at you

67. Smoke weed and hate it

91. Post all of your possessions on “5c for

69. Get eaten out at Jay’s place

92. Become sorely disappointed when no

71. Get inspiration for your thesis via your

93. Check co-star every day

70. Drop acid

hallucinations

72. Move back into the Denver house

sale/for free”

one wants to buy your crap

94. Reject someone on the basis that your signs are incompatible

73. Get back together with an ex

95. Try meditation

75. Break up an entire friend group

97. Delete Tinder and redownload it 3 times

74. Date an entire friend group

76. Fall in love with your suitemate

96. Make a Tinder and instantly regret it in one week

77. Realize you are “exactly like the other

98. Get a stick n poke tattoo

78. Call a professor “daddy” by accident

100. Continue to be asked if you’re a first

girls”

79. Call a professor “daddy” on purpose

80. Call camp sec for a ride just because you don’t feel like walking

5 December 2019 • The Scripps Voice • Volume XXIX • Issue Five

99. Cry over thesis

year until the day you graduate

101. Graduate.