The Reveille 6-17-24

PAINTING WITH THE

PUBLIC

Glassell gallery connects artists to their community.

Read on page 2

GLASS BOX GALLERY

Painter Kimberly Meadowlark takes an artist’s residency for LSU

BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN @camillemill

Every morning, Kimberly Meadowlark makes breakfast and packs a lunch for her sevenyear-old son before sending him to school or camp.

This summer, however, a special opportunity allowed Meadowlark to take her son Levi to a small gallery in Downtown Baton Rouge where the two could draw, paint and create with other members of the Baton Rouge community.

Meadowlark is a mother, artist, photographer and musician based out of Baton Rouge, and from May 25 to June 14, she was one of the two resident artists at the LSU College of Art & Design Open Experimental Studio located in Glassell Gallery at the Shaw Center for the Arts.

Courtney Taylor, Director of Galleries for the LSU College of Art & Design, created and launched the Open Experimental Studio for the first time this summer.

The program provided studio space in Glassell Gallery for both the resident artists and Baton Rouge public to create in.

“I really wanted to see this space activated,” Taylor said. “In the summer, you know, town is a little bit dead, and there usually was like a three to four week lull where we didn’t have anything, so I thought ‘Well why not just open it up and not have a finished product exhibition, but make it a space that’s in flux and invite people to do a residency?’ And the condition was they had to invite the community to make with them.”

Meadowlark set up a painting studio in the gallery while Richard Boehnke, an MFA (master of fine arts) candidate at the LSU School of Art and the other resident artist in the program, brought in materials to create a handbuilding pottery studio.

At any time from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, the gallery doors were open for the public to learn, create and immerse themselves in painting and pottery alongside the resident artists. Visitors of all ages had the chance to contribute to the gallery’s community art pieces and to attend special workshops led by the artists including handbuilding and painting sessions.

“So my goal is to kind of relaunch the galleries and make it a place where it’s like ‘Learn with us, design with us and make with us,’ that way students are getting experience, being responsive to the community, learning how to teach in an informal setting and everyone is getting to come in and make and learn too,” Taylor said. “There was no reason not to do it.”

For Meadowlark, who was accustomed to painting in her

home studio, working in the gallery altered her daily routine and offered the artist new personal challenges.

In only a short amount of time, all of Meadowlark’s paintings, finished or unfinished, went from the privacy of her home to the open studio downtown. Having incomplete artworks on public display was, a at first, a step outside her comfort zone, but eventually proved to be an opportunity for personal growth.

“I’m leaving a piece in a window to be viewed that’s not done for weeks, and that’s absolutely nuts to me,” Meadowlark said. “I want to explain like ‘Oh woah woah it’s not done,’ or ‘Here’s what I’m gonna do,’ but it’s like no, that’s not what the point of the studio is. It is an open studio for people to view that. That has been a major point of vulnerability, just like letting people watch you in a glass box.”

Another new experience for Meadowlark was working alongside an artist who specialized in a medium completely different than her own. Because they often alternated days in Glassell Gallery, she and Boehnke spent a lot of time learning about each other’s techniques and how to help visitors work with the other artist’s materials.

“It took us being able to really communicate with one another, being able to really work with one another well to understand each other’s process that way we could guide people whenever one of us wasn’t there,” Meadowlark said. “So even though I have never touched clay before, I was guiding people through

clay, and he was doing that for me with painting.”

For the first time, Meadowlark even hosted a painting workshop with some of her tips and techniques like incorporating paint markers, doodles and even her son’s drawings into her artworks.

“Almost always you can spot a little piece of Levi’s drawings in a painting,” Meadowlark said. “I encourage it. So he’s co-creating with me.”

While the open experimental studio altered her daily experience with art, Meadowlark kept a few things about her work consistent, like carefully selecting her outfit each morning and having a coffee or tea by her side at all times. Most importantly, she constantly kept music playing in the gallery.

“We keep joking because I have just, like, left my JBL speaker there because you can go like a week without charging it, but it’s music all the time,” Meadowlark said. “And like I’m always in charge of the music when I’m in there too, and that makes so much sense because it’s already what I would do at home.”

From her time in the residency, working alongside the public and with a fellow resident artist, Meadowlark’s own artistry has evolved.

“I’ve been a little bit messier, and, like, allowed myself to be a little bit messier on some pieces,” Meadowlark said. “It’s honestly because of Richard. Getting feedback as something is going is something that I’ve never experienced. I’m allowing myself to be a little less criti-

B-16 Hodges Hall

cal of myself. That’s definitely changed.”

Shrinking the focus on perfection and leaning into the joy in the process of creating is the primary purpose of the open studio program. Through their residencies Boehnke and Meadowlark were able to share this joyful experience of creation with the community.

“I think one of the most exciting things for me with people making is they’ll come in, they’ll sit down, they’ll grab the material–paints, clay, doesn’t matter–and they’ll be like ‘What do I want to make?’” Boehnke said. “And then, there’s this moment where they’ll need some coaching of ‘It’s not about what you make. You’re not here to make art. You’re not here to create something that has to have a lifespan. Just make.’ And then people wrestle with that for a moment, but then it’s like the shackles come off. And then the smiles open up and people just start making.”

Following the residency, Meadowlark will return to her home studio to continue working on her paintings and sharing playful and artistic moments with Levi. Although she’s sad the open studio has come to an end, Meadowlark feels inspired by her experience at Glassell Gallery.

“The turnout and response from the community was by far the most surprising part for me,” Meadowlark said. “Just watching everyone be in there and co-create and like that’s a memory they get to have and maybe a prompt to do something else, like that’s incredible to me.”

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

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CAMILLE MILLIGAN / The Reveille

Community pottery pieces made by studio visitors

NEWS CLIMATE CLASS CRAZE

BY SARAH WALTON @sarahrosewalton

A WAFB meteorologist will teach an LSU coastal science class this fall

Amid new students on campus and excitement for a new year, LSU will offer a new oceanography and coastal science course focused on extreme coastal weather this fall. Steve Caparotta, a broadcast meteorologist for WAFB, will teach OCS 2013.

With two decades of experience in meteorology and a master’s and Ph.D. in Climatology from LSU, Caparotta will teach about natural disasters, the impact of weather on the coast and the basics of meteorology.

According to an LSU blog post, “Caparotta’s classes are not just about textbook learning; they’re about sharing his firsthand experiences and insights from the broadcast side of meteorology.”

The course is open to all students and requires no prerequisites. It will serve as an introduction to meteorology for anyone interested.

This class contrasts with the one Caparotta taught in the spring by being a much broader, entry-level look at meteorology.

“I am really excited about the opportunity to teach the course. I taught a class in the spring semester called Mesoscale Meteorology, which goes deeper into meteorology, but this one should have a broader appeal,” he said.

According to WAFB’s web -

site, Caparotta is a “4-time Suncoast Emmy nominee” and received two awards from the Associated Press.

In 2009, it was for “best weathercast in Louisiana.”

He also won a General News Award for his Hurricane Katrina “NOPD Looting” story.

Caparotta said Paul Miller in the Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences taught the class before asking him to teach it.

He also believes his class is uniquely important for Louisianians.

“I think this class is great

for where we are. The coast is so important in Louisiana,” He said. “There is a big aspect of meteorology involved when we talk about our coast, especially when we talk about things like hurricanes.”

Hurricane season is from June to November, which most-

Louisiana residents are well aware of and used to. Because LSU students regularly interact with these kinds of natural disasters, Caparotta said they should understand how the storms will affect the future of the state.

In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit the state in rapid succession, and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike did the same in 2008. According to the Smithsonian Ocean, these pairs of storms caused Louisiana to lose around 328 square miles of coastal land. And with the loss of coastal land, also comes a loss of habitat and biodiversity.

Caparotta also said his class will spend time discussing floods, lightning, tornados and other forms of severe weather.

The course’s weather broadcast project is a remnant of Miller’s tenure teaching the class that Caparotta said fits well with his background.

For this project, students will work throughout the semester to create a weather broadcast by the end of class. From finding the right graphics to figuring out the right words to say, the students will work to create their very own completed broadcast.

“The department actually has a meteorology lab with a mini weather studio, so the students get to do that at the end of the semester. Which I think is a pretty cool part of the class,” said Caparotta.

Gov. Landry enacts law that lets officials ignore records requests

BY WESLEY MULLER Louisiana Illuminator

Gov. Jeff Landry has signed into law a bill that allows government officials to ignore the state’s public records law without consequence.

House Bill 768, sponsored by Rep. Les Farnum, R-Sulphur, removes all personal liability from the records custodian of a government agency who unreasonably withholds records or fails to respond to a public records request.

The statute that was repealed previously allowed courts to consider custodian liability when a requester sued the government agency that withheld the records. The custodian could have been forced to pay a fine of $100 per day and the attorney fees of the person who was denied access to the records.

The new law does away

with all of that. However, First Amendment attorney Scott Sternberg, who represents the Louisiana Press Association, said it is unlikely to make things worse than they already are because courts almost never enforce the custodian liability statute.

Farnum’s bill was one of many passed this session, most spearheaded by the governor, to weaken or repeal state public records laws.

The Louisiana Public Records Law is a common tool journalists, watchdog groups and engaged citizens use to investigate government corruption, waste and other misdeeds.

Louisiana lawmakers have gradually chipped away at the state’s public records law, adopting hundreds of changes to revoke public access to a long list of government documents since it was enacted in 1940.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WAFB

Steve Caparotta gives severe weather updates on WAFB on Jan. 24.

ALLISON ALLSOP / Louisiana Illuminator

Representative Les Farnum speaks at the podium July 18 during the veto override session at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge, La.

LOUISIANA LIFE

La. residents share views on fossil fuels and renewable energy

BY WESLEY MULLER Louisiana Illuminator

An overwhelming majority of Louisiana residents support the expansion of renewable energy alongside fossil fuel production in the state, and most residents believe the state government is doing too little to protect air and water quality, according to a new survey by LSU researchers.

The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs at the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication released the third report of its 2024 Louisiana Survey, which polled over 1,000 residents in March and April for their views on energy, environment and coastal issues.

The survey found 75% support for expanded offshore oil and gas drilling in coastal Louisiana, and 72% support for solar farm expansions, and 59% support for wind turbines. The findings were generally consistent among all political affiliations, though Republicans were less supportive of wind energy than solar.

When asked which to prioritize, a slightly greater share of residents, 49%, said wind, solar and hydrogen should be prioritized while 47% chose fossil fu-

Rows of solar modules generate electricity at UL-Lafayette’s Photovoltaic Applied Research and Testing Lab on Aug. 9, 2021.

els.

About 72% support state tax credits for carbon capture and storage projects. Advocates of carbon capture tout it as an effective method to combat harmful greenhouse gas emissions, while skeptics say it is an unproven and potentially unsafe method.

The survey also revealed

some skepticism about the impact renewable energy will have on everyday life. About 52% of Louisiana residents believe a shift from fossil fuel production to renewable energy sources would improve their local air and water quality, but only 30% think it will create job opportunities. About 34% of respondents

believe renewables will improve home energy prices.

A clear majority, 55%, believes that state government does too little to protect air and water quality. In contrast, 57% think Louisiana is doing enough to protect animals and wildlife.

Furthermore, climate change appears to be very real for Loui-

siana residents. A plurality of those surveyed believe the state is doing too little about climate change, and overwhelming majorities believe climate change is contributing to extreme weather events.

Among those who said their community experienced unusual heat in the past year, two-thirds said climate change contributed. More notably, among those whose communities experienced severe flooding or storms, 76% said climate change played a role.

Coastal erosion is also a concern. A significant majority of Louisiana residents, 57%, say coastal land loss will cause great harm to people living in coastal areas of the state. Fewer believe it will cause substantial harm to residents living elsewhere, and only 40% believe it will harm the state’s economy.

An overwhelming 77% support the state providing financial assistance to residents to relocate from areas at high-risk of flooding or extreme weather. About 52% support requiring communities to relocate from those areas, and a significant 67% support mandates to restrict new construction in vulnerable parts of the state.

WESLEY MULLER / Louisiana Illuminator

ENTERTAINMENT THIS WEEK IN BR

BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN

Want to see your event in the Reveille? Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

Acadiana Cane Cutters vs. Baton Rouge Rougarou Pete Goldsby Field

Catch Baton Rouge’s baseball team play at home on Tuesday at 7 p.m. If you can’t make that game, they play again on Wednesday.

Battle of the Bands Texas Club

Radio station Eagle 98.1 presents the Rockstar Search Battle of the Louisiana Bands at the Texas Club on Friday. The judges will give each band a score for music, performance and audience reaction. Doors open at 7 p.m. ,and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door.

JUNE

@camillemill

Jazz Brunch Red Stick Social

Tiger cubs get acquainted with their future stomping grounds at Bengal Bound Orientation.

Academic Advisor addresses incoming freshman students about their success team June 12 at Bengal Bound Orientation.

Students and parents fill the Union Theater June 12 at Bengal Bound Orientation on LSU’s campus.

Students and parents get information about LSU June 12 at Bengal Bound Orientation on LSU’s campus.

Incoming freshman students are led by orientation leader to The 5 dinning hall June 12 at Bengal Bound Orientation.

Orientation leaders Alanna Haddow and Cyndi Haynes welcome new students June 12 at Bengal Bound Orientation.

Orientation booklet for new students to navigate Bengal Bound Orientation June 12 on LSU’s campus.

Photos by Emily Boudreaux

Students and parents enter the Union Theater for a general session June 12 at Bengal Bound Orientation.

SPORTS MAKING WAVES

JASON WILLIS

LSU baseball adding players in the transfer portal

Even though no national champion has been crowned, much of college baseball has already moved on to the offseason—if you can call it that.

With today’s changing landscape, there is no offseason. The transfer portal ensures that each team continues scrambling in pursuit of better players to plug holes on its roster.

The baseball transfer portal opened on June 4, and players have until July 2 to enter their names.

In his time at LSU, head coach Jay Johnson has been known for his splashy moves in the transfer portal.

Before last season’s championship run, he brought in eventual No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes and soon-to-be first rounder Tommy White.

Last offseason, he added Luke Holman, Gage Jump and Michael Braswell III, among others, who all became impact players and important starters.

Now, clearly needing to improve a team that struggled for much of SEC play and didn’t make it past the regionals of

the NCAA Tournament despite a strong finish to the season, LSU is even more motivated to find stars in the transfer portal.

Here’s a look at the major signings LSU has already made.

Please note that all players are identified by what their classification will be for the 2025 season.

Junior pitcher Zac Cowan, Wofford

With Holman and Jump, LSU’s top two starting pitchers, likely going to the MLB, the Tigers need to restock at the position.

More than that, LSU needs a sure thing, something that its current roster doesn’t have much of in terms of pitching.

Cowan is a sure thing.

He was far and away the best pitcher on Wofford’s staff, coming up with key wins for them in the Southern Conference Tournament (with two starts in five days) and in an elimination game in the NCAA regionals against Long Island.

He was a big part of Wofford’s success, which led to the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2007, where it ended up in the Chapel Hill regional with LSU.

For the season, Cowan had an

ERA of 3.35 and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings, which ranked No. 104 in the country.

Cowan gets batters to strike out at a very high level and can carry a large workload, as he often threw over 100 pitches per outing.

The hope is that he can build greater consistency at LSU and progress into an ace.

Senior first baseman/ catcher Luis Hernandez, Indiana State Having left Indiana State as part of an exodus with its coach Mitch Hannahs departing for South Florida, Hernandez is a huge get for LSU.

He’s one of the best bats in

see TRANSFER, page 10

Volleyball with first 2026 commit

BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4

The recruiting cycle for the high school volleyball class of 2026 kicked off on Saturday, and LSU has already hit the ground running.

The Tigers secured their first commitment of the class in libero Katie Raymer, who currently competes at Apex High School in North Carolina, on Saturday. Raymer also competes in club volleyball with Triangle Volleyball Club based in Morrisville, North Carolina.

“Thank you to Coach Tonya, Jill, Ashley, and Kevin for this opportunity and giving me my dreams come true!” Raymer said in her announcement post on Instagram.

Raymer came up 325 digs in her sophomore year at Apex, as well as 60 aces.

She was named to Vballrecruiter’s 30-player Players to Watch list for the class of 2026, and was also named a 15u Club

COMMMIT, page 10

Former LSU baseball coach to take job at South Carolina

BY JASON WILLIS

Paul Mainieri, one of the greatest coaches in LSU baseball history, is expected to return to the Southeastern Conference as the head coach of South Carolina, according to multiple reports.

Mainieri was the head coach of the Tigers from 2007 to 2021, and during that time he led LSU to 929 total wins, second in the program’s history, and the 2009 national championship.

Under Mainieri, LSU appeared in the College World Series five times, were SEC regular season champions four times and won the SEC Tournament six times.

Mainieri will now unretire to take the job as the head coach of the Gamecocks, as they recently dismissed former coach Mark Kingston.

South Carolina didn’t advance past the super regionals during Kingston’s seven years and had a winning record in the SEC in just three of them.

This past year, South Carolina had a 37-25 record and narrowly qualified for the

NCAA Tournament, where they were eliminated with a 1-2 record in the Raleigh regional.

In Mainieri’s final four years following LSU’s 2017 appearance in the national championship, where it lost in a three-game series to Florida despite winning the first game, the Tigers never advanced past the super regional round.

Mainieri announced his retirement toward the end of the 2021 season, though he continued to coach the Tigers as they won the Eugene regional and competed in the super regionals against Tennessee.

There, LSU lost both games of the best-of-three series, and Mainieri’s coaching career seemingly ended.

The decision to retire was an emotional decision that factored in Mainieri’s own health issues and LSU’s relative lack of success, with Mainieri saying a new leader was needed for the program.

To replace him, LSU chose then-Arizona coach Jay Johnson, who has since led the program to a national championship and has now com -

before LSU’s 13-1

against

pleted

Dame.

Mainieri coached for six years at St. Thomas University, six years at Air Force and 12 years at Notre

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

Former head coach Paul Mainieri poses with his framed jersey Feb. 18, 2022

win

Maine at Alex Box Stadium.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson speaks with several players March 10 during LSU’s 2-1 loss to Xavier in Alex Box Stadium.

TRANSFER, from page 9

the country. Last season, he ranked No. 17 in the nation in RBI with 76, No. 22 in home runs with 23 and No. 129 in batting average with .359.

He’ll also bring much-needed power to LSU’s lineup that will be losing its leader in that department in White.

Hernandez was an everyday starter for Indiana State at first base this past year, but he’s spent time at catcher and designated hitter.

Depending on if Jared Jones decides to sign with the MLB team that drafts him after his sophomore year, LSU could have an opening at first base.

However, if Jones returns, Hernandez will still find time either as part of a catcher platoon with Brady Neal or as a designated hitter.

Hernandez is also draft-eligible having completed his junior year, but all signs are pointing to him staying in college and competing for LSU.

Junior pitcher

Chandler Dorsey, South Florida

One of LSU’s biggest problems last year was its relievers, and whether or not pitcher Griffin Herring decides to go to the MLB, he’ll no longer be LSU’s solution out of the bullpen: he’ll either be a starter at LSU or at the professional level.

Because of that, Dorsey fills a hole in the bullpen. At USF, Dorsey was the primary reliever.

He had a 3.6 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 30 innings. In 18 of his 26 appearances, he didn’t

COMMIT, from page 9

All-American by PrepVolleyball.

Raymer’s commitment continues a family tradition: her mother Lauren Raymer—then Lauren O’Connor—also played for LSU’s volleyball team.

Lauren was a setter for the Tigers from 1997 to 2000, and she still ranks No. 4 on the school’s career assists leaderboard while also being a fourtime member of the Southeastern Conference honor roll.

While she was there, she overlapped with current LSU head coach Tonya Johnson, who was an assistant for the program for three of those years.

Lauren also played alongside current associate head coach Jill Wilson, who played for LSU from 1997 to 2000. Those connections helped secure Raymer’s commitment.

Under the NCAA’s rules, June 15 is the first day college coaches are allowed to reach out to high school sophomores. Starting then, coaches are allowed to privately correspond with recruits and make official offers.

On the first day LSU was allowed to, it extended the offer to Raymer, and she accepted it.

With Raymer’s commitment, LSU has begun building its 2026 class that could be pivotal for the program’s future.

allow a run.

That steady presence out of the bullpen will be needed for LSU, even as many other pitchers are expected to take leaps forward.

Senior pitcher

Luke Hayden, Indiana State

Hayden is another player who entered the transfer portal with Indiana State’s coaching change.

He spent the past year as Indiana State’s No. 2 starter and was very effective, ending with a 3.81 ERA and a .248 batting average against.

Hayden was second in the Missouri Valley Conference with 91 strikeouts and was named second team all-MVC at the end of the year.

Before Hayden transferred to Indiana State prior to last season, he spent two seasons as a relief pitcher at Indiana.

It remains to be seen if Hayden would come out of the bullpen or compete to be a starter, but he seems ready to contribute in any capacity for the Tigers right away.

However, Hayden is eligible for the MLB draft and will likely be picked, having been invited to the MLB combine. Perfect Game ranked him as the No. 248 prospect in the draft, so he’ll have a decision to make on whether he’d like to go to the pros or go to LSU and potentially improve his stock.

Sophomore pitcher

Deven Sheerin, Mount St. Mary’s Sheerin is another enticing pitching option that serves to add depth to an LSU team that needs it.

Under Johnson, LSU’s recruiting has taken a step forward with the 2024 class that’s now on campus being ranked as high as No. 19 in the country by PrepDig.

Likewise, LSU’s 2025 recruiting class has five commitments who are expected to be valuable contributors in time.

For now, LSU is looking to rebound from an 11-17 season and get back to the NCAA Tournament in Johnson’s third year with the team, like the Tigers did in her debut year.

He was a bright spot for a Mount St. Mary’s team that struggled, with 109 strikeouts across his 70 innings.

Sheerin was named to the allMid-American Athletic Conference first team after the season, as well as being named the conference freshman of the year.

The most important part for LSU is that Sheerin has at least two years with the Tigers before he can go to the MLB draft. LSU can refine his already-impressive tools and develop him into a top option down the line.

Below is the full list of the changes to LSU’s roster in the transfer portal.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille LSU baseball head coach Jay Johnson watches the team warmup on June 2, 2023, prior to LSU’s regional 7-2 win against Tulane.

JACOB CHASTANT / The Reveille

MATTHEW PERSCHAL / The Reveille LSU volleyball head coach Tonya Johnson speaks with the team on Aug. 19, 2023, during LSU’s Purple vs. Gold exhibition match in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Broadening our horizons: The opinion sections tries Teatery

BY OPINION STAFF

In this opinion section’s humble opinion (which it’s our professional obligation to give), nothing in this life is more important than absorbing as many experiences as the human mind can process.

As a unit, we’ve tried hometown gems like Louie’s Cafe and student favorites like Highland Coffees, but a life lived off diner food and coffee is a life barely lived at all, so to broaden our collective horizons, the opinion section took a group research trip to Teatery, a tea and boba cafe located at 3132 College Drive.

Some of us went in to this experience with uninfluenced, uninformed minds. Some of us went into Teatery already knowing what to expect. Regardless, our thoughts on the experience have been collected here.

Isabella Albertini @BasedIsabella

I’d describe the vibes at Teatery as squeaky clean, cute and fruity. The walls are covered with giant designs of boba teas and bright neon signs. Right by the register, there’s a display of macarons of several flavors, a rainbow of colors. Not only does Teatery offer a wide variety of boba tea, slushies and smoothies, but it also sells Squishmellows, cute keychains and fruity erasers. The staff is super friendly, and the decor is cute and colorful.

I ordered a mango and passion fruit smoothie, which had just the right amount of tartness and sweetness. All the drinks come in tube-shaped clear cups that you can take to-go or enjoy in house. Overall, the place was a nine out of ten, and my drink an eight out of ten.

Garrett McEntee @9are_bear

To preface this review, I do not like boba nor any of its siblings. That being said, Teatery’s boba was pleasant. I got coffee flavored boba with coffee jelly at the bottom. It was definitely boba, and thus a drink that was drinkable. Five out of ten. The lobby for Teatery is cute, minimal, TikTok kawaii-core. Lots of cute plushies tucked away on

shelves in corners. Neon signs in yellows and pinks and a cutesy mural on the wall.

Our server was nice enough, knowledgeable if not slightly annoyed with the fact that eight people walked in at once and just stood around lamely trying to figure out what they were going to order.

It should be noted that the tables weren’t wiped down after people left. Gross, lowkey. I give Teatery a five and a half out of ten.

Matthew Pellittieri @m_pellittieri

This was my first time ever having boba — and I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed it so much I had to go back and get the same order again before writing this little review.

I got a fresh orange green fruit tea with mango popping boba. The initial pop of the topping was a somewhat peculiar sensation, but I quickly came to like those tiny juice bubbles more than the actual drink they came in (though the tea itself was still great). The orange slice was an appreciated touch. The atmosphere was less impressive than the product. The website calls it “sleek and modern,” but it’s so sterile, empty and tryhard that it would work better as the cover story of an interior design magazine you’d find in a waiting room than as an actual physical space you have to be in. It feels like an industrial warehouse spray-painted white and furnished to half capacity with items from a “back to school” collection at Bed Bath & Beyond. Eight out of ten.

Nathaniel Dela Pena @NateDerDoner

When I first experienced boba in my hometown in 2019, it felt magical. I’d heard of boba for a long time yet was never able to try it until then. I ordered a passionfruit tea with the traditional black boba. It wasn’t the best, yet I could finally say that I tried one of the most recognizable symbols of the Asian diaspora.

When I stepped into Teat-

ery, I expected the same vibes from any other boba place. Yet I quite liked the unique atmosphere, especially the huge neon sign that greets you when you enter. If you don’t like boba, you’ll certainly love the scenery of Teatery.

I’ve always been a huge fan of non-milk teas, especially fruity teas like mango and lychee. So I ordered a mango passionfruit tea with popping boba.

I’ve had the same boba order before, but I felt the boba from Teatery had balanced sweetness with the subtle hint of the essence of mango and passionfruit. Some boba teas overwhelm you with sweetness and weak flavor.

I really liked the mango and passionfruit tea, so I’ll give my experience a nine out of ten!

Boba and all of its affiliates seem to be one of those rare and illustrious examples of a treat that you either have the palette for or don’t.

Despite not all of the columnists sharing a consensus on the quality of the flavor, all of us columnists are better for having opened ourselves up to a new experience.

Editorial

EDITORIAL BOARD

Colin Falcon Editor in Chief News Editor Emily Bracher Production Editor

Jason Willis Sports Editor

Emma Duhe

Procedures

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

“Everybody has their own story — it’s who you are. If I wasn’t five-foot, I wouldn’t be who I am!”

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

Teatery owner Hau Le and cashier Ryzen Lemoine take customers’ orders Nov. 12, 2022, at Teatery Tea and Tapioca on 3132 College Drive.

FRANCIS DINH / The Reveille

A cup of Hawaii fruit tea sits Nov. 12, 2022, at Teatery Tea and Tapioca on 3132 College Drive.

LSU IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVIVORS BY PROVIDING ROBUST RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO MEET THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

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