‘Twas
Weekly Ringer
Editorial Staff
Callie Harkins
weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com
Associate Editor
Emma Kingkeo News Editor Ky Huynh
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Opinion Editor
Claire Marshall Watkins
weeklyringer.opinion@gmail.com
Life Editor
Grace Wagner
Sports Editor
Thomas Jackson
weeklyringer.online@gmail.com weeklyringer.sports@gmail.com weeklyringer.life@gmail.com
Online Editor
Abbey Magnet
Photography Editor
Abbey Magnet weeklyringer.photos@gmail.com
Spirit Rock guidelines cause frustration
LAUREN BOYETT Staff Writer
When students walk across campus towards the Simpson Library or the Hurley Convergence Center, it’s difficult to miss the large boulder that sits between Willard and Woodard Halls. This boulder, known as the Spirit Rock, provides an outlet for campus clubs and organizations to highlight various events. Whether it’s advertising upcoming dances or the latest theater production, the Rock appears to be painted something different multiple times a week.
However, when it comes to actually using the Rock for this purpose, there has been some frustration among students this semester regarding the rules. While a club can, and is encouraged to reserve paints and supplies from the Office of Student Activities and Engagement, there is no official way for students to reserve the Rock itself. This has led to conflict between campus organizations who wish to paint the Rock at the same time.
Despite the occasional frustration in overlap, there are currently no plans to update the rules and procedures regarding the Rock.
“The Spirit Rock is a haven for speech and expression for students and clubs at UMW,” said Shadwick Yoder, a senior political science major and vice president of the Student Government Association. “While it is easy to say we need to have stricter guidelines and create rules of enforcement, SGA has debated and discussed this year many different possibilities ultimately concluding that the Rock should remain as is.”
“I know this has created some difficulties with scheduling, as there’s no way to know if someone else will already be at the rock at the day or time you’re trying to paint,” she said. “When organizing this with a large group, this can be frustrating as there is no way to solidly schedule anything.”
According to their website, SGA is in charge of enforcing the rules of the Rock. However, the rules are based on precedent and there is currently no disciplinary action taken on violators.
“I think it would be beneficial to implement more guidelines and have a formal sign-up process to keep things organized,” said Savannah Sinor, a junior international affairs and French double major and secretary of the Renaissance Club. “This way, clubs would have a better idea of how long their advertisement will remain on the rock.”
Faculty Advisor
Sushma Subramanian
ssubrama@umw.edu
Corrections
Please report any corrections to Callie Harkins at weeklyringer.eic@gmail.com or Sushma Subramanian at ssubrama@umw.edu
SAE and the Department of Theatre and Dance are two organizations that have used the Rock for advertising this semester. Rylie Vann, a senior theatre and communication and digital studies major, has gone through the process of painting the rock and understands how the lack of a reservation system can be confusing.
“Our office recommends each club to wait for at least 24 hours after another organization has painted the Spirit Rock as courtesy and to allow paint to dry, but this guideline is not harshly enforced,” said Margo Korsakava, the front desk staff manager for SAE. “It is also, of course, a rule of thumb to not use inappropriate graphics and language on the rock, but since nobody ‘owns’ the Spirit Rock, it can be hard to control at times.”
Aside from the 24-hour rule, no policies are dictating how long a club or organization can use the Rock for advertising.
However, SGA has concluded for the time being that creating a way to reserve the Spirit Rock would be more trouble than it’s worth.
“We are left in a tricky situation where a form of reserving the Rock may not be followed or filled out, leaving clubs simply not knowing the new rule or ignoring it,” said Yoder. “In addition, any type of punishment is not enforceable, we do not have authority over office policies, so while we could write a bill that allows us to ban a club from painting the Rock, it is practically useless due to the fact we have no enforcement power. Ultimately, any regulations would require SGA to monitor the process without having the ability to ensure clubs follow the rules.”
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Bell tower logo designed by Bernadette D’Auria ‘22
Regardless of the debates about policy enforcement and occasional scheduling frustrations, painting it has become a fun way for campus organizations to bond with their members in addition to the free advertising.
“Part of our responsibilities at UMW involves painting the rock to promote our current productions,” said Vann. “This is something that I think is such a special part of our department’s outreach on campus, and I know that I enjoy the creative relief that painting the rock provides in the midst of a busy production.”
The Spirit Rock has been utilized by the campus community for decades, and according to Yoder, there are no plans to hinder that.
“At the end of the day, the Spirit Rock is a microphone for students at UMW, and SGA has not intended to impede on that,” Yoder said.
Concerts, dances and other events from clubs on campus are advertised on the Spirit Rock, often with paint provided by the Office of Student Activities and Engagement. Anna Goodman / The Weekly Ringer
The Eras Tour is not immune to controversy
relations Instagram, stating their anger.
While I was not able to attend The Eras Tour I have enjoyed watching live streams and playing “Mastermind,” a game where Swifties can guess what outfits Swift will wear and what surprise songs she will play.
Undoubtedly, The Eras Tour has boosted Taylor Swift as an artist in many ways. Since the tour kicked off in March 2023, more people have been streaming Swift’s music than ever before. After the first 10 weeks of the Eras Tour, her streams increased by 79%. More people are listening, and with the Eras Tour concluding after over a year, fans wonder what is next for the international pop sensation.
I have enjoyed the re-recording because it shows how much Swift has improved as an artist. There are also multiple songs “From the Vault” that were written back when the album was created but didn’t make the album for one reason or the other. These are fun to listen to because Swift is a very good writer and these songs showcase that even more.
According to the Associated Press, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has grossed $1.04 billion and boosted local economies across the globe, but some fans—those who wrongly feel they are entitled to Swift’s attention—have negatively clouded the cultural feat with incessant complaints.
Before Swift had even stepped on stage, the tour kicked off with a fight between Ticketmaster and fans. Some waited hours just to be kicked out of the queue. Others who were able to snag tickets were met with high ticket fees by Ticketmaster. Those frustrated took to social media to share their experiences, often stating that it felt too much like the title of track 14 on “Midnights,” “The Great War.”
Following the Swiftie outrage, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing to examine the company’s dominance in the industry. But the controversy did not stop there. The first noticeable instance that garnered international media attention was when Swift postponed Rio de Janeiro shows due to extreme heat following the death of a fan at the show. Fans were frustrated because they couldn’t stay due to work or couldn’t afford to reschedule their plane tickets.
Shortly before Swift was supposed to have three shows in Vienna a terrorist plot was discovered and the shows were cancelled. The fans who were supposed to attend the show, now referring to themselves as Vienna Swifties, were devastated to hear the news. Many fans, including some Vienna Swifties, continued to grow frustrated as Swift started to promote the London shows without making an official statement on the cancellation.
While Swift has comments on her personal Instagram account, many Swifties have taken to the comments of “TaylorNation,” which is essentially Swift’s public
On an Instagram post on Aug. 20, out of around 250 comments, 107 comments state that they are disappointed by the artist’s lack of a statement or comment. Other comments say that they feel ignored. This started on Aug. 5 of this year and continued until Swift posted about the cancellations on Aug. 21.
For those who were not able to get tickets, or had to miss their show, many fans who attended a tour date live-streamed their show on social media so that others could watch it. These live streams brought even more attention to the tour. Fans grew invested in Swift’s setlists, which included two surprise songs each night, and costumes throughout the tour, and this extra documentation allowed them to observe these changes on their own.
The Eras Tour brought so many people together in person and online, which is something Swift intended. In 2021, Swift officially canceled her Lover Fest shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While in lockdown, however, Swift released “folklore” and then “evermore,” two sister albums that took on lives of their own. She released merchandise, most famously the “folklore” cardigan, after the record’s second track, “cardigan.” Both records and their songs are titled in all lowercase, evocative of e.e. cummings and reinforcing Swift’s status as a poet in her songwriting.
Swift released three albums while on tour, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” and “The Tortured Poets Department.” She changed the set list after two of these albums were released, which invited even wider audiences to pay attention to the tour.
These re-recordings have been important to Swift and her fans because this is Swift’s attempt to own all of her masters after they were sold by Big Machine Records back in 2019 and once again in 2020. She only has two re-recordings left after “1989 (Taylor’s Version).”
While I have enjoyed the re-recordings, some fans have complained about many different aspects. Some fans have complained about the vault tracks, saying that they are “Midnights” rejects. Others have complained about the changes in the aesthetics of the album. Most notably fans have been complaining about how “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” has a beach aesthetic rather than a city one like the “stolen version” of the album.
According to Billboard, the tour prompted increased streams on Swift’s entire discography. The setlist songs have increased by double in weekly streams. Before the tour started Swift’s streams were 178.2 million. The first week the tour started, streams were 266.3 million.
While Swift has not announced any new releases or plans since the release of The Tortured Poets Department in April, fans have their theories. Swift announced the release at the Grammy Awards in February, and some fans believe she has already started planting easter eggs for another announcement by the end of this tour. Some fans believe this will be her last tour. Regardless of what happens, the Swiftie Community will see a decline after the tour concludes next week in Vancouver on Dec. 8.
This tour is ending, and while I believe that the Swifties will calm down and get quiet for a little bit, I am excited to see what Swift has in store in the future.
SOPHIA TOMPKINS Staff Writer
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is the highest grossing tour of all time, according to Rolling Stone. Despite the success, Swift has encountered controversy throughout the journey. @TaylorSwift / Instagram
Discontent fans have complained about all aspects of Swift’s touring era. From her relationships to a lyric change in the song “Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version),” critics have flooded social media with their opinions. @TaylorSwift / Instagram
Meet the Editors: Spotify Wrapped Edition 2024
For Spotify listeners, December means more than just the holiday season. The time has come for our favorite musical celebration.
Hold on to your Santa hats because Spotify’s annual Spotify Wrapped is finally here.
For the editorial staff at The Weekly Ringer, music not only plays a big role in our weekly layouts but it is also the soundtrack for our lives.
Although our music tastes are diverse, aside from a few repeat Taylor Swifts, we are a very cohesive and compatible team.
Having an artist or song that you have on repeat can feel like a part of your personality. Spotify Wrapped takes this to the next level by showing you stats about listening times and allows you to connect to your favorite artists even more.
As Eagles flock back to their nests to be home for the holidays, we will have some pretty epic Top Songs playlists to listen to on our fights, drives, or walks back home.
This musical year in review shows us a sneak peak into all the feelings we had throughout 2024 that needed a little bit of a soundtrack to get through.
Hopefully these music reports will give you a window into our team’s personalities and offer some insight into the music that fuels our paper.
Abbey Magnet, Photo Editor: This is the third year in a row that Taylor Swift has been my number one artist. I also have been listening to Niall Horan a lot, who I saw in concert this summer. I was recently introduced to Chappell Roan and have been listening to her on repeat ever since. Overall I was super happy with my Wrapped this year!
Grace Wagner, Life Editor: What a wonderful year of music! I had the opportunity to see Hozier in concert this year and I’m still blown away by his songs, talent and above all his kindness. I would be nowhere without my favorite songs so I am grateful to have such a diverse lineup of artists that sang me through this year!
Ky Huynh, Associate Editor: One of my top songs was 7 Summers Ago and I would mostly play it during the Summer along with BIRDS OF A FEATHER, it is a great song to listen to at night as a vibe. The songs and artists there were pretty expected.
Thomas Jackson, Sports Editor: I’m not mad with my Spotify Wrapped, but I think it inaccurately represents my taste. However Tyler, The Creator and Kendrick Lamar both dropped a lot of great music this year. This is my first Wrapped with no Midwest emo, and I think it will be my last without it.
Callie Harkins, Editor-in-Chief: According to Spotify, April was my “Indie Sleaze Catwalk Pop” phase, and while I don’t know what that means, I appreciate the analysis. I was lucky to see three of my top five artists live this year, but I am begging for my number three spot—Lorde–-to release a new album and tour in the U.S. soon.
Emma Kingkeo, News Editor: As a dancer, I am constantly replaying songs as I practice in the studio. I love that Rihanna and Beyoncé are my top two, because it reflects my favorite type of energy. Otherwise, my Spotify Wrapped isn’t accurate because I use YouTube, but I find it funny knowing I’ve repeated my top song 635 times.
Claire Marshall Watkins, Opinion Editor: I was lucky enough to see Charli xcx, Taylor Swift, and Renée Rapp live this year. They all have such great stage presence and energy. Sabrina Carpenter was my first concert ever, when I was 13. I was supposed to see Chappell Roan this year, but the show was cancelled. Maybe next year!
UMW Eagles get creative at weekly Crafternoons
MADISON FRY Staff Writer
The Office of Student Activities and Engagement has introduced a new event for UMW Eagles to get crafty. Crafternoons are happening every Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. and encourage Mary Washington students to spend time with their friends while being creative and making an assortment of different crafts.
“All of my experiences [at Crafternoons] have been pretty good,” said Ariana Adamek, a senior theatre and anthropology double major. “I’ve been surprised to see how popular it’s gotten over the semester and how many people are there every week.”
The crafts are designed so that even the most novice crafter can participate. Some examples offered this semester include mosaic coasters, tie blankets, decorating plant pots, friendship bracelets, bookmarks and t-shirt tote bags.
“I love the variety,” said Adamek. “Sometimes the crafts are things that I’ve done before, like tote bag decorating, and sometimes it’s something completely new to me that I can learn while I’m there. There’s also no expectation that the end result is ‘good,’ so you can really just have fun and make whatever your heart desires.”
One of Adamek’s favorite crafts that she did was the mosaic coasters.
“It was something that I hadn’t done before but it was still really easy and fun, and I love the way it turned out,” she said.
Typically, campus events are offered in the evening which can be inconvenient for commuter students or those with conflicting schedules. Crafternoons were created to be accessible for more students who may work or have different activities in the evening.
“I like that there’s an SAE event in the day because the nights can be busy and I like making things…I thrive off of making things so I appreciate making things with other crafters (and it’s not in the night, which is great),” said Katie Reif, a senior marketing and communication and digital studies double major.
Alisa Rachanow, a junior business administration major, attended five Crafternoons this semester and hopes they will continue next semester. SAE staff could not immediately be reached for comment regarding the future of the event, but several students are hopeful it will return.
“I would love for crafternoons to continue next semester,” she said. “Crafternoons are a great opportunity for me as a commuter to have something fun and creative to do when I have breaks in between classes. I also just love doing crafts so this is a fun time for me to be able to do that.”
University Dining News University Dining News
Getting creative while crafting can be a much needed stress reliever for Mary Washington students. You can make new friends and art at SAE’s weekly Crafternoons. Photo courtesy of Alisa Rachanow
Crime Column
EMMA KINGKEO News Editor
Petit Larceny
On Nov. 8 at 9:54 p.m., there was a case of petit larceny at George Washington Hall. This case is pending.
Vandalism
On Nov. 11 at 11:55 a.m., there was a case of vandalism at Russell Hall. This case is pending.
Petit Larceny
On Nov. 15 at 7:09 p.m., there was a case of petit larceny at Combs Hall. This case is pending.
Vandalism
On Nov. 16 at 1:56 a.m., there was a case of vandalism at Marshall Hall. This case was referred to O.S.C.A.R.
Vandalism
On Nov. 17 at 10:23 p.m., there was a case of vandalism at Willard Hall. This case is pending.
Petit Larceny
On Nov. 18 at 5:01 p.m., there was a case of petit larceny at Jepson Science Center. This case is pending.
The Crime Column is based on UMW Police reports from Nov. 21. - Dec. 4.
Sports
UMW swimming thrives at mid-season meet despite on-going Goolrick pool renovations
SHEWARD Senior Writer
From Nov. 22-24, the University of Mary Washington’s men’s and women’s swim teams had their mid-season meet at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. The women’s team placed first out of 13 collegiate teams, and the men’s team placed fifth out of 10.
Due to the renovations happening in Goolrick pool, the swim team had to drive 20 minutes to practice. This affected practice times and disrupted the swimmer’s typical schedules compared to previous years, but given the results of the recent meet, these athletes have found a way to persevere.
“When we first got back to campus, not having our pool finished was hard on everyone,” said Grace Gartman, one of the assistant coaches. “Waking up at 4 a.m. to drive 20 minutes to rouse and not being in our pool is definitely a curveball. But, everyone has been putting up impressive times, they show up with great attitudes and are a team at the end of the day.”
The swim team has worked hard leading up to this meet despite the circumstances. According to freshman Spera Moy-Jacobs, the location change for practice has not affected overall performance.
“The meet was really great,” she said. “Better than I could’ve expected for mid-season, especially with the pool renovations.”
Even though such early renovations may be daunting to a freshman athlete like Nora McMullen, she believes that everyone having each other’s backs makes competing less demanding.
“This team has a lot of great people,” she said. “There isn’t a single person that I dislike and I believe that everyone on the team cares for one another. We all cheer for each other, and it is much easier to swim fast when people are cheering me on.”
For Ann Karr, a sophomore marketing major, seeing her teammates succeed is motivating and leads to a more familiar feel throughout the team.
“The team did really well, it was super encouraging to look around me and watch all my teammates swimming their bests,” she said. “This team feels like everyone’s always there for one another whenever needed. It’s such an open and welcoming place.”
Between sessions, the swimmers have a few hours to catch up on some sleep before they race again for finals. McMullen stated that the rest was crucial for competing in the later races.
“I definitely had enough rest during the swim meet. I think that while the meet did take a long time, I appreciated the rest they allotted to us. The energy was good and it was a lot more fun than meets for my club team.”
At each session, there were some college bests, season bests and personal bests. This is the first time in a while that the swim team was this strong this early in the season.
“The team did really well,” said Moy-Jacobs. “There were lots of best times on both the men’s and women’s sides. My favorite part was getting to see everyone swim so well.”
Senior elementary education major Bridget Wilson, one of the women’s team captains, was proud of her team for competing and besting, higher-ranked collegiate teams.
“I was so proud of everyone for stepping up to the plate and putting their all into every race,” she said. “The women’s team did a phenomenal job earning a first-place finish against a DI and DII team.”
Despite the challenges of pool renovations and adjustments to their routine, the UMW’s swim teams displayed remarkable resilience and determination at their mid-season meet. The women’s team delivered an outstanding performance, earning first place, while the men’s team secured a solid fifth-place finish. Along the way, the swimmers achieved personal and season-best times and further strengthened their team bond. With a supportive atmosphere and a shared commitment to growth, both teams are demonstrating their strength early in the season. Their success at Franklin and Marshall College signals great potential for the remainder of the year.
Amanda Sheward is on the UMW women’s swim team roster for the 20242025 season.
THOMAS JACKSON Sports Editor
Men’s Soccer (19-2-2)
Nov. 23 vs. Denison University (0-1) NCAA Tournament Third Round
Men’s Swimming (3-2) Nov. 22 @ Franklin & Marshall (5th of 10)
Women’s Swimming (5-0) Nov 22. @ Franklin & Marshall (1st of 13)
Men’s Basketball (3-4)
Nov. 23 @ North Carolina Wesleyan University (54-58)
Dec. 3 vs. Southern Virginia University (79-37)
Dec. 17 vs. Wilson College
Dec. 19 vs. Averett University
Women’s Basketball (3-6)
Nov. 23 @ Messiah University (40-66)
Nov. 26 vs. North Carolina Wesleyan University (73-66)
Dec. 3 vs. Roanoke College (42-58)
Dec 7 vs. Southern Virginia University
Dec. 14 vs. Averett University
Track and Field (0-0)
Dec. 5 @ Liberty University Invitational
Games are available to watch via livestream on the UMW Athletics webpage www.eagles.com/composite
AMANDA
A UMW swimmer performs freestyle at their meet. Photo courtesy of Amanda Sheward
A University of Mary Washington swimmer glides down the lane despite current renovations of their practice pool on campus. Photo courtesy of Amanda Sheward
A UMW swimmer dives at the Franklin & Marshall Invitational. The women’s and men’s team placed first and fifth, respectively. Photo courtesy of Amanda Sheward