The Slate 10-31-23

Patterson one year after his inauguration

Editor’s Note: This interview with President Patterson occurred on Sept. 27, a little less than two weeks before the university experienced several infrastructure issues including the water main break outside Naugle Hall and reported gas leak in Dauphin Humanities Center Friday, Oct. 27, marked one year since Charles Patterson was inaugurated as Shippensburg University’s 18th president. His time at Shippensburg University started in August 2021 when he stepped in as interim president after Laurie Carter, former SU President, left the university. Before coming to Shippensburg University, Patterson had served as the president of Mansfield University since 2019.

The Slate got to sit down and reflect with Patterson on his year since inauguration earlier this semester.

Schools across the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have seen a decline in enrollment, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Shippensburg University was no different until recently.

“Here at Ship, we’ve been able to flatten that curve, and we have had a slight increase in headcount and number of students that are attending Ship,” Patterson said of SU’s recent enrollment increase. “What we

really want to do is continue to demonstrate the value of a Shippensburg University education, and we look to see that increase in the future.”

As president, Patterson said there are no two days that are the same. “Running a campus is like running a city. There are high highs and there are low lows. You take every day with, you know, new optimism.”

Patterson has established himself as a very accessible university president, distributing his personal cell phone number to prospective and current students.

“Students are very appreciative of that, I think, and they use it willingly at times. It’s a good thing for me to hear their voice directly, to hear their concerns,” he said of sharing his phone number. Patterson thinks it is important to hear what students, staff, friends and other stakeholders of the university think and experience.

Congratulations to Charles Patterson on his one-year anniversary of his presidential inauguration. The full interview with Patterson can be viewed at theslateonline.com.

Students can contact Patterson at 912-536-5033. Individuals can also raise concerns and questions to SU’s president and other university officials at President’s Hour on Monday, Nov. 13, from 8 to 9 p.m. in Naugle Hall multipurpose room.

Correction Notice:

In the 10/3 print edition of The Slate, there were three errors in the article titled “SGA votes to form committee for constitutional changes”

1. At the Sept. 28 SGA Public Meeting Emily Javitt did not make comments about Kriner Hall renovations as she was not there.

2. Nicole Baumgardner made the Activities Programming Board’s report.

3. There is not currrently any opportunitues for student groups to apply for more funds this year, in reference to Kim Rockwell’s statements.

Blackout in Gaza

Update on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine

Maggie McGuire Guest Contributor

Editor’s Note: This article is based on information as of Oct. 29, 2023.

Israel cut off all internet and cellular communications from the Gaza Strip on Friday evening local time. Palestinians were no longer able to contact anyone inside or outside of the Gaza Strip, cutting off communication not only with family members but also with emergency services such as ambulances, according to the Associated Press.

Human Rights Watch warned that the blackout risks “providing cover for mass atrocities and contributing to impunity for human rights violations.”

“If we all got killed…no one will know,” Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad shared in an Instagram post during a brief moment of internet connection.

Members of the press in Gaza now face extremely reduced access to the internet, stifling their ability to share eyewitness accounts and submit reports to news outlets. Some journalists continue to send reports through access to satellite connections based on a report from AXIOS. At least 29 members of the press in Gaza have been killed by Israeli airstrikes since Oct. 7, 24 of which are Palestinians, four Israeli and one Lebanese, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

“This night is different than anything Gaza has ever experienced,” Palestinian reporter Waed Al Dahdouh said on Al Quds Radio, a station reporting live from Gaza. Al Dahdouh also said that the bombing increased to an “unprecedented level” after the blackout on Oct. 27.

This comes after Palestinian resistance group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israeli communities, killing 1,400 Israeli settlers on Oct. 7. Hamas captured 229 hostages, including children, elderly and foreigners. As of Oct. 27, Hamas has released four hostages back to Israel and claims Israeli airstrikes have killed almost 50 hostages.

Since Oct. 7, Israel has responded with ongoing airstrikes on the 25-mile long, densely populated Gaza Strip, killing more than 7,000 Palestinians, and injuring over 17,000 with over 3,000 of the killed being children, according to a report released by the Gaza Health Ministry.

Over 50% of the population in Gaza is under 15 years old, according to the Population Reference Bureau.

This crisis did not begin on Oct. 7. During the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, Israeli settlers displaced at least 700,000 indigenous Palestinians

from the area. Under the sanction of the Israeli government, Israeli settlers have continued to displace Palestinians through massive land seizures, forcing them into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, according to the Council of Foreign Relations. Earlier this year, Israel approved 7,000 additional settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to the Associated Press.

Since 2006, Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip through local elections. Hamas is a political and military group that does not recognize Israel as a state and has been engaged in armed conflict with the Israeli state for several decades.

Of the over 7,000 Palestinians killed, an estimated 13 have been Hamas officials, according to statements made by the Israeli Military and Hamas.

In the past three weeks, more than one million Palestinians have lost their homes to Israeli attacks according to the United Nations Press. These airstrikes continue to level multi-story buildings, killing dozens of Palestinian civilians at a time, according to video evidence provided by members of the press in Gaza. These destroyed buildings include residential homes and hospitals, according to the Associated Press.

Israel refuses to cease its bombardment of residential areas and hospitals, as the government claimed in a news conference that Hamas operates in tunnels underneath these areas.

Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza has also emboldened far-right Israeli settlers in the West Bank of Occupied Palestine. Ninety-one Palestinians in the West Bank have been killed since Oct. 7 in a combination of attacks by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and armed Israeli settlers, according to reports from the Palestinian Health Ministry in the West Bank given to the Associated Press.

In a news address on Oct. 25 on i24, an Israeli news channel, the Israeli state Prime Minister and former President of

Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, informed viewers that Israel is currently preparing a ground invasion of Gaza. He declined to elaborate on the timing or any other details of this operation.

“We have killed thousands of terrorists, and this is only the beginning,” Netanyahu said. This comes after earlier comments by Netanyahu that Gaza and Hamas will pay an “unprecedented price.”

Israel’s shut off of fuel, water and

“If we all got killed ... no one would know,”

Plestia Alaqad Palestinian Journalist

internet service has negatively impacted survival in the Gaza Strip. The Gaza Health Ministry announced a “total collapse” of its healthcare systems in hospitals on Oct. 24. As fuel runs lower, only emergency cases can be treated. Doctors in Gaza also report outbreaks of infectious disease due to overcrowding and lack of access to clean water, according to reports by the Gaza Health Ministry

In a comment to CNN, Mark Regev, senior adviser to Netanyahu, claimed that any fuel supplied to Gaza would be used by Hamas to kill Israelis. He also told CNN that no fuel would be allowed into Gaza even if all Israeli hostages were returned.

The United States continues to oppose a ceasefire, and President Joe Biden vowed to stand with Israel “forever.”

President Biden requested $14.3 billion dollars from Congress to aid Israel’s assault on Gaza, an addition to the $3.8 billion Israel receives from the United States annually, according to the Associated Press and the Congressional Research Service. Biden also requested $100 million for humanitarian aid in Gaza, according to a release from The White House.

While over 50 aid trucks have been allowed into Gaza from the Rafah crossing since Oct. 21, United Nations officials estimate that Gazans require over 100 aid trucks per day to sustain their population of 2.1 million, according to Reuters.

During a White House press conference on Oct. 25, President Biden expressed concern for Palestinian civilians killed, but questioned the accuracy of the death toll reported by the Gaza Health Ministry, according to NPR. In the evening of the next day, the Gaza Health Ministry released a list of Palestinians killed since Oct. 7.

The 212-page list includes the names, ages, genders and ID numbers of 6,747 killed Palestinians. The ministry declined to name an additional 281 killed, as their bodies were unable to be identified. This list also does not include people still missing “under the rubble,” those buried without being brought to the hospital and those unable to complete their registration at the hospitals, as stated in the document.

The Gaza Health Ministry lists the cause of these deaths as “Israeli aggression.”

Omar Shakir, the director of Israel and Palestine for Human Rights Watch, said to the New York Times about the contested number of killed Palestinians, “As the debate focuses on death tolls, the bodies continue to pile up. Our focus should be on how to prevent further mass atrocities, instead of debating whether or not the number is exactly accurate or not. We know that Palestinians are being killed in unprecedentedly high numbers, and that needs to end.”

Allyson Ritchey Multimedia Contributor

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Flares from Israeli forces light up the Gaza City night sky.

Photo courtesy of Rawpixels

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minster, said Israel will not ceasefire.

Adam Beam / The Slate

The full video of President Charles Patterson’s interview can be found on theslateonline.com

Students attend Department of Global Languages’ Immersion Afternoon

Evan Dillow Staff Contributor

Immersion Afternoon was held in the Ceddia Union Building MPR from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. as a part of Shippensburg University’s annual International Education Week on Thursday, Oct. 26.

The Department of Global Languages and Cultures hosted the event. Immersion Afternoon was advertised on the SU website as a fun way to spend an afternoon where students could come to learn about other cultures and languages, eat food and talk with Shippensburg’s culture clubs about various language learning opportunities offered at Shippensburg.

The eight booths present offered information about the German, French and

Spanish language programs and Shippensburg’s Reach Out project, as well as booths that offered salsa and candy from Puerto Rico and Mexico. Reach Out is an organization run by honors students and faculty that assists in building a curricular program for the Pathways of Learning School in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. It has been running since 2010.

The Latin American booth offered four different types of salsas ranging from mild to hot. In front of each bowl, the ingredients were listed in English and Spanish. Next to each bowl was also the main ingredient, an avocado for one and peppers for two others.

The French culture booth consisted of information about La Pétanque, a game that originated from France but is now played across the

world, including 20 clubs dedicated to the sport in the United States. To play the game, two players take turns throwing boules, heavy metal balls, toward a Jack, a small wooden ball placed a distance away. The player who throws their boules closest to the Jack wins. There are many techniques on how to throw accurately.

As a part of International Education Week, the goal of the Immersion Afternoon and other events taking place this week is to facilitate a stronger community and make Shippensburg’s international students feel welcome on campus. Another goal this week is to educate students about educational opportunities in other countries around the world that Shippensburg students can take part in.

AOD coordinator speaks to SGA

Kurt Dunkel, program coordinator for the Connection AOD (Alcohol and Other Drugs) program, spoke before the Student Government Association at its Oct. 26 meeting.

Dunkel promoted the Raider Wellness Resource Center (CUB 121), which offers various services and hosts events like meditation and therapy dog days. He also thanked those who answered the National College Health Assessment survey, which received a 10% response rate.

President Harun Pacavar announced that SGA has determined a timeline for appointing a Vice President of Finance. The position is currently vacant, and is responsible for overseeing the Budget and Finance Committee’s efforts. Students who are interested in the position should contact Kim Rockwell at KARockwell@ship.edu by Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. for more information.

In addition to the VP of Finance position, SGA has five senator vacancies. These are for the positions representing National Pan-Hellenic Council, the Class of 2024,

Exploratory students, International students, and Commuter students. Those interested in being considered should contact VP Kennedy Holt at sgavpinternal@ ship.edu

Vice President Lillian Sellers has taken over SGA’s social media pages, and has started posting “quick minutes” to the group’s Instagram. These condensed minutes highlight important information after each public meeting.

Sellers also announced that SGA would be creating dropboxes for student comments for the SGA constitutional revision ad-hoc committee. These will be located in the lobbies of each residence hall, the DHC Fishbowl, and in Reisner Dining Hall.

Senators gave reports on past and upcoming events, emphasizing the many homecoming events. A list of official homecoming events can be found at ship. edu/alumni/homecoming.

Official business included re-approval of Sept. 14 meeting minutes, which were amended to remove unprofessional language. Additionally, SGA approved the creation of an ad-hoc committee to conduct the search for a new VP of Finance.

Hate symbols drawn in Rowland Hall

Connor

Niszczak Managing Editor

Students in the Communications, Journalism and Media Department were alerted about hate symbols drawn on a Rowland Hall welcome banner on the evening of Oct. 24. “I am writing with an angry heart as I just removed the welcome banner from the Rowland stairwell after someone scribbled swastikas all over it,” CJM department chair Carrie Sipes wrote in an email to students Tuesday night. Sipes’ email went to all

students with a major or minor in the department as well as the Shippensburg University Police Department and Manuel Ruiz, SU’s Vice President for Inclusion and Belonging.

“On behalf of the entire university, we unequivocally denounce this incident, which is in direct opposition to our institutional values supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Ruiz said in a follow-up email on Oct. 25. “At Shippensburg, people of all faiths, ethnicities, races, genders and sexualities are welcome, and every member of our community must

Editor

We are about to end the spookiest time of year here at Shippensburg University. The PAGE Center hosted another successful production of “The Rocky Horror Show,” RHA had its first Haunted Henderson and I ate more pieces of candy than I care to admit. But the scariest thing around here has nothing to do with Spooky Season. You guessed it: I am talking about alcohol abuse.

The most ignorant thing I have ever heard is any version of the sentiment, “It’s not alcoholism until you graduate.”

I know this is where I may lose many of my peers. This may be where you start to think I am a fun sponge who is going to rant about the evils of alcohol. I may be boring, but I am not irrational.

Halloween and homecoming are two of the biggest party weekends of the year, and this year, they are consecutive. This means for some of our SU friends, the partying

may very well be a sevenday-straight affair. I am deeply concerned that at least one SU student will end up hospitalized before homecoming ends for alcohol poisoning or any other injury that may be caused by a surplus of stupidity.

This, of course, is not a problem unique to Shippensburg University.

In the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 49.3% of college students reported having consumed alcohol within the past month. As I sit at the desk of my residence hall on the Friday of Halloweekend, I would be shocked if that number is not below the true percentage.

When it comes to binge drinking, which this survey defined as “five or more drinks on an occasion for men and four or more drinks on an occasion for women,” 27.4% of students met the characteristics for the same time frame. This statistic feels more accurate, but I suspect this, too, is lower than reality.

At its root, my biggest grievance is that it should not feel isolating to be an upperclassman who has not once touched alcohol or any drug in the five semesters I have been here. I fundamentally do not understand why so many of us are unable to go through college life without being

aided by some combination of alcohol, marijuana and God knows what else.

I could not begin to count the number of times I have been told during my time as a resident assistant, “You should come to frat!” I usually roll my eyes, tell them to be safe and go back to my room.

I cannot say I have not considered it. There have been many days when I would love to be able to sweat out some energy and yell songs in a room full of other people, but I want a party-like environment without drugs, and that just does not happen.

I should make one thing clear — I absolutely love the life I have created for myself here at Ship. I rarely feel like I am missing out by not engaging in the frat elements of college, and my ego likes to rear its head now and then and make me feel superior about not drinking.

If any of my peers read this far, I am not asking you to stop drinking. This week, I used my role in The Slate to write a fully self-serving column and release some thoughts I have had for a while.

If you already engage in excessive or underage drinking, I know you are unlikely to stop, regardless of my deeply moving column in your university’s newspaper.

SGA focuses on community outreach

Lillian Sellers SGA VP of External Affairs

Happy Halloween from the Student Government Association (SGA). Things may be getting spooky around campus, but the only thing scary for SGA is how quickly this semester is moving. Since our new members have been sworn in, they have been working super hard to serve our student body.

We highly encourage you to visit your senators in CUB 201 during their office hours, which can be found on the SGA Campus Groups website, to voice your concerns and suggestions.

Currently, we are establishing our committees and appointing chairpersons for this academic year. Committees always welcome walk-in members. As a reminder, Budget and Finance meets on Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. in CUB 238 and External Affairs, focused on media and outreach, will begin meeting Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. in CUB 201. Thanks to everyone who answered our committee interest form. Keep an eye out for even more committee meeting dates on our social media too, @shipsga on Instagram.

The Constitutional Reform Ad-Hoc Committee had its first meeting and is focusing on outreach to students. The original SGA Constitution was written in the 1960s and since then, many small amendments have been tacked on, but a full revision has never occurred.

Around campus early next week, the committee will be implementing drop boxes to anonymously submit your written thoughts. Members of the committee will also be conducting causal interviews with individual students as well as at student groups’ meetings. It is essential for us to build our new framework around actionable ways to support students. The drop boxes can be found in Reisner Dining Hall, the CUB, DHC’s Fishbowl Lounge and the lobbies of all residence halls.

Additionally, I would like to shout out a few of our members’ accomplishments here on campus and beyond. Vice President of Internal Affairs Kennedy Holt and Senator Philicia McArthur presented to the SU President’s cabinet their experiences as students of color at a predominantly white institution on Oct. 23. It has been amazing to see the work they and their peers at the Frederick Douglass Institute have accomplished. Our Class of 2025 Senator, Malu Takahashi, worked over the Fall Break job shadowing at Commonwealth Strategic Partners, a government relations consultancy in Washington, D.C. We are so proud of the strides our members have made serving our community here and abroad.

Finally, join us this week at our public meeting on Nov. 2. That’s right; two public meetings back-to-back. We will be hearing from another guest speaker and hope to learn more about students’ thoughts and concerns during the open gallery.

be free to teach, work, learn and live on our campus while having all aspects of their identity respected.”

In a second email, Sipes shared that she is looking into a quote for security cameras to be installed on the second floor of Rowland Hall, which is where the CJM department holds most of its classes. Sipes also hopes to “sponsor a campus discussion or other educational event to further develop anti-racism allies.” Sipes and Ruiz encouraged students to remain vigilant and report any concerns to SUPD.

Connor Niszczak Manging

Ian Thompson Asst. News Editor

Hayden Highlands / The Slate Flags from countries around the world decorating the academic quad.

Opinion

Journalism and Israel’s Culpability

Palestinians from their homes and land, and the decades since have been marked by endless cruelties inflicted on the Palestinians by the Israeli state.

because it provides the Israeli government an easy shield against any criticism, allowing them to perpetrate atrocities.

Last week, Yusra Aden wrote an excellent article on the ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip. If you have not read it, I encourage you to do so. Without repeating too much of what Aden wrote, I have some thoughts to share.

This conflict has highlighted a flaw in the journalistic profession. That flaw is an overemphasis on neutrality that often limits the media’s ability to accurately report the truth.

In the violence of the last few weeks, we have witnessed the deaths of 24 journalists according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Israel and Hamas have both shown little reverence for the sanctity of journalism and the lives of journalists, but Israeli airstrikes have been the cause of most of those deaths.

When reporters go into conflict zones, they assume some level of risk. Being in a war zone is dangerous. However, they should not have to risk their lives to cover what is happening on the ground. Combatants have a responsibility to ensure that their actions minimize civilian casualties, and that includes journalists.

For the last 75 years, the Israeli government has waged a war against the Palestinian people that amounts to genocide. The 1948 Nakba forcibly relocated the majority of Arab

None of that justifies Hamas’ actions, though. The indiscriminate killing of civilians and taking of hostages are acts that are always wrong, regardless of the perpetrators. War crimes are war crimes, no matter the war criminal.

But Israel is not innocent. Human Rights Watch has reported on the Israeli Defense Force’s use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas. White phosphorus has legitimate military uses, but its use against civilians is prohibited by international law.

Israel has also engaged in collective punishment, according to UN experts, against the civilians of Gaza. The government has tied humanitarian relief to negotiations with Hamas, punishing civilians on behalf of Hamas.

In the coverage of the violence, major news organizations have been cautious to criticize Israel or bring attention to its human rights abuses. Part of this reluctance is due to the conflation of the Israeli state and the Jewish people which dominates any conversation on the subject.

Decades of Israeli propaganda have cemented the idea that any criticism of Israel is antisemitic, arguing that the Israeli state represents Jews as a group. But that mixing of terms is problematic

We do not do that with other countries. Most people can recognize that a government is not interchangeable with its citizens. The ultra-conservative government of Israel is not synonymous with the Israeli population, nor Jewish communities internationally. Criticism of Israeli policy or their leaders is not intrinsically antisemitic, just as it would not be anti-American to criticize the American government, or Sinophobic to criticize the Chinese government.

In the same vein, it is dishonest to conflate the terrorists in Hamas to the Palestinian populations of Gaza or the West Bank. There are over 2 million people in Gaza, and less than 20,000 are suspected of being Hamas militants. A government is not synonymous with its citizens, just as a terrorist group is not synonymous with the people they use as human shields.

Unfortunately, the Israeli government has shown little effort in distinguishing those two groups. Equating any criticism with the Israeli government silences those who speak out against the violence it perpetuates. If we want the media to accurately report the truth of what is going on in Gaza, we need to make sure they can do so without being labeled as antisemites.

The importance of Black Horror

If you consider yourself a fan of the horror genre, you have probably heard the cliché “the black guy dies first” or “the black character always dies first.” Some of the most popular franchises have indulged in it and many others have poked fun at this “trend.”

However, the representation of African Americans in horror is a long road, closely entwined with the civil rights movement and the struggles for representation that faced them and other people of color.

During the past few months, I have spoken with two experts on the subject of Black Horror. Mark H. Harris is the coauthor of “The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar.” Tananarive Due is an author and professor of Black Horror and Afrofuturism at UCLA. She is also an executive producer on the documentary “Horror Noire” currently streaming on Shudder.

The roots of Black Horror tie back to the early roots of cinema itself. The film often cited as the first ever Black Horror film is “Son of Ingagi” from 1940. Written by Spencer Williams Jr., better known for “Amos and Andy,” it was groundbreaking for starring an all-black cast and having black characters holding jobs that were uncommon given the

Where’s your voice?

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sity. The unsigned staff editorial, “The Slate Speaks,” represents

segregation and racism of the period.

Moving forward to 1968, one of the most tumultuous years in American history, a little film was released known as “Night of the Living Dead.” Despite being directed by a white man, George Romero, and starring a predominantly white cast, the film made headlines for the casting of its lead. In the year that Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were assassinated, the casting of Duane Jones as a strong, competent leader who took charge of a group of white survivors and occasionally smacked them around shocked many audience members.

For Mark H. Harris, seeing the original film on VHS made him fall in love with the genre. As he told me, “I was just blown away by this black-and-white movie that seemed so old to me, but having this black actor taking charge and slapping white people around.” He went on with, “Even seeing that movie in the ’80s, I think that role would still have been ahead of its time, because we still didn’t see that many movies with this black character being a central protagonist.”

Rolling into the 1970s, the age of “Blaxploitation” was born. This was an era defined by black filmmakers, black casts and crews and films that were made specifically for black audiences.

Read the full story at theslateonline.com.

The Slate Speaks: Are you too old for Halloween?

For those who celebrate, Halloween was always a magical time for kids. Trick or treating, dressing up and embracing the spookier side of things, October is always a highlight whenever it rolls around on the calendar. However, as we grow older some Halloween traditions become more frowned upon when celebrated. For Halloween, or at least some of its traditions, is there a time when you are simply too old for it?

At a certain age, it becomes less acceptable to want to celebrate Halloween in a non-scary way. There are silly, goofy Halloween vampires, witches, werewolves, etc. However, the overly scary Halloween is not ideal for everyone.

After middle school, the expectation is that you either like horror or you are a scaredy cat. If someone wants to go all out and buy a ton of candy and decorate their house and have fun safely, why should anyone try and lessen their self-expression because of their age? Besides, participating in the “family friendly” aspects of Halloween can keep older children out of trouble.

You’re never too old to get together with your friends in stupid outfits. Certain aspects are going to be acceptable for young-

er children, but you are always free to go buy a ton of chocolate. Even if you are not a big horror fan, you can still be into other aspects, like the costume making or decorating. It is always fun to coordinate with my friends and see who can make what. You are never too old to celebrate Halloween, although the way you celebrate it will be different as you age and mature. The thought of wearing an uncomfortable costume is sometimes beneath a person, which in it of itself is a tad ridiculous.

If you stray from societal expectations like children trick or treat, teens party, etc, it can sometimes feel like there is an unspoken age limit to Halloween, but there really is not one. Some personally feel like toward the end of middle school is the time when dressing up for trick or treating slowly dies down. After that it is usually Halloween parties that people are dressing up for rather than trick or treating, which is geared more toward children. Other than trick or treating, Halloween is for all ages, but how it is defined is different for each age group. Overall, Halloween can be celebrated by anyone regardless of age, and no one should ever feel ashamed of embracing a holiday that they love.

Ian Thompson News Editor

Photo courtesy of pexels.com

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Adam Beam Opinion Editor

SUTV raises hundreds with a night of fright

SUTV, Shippensburg University’s award-winning television station embarked on its biggest journey yet by raising hundreds for a good cause through an unforgettable 12hour night of fright last Friday.

On Oct. 20, SUTV featured 26 horror icons, 14 independent filmmakers and 11 prizes for its first ever Halloween livestream, “It Came From the Television.”

Hosted by SUTV general manager Adam Beam, the livestream was set to showcase 12 hours of historic horror films and interviews from horror filmmakers, directors and producers. The goal of the livestream was to raise $10,000 for the Spirit of Children foundation, a charity funded through Spirit Halloween. Spirit of Children works to make hospitals less scary for children and their families by

providing fun and funding to Child Life departments within children’s hospitals. Donations help to guide families through challenging medical situations and hospital stays by providing therapeutic and emotional healing to young patients through toys, sensory items and supporting Child Life salaries.

SUTV’s spooktacular was also a showcase of several horror geniuses, including creator of “Hocus Pocus” Mick Garris and the creator of the “Final Destination” franchise, Jeremy Reddick. Beam’s series of interviews with these guests, titled “Talking Horror,” can be viewed on his YouTube channel @adambeam845.

“Since it’s my first semester in SUTV, I really enjoyed getting to spend time with the other crew members and learn more about how to run a broadcast,” sophomore Jayden Pohlman said. “From playing Wordle in the classroom to Sheetz runs at 2:30 a.m., it was

Haunted Henderson scares the ‘Ship’ out of students

Megan Sawka Staff Contributor

For any Shippensburg student looking for Halloween fright this past weekend, they were sure to find it at the Haunted Henderson: Escape the Funhouse event hosted by the RHA on Oct. 28. As noted in the flyers posted around campus, Haunted Henderson promised to be a night full of funhouse horror and fear for all.

Upon arriving at Henderson, students were prompted to sign a waiver that stated they consented to entering the funhouse. When walking through the tent, students were greeted with clowns, creepy dolls, contortionists and murderers. Each actor tried their best to scare the unsuspecting attendees. Screams filled the air, warning each person waiting in the lobby of what was to come.

A tour guide accompanied each group through the funhouse and told the students the story of the sections of the tent, leading the way through the blinding darkness. Behind every curtain of the tent, there was a new fright — a jump-scare, an unmoving figure or a creature sneaking up behind you.

“Haunted Henderson started off crazy — somebody yelled at me when I walked in, and two people we were with ran

out behind us. We finished going through and although it wasn’t exactly scary, it was a good time,” said SU student Izreal Graves.

Another student, Nahmere James, agreed. “For me, I wasn’t really scared. I feel like I could work one of these, you know? I have a skill at jump-scaring people, I do it all the time.”

Haunted Henderson fulfilled its promise to bring fear and frights to Shippensburg students this Halloween.

such an unforgettable experience. Overall, it was awesome to be able to support Adam’s senior project and a great charity.”

While the fundraiser was a way for the organization to raise funds, the 12-hour event also acted as a way for crew members to bond with one another. While horror films played, crew members were able to chat with one another, play card games, participate in games of Wordle and indulge in self-care with face masks.

“The idea for this event came from my love of horror films and Halloween,” Beam said. “I always wanted to do something fun for October with SUTV, and since I knew there was a lot of potential in livestreaming, the ideas spiraled from there. Some ideas didn’t come to pass, but in the end, the event was pretty much the one I envisioned back in April.”

“I chose Spirit of Children as our charity because it was a charity I love to donate

to every year,” Beam said. “And researching further into them, I noticed all the wonderful things they’ve accomplished, and I knew they were the one. It also helped that they fit the spooky vibe we were going for.”

Beam has been part of SUTV in several different roles since his freshman year and has been general manager since spring of 2023.

“It’s bittersweet realizing that my leadership time in SUTV is drawing to a close,” Beam said. “It’s been a great experience, and this livestream is certainly an event I’ll look back on fondly.”

Those interested in donating to SUTV’s fundraiser can find the GoFundMe, you can win prizes by donating. The link to SUTV’s GoFundMe for the Spirit of Children foundation can be found in the link in their Instagram bio @sutvnews.

Treats no Tricks is a smashing success

Lydia Elmy Staff Contributor

Shippensburg University hosted its 2023 Treats no Tricks event in front of Old Main on Oct. 23. Crowds of children and parents dressed in Halloween costumes arrived with buckets for candy and with smiling faces.

Old Main Lawn was heavily decorated for Halloween. From pumpkins sitting around trees to inflatable ghosts and witches, every corner was dressed for the season.

Tables where children could play games and receive candy were set up along a sidewalk. Those hosting the tables were also dressed up for Halloween, costumes ranging from princesses to hot dogs.

Lawn games such as cornhole and ladder toss

were scattered across the event as well. A “food area” was set up in front of Horton Hall, providing food such as popcorn and cotton candy. Coloring pages with markers were also provided on separate tables for the children.

There was an area set up for pictures in front of Gilbert Hall with a A Halloweenthemed backdrop provided.

A bounce house was also set up and was unsurprisingly popular amongst the children.

Many Ship students attended the event as well, with some arriving dressed in costumes. The festive event was undoubtedly popular, as the visitor parking lot beside Rowland Hall was filled.

The Reflector hosts Halloween open mic

Mara Eberle Staff Contributor

The Reflector, Shippensburg University’s literary journal, held a Halloween-themed open mic on Thursday evening, allowing students to share music, poetry and short stories. Many students arrived at Stewart Hall in costumes ready to share pieces surrounding the Halloween theme.

Members of The Reflector

participated in the open mic, including editors Maggie McGuire, Jenny Russell and Katie Huston. There were many other participants eager to share their work as well. Seeing as the open mic was Halloween-themed, several students shared pieces related to Halloween. Cora Patterson, SU student, performed an original song that she told the audience she “wrote a little over a year ago on Halloween.”

Hannah Cornell, Reflector treasurer, also held to the spooky theme and read two stories from the book “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.” The event was not limited to work related to Halloween, however. Students were able to share pieces of any length, style or topic. Jenny Russell read two poems throughout the night, one titled “Under the Magnolia.”

When the open mic ended, those in costumes were able to take pictures and socialize as Emily Dziennik, editor-

in-chief of The Reflector, Emily Dziennik, shared her thoughts on the event and the club as a whole.

“It’s about celebrating student work,” Dziennik said. “We love that we have a little community where we can do that.” Dziennik added that the deadline to submit work for this year’s edition of The Reflector is the end of the semester.

Madi Shively Ship Life Editor

SUTV General Manager Adam Beam lets out a scream to wake up late-night viewers during the 12-hour night of fright horror marathon on Oct. 20.

Photo courtesy of Eric Heisler

Two student scare actors at the event. Photo courtesy of Megan Sawka

The Reflector’s E-board after the open mic.

Photo courtesy of @shippensburg.reflector

A trick-or-treater poses with Big Red and Shippo.

Elizabeth Peters / The Slate

‘Rocky Horror’ returns to Memorial

newest creation, Rocky.

With a three-night showing, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” made a reappearance at Shippensburg University in Memorial Auditorium. This live performance was cast and produced by students.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” movie first came out in 1975, falling under both the musical and horror genres. It involves characters Brad and Janet getting hitched, but when they are stuck with a flat tire, they are forced to stop at the mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. There, they meet eerie characters, including Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s

At the beginning of the show, two of the directors, Piper Kull and Pierce Romey, gave a trigger warning to some of the concepts depicted in the show and explained that acts of sexual coercion and the slurs used are not condoned. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a significant performance to the LGBTQ+ community because of the freedom in which it celebrates what it means to be different and embracing it. It was interesting to see how the performance would look this year since the performance took place in a different location than last year. The execution in how they tackled the difference in stage styles was immaculate. Romey shared that costuming

“Everyone is my best friend”: Meet SU’s Emily Javitt

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

If you are reading this from anywhere on the campus of Shippensburg University, you have benefitted from the efforts of Emily Javitt. But there is a decent chance you have no idea who she is.

You may have seen her popping up throughout the CUB, swiping your ID at an APB event or helping your University 101 class navigate the ropes course. Javitt never wanted to land in a job that keeps her behind a desk, and since landing at SU in 2019, she has been on her feet ever since.

Javitt first worked in leadership and co-advised the Activities Programming Board (APB), then shifted to focus just on leadership with programs like the Lighthouse Academy and Ropes Course in 2021. In the summer of 2022, Javitt’s title shifted again, and she moved to fulltime programming to manage APB, Big Red’s Cupboard and Community Engagement. And as of late September, Javitt is now the Interim Director of Campus Life.

“I like bouncing around now because it got me to a

job I think I’m really going to enjoy. I liked my job before I took the interim role, but bouncing around is really hard, especially when you’re trying to make fundamental change and improve cultures and policies,” Javitt said. “I always felt like I was a little bit behind because I was never able to get ahead.”

Javitt knew a bit about bouncing around before she landed at SU. Javitt studied at Rosemont College as an undergraduate student, a place she describes as “the island of misfit toys” because it is a small private school of under 1,000 students. After realizing that she did not want to further her education in theology and religious studies, Javitt used her network to explore other options and ended up pursuing student affairs and higher education in graduate school at Penn State University, an institution nearly 100 times larger than Rosemont. After applying to dozens of jobs in 2019, Javitt found Shippensburg.

“I needed a job and it was a good area for where I wanted to be. The size was perfect because I had had the extremes: less than 400 and 40,000,” Javitt

said. “They both had their advantages and I loved them dearly, but I think there are a lot of advantages to the size that Shippensburg is. Once I saw a job open, I was like, ‘heck yeah, that’s what I want.’ I don’t regret it.”

Other than its size, Javitt has a few other thoughts on what makes Ship “it.”

“Staff and faculty who want to be here, who want to help students: that’s really special, and I don’t think you get that everywhere,” Javitt said. “I think there’s a lot of places with larger campuses where they can have a very siloed, logistical position where they might not even see a student, but they work in student affairs. That’s not really an option here. You have to have relationships with folks here to succeed.”

In her new role as Interim Director of Campus Life, Javitt relies on relationships with many folks as she now oversees the CUB as a building, assists with the operation of the information desk, contributes to planning for campus-wide events like Homecoming and continues to advise APB.

and choreography were their favorite parts in directing the show.

Freshman Charlie Cicero said, “I really enjoyed working with everyone in the cast, and I encourage anyone who has never done theatre to try it out.”

The performance itself was amazing, but the engagement from the audience was not of the same high-level liveliness. For those who have never been to a Rocky Horror performance before, a QR Code was included on the program, which was a guide that explained how interactive the show is supposed to be.

Cast members were Jenna Cornell as FrankN-Furter, Alyssa Sheriff as Janet Weiss, Chloe Lightner as Brad Majors, Griffyn Imes

The PAGE Center and APB collaborated to help put this traditional performance together. Admission was free, but donations were open for audience members to make. Opening night was on Friday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 p.m., with two more showings on the following Saturday and Sunday at the same time.

Dining services hosts first public Supper Club

Connor Niszczak Managing Editor

Shippensburg University Dining Services hosted a Haitian feast for its second Supper Club of the semester in Reisner Dining Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Ship Dining hosted its first Supper Club in late September for invited student leaders, which was held in the middle of Reisner and aimed to drum up interest in the student body.

Supper Club is a venue for dining to bring together members of the SU community after the fundamental loss of connection during the pandemic.

“This is our opportunity

to reengage,” Aramark resident district manager Asha Early said.

The meal was meant to celebrate the heritage of SU’s new executive chef Jude Jerome, who immigrated to the U.S. from Haiti in the 1980s. Jerome spent years training in Miami and “has been an assiduous supporter and champion for the less fortunate in his native country of Haiti over the last 20 years,” according to a flyer distributed to attendees.

The first course was soup joumou, a traditional Haitian dish usually eaten at New Year’s. Soup joumou was created after a Haitian slave rebellion and revolution in the early 1800s.

“When we became independent, everything they told us we couldn’t have, we put in one soup,” Chef Jude said. The main course was served family style and included jerk chicken, Haitian griot, Caribbean style cabbage, eggplant etouffee, pigeon peas and sweet plantains.

Dessert included pineapple upside down cake, sweet potato pudding and flan.

Dining Services is hosting another Supper Club in late November, so stay tuned to @shipdiningservices on Instagram for information about how to get on the guest list.

“Rocky” cast members performing on stage during the performance of the hit cult movie “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” over the weekend.

Jayden Pohlman / The Slate

as Rocky Horror, Dan Brouse as Riff Raff, AnnaShae Mason as Magenta, Nicole Ocker as Columbia, Brighid Cantwell as Eddie, Micah Lysiak as The Criminologist and Adam Beam as Dr. Scott. The transylvanians were played by Ari Stevens, Emily Moglia, Grace Harbour, Jess Lichorobeic, Katie Huston and Charlie Cicero. Usherettes were Allyson Ritchey and Victoria Rush.

Abbygale Hockenberry

Asst. A&E Editor

Javitt and CUB Associate Director for Operations Travis Houtz after a long day’s work. Javitt is quite literally a woman who wears many hats.

Photo courtesy of Emily Javitt

Connor Niszczak / The Slate A portion

chikliz.

Field of Screams is PA’s

best haunted attraction

Adam Beam Opinion Editor

Chances are if you are driving near the Lancaster area during the fall season, you will see a billboard for a place called Field of Screams. Since 1993, Field of Screams has been terrorizing Pennsylvania residents with its annual attractions and haunted houses. However, have you ever wondered what makes those haunted houses work each and every year?

Field of Screams was the brainchild of two brothers. One of those brothers is Jim Schopf, who co-founded the iconic attraction when he was a sophomore at Millersville University. Though he was attending Millersville as a secondary education major, the haunt expanded year after year and essentially became a full-time job.

When asked about the feelings of seeing his business become such an essential part of Halloween in Pennsylvania Schopf said, “There’s a lot of words — thrilling, rewarding, exhilarating and a lot of fun.” He went on to say his favorite part of Field of Screams year after year, “It’s opening night. It’s seeing all the hard work during the off-season come to fruition and finally being open.”

However, it is not just the Schopf brothers who make Field

of Screams happen, but it is the hard work of their countless volunteers and actors. There are dozens of characters and scare performers spread across the four haunted attractions that make up Field of Screams. Those attractions are Nocturnal Wasteland, Den of Darkness, Frightmare Asylum and the Haunted Hayride.

Hidden amongst the rows of corn fields is the main base of operations for the Field of Screams team. The two-story barn houses every costume, prop and make-up effect needed to make each night possible.

One of the actors who has become a regular for the haunt is Mason Swisher. Swisher’s role each year is a chainsaw performer, the haunt actors specifically trained to handle the chainless chainsaws throughout Field of Screams. In the eight years he’s been part of the team he said the thing that brings him back each time is, “Being with people who are a lot like me. Being really kind, being really happy, being really outgoing. It helps with getting that aggression out that builds up over the year.”

Field of Screams’ 31st season is wrapping up on Nov. 11, but the organizers and actors have no plans of going anywhere anytime soon. Expect a full return in September 2024.

‘One Man Star Wars’ brings out the nerds

Shippensburg was transported to a galaxy far, far away thanks to one man.

Luhrs Performing Arts Center welcomed Charlie Ross, the writer and performer of “One Man Star Wars Trilogy,” on Oct. 26. The show is a homage to the “Star Wars” original trilogy. Officially licensed by Lucasfilm, the production is a fun reimagining of the classic story performed by a single actor.

Other than some colorful stage lights and use of a mirror ball, every aspect of the night was made by Ross’ terrific performance. Being the only cast member, Ross voiced all the characters, imitated the ships and sang John William’s unforgettable music.

After each act, which coincided with the end of the three movies, Ross sat down to catch his breath and talk with the audience. “You’re letting your nerd just sort of come out, which is great. Because that there is called maturity,” he said during the second interlude.

His commentary was not limited to the interludes either. Throughout the show, Ross apologized for spitting on the front row, commented on difficult lines and made jokes about the story.

Some jokes were a bit over-explained, but most got a chuckle out of many. Times like emphasizing a moment in “A New Hope” where a character mispronounces Leia’s name as LEE-ah were funny, but Ross went on to explain the joke, robbing it of some of its humor.

I would not classify his character voices as impressions, but rather as tributes. While his version of R2-D2 and the probe

droid hit the bullseye, his Obi-Wan Kenobi sounded a bit more like Rowan Atkinson than Alec Guiness. But there is no mistaking who he is portraying at any one time.

The physicality of the performance helped distinguish characters as well. Whether holding his hands up by his head to suggest Princess Leia’s hair buns or using his arms to form Jabba the Hutt’s mouth, Ross ensured that each character was distinct.

I sat down with Ross after the show to discuss its history. Ross has performed over 5,000 times since its creation in 2001 and has been able to tour across the globe.

“For me, when the emperor comes out, that’s when things kind of culminate for me,” Ross said of his favorite part of the show. “Finally, I’ve got all the characters involved and I can now be all of them and I get to be the evil bastard.”

Ross also performs a “One Man Lord of the Rings” show, which he developed after his “One Man Star Wars.” He has also adapted “The Avengers,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “The Dark Knight” and other works. “Back to the Future” is something Ross would like to work on, but licensing has been a roadblock thus far.

He also spoke on the difficulty of adapting comedies. “Trying to make something funny is actually hard. I’d love to do some kind of One-Man Monty Python, but it’s already funny as it is.”

I asked Ross if he would be interested in returning to perform his “One Man Lord of the Rings” at Luhrs. “Absolutely. If they asked me, I’d be here in a heartbeat.”

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ is light on scares and fun

to learn that Lillard was only in the movie for what ultimately amounts to 10 minutes of screentime, he owns every second of it.

After eight years in development limbo, the longawaited adaptation of the popular horror franchise “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is finally here. Courtesy of Blumhouse, the beloved video games by Scott Cawthon come to life on the big screen with big stars like Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard.

I must admit right off the bat that I have only ever played two of the 10 mainline “FNAF” games. However, I have kept pretty up to date with the eversprawling lore (shoutout to LS Mark on YouTube for having the best and most compact summary of the lore). So, seeing the early reviews being divisive to say the least, I was cautiously optimistic. I need to preface that I do not believe in the philosophy that movies made for the fans can only be good for the fans. Look at “Spider-Verse” for example. It is filled with tons of easter eggs and references for diehard Spider-Man fans, but still delivered a story and character casual viewers could latch on to. However, I think that is where “Five Nights at Freddy’s” falters. The film’s greatest strength truly lies with its title characters. The fully animatronic Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy are incredibly entertaining to see so accurately brought to life on screen. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop really outdid themselves as they ripped the designs straight from the first video game installment. Every scene set inside the pizzeria is automatically made much more entertaining knowing those hulking metal masses are lurking around. I also have to give a shout to Matthew Lillard as Steve Raglan. While I was incredibly disappointed

Unfortunately, the rest of the characters are where the film begins to talespin out of control. Hutcherson is quite literally asleep at the wheel for most of the movie. While the chemistry between him and young actress Piper Rubio is convincing enough, Hutcherson just seems bored throughout. I also feel bad for “YOU” actress Elizabeth Lail who plays Vanessa. The performance itself is not terrible, but the character is just horribly written and made certain scenes a drag to get through.

I think another major fault of the movie is the PG13 rating. While the “FNAF” fanbase is mostly on the younger side, there is still a sizeable majority that are of drinking age. After all, the first game is almost 10 years old. The rating greatly holds back the scare factor the film was trying to go for. Every kill is done off screen with little to no blood. Even the scene that many long-time fans have been waiting to see brought to life is pretty underwhelming.

I will not deny that I had a fun time with “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” but I feel for most casual moviegoers the film does little to make them want to seek out the source material. Whenever the iconic animatronics are on-screen the movie jumps out significantly in entertainment value and there are plenty of fun nods for the fans. However, references can only make a movie go so far. I do not think anyone will regret watching this movie, but I cannot say it is going to leave a massive impact when all is said and done.

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” is currently streaming on Peacock and in theaters.

Adam Beam / The Slate

Adam Beam Opinion Editor

Adam Beam / The Slate

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” was released on Peacock and in theaters on Oct. 27.

Field of Screams is a haunted attraction in Mountville, Pennsylvania, which is holding its 31st season.

Ian Thompson News Editor

Book review: ‘It Ends with Us’ and ‘It Starts with Us’

turn when Ryle becomes abusive. Lily endures his abuse in hopes that he will change, until she finds out that she is pregnant.

Lily and Ryle in the first half of the book to display how difficult it is to leave someone you love after they continuously hurt you.

If you are a reader who also exists on TikTok, then the chances are you have heard of Colleen Hoover.

Hoover initially started her writing career as a self-publishing author, publishing her first novel titled “Slammed” in 2012. She however gained worldwide attention, including mine, especially on the social media platform, TikTok, from her novel “It Ends With Us” published in 2016. Four million copies of the novel were sold as of December 2022. As a result of her popularity, Hoover now holds six of the Top 10 spots on the New York Times paperback fiction best seller list.

Following “It Ends With Us,” she released a sequel, “It Starts With Us,” in 2022, which also took TikTok by storm. Her books are sold at various locations including Walmart, Target, Amazon and many others.

“It Ends with Us” follows our protagonist Lily who meets Ryle one night on a rooftop. After a few encounters, they begin to get to know one another and fall in love. They had a picture-perfect relationship, but things take a

The book concluded at the hospital after she had given birth with a touching line, “It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us,” declaring her separation from Ryle, and her choice to break the cycle of abuse for the sake of her and her child to live a happy life,

In contrast, “It Starts with Us” is about Lily’s second chance romance with her childhood lover, Atlas. We read through as they rekindle their love while navigating through coparenting with her abusive exhusband.

“It Ends with Us” has probably left the most impact on me more than any other book I have read. Reading through this book was an emotional rollercoaster. There were times where I felt angry, sad, happy and giddy. Prior to reading it, I never considered how difficult it is to leave an abusive relationship.

A reviewer from a magazine expressed that the book “romanticizes red flags and glorifies a charismatic-but-dangerous man,” but I interpreted it differently. I thought it was important for there to be romance between

Grace’s Weekly Record: ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’

Grace Harbour A&E Editor

Taylor Swift released her fourth re-recorded album, “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” on Friday, Oct. 27, and it is still twinkly and dreamy as ever.

The re-recording process began in 2019 when Swift’s old record label was sold to music manager Scooter Braun, which meant that he gained the rights to the masters of Swift’s first six albums. So, Swift decided to reclaim her music by rerecording all of her stolen albums.

The original “1989” was released nine years ago on Oct. 27, 2014. Named after Swift’s birth year, the ’80s-inspired pop album made a big impact. The album solidified Swift as a pop sensation and won Album of the Year at the 2015 Grammys. It included pop hits such as “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood.” With the amount of success “1989” had, it is no surprise that

“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” was one of the most anticipated re-recordings.

“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” carries the same sound as the original, but still shows Swift’s growth as an artist and as a person. My favorite thing about her rerecordings is seeing how differently she sings her songs, signifying that she has grown and moved on from that stage of her life.

For each re-recording, Swift releases special “from the vault” tracks, which are songs that she never released and revisited.

“1989 (Taylor’s Version)” has five new “from the vault” tracks that fit perfectly with the rest of the album.

The first vault track is the dream-like “‘Slut!’” in which Swift describes the slut-shaming she receives from the media and navigating a relationship despite it — “But if I’m all dressed up/They might as well be lookin’ at us/And if they call me a slut/You know it might be worth it for once.”

In “Say Don’t Go,” Swift pleads for her ex-lover to tell her not to leave after being led on by them.

“Now That We Don’t Talk” expresses the struggle of accepting the end of a relationship, and noticing changes in the other person’s life although you are not a part of it anymore.

“Suburban Legends” is reminiscent of “Mastermind” from Swift’s “Midnights,” with the synth production, and it paints a picture of a magnetic relationship — “And you kissed me in a way that’s going to screw me up forever.”

The standout of the vault tracks is the concluding track “Is It Over Now?” in which Swift wonders if her relationship is coming to an end. One of my favorite lines is “You dream of my mouth before it called you a lying traitor.” The song feels like the perfect conclusion to the record, as the production in the bridge creates a cinematic feeling.

What I admire the most about the book is how they made us fall in love with the abuser the same way the protagonist did. I hate to admit it, but I found myself making excuses for the abuser’s behaviors, in addition to supporting the protagonist’s decision to keep staying with him after multiple incidents.

However, I did not feel the same about “It Starts with Us.” This book did not serve as much of a purpose as “It Ends with Us.”

The focus of the sequel was supposed to be the second chance romance between Lily and Atlas, yet we saw too many scenes still focused on Ryle’s abusive behavior. I was hoping that Ryle would have some sort of character development, but his character only worsened since the previous book.

In addition, I strongly disliked the mention of pop references in the book such as “gen z” and “pop socket.” This makes the book less timeless in my opinion.

Overall, I just think this sequel was quite boring and disappointing. There were not any twists like most of her books have, and

the writing felt rushed and did not read as well as her other books. This book felt like it was just written to monetize off the success that “It Ends with Us” received. Nonetheless, I’m glad that Lily got her happy ending. The vow at the epilogue is what kept me from completely disliking the book.

Although I was not a fan of the sequel, overall, I am glad that I was influenced by TikTok to read “It Starts with Us.” The writing differs from Hoover’s writing in her other novels. This book is truly moving as many can learn from it, and many can relate to it from personal experiences, including the author herself.

It personally gave me a new perspective on how I view abusive relationships. I gained understanding that it is not as easy as getting up and leaving the relationship, and there is a lot at stake in situations like that. I have developed more respect and sympathy for people who have been or are currently in an abusive relationship.

I would recommend reading “It Ends with Us” to readers who want to gain some type of understanding about the complexity of domestic abuse relationships.

Thomas’ Information Industrial: The Crüxshadows’ new singles

Thomas Firestine Staff Contributor

When searching for new synth music to play on my radio show one night, I happened across something thrilling. The Crüxshadows had released not one, but two new singles.

Industrial music is already largely dependent on synthetic sounds paired with electronic beats to make music that combines unusual symphonies with powerful lyrics. So, when ‘The Crüxshadows, an industrial band that finds ways to expand on the already creative genre, release new content, my excitement is nearly impossible to contain.

Fronted by lead singer Rogue, The Crüxshadows are an industrial band that sheds light on the beauty the genre contains.

A prime example of their innovation is one of their most popular songs “Deception,” which is heavy on the use of the violin. The song begins with a drawn out bowing of purely violin and crashes into the song’s main beat. With the song’s progression, the violin effortlessly sends signals to the listeners feet forcing them into a frenzy of square dancing as the lyrics follow with a tale of vampiric despair — “And she says/ Pray for daylight/Pray for morning/Pray for an end to our deception.”

However, I have a love-hate relationship with the first new single “Tomorrow Girl.”

The song has similarities to older music from The Crüxshadows, but also introduces distinct differences. Big on originality, it was certainly off-putting when the song contained little to no signs of the enchanting violin and instead heavy usage of synthesizers and digital tones. If the lack of familiarity was not confusing enough, the lyrics describing a mysterious relationship with that of a paranormal digital presence certainly complimented things as well — “My lover is a voice on the telephone/An angel or a Ghost/Origin unknown.”

The other new single, “Kingdom of the Moon”, was a large sigh of relief as sounds of familiarity came crashing back. While there no longer appears to be a heavy base of violin, little undertones of synthetic violin-like noises can be heard, which warmed my heart and soul. One of Rogue’s best qualities is his admiration for poetry, especially the likes of Edgar Allen Poe. His ability to turn song lyrics hauntingly poetic with the flow of the music also returns in this new single. “Lie La Luna, in these dreams entwined together/Sail Selena, separated by the night/Dream La Luna, and stay like this forever.”

Typically, when an artist releases more than one new single it means an album is on the way. After waiting since their last album release in 2017, I can only hope these back-to-back singles are signs pointing in that direction.

Horror Movie Villain Word Search

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Taylor Swift released her fourth re-recorded album “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” on Oct. 27, nine years after the release of the original “1989.”

Field hockey celebrates Senior Day with dominant win over Mercyhurst

in a pre-game ceremony before their last regular season game against

Shippensburg University’s field hockey team honored the seven seniors on its team Saturday before finishing off its regular season with a 10-1 home win over Mercyhurst University.

The win moves the Raiders to 14-3 on the year and 8-1 in conference play. The game was a season-high in goals for the Raiders, their first time in double-digits since 2021.

Before the contest, the team honored its senior class, consisting of seven players who combined to start 179 games for the Raiders over the past four years, all of which were part of the 2021 national championship team. The seniors honored were Jocelyn Branco, Paige Graber, Mya Kemp, Valu Paul, Chloe Prettyman, Morgan Saunders and Lindsay Tripodo. Branco spoke on the experience postgame, saying, “We have worked so hard to get here, and as a group we’ve worked so much off the field to be so much more connected. This day was so special not just for the seniors, but for everyone.”

Head coach Tara Zollinger echoed Branco’s thoughts on the class: “From the start of their first year here to now, they’ve poured so much love into this program, and they’ve always played for something bigger than themselves We really wanted to not just win a game, but play a great game for them.”

Shippensburg controlled the game from the start, scoring five goals in the first quarter to put the game out of reach. Sophomore Agus Garibaldi struck first, scoring just 1:57 into the match with an assist from junior Tess Jedeloo. Jedeloo then scored the next two goals for the Raiders, the first being an impressive backhand shot before scoring off a corner via an assist from sophomore Savannah Silvestre. Silvestre also assisted on the fourth goal, as did Garibaldi on sophomore Taryn Mayer’s

seventh goal of the year, making it 4-0 not even halfway through the first quarter.

Freshman McKenna Boyle was the next Raider to add to the tally, picking up her third goal of the year on a penalty stroke near the end of the quarter. Mercyhurst scored to open the second quarter, but Shippensburg responded quickly via Jedeloo’s third goal of the game, sealing the hat trick. Jedeloo now sits at 17 goals on the season.

Shippensburg stayed aggressive to open the second half, with Garibaldi scoring off an assist by Jedeloo just 34 seconds into the third quarter. Less than one minute later, junior Yasmin De Meyer scored her 10th goal of the season, again assisted by Jedeloo, to make it 8-1.

The Raiders added a pair of goals in the fourth quarter, the first off a corner from Garibaldi, giving her a hat trick as well and putting her at 13 goals on the year. The goal was assisted by freshman Hannah White, who then scored her third goal of the season to end the scoring off an assist from junior Nya Gilchrist.

Shippensburg outshot Mercyhurst 45-8 for the game, as well as having 18 penalty corners, compared to just two for the Lakers. Both totals are season-highs for the Raiders.

Redshirt sophomore Emma Albee split goalkeeping duties with Tripodo, combining for five saves.

It was a great game for the entire Shippensburg team, but focus now turns to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference playoffs, taking place this week with all games at East Stroudsburg. The Raiders earned a bye to the semifinals and will play Friday, with the championship game on Sunday if they advance.

Speaking on the team’s mindset, Zollinger said, “The main thing is that nothing’s guaranteed, we have one game left … it’s just really focusing one day at a time and making sure that we’re fully prepared.”

Women’s soccer records consecutive wins

ball following a Millersville kick to the midfield to freshman Gabrielle Walker, who then sent the ball to Torman in the box.

Shippensburg University’s women’s soccer team capped off a successful week with two wins, blanking both Millersville on Wednesday and East Stroudsburg on Saturday 1-0 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchups.

On Wednesday, the Raiders travelled to Millersville and beat the Marauders for the first time since 2019. The only goal of the game was scored by senior Nicole Torman in the 25th minute. It was Torman’s second collegiate goal and her first career game-winning goal.

Torman launched the ball into the bottom left corner of the net, after senior Sofia Pittas passed the

Another key figure in the Raiders’ win was the junior goalkeeper Morgan Molyneaux with seven saves. Molyneaux tied her second-highest total of saves in a match for this season and recorded her second shutout of the season, the fourth of her career.

On Saturday, the Raiders recorded another 1-0 shutout against the favored team of East Stroudsburg, who already clinched their spot for the PSAC playoffs and are ranked third in the PSAC East.

It was the third shutout victory for SU in as many games. The last time the Raiders had three consecutive shutout wins was in 2016, and the last time the Raiders had a three-game winning streak was in

2019. In the game, Shippensburg was present from the first moment. The team played courageously and did not show any respect for the higher-ranked opponent.

The Raiders even had a few chances to break through and get to the goal, but the Warriors were very successful with trapping the Raiders in offsides. On the other side of the field, the Warriors tried to connect passes to get in front of the Raiders goal but could not create any dangerous situations for a while.

In the 32nd minute, SU scored the only goal of the day. Walker sent the ball right under the arms of East Stroudsburg’s goalkeeper in the center of the net for the lead. It was Walker’s third goal of the season, with all of them coming from the last four games.

Walker’s goal was assisted by junior Jenna Folmar, who cut into midfield before she passed the ball to Walker. Before halftime, ESU had two big chances to tie the game, but senior goalkeeper Kendra Barlow caught the ball before it could get to the waiting Warriors’ player, and freshman Mia Kemp cleared the ball before it could cross the line after an ESU corner.

After halftime, SU continued its courageous effort. The women had good ball possession, connected lots of passes and always stayed close to their opponents to contest the ball. They did not allow East Stroudsburg to get close to their goal for the majority of the time.

In the last 10 minutes, East Stroudsburg increased the intensity with the intention to tie, or even win the game, supported by their bench

shouting, “We got to win this,” on the field.

In the last three minutes, the Warriors had a series of three corner kicks, where Barlow had an important save after the second corner and the Warriors could not convert the other two. In the last two minutes of the game, Barlow made another save to keep the lead and secure the shutout for SU.

Barlow made a total of five saves in the game and recorded her second consecutive shutout of the season, after shutting out Mansfield the previous week. The Raiders will play their home finale against Shepherd University at David See Field on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. and will conclude their season on Friday on the road against Bloomsburg.

Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info

Left to right: Seniors Lindsay Tripodo, Morgan Saunders, Chloe Prettyman, Valu Paul, Mya Kemp, Paige Graber and Jocelyn Branco and their family members.

The seniors were honored

Mercyhurst on Saturday, which the Raiders won 10-1.

Mason Flowers Asst. Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info

Junior Tess Jedeloo looks to pass the ball. Jedeloo scored and assisted three goals each in the regular season victory against Mercyhurst on Saturday.

Photo courtesy of SU Sports Info

Sophomore Agus Garibaldi celebrates after scoring a goal. Garibaldi scored a total of three goals and assisted one in the 10-1 victory over Mercyhurst.

Nicola Pugge Sports Editor

Volleyball beats Millersville to earn a spot in PSAC tournament

aces with only two errors.

The Shippensburg University volleyball team played three games this week, and after a loss in the first game against Pitt-Johnstown on Tuesday, it put up victories in the second and third games against West Chester on Friday and Millersville on Saturday.

The Pitt-Johnstown game ended in four sets going 3-1. Shippensburg flipped that against West Chester and Millersville, going 3-1 in both games.

The win against Millersville on Saturday earned Shippensburg a berth in the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament. The set scores against its division rivals were 25-15, 25-18, 25-27 and 25-16.

The Raiders did not give Millersville a chance to breathe with an imposing offensive performance in the first two sets. Millersville won the third set before Shippensburg took the win in Set 4 for a tournament spot.

Gracen Nutt, a Shippensburg freshman, had a dominating performance in the Millersville game. Nutt had a career-high 18 kills and five

In the Pitt-Johnstown game, the set scores were 25-22, 21-25, 22-25 and 19-25. Each set was close until the end, but with Pitt-Johnstown capitalizing on small mistakes from Shippensburg, they took the game. Shippensburg won the first set by utilizing their timeouts to disrupt the other team’s momentum, a tactic with which Pitt-Johnstown also found success.

Shippensburg Head Coach Leanne Piscotty reflected on what happened in the game and said, “They did a good job at exposing all the little things that we need to get better at. You know, whether it’s being stopped on defense or expecting the tip.”

Piscotty also highlighted the importance of the timeouts in the first set, saying, “So, volleyball’s really a lot about momentum, and if you get a hot server, and they had to do the same thing against us, you just have to break up the momentum of a server sometimes.”

Although Shippensburg lost to PittJohnstown, Shippensburg sophomore Kearstin Davis had an amazing defensive game. Davis posted 20 digs against Pitt-Johnstown and 38 assists,

Senior Kaitlyn Townsend (left) Townsend excelled in Friday’s 3-1 victory over West Chester with 13 kills and no errors on 19 attempts.

Freshman Gracen Nutt (right) Nutt had career highs of 18 kills and five aces in the game against Millersville on Saturday.

two block assists and two kills. Davis also recently earned the spot of Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week. Another standout player from the Pitt-Johnstown game was Nutt. Nutt had the lead in kills for the team with 14 and only had two errors. She went .286 on 42 attempts, which was also a team high.

Shippensburg did not stay in the losing column very long with their win against West Chester happening just three days later on Friday. The set scores were 25-19, 25-13, 24-26 and 25-16. Standout performances from multiple Shippensburg players lead to a season-best .358 hitting percentage from the team.

Shippensburg senior Kaitlyn Townsend had an excellent performance in the West Chester game with 13 kills and no errors on 19 attempts. She had a hitting percentage of .684 and had the most efficient hitting performance from a Shippensburg athlete since 2008.

Shippensburg will play again at 6 p.m. Friday at Lock Haven.

Football’s offensive woes continue in road loss

Shippensburg University’s football team struggled to move the ball Saturday, losing an away game at East Stroudsburg 41-17.

The offense only put up 169 total yards and committed three turnovers, compared to 310 yards for East Stroudsburg.

The result puts the Raiders at 2-7 on the year.

The first drive of the game resulted in East Stroudsburg throwing an interception to sophomore DJ Jackson, but the Raiders’ offense turned it back over almost immediately. Freshman

quarterback Sam Stoner’s first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Warriors’ defender Jahmere Crumpton.

The Raiders kept it relatively close throughout the first half, with Shippensburg’s sophomore backup quarterback Evan Falco throwing a 22yard touchdown pass to freshman Karim Bryce to reduce the deficit to 14-10, which remained the score at halftime.

The third quarter has been problematic for the Raiders all season, and that continued against the Warriors. Stoner

and Falco both threw an interception, and the defense gave up three scoring drives. East Stroudsburg picked up a touchdown and two field goals to make it 27-10 entering the fourth. East Stroudsburg scored on its first two drives of the fourth quarter to make it 41-10. Shippensburg’s final drive resulted in freshman third-string QB Jack Reed throwing his first touchdown pass as a Raider, an 8-yard strike to sophomore Alex Rufe to make it 41-17. Falco ended up being the leading passer on the day for Shippensburg, completing five of seven passes for 56 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Redshirt sophomore Tanner Hess led the running backs with 33 yards on 12 carries, and junior Redd Douglas had 30 receiving yards on three catches to top the receivers.

Graduate Evan TownsendHenry starred on defense for the Raiders, racking up a career-high 13 tackles. Redshirt junior Ray Jones had the second-most with nine, also a career-high.

Next up on the Shippensburg football schedule is the homecoming game against Lock Haven. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. Saturday at Seth Grove Stadium.

Ben Beck Staff Contributor

Mason Flowers Asst. Sports Editor

Photos courtesy of SU Sports Info

Brighid Cantwell

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Happy Halloween from The Slate

Photos courtesy of Bryce Arnold, Adam Beam, Quehanna Coble, Patrick Crean, Jayden Pohlman and Megan Sawka