Volume XXXI Issue Six March 10 2023

Uncompromising

Winter Storm Poses Challenges, Puts Climate Change Into Perspective

By Ellen Hu ’24 Editor-in-Chief

Whenone of Eliza Kornfeld’s ’23 professors brought up the prospect of snow in Claremont, she and her classmates doubted it would actually happen. She had been keeping an eye on the news and expected rain, but the prospect of snow seemed far-fetched.

“Wait, what? That’s insane!” Kornfeld said. “That’s what I was thinking because I didn’t understand how we could get snow at such a low elevation.”

A low-pressure system hit Southern California in late February, resulting in cold temperatures as well as a large magnitude of hail, rain, and snowfall that began on Feb. 24. The San Bernardino Mountains were covered in about 10 feet of snow while other regions of Southern California received between three-10 inches of rain as of Feb. 26.

Claremont received approximately 4.6 inches of rain during this time. Short periods of snowfall occurred on Feb. 25 and March 1 as well.

The intensity of the storm was unexpected to some. “I was somewhat looking forward to the rain, especially as someone who lives in Southern California, but I was definitely not expecting it to be that cold,” Isabel Li ’25 said.

The storm impacted the daily lives of several Scripps students. Natalie Burton ’24 lives at the Claremont Colleges Apartments (CCA), approximately a 20 minute walk from the center of the Scripps campus. The heavy rains forced them to re-adjust their schedule while commuting between their housing and classes.

“I typically walk to and from my apartment to campus,” Burton said. “Because of the storm, I’ve been taking the shuttle more often, but it’s not the most convenient to plan my schedule around that. On days where it was only predicted to rain in the morning or evening, I carried a coat and umbrella around with me all day, which, again, was not the most convenient thing to do.”

Other students experienced similar challenges. “The main inconvenience of the storm was that I couldn’t ride my bike without getting absolutely soaked,” Li said. “I have orchestra at Pomona twice a week, and even more that week due to concerts on the weekends, so it was not fun walking in the cold and getting my shoes all drenched.”

Despite the weather’s inconvenience, Kornfeld and her friends followed through with an off-campus trip on the weekend of Feb. 25. “During the worst of the storm on Feb. 24, my friends and I drove in the torren-

IN THIS ISSUE

Fox Family: The Claremont Women's Rugby Team’s Multifaceted Successes

tial rain and spent all day at Universal Studios,” she said.

She acknowledged that the intensity of the weather made it a difficult decision to make, but the group followed through with their trip in the safest way possible. While they were able to make the trip without incident, Kornfeld and her friends witnessed heavy rainfall’s impact on the roads firsthand. “The rain did not stop for even a second and we passed multiple car crashes as we drove back to Claremont,” she said.

Nonetheless, the negative impacts of the precipitation didn’t stop students from appreciating this change from the usually dry environment. “I

love the rain, so these small annoyances were worth it!” Burton said.

The snowfall added a different level of excitement to the storm. “My friends and I were just starting our drive to San Diego when it began snowing,” Kornfeld said. “We could barely see it at first but then it really started coming down and we all got so excited! Everyone was taking photos and videos and FaceTiming each other.”

Other students on campus, such as Burton, made sure to document the experience. “I was walking to class when it started snowing on Wednesday,” they said. “I stopped to take a bunch of photos to send to my

Oscar Nominations: (Our Hopeful) Expectation vs. (Our Predicted) Reality Let's

family.”

At the same time, the snow brought up questions of climate change for many. For some, it made the climate crisis a lot more real. “It was…interesting (intellectually at least) to experience climate whiplash firsthand in a major way,” Burton said.

“It was exciting but also very strange,” Kornfeld said. “It certainly sparked conversations about climate change and global warming.”

While Kornfeld had these conversations with her friends, it was not a conversation she found in the classroom setting. “It would have been nice if we did,” she said.

commitment to inclusivity and justice.

Louisa Calhoon '24 • The Scripps Voice

Daisy Jones & the Six’ Is Too Much Glitter, Not Enough Gold

Innovation at Keck: Dr. Sarah Marzen and Prediction Theory

By Juliette Des Rosiers ’26 Copy Editor Intern

Dr. Sarah Marzen has been an Assistant Professor of Physics at the W.M. Keck Science Department since 2019. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the California Institute of Technology and went on to receive a Ph.D. in physics from the University of California, Berkeley.

However, Marzen’s journey into science and success in research began well before her undergraduate career. Marzen attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a magnet school in Virginia that encourages students to begin pursuing their interests in science through research. Marzen embraced this jump and began work the summer after ninth grade.

“My first summer, I didn’t know what I was doing, which I think is maybe what happens to most people when they first start out doing research,” Marzen said. She continued assisting in the same lab throughout high school, applying her knowledge of The Feynman Lectures on Physics to her work.

“I thought I wanted to go into optics,” Marzen said. “One of my research projects was about negative refractive index materials and I thought that they were the coolest thing ever. I got the impression that in order to make a difference in that field, the best way to do it was to do experiments. So I wanted to do experimental optics.” This experience would go on to influence her focus in college.

“It turns out that I was horrible at experiments,” Marzen confessed.

However, after rerouting to explore theoretical approaches to science, Marzen discovered an interest in the collaboration between biology and physics. She received a research opportunity from her introduction to biology class that widened her perspective on avenues for research, such as maximum entropy models for time series and ligand-gated ion channels.

In graduate school, Marzen went down the experimental path again before settling into theoretical neuroscience at the Redwood Center for Theoretical Neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley. Nonetheless, the road to her current specialty “was a super long and windy path.”

Collaborating on multiple projects and reading articles from many academics helped guide her to prediction theory. “I collected ideas from everybody and put them in a mishmash together,” Marzen said. “I do stuff very similar to Dr. Stephanie Palmer at The University of Chicago. It’s almost like we decided to divide and conquer. We chose different systems. She’s working on flies, and I’m working on cultured neurons in humans.”

Marzen reflected on how her field lacks communication between researchers, but this was a space she felt lucky to fill. “The social situation of the field that I’m in and the adjacent fields allowed me to publish about seven papers when I was in graduate school, which is quite unusual,” Marzen said. “In most cases, you spend a long time working on a problem and it’s a crowded field. You’re lucky if you get one to three

papers out of a theoretical graduate school thesis.”

Marzen published papers as a bridge between researchers who criticized each other’s work by learning everyone’s material and filling gaps in communication. Through this, her graduate experience instilled a value for collaboration and respect for her colleagues.

“I think it’s important to maintain good relationships with everybody,” she said. “To really listen to what they’re saying and to take it into account during your work”.

After receiving her doctorate, Marzen began postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the field of prediction. Her general research question was: are organisms trying to predict their environment?

“The idea is that if you predict your environment, you get additional reward beyond what you would get if you just responded,” Marzen said. She explained that this is still just a hypothesis with her work focusing on proving its truth.

“Some people think that this is just trivially true — I don’t think it’s trivially true,” Marzen said. In addition to this preliminary hypothesis, Marzen is looking to expand her focus. In the future, she hopes to explore whether organisms are “goal-directed agents that must predict to survive.” She hopes that work in prediction theory can benefit those in multiple fields, from engineering to economics.

“If we can understand how our brains are predicting, then we can understand how to engineer prediction algorithms that are better than the previous prediction algorithms,”

Marzen said. “I’ve done projects with students where we look at new engineering algorithms for prediction. I’ve also done projects with students where we analyze human data or culture neuron data to show that they’re predicting.”

A current project she is working on demonstrates how Marzen values collaboration and learning from other people’s expertise to help advance science. She is working with an experimental researcher from the University of Melbourne who gathers human data from a learning experiment.

In the study, a participant is shown a string of zeros and ones and then asked to select zero or one depending on what they thought the next digit in the sequence would be. Once a decision was made, the researcher told the participant if they had predicted correctly.

“Over time, they get better at predicting,” Marzen said. “It becomes apparent that they become near optimal prediction, given how much memory they have.”

Marzen took this experimental data and interpreted it through prediction theory. “After an analysis that was originally done by an undergraduate at CMC, it becomes clear that they’re looking for patterns and strings of symbols in order to get better at predicting,” Marzen said. “A student at Scripps found the reaction times have a relationship to the accuracy of their prediction.”

Marzen shared that she is looking for someone to join her on this project this summer and encourages anyone interested to reach out for more information!

Fox Family: The Claremont Women’s Rugby Team’s Multifaceted Successes

By Belen Yudess ’25 Social Media Manager

What do the Foxes say? They are ready for another Nationals win! Founded in the late 90’s, the 5C women’s rugby team, also known as the Foxes, are the reigning Division II 15s Spring National Champions. The 30 member team is led by Team Captains Asia Anderson ’23, who also serves as President of the club, club Vice President Syd Riley HMC ’24, and Caroline Bullock CMC ’24.

The Foxes took Nationals after beating San Diego State University (SDSU) 22-7 in the spring of 2022. The 2023 group has started this season strong following wins against the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the University of Southern California (USC).

There is one victory in particular that has fortified the team’s enthusiasm for the remainder of the season. “Last weekend we beat SDSU,” said Riley. “I think there was a lot of pressure leading up to that game, especially because we played it in the fall and it didn’t go as well as it went last weekend.”

Following last season’s success, the goal of this year was to keep up the momentum while also harnessing the energy of the team’s newcomers. “We had a really amazing season, which is something that we really cherished,” said Anderson. “We got to send a lot of our seniors off in the right way, and we can’t imagine a better ending [for them]. This year it was a fresh restart, which was very sad for our team, but it was also really cool for all the newcomers that came in. It’s a rebuilding era in a way while still maintaining this high competition level and wanting to go back to nationals.”

This sentiment was shared by cotreasurer Ariel Heimanson ’25, who was excited about the team’s high prospect about a return to Nationals with the addition of this year’s rookies. “I think definitely after a national title there is a little bit of pressure to do it again, which we know that we are capable of,” she said. “So let’s do it – let’s go to Houston again!”

Although the team has a lot of experience, many new members are still getting acquainted with the game. Because of this, the Foxes aim to create an environment that allows experienced and novice players to feel comfortable learning the sport and building their confidence as a player. “The team does a really good job of recruiting and making people want to stay,” said Kate McArthur ’24. “And same with the coaches, it’s clear that they really care and value everyone.”

The rugby team has established themselves as a force to be reckoned with, but this process has not happened overnight. Although the Foxes are packed with talent on the field, a large part of their success stems from their dynamic chemistry.

“We’re just a big team bonding team,” said Anderson. “That means team dinners after every practice, socials after every game, and random nights where we play capture the flag. It’s different things like that where we really get to know each other.”

One of the trips that serves the team both on and off the field is Scrum by the Sea, an annual tourna-

ment in San Diego. “We play a ton of rugby and it’s a great place for rookies who’ve never played rugby before,” said Heimanson. “That’s oftentimes most people’s first rugby game and it’s just a great experience, and I think that’s a great bonding experience for rookies to create friendships that go way past that trip”

These bonds extend past graduation – the team is grateful for their growing alumni network and ongoing support. “We have group chats with different alumni, but we’ve been working on newsletters to be sent out to a lot of our alums, fans, things along those lines,” said Anderson. “There’s normally an alumni game that happens and from there it’s just furthering that network. I think right now we have a pretty powerful alumni network. And we are always constantly trying to build it up and reach out to previous players.”

The Foxes have three matches until playoffs, with their next game on March 25 at home. As they prepare for the last half of their season, Anderson is optimistic about the team’s chances of a return to Nationals. “The stars are aligning in our favor as it seems, but we do need to stay

focused because there’s no easy rugby game,” she said. “It’s just maintaining what we’ve built so far and uplifting people and as we approach these more difficult games. I think as we strive for semis and nationals, it’s just focusing on ourselves rather than other teams. We’ve got to understand that we are the Claremont Foxes first before we are a team that needs to beat somebody else.”

Heimanson reaffirmed this approach to Nationals, and the importance of staying grounded in the present. “It’s a one game at a time mentality. I think we can’t look into May or [constantly wonder] are we going to go to Houston,” she said. “I think staying focused on what’s ahead of us, one step at a time, it’s the only way we can do it. That’s how we did it last year.”

The Foxes kick off at 11 a.m. on Parents Field for all home games, and they also sell merchandise for fans. The team highly encourages anyone interested in rugby to come out to a practice, and rookies are welcome any time! For more information and updates, follow the Foxes at @ claremontfoxesrugby on Instagram.

Photo Courtesy of Asia Anderson ‘23

RePrinting Claremont: A Dynamic Overview of Claremont’s Printmaking Past and Present

By Belen Yudess ’25 Social Media Manager

OnMarch 4, Claremont Heritage opened its newest exhibit “RePrinting Claremont: Uniting Claremont’s Historic Printmakers with Student Artists,” at the Ginger Elliot Exhibit at the Garner House. The show was curated by Marina Shishkina ’25 and Stella Robinson ’25. The exhibit features the work of wellknown printmakers including Millard Sheets, Susan Lautman Hertel, Karl Benjamin, and Kitty Maryatt, as well as pieces from current 5C students. The gallery acts as a remarkable tribute and olive branch to the history and continued presence of Claremont printmakers in the city and 5C community. Shishkina describes “Reprinting Claremont” as a way to bridge the gap between the 5Cs and the Claremont community.

“The city of Claremont has a rich history of art surrounding the Claremont Colleges, little of which is actively taught to students. We may pass by their artwork, or buildings named after them, but how often do we acknowledge how these early artists revolutionized the art in our community?”

(Curatorial Statement)

“We’re trying to connect that through the history of Claremont because the artists that live here and the artists that are creating here have to be inspired by something,” Shishkina said. “The tie between the colleges, the student creators, and the Claremont creators are Claremont’s nature, community, spirituality, and the energy of the place.”

Shishkina noted that there is an often unknown history of printmaking in Claremont that makes it the ideal spot to focus on this art form. “Claremont’s printing press was first established in 1946 by some faculty at The Claremont Colleges,”

Shishkina said. “And ever since then artists have been flocking in because of the press. Millard Sheets, Phil Dyke, Phil Paradise — they’re all really famous printmakers of Claremont that actually formed the whole history of printmaking in southern California.”

Although there are different variations of printmaking, “RePrinting Claremont” mainly focused on serigraphs, lithographs, etching, collagraphs, and monoprints. “We have chosen to showcase some prints in diptychs to demonstrate how printmaking, as an art form, inhabits a long process of repetition, reiteration, and layering,” the curatorial statement reads. “This art medium also allows for easier reproduction processes and enables widespread distribution of imagery and information.”

Shishkina and Robinson were funded and supported by Claremont Heritage, a non-profit organization that preserves and celebrates the history and culture of the city of Claremont.

Although this is Shishkina’s first exhibit with the organization, this is not her first time curating a show.

Last February, Shishkina produced “Lovers, Strangers and Friends” which highlighted the unity of the body, mind and soul through 2D, 3D, and conceptual art. The show was held at an off-campus house and was set up by Shishkina and a handful of friends and fellow 5C artists.

Following the success of her previous curation, Shishkina was excited to take on another project. Her job at Claremont Heritage and the nonprofit’s mission inspired the current installation.

“Having access to Claremont’s history, archives, and special collections has really inspired me to be like, ‘holy cow we don’t know anything about this,’” she said. “The first thing that gets me inspired is making a

fit here on this wall,’ and he’s like, ‘just give it a minute.’ He’s been leading me into some sort of direction but I make my own steps and decisions completely. I am so lucky to have found a mentor like that.”

“Our goal in curating this exhibit was to shed light on how the legacy of these legendary artists had a profound impact on The Claremont Colleges, and how Claremont has inspired both them and future artists to produce profound works of art.”

(Curatorial Statement)

difference somewhere or making a difference in someone’s life. There’s this duty that I feel once I have an idea to change someone’s perspective or introduce a new perspective to somebody. And working there, I realized I have access to all this awesome art.”

Once she made the decision to hone in on printmaking, Shishkina noted that beginning the process of curating this exhibit was a lot simpler than it had been last year. She saw this as a demonstration of curatorial growth. “When you’re doing something for the first time, it is a total free fall type of thing,” she said. “Hopefully there’s a few branches that you can hold onto while you’re falling down. But, this time it’s definitely been a bit easier. It’s a bit more sophisticated and a little more professional because it’s an actual gallery space and not someone’s house. I also have more access to research because I’m here in Claremont.”

Shishkina’s mentality when curating a show focuses on connecting with the space and allowing her imagination to run wild, which is reflected in the exuberant energy of the environments she creates.“Since I was young, I would have those outbursts that artists have,” she said. “But usually artists have those outbursts to create artwork — I have those outbursts to create those events and create those spaces: artwork for the artwork.”

Shishkina was more than ready to take her medium to a new level, and expressed gratitude to the organization’s director David Shearer for his assistance and belief in the gallery. “David has been super helpful — sometimes I need to go to the gallery to see what’s going on and he’d be like, ‘I’ll be there in like 10 minutes’ and open the gallery doors,” Shishkina said. “Sometimes I ask him questions like, ‘I don’t know if this artwork will

Shishkina is also extremely thankful for Robinson’s input and dedication to the show. “She has been a really big backbone to all of my crazy ideas,” Shishkina said. “She’s very grounding and I think we work together really well. She’s more of a realist in the sense that I’m more like, ‘why don’t we do this,’ and she’s like ‘the show’s next Saturday, let’s take a seat and think about this.’ You always need someone like that and it’s been really awesome to have her.”

Although she gained inspiration from her peers and the history of printmaking in Claremont, Shishkina was especially drawn to the work and legacy of legendary printmaker Millard Sheets. “He always tried to create a community in Claremont and bring people together and introduce people to one another and this is exactly what I want to be doing here,” she said. “I would love to revolutionize Claremont’s art history and create an art movement that has not been brought here. I think he has been the biggest inspiration throughout the whole show.”

“In curating the show, we aim to build a bridge of dialogue between the Claremont Colleges and our local community. The seating in the space is meant to evoke comfort, and promote conversation with one another. We hope “RePrinting Claremont” sparks new connections and new perspectives of the past.”

(Curatorial

Statement)

Ultimately, “RePrinting Claremont” is an innovative, uplifting, and unique exhibit that has taught Shishkina the importance of cultivating relationships and giving people’s stories a space in the world.

“I just really want students to meet some of Claremont’s locals because they’re really special people,” she said. “And I’ve had the privilege to meet a lot of them in the past few months and they’ve opened doors for me and they could do so for so many other students. They just need to take advantage of it.”

The exhibit will remain open until March 24 at the Ginger Elliot Exhibit at the Garner House.

Belen Yudess ‘25 • The Scripps Voice

Oscar Nominations: (Our Hopeful) Expectation vs. (Our Predicted) Reality

By Belen Yudess ’25 and Frances Walton ’26 Social Media Manager and Copy Editor Intern

G et ready to see countless videos of Rihanna being asked about her newly announced pregnancy, a compilation of Jimmy Kimmel making fun of Meryl Streep just because he can, and several theories about Andrew Garfield’s budding relationship with the interviewer he constantly flirts with at awards shows; because the 2023 Oscars are here!

The arrival of this year’s Oscars felt like a slap in the face (too soon?) as we realized how many of these films we hadn’t seen. Whether you have only kept up with the Oscar memes or have seen every movie on the list, here are our expectations vs. reality of a few of this year’s nominees.

Best Picture

Expectation: Everything, Everywhere

All at Once

Everything, Everywhere All at Once is truly a once in a lifetime type of film. It handles difficult and often ignored topics such as generational trauma, unrealistic familial expectations, and the complexity of mother-daughter relationships. Additionally, the movie uses absurd and comedic scenes to explore the simpler questions. For example, do we even matter?

The film follows Evelyn Quan Wang as she experiences marital problems, a struggle to make her father proud, and her estranged relationship with her daughter, Joy, after refusing to acknowledge Joy’s girlfriend Becky. In a moment of crisis, Evelyn is confronted by Alpha-Waymond, a variation of her husband from the Alphaverse, and is told she is the only person who can save the multiverse from Jobu Tupaki (who winds up being Joy’s parallel in these other realities). Ultimately, Evelyn is able to save the Alphaverse and Joy by reconciling with her daughter and promising her that she would choose her in any universe.

Due to the film’s strong focus on nihilism, it is able to virtually do anything it wants and portray reality through any medium. After all, nothing has to make sense if nothing we do matters. Jobu’s eccentric and breathtaking costuming, the portrayal of Evelyn and Jobu in different creative lenses such as rocks, piñatas, and colored drawings harnessed unique elements of comedic and artistic genius.

The fluent bilingualism and unconventional uses of language such as the dialogue between rock Evelyn and Joy provides realistic examples of exchanges that occur within multilingual families and communities that is often not shown on the screen. Everything Everywhere All at Once is a beautiful and unique film that rebels against common movie tropes by diverting expectations every time you think

you may understand what is going on.

Reality: The Fablemans

Best Actress

Expectation : Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Trying not to wax poetic about Everything Everywhere All at Once is a feat in and of itself, but no one can deny that it deserves a full Oscars sweep this year. Yeoh’s performance left audiences with nothing to wish for; from her ability to cope with the eccentric film’s unique challenges to relaying complex emotional beats in quick moments, Yeoh cannot be beaten. She truly has it all: stunt abilities, acting chops, and a side of multilingualism to boot. She embodies Evelyn’s intensity and poignancy with such masterful care.

Michelle Yeoh’s performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once is nothing short of outstanding. She truly is a deserving candidate for Best Actress, and her performance in the film is the highlight of a movie full of memorable moments.

Reality: Cate Blanchett for Tár

Best Actor

Expectation: Austin Butler in Elvis

You just can’t help falling in love with Austin Butler’s electric rendition of Elvis Presley! As someone who was raised on Presley’s distinct yet powerful voice, it was uncanny how well Butler channeled the rock ‘n roll king’s magnetic yet vulnerable persona.

Although he was beloved by millions, Presley’s life was not as idyllic as people may have made it out to be. He was initially criticized for his overt sex appeal, gravity towards jazz music heavily associated with the Black community, and he eventually developed an addiction to medication that he was forced into taking by his manager, Parker. Butler nails every high and low of the singer’s life, easily switching from the humble swagger of Presely’s early years to the quiet suffering he endured at the hands of Parker in his final years.

Although Butler’s acting is strong, what showcases his star power are his musical performances. The way he channeled the ease and intensity of the late singer’s movements and his charismatic stage appeal were undeniable. Specifically, Butler’s reenactment of Presley’ s iconic and ground-breaking performance of “If I Can Dream” in response to the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy blew audiences away.

It’s also impossible to ignore Butler’s ability to mimic Presley’s deep, soothing voice and it will “always [be] on my mind.” Overall, Butler’s performance was a proper tribute to Elvis that caught fans in a trap of Butlermania because they love him (or the many memes that have emerged) too much.

Reality: Austin Butler for Elvis

Best Supporting Actress

Expectation: Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once

No one in the Marvel multiverse can compare to Stephanie Hsu’s dynamic performance in Everything, Everywhere All at Once. Hsu’s ability to depict the raw pain Joy experiences due to the effects of multi-generational trauma and then seamlessly switch to portraying the nihilistic and theatrical Jobu Tupaki leaves the audience seesawing between sympathy and astonishment.

The slight inflections in her voice and her vulnerable or shuttered facial reactions alternating with each character portrayal constantly keep viewers on their toes and showcased her outstanding acting abilities. She’s absolutely mesmerizing.

This was Hsu’s first major motion picture, but her maturity and confidence in playing such a complex role are those of a seasoned professional. Hsu’s character provides important and muchneeded representation for the Asian American and queer community, a responsibility she carries graciously.

Reality: Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All at Once

Best Supporting Actor

Expectation : Ke Huy Quan for Everything Everywhere All at Once

When rewatching Everything Everywhere All at Once to write this review, it was exciting to examine how Ke Huy Quan takes on the role of Waymond now that he is being considered for an Oscar. As I watched his performance, I couldn’t help but be struck by the depth and authenticity he brought to the character.

Quan’s ability to challenge traditional masculinity in his role is profoundly moving and enjoyable. Did you know he hasn’t acted for around 20 years? Returning to the acting scene with a part like this is next to unbelievable, yet Quan did it.

Quan’s portrayal of Waymond was powerful, showcasing his incredible range as an actor even when portraying a supporting character. Quan’s performance in the action scenes were especially impressive, particularly the one with the fanny pack.

Reality: (fingers crossed) Ke Huy Quan… but maybe Judd Hirsch for The Fabelmans

Best Animated Picture

Expectation: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Going into Puss in Boots: The Last Wish with little to no expectations, the movie blew me away.

From an animation standpoint, Puss in Boots was impressive. It meshed a more Disney-esque character, Puss, with fight scenes that were animated in a comic book style reminiscent of Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse. Beyond the animation, the plot is captivating and the humor, surprisingly, landed.

As a sequel to an animated film, it would have been easy for Puss to fall into the category of a formulaic film. However, the dynamic animation, loveable characters, and interesting plot lines will put a smile on anyone’s face.

Reality: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Alyssa Leong ’23 • The Scripps Voice

"Cocaine Bear:" Paddington Gets A Little Too Silly

By Anna Peterson ’25 Staff Writer

Cocaine Bear, Cocaine Bear, Cocaine Bear. Among the drone of mainstream commercial theater money grabs, it is a name that sparks curiosity. But it seems the film fails to live up to the hype of such a catchy title.

Set in 1985, Andrew C. Thorton (Matthew Rhys) falls out of a plane to his death, strapped with millions of dollars worth of cocaine. Fortunate for our viewing purposes, the elusive Cocaine Bear discovers the drugs, and the chaos begins. In its drug-induced rampage, the bear hunts down an array of people: drug dealers, children, park rangers, delinquent teenagers, hikers, paramedics, and a detective.

Central to the story’s plot is mother Sari (Keri Russel), who takes to the woods after realizing her young daughter Dee Dee (Brooklyn Prince) and neighbor Henry (Christian Convery) have ditched

school. Following suit, low-level drug dealers Daveed (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) and Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich) venture into the forest to search for the missing paraphernalia. However, Cocaine Bear threatens the goals and existence of each of these characters as the drug bender ensues.

This movie was not good, and I don’t care what other critics say. The film’s only redeeming quality was this distinct aspect of nonsense. Yet, this quality alone does not make the movie entertaining. Absurdity without substance negates all meaning. The movie constantly delivers scene after scene of useless gore. At some point, shock value was deemed more important than a decent plot line.

Spliced between all the gore, director Elizabeth Banks tries to make me give a shit about surfacelevel characters whose backgrounds are never fleshed out. In fact, a new character was thrust at my screen every 10 minutes just for me to care

less and less until their inevitable death. During these scenes of strict character dialogue and perpetual boredom, I couldn’t help but root for the bear to take me and the characters out of our collective miseries.

Additionally, with so many new faces and stories shoved into a 90-minute movie, the film struggles to develop what it wants to communicate outside of a talented CGI specialist team. In any scene where the bear was absent, so was my mind. The film also pulls at straws when dictating who the bad guy is — is it the nosey detective, criminal teens, the drug lord, or just Cocaine Bear?

At one point, the movie grasps for a man versus nature conflict, only to contradict itself by condemning some of the characters and not others. This film plays favorites when determining who faces the wrath of Cocaine Bear. Ultimately, this scenario works against the film’s narrative of Cocaine Bear’s

behavior as erratic and reads as a blatant attempt to preserve the main characters for a happy ending. In short, the director insults the audience with an illogical directorial choice.

Although, the most offensive part of this film is the waste of talent. With actors like Brooklyn Prince of The Florida Project, Jesse Tyler Ferguson of Modern Family , and rising star Aaron Holliday, I expected a firework display of performance and dynamic. Instead, the actors seemed peripheral to the spectacle of Cocaine Bear, stifling their ability to impress. Elizabeth Banks does not foster performance; she drowns it with an over-the-top plot.

As I propped myself up in the AMC reclining movie theater seat, I wondered what I did to deserve my lost $22. No amount of popcorn or peanut M&Ms could reverse the damage inflicted upon my frontal cortex by watching this movie. If you decide to watch Cocaine Bear, don’t say I didn’t tell you so.

A Review of the Wacky Wonderland known as "Quantumania"

By Belen Yudess ’25 Social Media Manager

If Harvey Mudd knew what was good for them, they would start admitting ants into their quantum theory classes. Confused yet? Equally mystified or entertained by that sentence? If so, then that sums up the experience of watching this midnight sugar high hallucinogen of a film.

Once the characters enter the quantum realm, the plot itself is a lot like my cinnamon bread avocado toast with strawberry jelly, cheese, and everything bagel seasoning: absolutely disastrous but fun if you don’t think too hard about it.

Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania came out Feb. 17, becoming the third movie in the Ant Man franchise, 31st film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and the beginning of phase five of the MCU. The movie is focused on Ant Man’s (Paul Rudd) life following the events of Avengers: Endgame , specifically his relationship with his teenage daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) and his internal struggle between his newfound fame, ego, and his reluctance to still be a hero for the “little guy.” Once the characters enter the quantum realm, the plot itself is a lot like my cinnamon bread avocado toast with strawberry jelly, cheese, and everything bagel seasoning: absolutely disastrous but fun if you don’t think too hard about it.

The movie began as most Marvel films do: a fun-loving montage with a corny or classic 80’s song in the background. As Lang reminisced about his days valiantly fighting at Captain America’s side to a room full of devoted seven-year-old fans and their doting mothers, he receives a

call saying Cassie has landed herself in jail after using Pym technology to shrink a police car during a protest. This leads into a run-on of scenes depicting Lang’s over-the-top selfpraise much to the annoyance of Cassie who seems to be a selfaware activist.

Right off the bat, it seems Marvel is using Ant Man (of all movies) as a social and political commentary. Marvel projects like Ms. Marvel and Black Panther do an excellent job at providing representation for communities of color and the industry is making strides to include characters that are typically not found in mainstream media, but that is not what Ant Man is known for.

Lang’s goofy personality, banter with Hank, and scheming with the Hornets (whose absence was greatly noted in this film) has been what the storyline has previously thrived from. Yet, Quantumania tries to fit in several broad issues while also showcasing its impressive amounts of CGI and introducing its star-studded cast.

Throughout the film, Ant Man, Cassie, Hope (Evangeline Lily), Hank (Michael Douglas), and Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) traverse different regions of the quantum realm whose inhabitants were displaced and preparing for eradication by Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). Although Ant Man is initially hesitant to help these quantum folks take back their land and defeat Kang, he eventually comes around after Cassie, in true teenage activist fashion, exclaims, “Even though it’s not our problem, that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.”

While it is important to recognize difficult histories while mobilizing youth to use their voice and take action against injustices they see in the world, Quantumania’s attempts to take on this challenge are

overwhelmed by intense amounts of bizarre characters and twists that distract from the heart of the plot — if that’s what you can call it. The message falls through the cracks.

One of the strangest things about this film, besides the 1,000-year-old ants who reinvented society and technology and the return of the first movie’s antagonist, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), as a giant, memeworthy killer robot with a giant forehead, is the fact that Ant Man contributes almost nothing to the plot. He is always either imprisoned, uninterested in helping, beat up, or beat to the punch by Cassie (literally and metaphorically).

While Ant Man has successfully contributed to the Avengers team in the past, Lang’s constant, but understandable, confliction about getting involved in the fight or keeping Cassie safe leaves him MIA. Although he does enact his giant move (once again, literally) and theoretically sacrifices his chance of getting back to the real world to keep Kang from escaping, these heroic feats come at the last 10 minutes of the movie. These plot choices leave audiences flustered, wondering why Lang receives more attention in the press than the true stars of the show: the actual ants.

Quantumania tries to fit in several broad issues while also showcasing its impressive amounts of CGI and introducing its star-studded cast.

Quantumania may not be at the same level as other Marvel comedic hits like Thor: Ragnarok, but there are redeeming qualities for viewers to ant-icipate in the form of phenomenal acting performances. Majors absolutely delivered, easily switching from eliciting sympathy through the role of a harmless victim to giving audiences chills

through his stone-cold yet wounded portrayal of Kang.

On a lighter note, the brief cameo by Bill Murray was a nice surprise that left me giggling for quite some time. In addition to this, Hank Pym came out swinging with the snappy one liners and his over-emphasis on the importance of his beloved ants that effortlessly filled in the uneventful or tense moments.

Although Lang may fall “short” in some areas of the film, the portrayal of him as a father is heartwarming to see. Most Marvel characters who have kids either die (Iron Man) or are rarely shown with their kids ( Hawkeye ). Ant Man’s motivations throughout his first two movies and Endgame largely revolve around connecting with Cassie.

Quantumania may not be at the same level as other Marvel comedic hits like Thor: Ragnarok, but there are redeeming qualities for viewers to ant-icipate in the form of phenomenal acting performances.

Quantumania did an excellent job at bringing Lang and Cassie’s relationship to the forefront and depicting, through a psychedelic trip of a thousand variants of Lang, that his main goal is to do whatever he can to protect Cassie and be present in her life.

Although the direction of the movie could have been clearer and possibly gone without the existential crisis it introduces in the latter half, its sheer outlandishness made it a wacky distraction from impending amounts of work and gave me the courage to blast sad girl music and jump around Jaqua on my way back home. After all, the film shows us that time and subsequent actions do not matter in the slightest, so who cares?

By Julia Abate ’24 Staff Writer

Sunday brunch at Mallot is nonnegotiable. Saturday brunch is negotiable. All of the dining halls at The Claremont Colleges make a good brunch on Saturday.

This past Saturday, my friend and I went to Pitzer to try the brunch there. I brought two espressos that I made in my room: one for my friend and one for me. We both got breakfast burritos, French toast, and cinnamon rolls. I got a triangle of avocado toast with eggs and strip steak.

The French toast was unbelievably good. It was the kind of French toast that’s almost black on the outside. It’s almost like looking at skin underneath the right kind of light. That’s how the brown crust looks over the yellow slices of bread. The French toast is soft and sweet; the crust is crispy and tastes a little burnt. It’s dusted with powdered sugar that melts into my tongue. It is so nice to talk with someone over brunch in a way unlike any other meal. We talked for a long time about bagels and chai and Tommy Lee and Pamela Andersen and understanding other people. Brunch has no end time.

On Sunday, I ate brunch alone after watching TV until noon. I think that Sunday brunch is the best brunch that Mallot has to offer: the avocado toast bar exists. I don’t think that this needs any kind of explanation. The avocado toast bar can be found at the Grill station at Mallot, where people normally grab burgers and fries and sliced pickles and onions.

Let’s Have a Toast : A 5C Food Review

Slices of blush-colored tomatoes and purple rings of onion are the only staple on Sundays. The rest of the avocado toast toppings are capers, arugula, slices of mozzarella cheese, and slices of smoked salmon. There is also basil pesto and fig balsamic glaze.

Everyone lines up to eventually grab thick slices of toast. The toasts don’t look crispy and toasty on the outside. When I’m making my own toast, I usually try to almost burn the toast; I like my toast to be a nice sunny wheat brown color. The crisp on these slices of toast are like beauty marks on the bread. They are delicious nonetheless. These slices of bread somehow still taste crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. They also have a salty, buttery taste — it’s almost greasy but not quite. The workers put the bread on the grill. It has a comforting feeling.

My trick for avocado toast is actually assembling the avocado toast when I sit down. I put two slices of bread on one plate. I put the avocado spread, pesto, mozzarella, arugula, and capers on another plate. I don’t love smoked salmon. I don’t like the way that tomato slices taste on avocado toast. I had a bad experience with red onions a couple of lunches ago — I couldn’t get the taste out of my mouth for the rest of the afternoon. I am still avoiding red onions. I take my plates and head to The Motley. I would like to state for the record that if Mallot were still serving overnight oats, I would totally have a bowl — but they aren’t.

humming in the background.

The students who work at The Motley sometimes organize themed shifts, which have special drinks that go along with them. The shift that day was baby themed. They had a couple of specialty drinks, including a blackberry latte, a coconut cream latte, and a strawberry matcha latte. I decided to try the strawberry

strawberry flavor was the right amount of sweet to balance out the bitter aftertaste of matcha. The day was cloudy and slightly misty. It felt like the last sprinkle of rain that southern California needed to let springtime officially commence. Raise your cups for a toast: French, avocado, and The Motley.

Motley Bans Milk, Coffee, Tea, Sugar

By Nina Howe-Goldstein ’25 Triple-Platinum Certified Hater

In an unexpected move that shocked students and sent waves across the Claremont Colleges, management for the Motley announced today that the iconic cafe would be phasing out staple drinks like coffee and tea, as well as all milks and sweeteners, due to their adverse environmental impact.

Founded in 1974, the student-run coffee shop quickly became a popular gathering point at Scripps, and is often cited by alumni as a favorite campus dining spot. The cafe moved first from Balch Hall to the basement of Malott Dining Commons, before ending up in Seal Court in 2000. After closing for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the space reopened to great fanfare in April of 2022.

Sustainability and activism have long been central to the Motley’s mission, said a source close to the decision-making process. In a statement to The Scripps Voice, the coffeeshop management said that they intend to “provide a center for intersectional feminist dialogues, highlight local vendors and sustainable global supply chains, and support on-campus organizations through community events and sponsorships.” (The word “intersectional” was added in 1988 when, in a particularly fruitful smoke sesh at Pitzer, leadership saw

in a vision that Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw at UChicago was about to develop a complex legal theory to describe the gendered and racial experiences of Black women, and that they should really hop on that bandwagon vis-a-vis their HWC student-run coffeeshop.

Citing this mission, the Motley announced on Friday in a social media post that they would soon be phasing out coffee, tea, sweeteners, and all milks and milk substitutes.

The conversation about the removals began in early 2003, said another source, when the Motley’s 34-person Environmental Justice Panel (an offshoot of the Social Justice Subcommittee, itself a branch of the Megacorporation Collaborations Committee) voted to recommend that an exploratory committee be formed to investigate a possible transition away from cow milk.

A series of investigations prior to the COVID-19 pandemic had revealed the sheer number of products that the Motley would have to eliminate in order to meet its ethical and sustainability goals. Leaked documents verified by the Scripps Voice’s in-house forensics team reveal that management had been aware of the concerns for years, but had continued with their (frankly environmentally destructive) current menu for many years “for shits n’ gigs.”

Coffee, tea, and sugar are all linked to exploitative and destructive

worldwide colonial systems, noted a 2019 investigation. Cow milk produces substantial amounts of methane emissions, and almond milk production uses an estimated 17 times more water per liter than cow milk, said a 2008 report by the Environmental Analysis department (which drowned itself en masse in Seal Court the next year to protest the living conditions of the koi fish).

“And let’s be real here, oat milk tastes like you’re listening to someone complain about all the biphobia she experienced in her academic dishonesty hearing,” said a Motley barista (who asked to remain anonymous). “We couldn’t serve oat milk as our only beverage. I would rather stab myself in the eye with a steamer.”

The announcement was heralded as a sign of progress by many Motley customers.

“I support them,” said Watheryn Kang HM ’23. “… so long as they ban water too, for environmental reasons.”

Llla Eehavi ’24 said that the change will support students with dietary restrictions, but expressed concern that it was discriminatory towards marginalized sexualities.

“As a GERD [Chronic Acid Reflux] haver, I appreciate the Motley’s efforts to remove ingredients that will trigger acid reflux — including coffee, dairy, sugar, anything with flavor, anything that sparks joy, caffeine, and oat milk,” Eehavi said in an interview in Seal Court. “But the removal of tea

is a deliberate attack on all lesbians at the Claremont Colleges, as I am a lesbian and I like tea, and I am pretty sure my lesbian experience is the only one.”

“Thank God they aren’t getting rid of lavender syrup,” Eehavi said, walking away, as-of-yet blissfully unaware of the contents of Monin syrup.

But Derin Evidson ’25, who says she applied to be a Motley barista in the fall and was rejected, harshly criticized the move in an unsolicited, profanity-laden email to the Scripps Voice editorial board.

“The Motley has a track record of being the best/worst example of modern day activism I’ve seen in years,” Evidson said. “I have no doubt that if they could bottle up the essence of ‘divine feminine’ they would sell it for $14.75 for a ‘small.’ If they want to make a real point, they should dump all the tea into pHake Lake and declare Scripps an independent nation so we can finally elect a real interim president.”

In the same social media post, the Motley announced that their new menu would debut after spring break. And they encouraged students of marginalized identities (“2SLGBTQIA+, BIPOC, FGLI, water signs, no asians tho <3”) to attend their upcoming networking event hosted by Raytheon Technologies Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consultants.

‘Daisy Jones & the Six’ Is Too Much Glitter, Not Enough Gold

By Aanji Sin ’24 Editor in Chief

Congratulations, BookTok: Daisy Jones & the Six is reckoned to be the first big hit series of the year, and YA romance fans all over the world couldn’t be happier. Adapted from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best selling 2019 novel, Daisy Jones & the Six follows the fictional meteoric rise and fall of one of the biggest bands of the seventies, sublimely nostalgic and deliciously melodramatic.

The first three episodes hit Prime Video on March 3, and the rest of the miniseries will release in batches with the last of the 10 parts coming out on March 24. The show follows the format of the novel, written as an interview transcription, and

synthesizes the recollections of the band members and closely related parties for sit down interviews 20 years after their dissolution to talk about what fell apart at the height of their musical careers.

It’s a perfect set up for a television adaptation and the show succeeds with it, showing play-by-play what really happened between the lines of the band members’ vague approximations of the truth. It scratches the exact spot that the book just doesn’t — sometimes, all the audience needs to know is written right on the characters’ faces.

There are a few standout performances from the main cast; Riley Keough steals her scenes as the titular Daisy Jones and imbues the burgeoning rock star with the perfect

mix of insecurity covered with bluster and a plucky frenetic energy that you can’t help but root for. Alongside her, Camila Morrone’s Camila Dunne leans into independence and critical feminine strength for the fan favorite character.

However, what the television adaptation does best is breathe fresh life into other underused characters from the novel. Bassist Eddie Roundtree’s (Josh Whitehouse) discontent towards arrogant frontman Billy Dunne (Sam Claflin) is given a stronger, more logical foundation for what will eventually aid in the band’s dissolution in the near future. Furthermore, drummer Warren Rhodes (Sebastian Chacon) is the bit of comic relief that isn’t dependent on misogyny and much needed in the show’s torrent of brooding and existentialism. Nabiyah Be’s “disco pioneer” Simone Jackson, companion to Daisy, also lends some needed diversity to an otherwise whitewashed cast of heterosexuals and earns a much-deserved spotlight on her own career growth.

Daisy Jones & the Six can be quintessentially summed up in one quote from Billy Dunne: “Same old rock ’n’ roll story. The drinking, the drugs, the loneliness.” The elements of the story are well-worn cliches of this vein — and very evidently Fleetwood Mac inspired. However, the first three episodes covering the story’s exposition don’t do enough to deliver on that sentiment. It fails at digging up that ugly, scaled underbelly of

the story’s heart; what the seventies rock n’ roll scene did to its young impressionable stars; what the book doesn’t shy away from: addiction, infidelity, sexual assault, parental trauma, and much more. Issues are addressed at a safe distance from the camera which instead casts a romanticized veil over what could have been impactful messages to spread, and just generally made for better television.

And while this might be a point of contention with fans of the novel, the show hasn’t quite hit the nail on the head of what is one of Daisy Jones & the Six’s most compelling aspects: that these people suck. Not to spoil too much of what’s to come, but Daisy Jones is not supposed to be a good person — neither is Billy, nor most of the other band members (but you can leave Karen Sirko out of this). The entire plot of the story pretty much hinges upon this fact.

And that’s the beauty of Daisy Jones, both the fictional seventies icon and the story itself. She sucks, and yet you love her. You fall for her just like everyone else does. And while Keough’s Daisy and Claflin’s Billy have their high points, they haven’t plummeted to their lows quite as severely as expected. Here’s to hoping that the rest of the series packs a harder punch.

Episodes one through three of Daisy Jones & the Six are now streaming on Prime Video, and episodes four through six drop this Friday, March 10.

Love the Books You Love: In Defense of Fun Books

By Aviva V. Maxon ’24 Staff Writer

I was sitting at a dinner where we were going around introducing ourselves. All that was required was a basic introduction and an answer to the question: what is your favorite book?

This question has led me to panic for a while now. In middle school, my favorite books were Harry Potter and It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini. I often say Vizzini’s book is still my favorite since nothing has stuck out so much to me since reading it in high school. As we made it around the circle, I became increasingly nervous. Some of the books mentioned before me included This Side of Paradise, Crime and Punishment , and a few books by big-name thinkers and leaders. All in all, these people were reading and loving some high-brow books.

I like to think of myself as an avid reader. I am almost always in the middle of a book or two outside my schoolwork. I’ve read lots of the ‘greats’— Fahrenheit 451, Catcher in the Rye , Margaret Atwood’s novels, and more. Still, I felt like this crowd would look down on me if I were to say my favorite books were celebrity memoirs (Nick Offerman’s Where the Deer and Antelope Play , Tina Fey’s Bossypants ) and romance novels ( The Bookshop

of Second Chances and One Last Stop ). When my turn came, I shared my favorite book from childhood: It Zwibble, the Star-touched Dinosaur

One of the many reasons I came to a liberal arts college was to have the opportunity to talk about books, be surrounded by books, and be among people who love books just as much as I do. In class, we read and talk about great books by scholars and people who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of knowledge. This habit is wonderful and fulfills the need to think about and read books deeply, but it leaves out the ability to read books at a surface level or just for pleasure.

I want to read books that take me on adventures, where characters make hard choices and fall in love. I want to read books that show me what it is like to live as someone other than me. I want to read books that are joyous and fun, some may contribute to the wider knowledge of humanity, and some may be just good stories with compelling characters.

Why do our favorite books have to fall into the narrow canon of literature, which not only is complex but also generally leaves out authors with marginalized identities? We can learn from and enjoy the ‘classics’ without holding them above all other books.

A celebrity memoir, romance novel, or a ‘classic’ are all books. They all share knowledge, a story, or something to learn. The classification of the book should not matter. The point is to read, to gain more knowledge, and to find joy in story.

The best books I’ve read all have characters I can connect with, feel what they feel, and learn from their mistakes. Just because the book is not enshrined in the canon of literature does not mean it does not have anything to share.

We take books too seriously. We should be having fun with the stories we read (and write). We should enjoy learning and growing. I learned to love reading and to love books, because I fell in love with the characters on the page. You are not more intelligent, interesting, or important if you have a high-brow favorite book. Books we read for the sake of enjoyment are just as important and often have just as much to say about the world as the renowned ‘classics.’

Photo Courtesy of Amazon Prime

Photo Courtesy of Channel Kindness

By Izzy Silva ’24 Horoscope Columnist

April Horoscopes

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

Your season is nearing. Take this time to water your plants and talk nicely to them. I know you have a lot of anger, but turn that anger into words of passion. Tell the plants you care about them SO much.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

Money is coming your way. I mean like a lot of it. I sense that game show level prizes are coming. All inclusive spring break trip? It’s coming for you.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

I suggest expanding your music taste. You need something motivational I can sense… “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus is what you need to hear right now.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

When was the last time you listened to white noise? Your brain has been filled up with so many emotions! Take time to listen to an hour of air conditioning noises on Spotify. I promise it’ll help.

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

We all know you are bold. Go on an adventure by yourself! Make it a goal to compliment three strangers. Perhaps they will compliment you back — we all know you love the ego boost!

Virgo (August 23 - September 22)

Be extra cautious about that voice memo feature on your phone. You never know when you will accidentally send a voice memo about some silly personal details to someone who didn’t need to know that you have a stash of ring pops hidden somewhere…

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

You are juggling too much during this midterm season. It is important that you do something important with your free time. Perhaps, literally indulge in juggling. No shame in having clown skills!

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

You should dye your hair. I know you have been wanting to find a way to be even cooler. I suggest the brand Good Dye Young (this is not

Sagittarius (November 22December 21)

Sit in a car and listen to the entirety of the album 25 by Adele. You really need this.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

I dare you to take a whole entire day to just sit and watch a lot of Glee. I know this will be hard, but this will make you stronger.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)

The next time you see a Calico Critter at a store, get it and keep it on you at all times. You will meet someone who also carries a Calico Critter around with them because it’s comforting. You will be soulmates.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

Watch Fleabag again… and do some critical thinking while watching it. This will bring a lot of self discovery.

Sucker Fish Too Quiet

By Rebecca Allen ’25 Staff Writer

In the distance, a siren.

I listen to Frankie Cosmos’ old bandcamp albums and wish I was in New York in spring, looking at the tenements and their graffiti covered alleys.

Quiet afternoons make me think of Sundays at home, of the pale light streaming in and how I would read the paper lazily in the kitchen while you cooked and the cat whined. your voice is far now, and when I listen sometimes I forget that those days used to be us, always.

By Aviva V. Maxon ’24 Staff Writer

When it’s been too quiet, too good, too okay for too long, the creeping feeling, Starts in my feet, around my legs, through my pelvis and up my stomach, creeping into my lungs so tight, I can only pull my breaths out, one at a time, Plunging into my heart, shoulders, spine, until my head, Shouts to stop.