The Hillsdale Collegian 1.12.22 by The Hillsdale Collegian

Womens Basketball:

TikTok: consumes the music industry in 2021 See A7

wins seven out of eight games See A5

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Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

Pregnancy Center: pays off $54,000 mortgage See A4

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Vol. 145 Issue 14 - January 12, 2022

| Helping Hands PRC

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Community raises more than $20K for Carrington family By Rachel Kookogey Associate Editor

More than 200 community members raised $20,230 for the medical expenses of Associate Professor of Politics Adam Carrington in December. “I am overwhelmed by the generosity shown to me and to my family by those who contributed,” Carrington said. “God has worked mercifully and mightily to comfort and provide, both directly and

through these dear people.” After Carrington was diagnosed with cancer in December, Associate Professor of Classics Eric Hutchinson and his wife, Allison, organized a fundraiser on GoFundMe for treatment-related expenses. “As they are making all of the preparations in their lives for the treatment, there are so many unknowns,” Allison Hutchinson wrote on the GoFundMe page. “One thing that we do know is that they have a large community of family and friends that might be able

Hillsdale in DC radio station expands its reach By Elizabeth Troutman Assistant Editor Hillsdale in D.C. 's radio studio recently expanded to allow students on WHIP and D.C. faculty to host new shows, enabling Hillsdalians in D.C. to advance Hillsdale’s mission beyond its 400 acres in Michigan. “Hillsdale in D.C. serves to advance the mission of Hillsdale College through various mediums,” Matthew Spalding, vice president of Washington operations, said. “Our audience appreciates radio and podcasts, and the Hillsdale in D.C. radio station allows us the capability of offering that to our students, faculty, and allies.” Spalding said the radio studio will continue to operate as an outlet for students, faculty, and allies to spread the ideas of Hillsdale College. The Boyle Studio was dedicated at the Kirby Center in November 2015. The studio is a remote broadcast studio for visiting radio hosts and personalities, including nationally recognized hosts, podcasters, and newsmakers, Spalding said. The studio includes amenities and accommodations for radio hosts and guests. It is furnished through the gift of the Vince Benedetto Bold Gold Media Group and the Bold Gold Broadcast & Media Foundation. Allison Schuster ’21, research assistant at the Kirby Center, manages the Hillsdale in D.C. radio studio. “The station provides the opportunity for our own faculty to conduct interviews or record material, as well as extending the studio’s use to organizations whose missions are friendly to our own,” Schuster said. “It also just gives us a space for students to explore the radio world and get handson experience using what Hillsdale has taught them during their WHIP semester or time in the graduate program.” Schuster’s job includes coordinating the use of the

studio for outside groups, producing shows, and managing student shows for WHIP and graduate students. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, The Federalist Radio Hour and other shows were regularly recorded at the D.C. station. Spalding decided to welcome back shows in the fall of 2021, so Schuster has spent the past six months developing the station. The Federalist’s culture editor, Emily Jashinsky, records The Federalist Radio Hour in the studio, Schuster said. Additionally, while on WHIP last semester, senior Elena Nabarowski recorded her own show, “Five Minute Myths,” the first student show recorded at the D.C. station in a few years. “I also look forward to more undergraduate students using the studio as this semester gets underway,” Schuster said. Scot Bertram, manager of the Radio Free Hillsdale, helps Schuster fix technical issues and develop the studio’s equipment and capability, as well as providing general radio counseling. “Hillsdale students who are involved here at WRFH are encouraged to continue working on their show or feature while on WHIP,” Bertram said. “The Boyle Studio features the same equipment that is used here in Michigan, so the transition should be seamless.” The studio has hosted The Vince Coglianese Show, which Schuster said provided an opportunity to raise awareness of Hillsdale’s mission among D.C. listeners. Vince Coglianese hosted Spalding; Matthew Mehan, director of academic programs for Hillsdale in D.C.; and Mollie Hemingway, senior journalism fellow at Hillsdale, on the show to discuss their areas of expertise. Mehan said he has used the station to record podcasts about the liberal arts, talk with Bertram on his show, Radio Free Hillsdale

See Radio A6

to join together to alleviate some of the miscellaneous financial expenses that will quickly begin to pile at their door.” By Dec. 22, the Hutchinsons closed the donation site because the community had covered and far surpassed the initial $10,000 goal. Eric Hutchinson said in an email he was impressed with how quickly the need was met. “I think the real story here is not the GoFundMe thing as such, but the speedy generosity of Carrington's colleagues

and extended friends and acquaintances,” Hutchinson said. “I wish that it were not even known who set it up, but that wasn't possible.” Among the 204 people who donated were many Hillsdale College professors, staff, students, and alumni. “I especially was touched by how many were affiliated with Hillsdale,” Carrington said. “These persons included many former students, who gave me so much joy when they were here, and continue to give me such joy in prac-

ticing their manifold virtues. It all shows how Hillsdale is a partnership, even a friendship where we not only learn together but take care of each other.” Professor of History Kenneth Calvert, one of the donors, said seeing how many colleagues responded was a “wonderful example” of what Hillsdale is about. “When people get sick, you always pray for their health but quite often you forget that there are other needs as well,” Calvert said. “So Eric did a

great job of getting news out.” Carrington’s wife, Emily, said she was very thankful for the Hutchinsons initiating the campaign, as the financial support was “a huge relief.” “I am so humbled by the number of people who contributed to the campaign,” she said. “Walking through cancer with someone you love is hard and can be really lonely, but as I watched the campaign grow I was in awe seeing how many people love Adam and love our family."

Craig Blanchard as Defensive Coordinator in 2014. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

'A Charger through and through': Hillsdale remembers Craig Blanchard By Luke Morey Assistant Editor Present and former Hillsdale Charger football players mourned the loss of defensive coordinator Craig Blanchard. “He was just a great guy, and he was a great guy 24/7,” Hillsdale’s head football coach Keith Otterbein said about Craig Blanchard, who died at the age of 62 on Dec. 22 after a battle with multiple myeloma. Blanchard grew up in Jonesville. In his senior year at Jonesville High School, he earned Class C first-team all-state honors while rushing for 1,706 yards. “When I was playing football at Hillsdale, I actually hosted Blanchard as a recruit,” Otterbein said. “I didn’t do a very good job because he went to Grand Valley State University.” After his four years at Grand Valley, Blanchard got into coaching, working at several schools before coming to Hillsdale in 2001. “He had been here a long time,” Otterbein said. “He

affected an unbelievable number of kids and families, and his legacy is going to live on through the players that he influenced and their families, and just continue on for generations.” Dan Shanley ’19 said Blanchard cannot be encompassed in any one story. “He truly cared about us as men first and athletes second,” Shanley said. “In any meeting or conversation I had one-on-one with him, he always asked about my life and how I was doing before we talked about football. In the very last meeting I had after my fifth year, we were talking about the job I had and how I would have to spend a few weeks in Minnesota.” Two years later, Shanley saw Blanchard at homecoming. “He was asking me about how Minnesota was and how I was enjoying living in Grand Rapids,” Shanley said. “It blew my mind that he even remembered that, let alone truly care about how that went for me while he was

battling cancer.” Wainwright Clarke ’19 said he remembers Blanchard calling players “fire ants” or “fire plugs” whenever they made a gusty play. “The other great thing that I immediately remember occurred in Findlay University’s locker room after we beat them in 2018 on our way to winning the championship that year,” Clarke said. “As we were celebrating the win, Coach Lindley leaned over to Blanch and bet that he wouldn’t start dancing in the locker room to show how happy he was with our performance. And sure enough, that’s exactly what Blanch proceeded to do.” Freshman Luke Constantino said Blanchard brought a positive attitude to every rainy practice. “Last year when the weather at practice was miserable, he’d just say ‘it’s 70 and sunny, men,’” Constantino said. “That has stuck with me all this time, because ‘70 and sunny’ is how life should always be lived. No matter what circumstances you are

faced with, no matter how dark and cold you think it is, it’s all about perspective. That’s how Blanch lived, like it was 70 and sunny every time we stepped on the field.” Junior Kyle Kudla recalled Blanchard’s intensity for game day. “Coach Blanch would say ‘Bugaboo’ when referring to an opponent’s offensive play that would be tough for our defense to stop and we always got a kick out of that so we adopted it as a linebacker mantra,” Kudla said. Kudla said Blanchard’s game day intensity always got the defense fired up. “We would all meet pregame and he would yell ‘ATTACK’ repeatedly and we would follow loud enough to scare anyone in a 100-foot radius,” Kudla said. “He had this innate ability to always put a smile on your face but also tell it to you straight up. He always let us know how much he loved us and it was easy to see how much he cared for his guys."

See Blanchard A6

Hillsdale Academy appoints new headmaster By Sean Callaghan Assistant Editor

Hillsdale Academy will welcome Assistant Headmaster Mike Roberts as its new headmaster on July 1, 2022, replacing David Diener after four years in the position. “Mike Roberts is more prepared than anybody could be to run that school,” said Ken-

neth Calvert, former headmaster of the Academy, professor of history, and director of the Oxford program at Hillsdale College. Beginning Jan. 1, Roberts received some of the responsibilities as headmaster in order to best prepare him for the transition. After graduating from the college in 1998, Roberts joined

the Academy in 2002 as assistant headmaster and athletic director. “He has been part of the college, and here at the Academy for 20 years,” Calvert said. “He knows what the school is about and what its influence is.” Roberts said the new position surprised him, but he is grateful to serve the school in

this capacity. “I am glad to help the school in whatever maximizes carrying out its mission,” Roberts said. The motto of Hillsdale academy is virtus et sapientiae: virtue and wisdom. “Everything we do at the Academy is striving toward cultivating our students into people of virtue through

classical education,” said David Diener, current headmaster at the Academy until the end of the 2022 spring semester. “We provide an academically excellent classical Christian education.” Calvert spoke of the headmaster’s primary role in upholding this mission.

See Headmaster A6

Mike Roberts. Courtesy | Mike Roberts

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January 12, 2022

Taylor Gage '10 was selected as executive director of the Nebraska Republican party last month. Courtesy | Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts office

Hillsdale alumnus appointed director of Nebraska GOP By Haley Strack D.C. Correspondent Hillsdale College alumnus Taylor Gage ’10 is stepping into a new role as the executive director of the Nebraska state Republican party, leaving his position as director of strategic communications for Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts. “If there's anything that I'm really excited about, it's the people,” Gage said. “I love the people in Nebraska, and I care about Nebraska. I want to see it remain a conservative state.” With 12 years in Nebraska politics, and more than eight of them with the Republican governor, Gage has earned high praise from his former boss. “Through floods and a pandemic, he has been at the center of our work to help keep Nebraska strong and to connect more people to my office,” Ricketts said in a statement. “His input has shaped our work through it all. Taylor has been a valued adviser, and I look forward to what’s next for him.” Gage, a Nebraska native, graduated from Hillsdale in 2010 where he studied political science. His first job in politics was a volunteer captain on a congressional campaign. In 2008, after Gage’s sophomore year in college, he interned for the Nebraska Republican Party. When he graduated college, Gage led a state convention. He then served as the political director for Nebraska Sen. Deb Fischer’s successful 2012 campaign, deputy campaign manager for Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in 2013 and 2014, and was the director of strategic communications in the governor’s office for eight years before this new role with the Nebraska GOP. “My vision for this role is to elect more Republicans and help unite our Republican base around the issues that are going to help do that,” he said.“Whether it's the pro-life issue or property tax relief, or voter ID, those are some of the top issues that we're focused on as a

Headmaster from A1

“The headmaster is the one who sets the tone and who establishes the culture of the school,” Calvert said. “He has to make sure that every decision he makes begins with considering the mission of the school.” Calvert also spoke of the need for a headmaster to surround himself with other faculty who will continue to carry out and support the mission. “Hiring people is your most important expression of what

party here in Nebraska right now.” Gage said he has remained focused on local politics since graduating from Hillsdale — and he doesn’t plan to change that. “A lot of people get focused on the national narrative and the national scene. All of that is important — it influences what we're doing day to day, but you have limited time and resources. And the best way that you're going to be able to move the needle politically is in your neighborhood, your church, your school and your community,” Gage said. “Focusing on what you have direct control over is the best way to create change.” Gage said he looks forward to forming relationships with community members, working with the county party, and convincing local neighborhoods to adopt conservative views. “It's one of the things that makes politics so great here: you can build relationships with people, you're going to have those relationships for a lifetime, and are going to be able to invest in the party and the state through those relationships,” he said. “The same people who were around when I was first volunteering in politics are many of the same people that are still around today. It's fun to work together to elect conservative Republicans, see the fruits of your labor, and team up on future projects.” Nebraska Republican Party Chairman Dan Welch said the Nebraska GOP is glad to have Gage’s expertise. "Taylor brings a wealth of experience and relationships to grow the state party and elect more Republicans," said Nebraska Republican Party Chairman Dan Welch in a statement. While Gage plans an annual retreat to pray and reflect on his career choices and the year ahead, one thing is certain, he said. “I don't have any 10-year goals laid out,” Gage said. “But I’ll be living in Nebraska. This is where my heart is.”

your mission is and Mike Roberts has done exactly what he needs to do,” Calvert said. “He has hired exactly the right people to uphold the mission. That’s job one and everything comes out of that.” Roberts said one of the main challenges he will face will be continuing to maintain the culture of the school as it expands. “We are at a point where the culture and education of the school is excellent,” Roberts said. “The challenge is gauging the appropriate amount of

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Professor writes on QAnon, politics By Olivia Hajicek Collegian Reporter

Associate Professor of Rhetoric and Public Address Ethan Stoneman argues the QAnon movement was so popular due to its use of hidden messages in his recent article for “Cultural Politics.” “Where We Produce One, We Produce All: The Platform Conspiracism of QAnon,” co-authored by Associate Professor of Communication and Dramatic Arts at Central Michigan University Joseph Packer, was the lead article in the journal’s November 2021 edition. Q is the pseudonym of an anonymous person, or group of people, who began posting cryptic messages on the internet in October 2018. Q alleged that a group of high-level individuals, including former President Donald Trump, were carrying out a strategic plan to bring down the Satanic global elite. “He was not the only 'anon' account, but it was the one that somehow able to gain a lot more traction,” Stoneman said, “and I think one of the

reasons why that anon account was able to do so was because it encouraged other people to read Q's messages esoterically and then also to start reading President Trump's messages esoterically.” The concept of esoteric interpretation—looking for hidden meanings in communication—was first articulated by political philosopher Leo Strauss, who applied it to classical philosophers. “Strauss talks about multiple reasons for writing in esoteric ways,” Hillsdale Professor of Politics Thomas West said. “Protection is one of them.” Stoneman used Strauss's framework to analyze Q's method of communication, arguing conservatives embraced Q's coded messaging partly because they feel their views are being persecuted. “If people feel their views are going to result in some kind of sanction or retribution, then they’re going to try to keep things cryptic,” Stoneman said. “They’re going to try to encode things so that other people outside that group don’t understand them.” Coded communication had another effect as well,

Stoneman said: it required decoding. “Making people decode messages is a way to get them to continue to produce messages, because when they decode a message they have to produce that interpretation,” Stoneman said. Stoneman argues that Q's instruction to read President Trump's communications esoterically set Q apart from other anon accounts. This way of connecting Trump with Q's narrative caused the movement to “spread like wildfire,” Stoneman said, something that would not have been possible without digital networking made possible by modern technology. Stoneman attributed Q's popularity in part to a cultural shift as well. “One of the contextual reasons as to why QAnon became so popular is that we’re losing what used to be called mainstream culture,” Stoneman said. “It’s going to be harder and harder to agree on what’s a conspiracy theory when you don’t have consensus on the right or appropriate interpretation. Everything is becoming more and more fragmented.” Kirstin Kiledal, professor of

Rhetoric and Public Address, said these divisions come as people have different narratives through which they make sense of the world. “They’re looking for not just a kind of strict, formal logical rationality,” Kiledal said. She said people who follow Q look for internal rationality or cohesiveness of their narrative as well as evidence this narrative “rings true in the real world.” Kiledal said this search is characteristic of any narrative worldview, even the mainstream one. Stoneman said it is important to consider unstated assumptions in one’s own worldview as well as in the worldviews one encounters. “I think it’s good to do a system check every now and then and ask yourself, ‘Okay, why do I believe the things I say that I believe?” Stoneman said. “And so before we start yelling across the aisle at what you think is stupid, I think it’s always good to do this bit of self-reflection and ask oneself, ‘Well, where do my beliefs come from, how are they conditioned, and what’s going on with me and how I’m seeing the world?'"

A student waves her student identification card. Sean Callaghan| Collegian

Student Library updates printers, hopes to reboot MeLCat by midterms Mossey Library has added a new card-activated feature to its printers and it hopes to restore the connection to MeLCat, the Michigan eLibrary Catalog and Resource Sharing System, by mid-semester. MeLCat is a statewide interlibrary catalog and resource sharing service created to share materials among all types of libraries in Michigan, according to its website. “We are looking at the possibility of being back on MeLCat early in the semester,” Public Services Librarian Brenna Wade said. “It should be running by at least midterms, but maybe as soon as the end of January.” In the meantime, students can still request books through the Interlibrary Loan, which

students can access through a form on the library’s website, Wade said. “MeLCat is only a supplement, and will continue to be used as such,” Library Director Maurine McCourry said. “We can still get whatever anyone needs. It is just going through a different process,” she said. McCourry said the library had to stop using the MeLCat connection last year when it upgraded its catalog to a new system. It initially hoped to return the connection last October but has experienced delays in receiving the new software—an application programming interface or API that allows the library and MeLCat to interact with each other. “We have been waiting on a software component. We have only been able to move as fast as that,” Wade said. “We are

only the ones using it, not the ones implementing it. We don’t know exactly how long it is going to take.” Once it is back and running, MeLCat will initially use a beta version of the software, which currently runs on one other similar-sized college in Michigan, McCourry said. The beta should allow students to interact with MeLCat like they used to. Wade said the library chose to implement the card-activated feature on the printers in order to cut down on paper waste, where someone might accidentally send more than one copy to the printer by accident. “You now have to release the print job, she said. “They were automatically released before.” Wade also noted it allows more security with confidential documents since the new

system eliminates the mixing and scrambling of jobs. To print, students can hover their card over the printer’s reader before choosing a print job. If students forget their Hillsdale identification cards, they can use a touchscreen keypad to enter their Hillsdale usernames and passwords by tapping a keyboard icon. Non-student library patrons from the surrounding community can also access the printer through a username and password given by the library, McCourry said. “Everyone will still be able to print even without an I.D. card,” she said. While Wade said the new printing system will be a big change at first, it has been working out well. “There will always be a few wrinkles, but things have been going smoothly so far,” she said.

Hour, and record an audio version of his children’s book “Mr. Mehan’s Mildly Amusing Mythical Mammals.” “I've invited guests in to record their podcasts and have discussions with me,” Mehan said. “I’ve gotten to meet a number of interesting people who are there recording as our guests.” Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn was also a guest at the Hillsdale in D.C station, participating

in Hugh Hewitt’s annual Tele-Townhall on Reviving American Classical K-12 Education last month. Schuster said the show enabled Arnn to share the college’s mission concerning classical education. “We have access to so many people who are actively making waves in national politics here in the capitol,” she said, “and the studio provides us a space to speak with them and connect them with our students and scholars in a way that’s more convenient

and accessible than the main campus’ radio station for some.” In the future, Schuster will continue to expand the station’s programming. She said she will speak with WHIP students and friends of the college to find additional hosts. Schuster said anyone on the main campus interested in interviewing professors or students at the D.C. campus can do so, as well. “Both campuses are working for the same purpose of pursuing truth and

defending liberty, and it would be wonderful to have more connection between the two,” Schuster said. Though not often in D.C., Bertram said he will continue to advise the D.C. station. “It’s of great value to the station to have these contributions from our nation’s capital and to allow students to continue to grow in their work while in D.C.,” Bertram said.

growth.” Calvert said another challenge will be balancing the greater presence of the Academy at the national level while still maintaining the key principles upon which the school was founded. “The more famous you are, the easier it is to become jaded,” Calvert said. Diener said being a headmaster requires commitment to the mission of the school and the problem-solving skills Roberts models. “As a headmaster, you need

to have an understanding of the students,” Calvert said. “You need to be able to walk down the hall, see a face, and know who it is.” Roberts will oversee teachers and disciplinary measures at the Academy, as well as work in conjunction with the classical school initiative led by Assistant Provost for K-12 Education Kathleen O’Toole. “The headmaster is the face of the Academy for the surrounding school communities,” Calvert said. Diener pointed out Robert’s

leadership at the Academy. “Mike Roberts is one of the best administrators that I’ve had the privilege of working with over my 11 years in classical school administration,” Diener said. “He has been an integral part of the development of HIllsdale Academy over the past several years, and will continue to lead it well in the future.” Diener said Roberts is capable, well-respected, and trusted by the entire Academy community. “I look forward to this last

semester as the headmaster and have full confidence in Mike Roberts’ abilities as I pass off some of the responsibilities to him,” Diener said. Roberts spoke to the quality of not only the education and faculty, but also the families at the school. He said having such a strong community surrounding him will help him to continue to grow the school in this new role. “I am overjoyed for him,” Calvert said. “I am overjoyed for Dr. Diener to come out to the education department."

By Josh Newhook News Editor

Radio from A1

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A3 January 12, 2022

Opinions

The bubble is a blessing

Online: www.hillsdalecollegian.com

The editors welcome Letters to the Editor but reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, length, and style. Letters should be 450 words or less and include your name and number. Send submissions to the Opinions Editor at ehawkins@hillsdale.edu before Saturday at 3 p.m.

The Collegian Weekly

The opinion of The Collegian editorial staff

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

After four weeks away, you are back in the Hillsdale bubble — cherish it. On our flights and rides home in December, reality came into focus. Politics, pandemic mandates, and the woes of the world became our existence. We’ve spent the past 30 days living the news cycle. It’s time to turn it off. A common complaint about Hillsdale is the “bubble effect.” We live in a tight-knit, close-quarters commune of generally

like-minded people focusing on niche intellectual work. There are negatives to it, as we all vent about. Drama can seem more pressing than it is and campus can feel like an echo chamber. But there are positives to the bubble that we should appreciate. Hillsdale is like a huddle before a football game. We’re on the same team, talking to similar people about specific ideas. With our arms around each others’ shoulders, we can encourage

Hillsdale wants more sushi Imagine biting into the layers of the delicious Japanese dish, you can taste the soft rice, the fresh cucumbers, the tangy seaweed, the creamy avocado, and the salty salmon. Your flavor journey was just sponsored by sushi. While Johnny T’s Bistro has a Wednesday night sushi bar and Grab-and-Go once offered sushi, it is a tragedy that the Hillsdale community does not have a location dedicated entirely to their sushi aspirations. But an even greater tragedy is the people who are disgusted by the mere mention of the word sushi. What could be the solution to these misfortunes? People need to go out and try this delectable delight. It will give sushi lovers an excuse to eat the food that brings them joy and it will be an adventure for those who have never tried it. The best way to find out if you will enjoy sushi is to try it with friends at a sushi restaurant. There are two establishments in Jackson that are perfect options for the

introduction to the great dish: Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse and AKA Sushi. Some people think sushi restaurants have to be highend and exotic. But sushi is not a new dish in the United States. It actually has a colorful history. The earliest existing written reference to sushi in Japan appeared in 718 A.D. and in the United States, sushi was being served by the early 1900s. Popularity of Japanese food peaked in 1905 when it was being served at Japanese-themed social gatherings across the U.S. The earliest published mention of sushi eaten by an American, in America, was an article published in 1904 by the Los Angeles Herald about a luncheon served in Santa Monica by a socialite. World War II saw Japanese-American restaurants on the West Coast closing and selling off their businesses due to internment orders on their owners. One restaurant that reopened after the war to serve sushi was Matsuno Sushi. This restaurant had been in business since at least 1938, and by 1949, it was back serving sushi for lunch.

here and to be grateful for the closed off community we have access to. We’ll be back to masks, vaccine mandates, and whatever else comes in the summer. For now, turn off the news notifications and Twitter updates and enjoy the bubble our campus provides.

This year’s top Hillsdate ideas

Hillsdale students should be more adventurous in their food choices. Courtesy | Wikimedia Commons

By Lucia Piecuch

and grow, focusing on the team’s needs before battle. Soon enough we’ll count to three, scream a chant, and march into the game of life. Challenge awaits. Don’t wish for it to come faster. Rather, lean into the bubble that gives you the space to read great books, have deep conversations, and take on virtues that will lead to a good life. Take a moment at the beginning of this semester to remind yourself why you’re

The Kawafuku restaurant in Los Angeles has been credited with being the “first true sushi bar” in the United States, that is to say, the first to serve sushi from a trained sushi chef in the country. So, sushi is not as foreign as people think. Though raw fish may sound unappetizing, when it is in a thick layer of sticky rice and fresh vegetables, one forgets that there is an uncooked piece of salmon in the middle. For those still on the fence, sushi also offers a handful of health benefits. Raw fish is rich in Omega3 fish oil, which reduces high cholesterol levels, the risk of heart disease, and inflammation. Omega3 fatty acids nourish brain cells and help to improve concentration and overall brain function. So if you’re nervous about consuming raw fish, know that it will help you more than it could hurt you. There are also many more options than the standard salmon and tuna. For the less daring, tempura shrimp is a tasty choice. The only difference is fried shrimp takes the place of the raw tuna. Another choice is freshwater eel. It is most commonly grilled

with a sweet, teriyaki-like brown sauce known as unagi. The sauce masks any eel-like flavor that might intimidate a new consumer. The various components in this Japanese staple give the dish many more flavors than the assumed fishy taste. Chefs mix the rice with seasoned vinegar to make it sticky and have a tangy taste. If the restaurant uses good seafood, the fish will taste so smooth, rich, and buttery that it will melt in your mouth. Fruit is another great topping. Mango and peach give sushi a subtle sweet and sour taste which balances the fishy flavor. The final touch is dipping sushi in sweet soy sauce to give a sweet yet salty finish. There are many sushi combinations that connoisseurs of the scrumptious dish can almost guarantee a type they enjoy. A sushi restaurant is a novel place to experience new flavors and taste some culinary history. And if you have a friend who refuses to like sushi, then who cares? More for you. Lucia Piecuch is a sophomore studying history.

By Claire Gaudet

soundproof.

At first glance, a town in rural Michigan mid-winter might not seem like the ideal location for young couples to pursue adventurous dates. But fear not, Hillsdaters: this assumption could not be more wrong. No, the problem has not been location, it’s that you have not been looking hard enough. Well look no further, because these dates are sure to rekindle your love for these cold winter months.

Gain Official Hillsdater Status Despite the afamed account’s shutdown, you can still roleplay being one of the lucky couples featured on the Hillsdating Instagram. Do everything a normal couple would do: hold hands, hug, even kiss. Just make sure it’s in public. Everyone likes being reminded of love, especially those who have been turned cynical as a result of being single, so make sure to share your gift with the world.

SAGA by Candlelight Whether you have a big anniversary, or simply a random hankering to dine with your beloved, the perfect venue could be right in your backyard. One of the best things about taking your date to the Knorr Family Dining Room is just that: it’s your dining room here on campus. Get comfortable; shoes and socks are optional. Stability is a key component of any successful relationship, so why not embrace that by chowing down on the same food you always do, day after day after day. Reserve a Study Room Together Want an easy way to spend the whole day together? Wake up early and reserve a purgatory study room with each other. Throw your backpack on a table and leave. Go do literally anything else for the rest of the day, and rest easy knowing not a single other student can use your room all day. If the spirit moves you, and you want to be alone with your sweetheart without uprooting your roommate, head back to the study room. Afterall, it’s basically a private setting and definitely completely

Explore Baw Beese in the Off Season Campus clubs and organizations will be waiting to pounce on this location as soon as the weather changes, get a chance to look around before it’s flooded by event-hungry students. Plan a picnic, have a stroll, or even take a dip in Hillsdale’s finest watering hole. Cuddling is a vital part of any relationship, what could be more romantic than being forced to in order to conserve body heat? Union Couple Clout You know them, you love them, you could be them: The Union Couple. The union couches and the AJ’s booths are the perfect place to make a huge spectacle out of rubbing your significant other’s shoulders. If you play your cards right, someone will post about you on Jodel, and for the next two hours every student walking through the building will keep an eye out for you. Claire Gaudet is a sophomore studying rhetoric and public address. She is the Social Media Manager at The Collegian.

Go on a one-day vacation By Ben Wilson

Ben and his sister explored Boston Monday. Ben Wilson | Collegian

Here’s an idea for your next break: fly to a new city for the day. My sister Chloe and I did this on Monday. We left Chicago at 6 a.m. and returned at 11 p.m., visiting Boston in-between. It’s possible to see a lot of a city in 12 well-planned hours. We visited Paul Revere’s house, Bunker Hill, the scene of the Boston Massacre, and a dozen more historical sites. We visited two restaurants, two bakeries, and two coffee shops. And plenty of

Instagram photoshoots took place — for her, of course. We actually ran through our entire list of things to do with two hours to spare. Perhaps this was because we were in Boston on a Monday in January and everything was closed, but I credit our pace and determination. Regardless, a full day in a city is enough time to see everything on Yelp’s “15 things you must do” lists and eat lots of local cuisine in between. Airfare can be cheap if bought ahead of time and on less-traveled days. Two roundtrips to Boston was

less than $150. That may sound expensive, but you can easily spend that much at an amusement park. Perhaps you’d find that more fun, but those of us who consider a Ferris Wheel as pushing our limits can opt for the day trip. Hotels and car rentals can add up quickly, but a day trip to a walkable city requires no such thing. Boston is a great city for this type of adventure. Its airport and historical sites are close together. Chicago, Milwaukee, and Seattle would work well, too. While it’s unconventional, a

one-day vacation can satisfy your travel desire while saving hundreds of dollars on lodging. If you go to Boston, I have the perfect trip plan that I’m happy to share. Ben Wilson is a senior studying politics and journalism. He is the Editor-in-Chief at The Collegian.

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

City News A4 January 12, 2022

Local pregnancy center pays off $54,000 mortgage By | Josh Hypes Assistant Editor Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center is debtfree for the first time in its history after community members paid off the nonprofit’s mortgage, according to a press release. The group raised $54,200 from more than 130 individual donors during the Hillsdale County Community Foundation’s annual Great Give, an end-of-year fundraiser for local nonprofits, which they held Dec. 3. The funds paid off the group’s remaining $54,000 mortgage on its building located on South Howell Street. Helping Hands is a nonprofit that helps families navigate unplanned pregnancies by offering pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and consultation services. “This is a huge encouragement for our ministry to be able to enter the New Year debt-free,” said Bryce Asberg ’21, Helping Hands executive director. “It is encouraging to see God give us just what we needed

by paying off the mortgage, which is incredible.” The idea for paying off the building’s mortgage came during the organization’s ribbon cutting ceremony in October for its new 3D ultrasound machine. Bud Vear, founding president of Helping Hands and current leader of Hillsdale Right to Life, mentioned the dying wish of his wife, Gloria, was to see the mortgage paid off. Vear's remarks inspired several attendees, including Amy Miller, to take up the cause of paying off the mortgage. “When my husband and I went to the ribbon cutting and listened to Mr. Vear’s story, I wondered if we could join with friends and colleagues to pay off the mortgage,” Miller said. “I started surveying the crowd and realized that there were several other people who had the same ability and willingness to undertake the cause.” Miller and other attendees shared their idea to pay off the mortgage with Asberg and the Helping Hands Board, jumpstarting the

project. “We listened to the hearts of those who attended and quickly got to work,” Asberg said. “We knew that we were six weeks out from when the Hillsdale Community Foundation puts on the Great Give. We decided this was the perfect time to make the mortgage the headpiece of our fundraising efforts and pay off the last $54,000.” As the Great Give approached, Miller said she reached out to her friends to join her in giving to Helping Hands. “There was a lot of generosity during the lead up to the Great Give,” Miller said. “A lot of people stepped up for this wonderful cause.” During the Great Give, Helping Hands unexpectedly raised more than $54,000 in one day. Asberg said he did not think they could raise the money in that event alone. “We are grateful to God for his provision and then the community for their incredible support,” Asberg said. “We had over 140 gifts, several of which came from Hillsdale College dorms,

– Jan. 13: Paint a Valentine Gnome, Hillsdale Craft Supply – Jan. 14: War Room Movie Night, Hillsdale Nazarene Church – Jan. 15: Paint a Fireplace Window Scene, Hillsdale Craft Supply – Jan. 18, 7 p.m.: City Council Meeting, City Hall Bryce Asberg and Bud Vear handing over the final mortgage payment. Courtesy | Helping Hands

clubs, and Greek houses.” Miller said she always felt the community could raise the funds. “I had a good feeling all along,” Miller said. “Call this what you will but the entire time we all felt divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit. This was the right cause at the right time.” Bud Vear said when Asberg called to say that they

had raised enough money to pay off the mortgage, he could not believe it. “The amount raised was so close to the amount needed, there had to be someone else in charge,” Vear said. “Gloria’s dream had been to pay off that mortgage before she died, and though it took a couple of years, the dream finally came true.”

By | Madeline Welsh Assistant Editor

who are not vaccinated will also face monetary penalties following the Jan. 1 policy. iese penalties could be up to $600 per year, he said. Hourly workers will not be etected by the penalties. Employees who have re

Hillsdale County Republicans spark backlash with ‘Insurrection Anniversary’ The Hillsdale County Republican Party faced backlash after hosting an “Insurrection Anniversary” on Thursday, Jan. 6, one year after the Capitol riot. The HCRP’s “Insurrection Anniversary” took place during its monthly meeting on Jan. 6, according to party secretary Jon Smith. The event, which took place at 6 p.m. in Sozo Church Hillsdale, featured several speakers who attended the Stop the Steal rally. The “Insurrection Anniversary” made national headlines when MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow tweeted about the HCRP on Jan. 6, criticizing organizers’ bad grammar. “‘Food and drinks will be provide,’” Maddow wrote, including a screenshot of the event description. A Jan. 7 MSNBC article referred to this event as an “‘insurrection anniversary party.” Republicans also criticized the event. In an in-

terview with Jackson TV, state Sen. Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, condemned what he called the HCRP’s “celebration” of the Capitol riot. “They are setting up to establish a celebration of Jan. 6, 2021, which I think is horrible,” Shirkey said to Jackson TV. “Nobody should be celebrating what happened on Jan. 6 2021, but they’re doing it.” Hillsdale County Republicans took 104 people and two buses to the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Smith said. “We invited guest speakers to come up and talk about their experience,” Smith said. Speakers included Hillsdale City Councilman Robert Socha, Indiana pastor Micah Beckwith, and congressional candidates Joseph Rocha and Angela Rigas, Smith said. According to Bridge Michigan, both Rocha and Rigas attended the protest outside the Capitol in 2021. The public reacted negatively to the event, according to Smith. “I get a lot of bad calls,”

- Jan. 22: Operation Snowshoe, Darkfire Airsoft - Jan. 23, 1-5 p.m.: 15th Annual Music Performance Competition, First Presbyterian Church - Every Friday, 10:30 a.m.: Story Time, Hillsdale Community Library

Kroger places new vaccine requirements on employees

The HCRP meeting on Jan. 6, 2022. Courtesy | YouTube

By | Logan Washburn City News Editor

Coming up in the city:

Smith said. “I encourage it. Any time I can trigger a liberal, I’m game.” The Hillsdale County Democratic Party issued a statement that expressed disappointment in the HCRP for celebrating “an event whose goal it was to interfere with the democratic process and to undermine the outcome of an election.” “Many people were injured and some lost their lives, this should never be a cause for celebration, no matter your political convictions or affiliation,” the Hillsdale Democratic party wrote. Smith partially blames Republican state Sen. Mike Shirkey for the negative response to this event. The HCRP censured Shirkey on Feb. 4 for a series of “actions and inactions,” according to MLive.com. The county Republicans secretly recorded their meeting with Shirkey, according to WILX, and Shirkey later apologized for making “insensitive comments” in the video. “The guy that we

censured from our party, the guy that we clashed with, we undercover videotaped and totally destroyed his political career, went on TV and said that this was a celebration,” Smith said, referencing a Jackson TV interview with Shirkey. “That’s what caused the backlash.” Smith also acknowledged that the event’s title may have fueled criticism. “The word insurrection is a trigger word, let’s be honest,” Smith said. While the HCRP labeled this a “fundraising event” in the Facebook announcement, party Chair Daren Wiseley said no fundraising was involved. “All of our monthly meetings cost $10 to cover food and rental costs; there was no special ‘fundraiser’ regarding the event,” Wiseley said. “This is a little absurd, it’s all for political points, and it’s really silly,” Smith said. The Collegian could not reach Shirkey for comment in time for publication.

Employees at Hillsdale’s Kroger store will face monetary penalties if they do not receive the COVID-19 vaccine under a nationwide company policy that took effect on Jan. 1. Additionally, starting in February, the company will require unvaccinated employees to be tested for the virus weekly. Taylor Cole, assistant store manager at Kroger in Hillsdale, said salaried workers who are not vaccinated will also face monetary penalties totaling up to $600 per year following the new policy. He said hourly workers

will not be effected by the penalties, but will still be subject to weekly testing beginning in February. Until Jan. 28, vaccinated employees can report their vaccination status to the company to receive a $100 bonus in the form of gift cards or a direct deposit, according to Cole. This has been in effect since February 2021, according to a news release. “We don’t force everyone to have a vaccine,” Cole said. “Our weekly testing policy will go into effect in February so everyone that is not vaccinated will have to be tested every week.” According to a 2020 news release published before

the policy change, all employees who contracted the virus were entitled to up to two weeks of paid leave if placed under quarantine by a medical provider. COVID-19 paid emergency leave is no longer available for unvaccinated employees under the Jan. 1 policy, according to a Kroger customer service spokesperson. The company will still offer earned paid time off and unpaid leave for unvaccinated employees who contract the virus. Paid emergency leave is still available for fully vaccinated employees with extreme cases of COVID-19.

Hillsdale’s Kroger has instituted multiple measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. Courtesy | Twitter

Charger

A5 January 12, 2022

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Women's Basketball

The Hillsdale College women's team meets during its win over Malone on Saturday. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Women's basketball tied for second in the G-MAC By Claire Gaudet Social Media Manager

The Hillsdale College women’s basketball team is tied with Kentucky Wesleyan College for second in the G-MAC, winning 7-2 games played over the Christmas break. The Chargers hold a 6-2 conference record, with a 9-5 record overall. “In the pre-season we were ranked 11 out of 12, so we’re not too worried about stuff like this,” Head Coach Charlie Averkamp said. “We’re just playing game by game and being the best team we can be everyday.” The team began the break with a 87-65 loss to the Ken-

tucky Wesleyan Panthers. “We knew that they had a history of playing really well, that just kind of got to us mentally,” sophomore forward Arianna Sysum said. “We weren't playing our game because we were focused on them.” The Chargers followed their initial loss with a six game conference winning streak. “I think it's a testament to how hard we've been working as a team, we've been doing a good job of holding each other accountable,” junior forward Sydney Mills said. Mills led the Chargers in rebounds during the break, with a season high of 17 against Lake Erie.

“Syd Mills averages a double-double, she’s one of the best rebounders in the conference,” Averkamp said. The team also made offensive strides over the break, with Dani Salenbien, Carly Callahan, and Grace Touchette all hitting career-highs in points. “Grace has taken her game to the next level,” Averkamp said. “She’s just an offensive and defensive threat. And Dani has grown into her game as a sophomore, she’s a jack of trades kind of kid.” Other player’s impacts were not necessarily reflected in their stats. “I have to shout out to Caitlin Nelson, she's a constant energizer bunny,” Mills

said. “Her stats in games might not be the strongest, but that’s just because what she does doesn't show up there. She always controls our pace really well, and is always guarding the strongest member of the other team.” Despite the gained confidence from their winning streak, the Chargers suffered a 103-64 loss to the Walsh University Cavaliers. “Walsh and Kentucky Wesleyan are older, more experienced teams,” Mills said. “We’re a younger team and we’re still kind of finding our way. We’ve stepped back to look at those games and the main problem is that when we go into tough games, we try to be perfect. When we

get tense like that things kinda go downhill.” Despite these losses, the team is looking forward to facing Kentucky Wesleyan and Walsh again. “We just didn't play Hillsdale basketball,” Averkamp said. “We tried to be perfect, whereas we usually like to act perfect through our imperfections. I'm excited to get to play them again with a more loose attitude.” The Chargers finished their pre-spring semester play with a 91-61 win against the Malone Pioneers. Touchette led the team with 25 points, followed by Mills and Sysum’s tie at 13. “To have eight kids so far score in the double digits this

season is really impressive,” Averkamp said. The players are confident going into the semester that school won’t impact their improving gameplay. “I do think it was nice to have the time off so we could get into a groove and focus on basketball,” Sysum said. “But now that we’re in that groove, I don't think school will affect us.” Like his players, Coach Averkamp has high expectations for the rest of their season. “We did a really good job this fall semester in the classroom,” Averkamp said. “I’m not worried. We have a great group of kids who I know will succeed in both areas.”

fSwimming

Swim team gears up for a strong spring season By Madeline Welsh Assistant Editor

In the fall, Charger swim had six wins at dual- and trimeets, including one clean sweep and many excellent performances at larger meets. Multiple athletes set new records and a few earned NCAA Division II qualifying times. The team boasted seven

G-MAC Swimmer of the Week awards, many of them won by the same swimmers in consecutive weeks. Freshman Elise Mason won the award once and juniors Marie Taylor, Leah Tunney, and freshman Megan Clifford won it twice. This spring, the team is gearing up for their conference meet in February. They will race three more times

in January before ending the season at G-MACs from Feb. 16-19. A few swimmers will go on to compete at the NCAA Division II championship which runs March 9-12, including junior Marie Taylor and freshman Elise Mason. “This year is a little bit different going into conferences than it was my freshman year because we’re going in off a training trip and with two

classes who don’t have any experience with the normal schedule of training and G-MACs,” junior Sydney Slepian said. “We’re having a lot of fun still, we’re doing a lot of training, but it’s just been a new experience for basically half the team.” The team traveled to Florida for a week of intensive training and team bonding at the end of December.

“I think our team is looking really strong,” sophomore Caroline Holmes said. “I am looking forward to our next meet and of course, conference in about a month. Personally, I’m hoping to finish the season strong and hit my race paces in practice as we prepare for our championship season.” The next few weeks of preparation will be important

for the Chargers. “I think succeeding in the meets before conference and putting our best foot forward will be important,” Slepian said. “Going out and trying our best will really help us get into a good mentality and be more confident about our races at conference.” The Chargers will race Saginaw Valley and Ashland at home on Saturday Jan. 15.

A6 January 12, 2022

Men's Basketball

Sports

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Awards

Hillsdale places third in DII academic success By Christian Peck-Dimit Sports Editor

Freshman Joe Reuter rises for a jam as part of his career-high 21 point night against Malone. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Chargers take down Malone, moves to 5-2 in G-MAC By Christian Peck-Dimit Sports Editor

The Hillsdale College men’s basketball team has gone 5-2 since the beginning of conference play, pushing their overall record to 10-3. The Chargers are tied with Malone for second in the conference, sitting just a halfgame behind Walsh. Between November and December, the Chargers flew off on a six game win streak, including their first four in-conference games. This streak was snapped by Findlay, who held all starters except junior Patrick Cartier to single digits in scoring. After a win against Northwood and a postponed game, the Chargers first game of the new year was a crushing home loss to the division-leading Walsh Cavaliers. “After the Walsh game, we sat down and really looked at ourselves and realized that we had to change something so we came out with a lot more intensity and more energy and really got to work the next day and then going into the Saturday’s game our mentality was just we got to

go out and do everything we can get the win,” freshman forward Joe Reuter said. The team went on to take down Malone on Saturday behind a career day from Reuter. He dropped a career-high 21 points on 10of-12 shooting, leading the team in scoring. He has also emerged as, percentage wise, the team’s best three-point shooter. “He practices and works out harder and more often than anybody I know, he’s waking up at 6am to go to the gym every morning,” senior forward Austen Yarian said. “Just getting some experience playing at this level compared to high school, I think now that he’s found his ways, he’s gonna get a lot more productive for the rest of this year.” Despite only taking four shots in the game, Yarian also posted a career high, grabbing 15 rebounds. It marks the fourth time that he has collected double-digit boards this year, twice in the last three games. “He leads us in rebounds, he leads us in assists, he’s our second leading scorer,” Head

Caitlin Splain is a freshman on the women's basketball team from Powell, Ohio Courtesy | Hillsdale College Atheletic Department

Coach John Tharp said. “We ask him to do a lot, and when he’s playing good basketball it makes us incredibly dangerous.” The team’s leading scorer, Cartier, has followed up a season where he won G-MAC Male Athlete of the Year with another dominant start. He averages a conference-high 22.4 points per game while shooting a conference second-best 63.2% from the field. The Chargers now look forward to three home games in their next four contests, beginning with Ashland on Thursday. Tharp says that the team has failed to play well at home so far this season, emphasizing that it’s a narrative he wants to change. All three of the team’s losses so far have come at home. “That’s the thing that’s been really discouraging to me to be honest with you, we just have not been good at home,” Tharp said. “I can’t tell you exactly why that is, but we’ve got to change that narrative if we want to be successful.”

Hillsdale College and its student athletes won the NCAA Division II Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence for the tenth consecutive year. Athletic departments who receive this award must record an Academic Success Rate (ASR) of 90% or above. Hillsdale posted an ASR of 98%. “The ASR measures the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of their initial college enrollment or who leave their athletic departments on track to graduate and in good academic standing,” a press release from Hillsdale College said. According to Athletic Director Don Brubacher, this is a unique way of determining academic success. “It doesn’t entirely fall in line with the graduation rate,” Brubacher said. “Every student who matriculates who's involved in their athletic program no matter what happens, if they drop out of athletics, if they transfer to

another school, it doesn't matter. If they don't graduate from Hillsdale College, they don't count against our graduation rate. That's true for all graduation rate studies.” The ASR, according to Brubacher, does not do this. “It simply monitors, literally, the academic success of the student athletes,” Brubacher said. “So a student who leaves Hillsdale College but is in good academic standing, they do not count against our academic success rate. So it's a very unique, but we think, actually a more accurate assessment of academic success.” According to the press release, 98% tied Hillsdale for third-best in the nation, one percentage point behind the two top schools. This marks the fourth straight year that the Chargers have finished top five among the 309 Division II schools in the nation. “Hillsdale has finished as high as tied for second multiple times, prior to this year most recently in the 2018 edition of the award, and we’ve achieved a mark of 98% multiple times as well, most recently in the 2016

edition of the award,” Athletic Director of Communications James Gensterblum said. Brubacher said the college’s coaches help to foster an environment of academic success and focus on recruiting academically-minded students. “There's always more we can do,” Brubacher said. “It's a focus from this office because it's a focus for the college. It's important that the college academic program here is the highest priority of anything we do. That's communicated to coaches we hire, it’s communicated to coaches when they arrive here, and it’s communicated to coaches as they work here.” Brubacher said he makes sure that the entire athletic department is focused on helping students succeed academically. “It’s not a matter of okay, you've been admitted to Hillsdale College, let's just try to keep you eligible, continue to play,” Brubacher said. “We’re going to push you to excel academically, while we are also pushing you to excel athletically.”

Craig Blanchard was a Hillsdale football coach for 21 years. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Blanchard From A1 The world is a better place for having had Craig Blanchard in it. One of a kind person with the highest character.” Senior Nathanial Chambers remembered a story from his junior year. “We just came off of a

tough loss to Tiffin and winning that game would have kept us in the race for the conference title,” Chambers said. “And to add salt to the wound, I had my worst game of the season and at the time, felt like a lot of the blame was on me for how the game turned out.” Chambers said Blanchard came up to him after the team meeting to say he was proud of Chambers’ season

and how he represented the team. “This guy, after my worst performance of the season, after all my frustrations, after all of the team’s frustrations, he still managed to see the good,” Chambers said. “I never had the chance to thank him, but I thank him now for how much he cared about me, about us, as human beings.”

CHARGER CHATTER Caitlin Splain

Which level of the library is superior in your opinion?

If you could pick one person to be in the bleachers watching you play, who would it be?

What’s been the funniest thing that’s happened during a game?

Heaven. You can do homework there with friends without feeling like you are bothering anyone.

My high school coach, because up to this point he has had the most influence on me as a basketball player and as a person.

Nothing has happened this season so far, but someone pulled the fire alarm during one of my high school games before.

If you could change Hillsdale’s location to anywhere in the world, where would it be? Hawaii because I love the beach and warm weather. Compiled by Evalyn Homoelle

C U L T U R E

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January 12, 2022 A7

TikTok trends consume music industry

2021 Most Streamed Songs in the U.S. on Spotify were all trending on T ikTok By Hannah Cote and Alexandra Hall Culture Editor and Collegian Reporter TikTok is taking over – not just social media, but the entire music industry. It’s no coincidence that the five most-streamed songs in the U.S. on Spotify were all “TikTok Famous,” a.k.a. trending on the app this year. In order, the top songs were “drivers license” and “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo, “Kiss Me More” (feat. SZA) by Doja Cat, “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals, and “Levitating (feat. DaBaby)” by Dua Lipa. Though TikTok may not be known primarily as a music app, Ole Obermann, TikTok’s global head of music, said otherwise. “The dream is that an artist is able to find their voice and find that first community on TikTok,” Obermann said in an interview with Music Business Worldwide. “And then they become famous enough where they are able to get a record deal or perhaps even a publishing deal off the back of that and go on to become a superstar musical artist and creator.” Rodrigo, who holds two of the most-streamed songs, did just that. She went from being

a B-list Disney star to holding top Spotify streaming spots both nationally and globally. The sharp rise of Rodrigo’s debut single “driver’s license” and “good 4 u” marks her as the newest pop star of Gen Z. While her celebrity may not last, as TikTok shuffles in the new and outs the old, Rodrigo ruled 2021. According to Music Business Worldwide, a recent study showed that 75% of TikTok users in the U.S. said they used the app to discover new artists, and 67% said they were more likely to seek out a song on a streaming platform if they heard it on TikTok. Two of last year’s top five songs were released in 2020, not 2021. These songs were evidently streamed on Spotify after a user heard them on TikTok, seeing as they were released over a year ago. Prior to 2021, Glass Animals was a name that never reached the mainstream. After their song “Heat Waves” was picked up by the TikTok algorithm nearly a year after its release, the group marked its musical territory. The same happened to Dua Lipa’s “Levitating (feat. DaBaby).” “Heat Waves” appeared mostly in TikTok edits that evoked a sense of strong nostalgia. It explores the end of a

relationship and the feelings that linger. “Kiss Me More,” released in April 2021, quickly erupted into a TikTok dance trend. Millions of users posted videos of themselves replicating a dance that was choreographed to the song. The rapid success of these new and old artists reveals the iron grip TikTok has on the music industry. Whether it’s through montages of romantic partners, trendy dances, or song covers, the short-form platform creates easily digestible bites of content and pairs them with catchy songs. The songs then hit the charts, and both old and new artists enjoy the temporary fame. Not only is TikTok digging up buried songs and providing an outlet for budding ones, it’s also allowing users to effectively package and soundtrack their lives–and don’t we all want to be the main character? This protagonist-syndrome is rampant on TikTok. Everyone posts “A Day in the Life” videos as if it’s the trailer for the movie of their life. Users are taking in everything that TikTok feeds them in order to keep up with the trends. But what happens when the trends don’t actually align with our reality? Hundreds of teens imitate Rodrigo’s angst

Olivia Rodrigo topped the Spotify streaming charts in 2021. COURTESY | Twitter

and emotion–even if they haven’t experienced a break-up. The desire to have purpose can’t be satisfied on TikTok. Trends come and go, hit songs eventually fade away, and

though Rodrigo is swimming in the success of her latest album, there’s no guarantee it will last. Regardless of whether or not we view TikTok as a

musical app, it’s clear that this algorithm-driven platform is seeping into the music we consume and create.

Collegian Critique

Hero of New York or Overused Arachnid? New Spider-Man represents the addiction to threadbare concepts By Cal McNellie Collegian Freelancer If only Hollywood knew that with great power comes great responsibility. As is the case with most Marvel movies, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” released in December, was a spectacle filled with excellent animation and thrilling action sequences. In an interesting twist, actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, who played the 2012 and 2002 Spider-Man, returned to the screen to reprise their role as the newest Spider-Man, played by Tom

Holland, accidentally summoned them to his universe with a magic spell. Marvel took full advantage of Spider-Man’s fanbase and used famous lines and plot points from the old films to shape how Maguire’s and Garfield’s characters interacted with the new universe. While the movie was well done, it’s symbolic of the state of modern media and the rotten culture we live in. Old lines were scattered throughout the new movie and used to call back to the old Spider-Man films. They were easily recognizable by

the characters’ emphasis, but many of the references fell through. I was mad I had not rewatched the old films in advance, then I realized that was absurd. Why should a movie from a decade prior determine my enjoyment of the one I am currently watching? I was denied full enjoyment because the writers of the movie assumed I would remember movies they didn’t write. “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is only one movie, but representative of an entire class of media being produced by Hollywood. Nothing new is

Toby Maquire, Tom Holland, and Andrew Garfield all play Spider-Man in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” COURTESY | Twitter

being created, only new spins on old concepts. “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “The Kingsmen,” “The Matrix,” “Scream,” and “West Side Story” are currently in theaters; not one of them uses an original concept. Each movie is either a remake, or relies on the knowledge of past films to get people in the theater. Creativity has been put on the back burner in an effort to ensure profits, and we’re left with a stagnant cinematic culture. It lacks any identity of its own. This ultimately reveals a deeper theme of cowardice—

it is easy to remake something that has already been approved by audiences and much more difficult to create a story that an audience does not know and approve of. The tendency of the creative class to repeat art in the modern West is deeper than any one industry. Risk-taking, greatness-chasing, and glory-earning are roundly objected to by those who seek to cement their own position. The cinematic industry has the ability to be true agents of culture, creating environments to explore the most important things about human existence,

All three Spider-Men star in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” COURTESY | Twitter

but instead it currently chooses to only pass where others have gone before. This cannot continue. Moviegoers and art patrons must reward those who create bold, interesting work, and even fail at it, or else we risk an extinction of tasteful media. Spider-Man learns that “With great power comes great responsibility.” It is time for the cinematic influencers of Western culture to use their power for good.

January 12, 2022 A8

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Features

Seniors Jacob Hooper and Ben Wilson pose in McLean, Virginia. Ben Wilson | Collegian

My Funny Roommate: Jacob Hooper By Ben Wilson Editor-in-Chief “My name is Jacob Hooper, but you can just call me Hoop.” These were the first words spoken to me by a man who would become a class president, a dear friend, and my

roommate. Hoop and I have lived together — either as roommates, suitemates, or housemates — for all eight semesters. I know him too well. From his research-paper-writing obsession to strange eating habits, he is one

of the most iconic people I know and undoubtedly one of my favorites. Three years ago, I walked into Kendall Hall in search of a classroom. Peering into one, I saw Hoop. I opened the door excitedly but was halted by a warning.

Seniors Ben Wilson and Jacob Hooper stand together in front of the White House. Ben Wilson | Collegian

“I am writing a research paper and I need complete focus,” he said. “You may stay if you’re quiet.” “Harsh,” I thought, but I stayed. What played out after I settled in is something I’ll never forget. Hoop began to type on the keyboard like Elton John playing “Bennie and the Jets” to a stadium of thousands of adoring fans, like how I envision Thomas Jefferson writing the opening lines to the Declaration. “Oh yes, oh this is good,” he said to himself as his fingers flew across the keyboard. He was fully immersed. He transcended. I got no work done. Hoop talks about research papers like a mistress. Passion and fixation are the only words to describe it. Just ask about his thesis footnotes (but block out 20 minutes). This strange love will serve him well as he embarks on a journey to law school, one he is surely cut out for. I mean he is literally the only person I know who gets excited about MeLCat, the Michigan eLibrary catalog service. The person who invented it probably doesn’t care half as much as Hoop. One thing that gives all who visit Hoop’s dwelling amusement is his choice of snacks: Gushers, Doritos, SweeTarts, and Reese’s line his shelves. And he’s not embarrassed either. He orders gumballs at our favorite whiskey bar in Adrian. He’ll share most of it, but if you touch the Gushers, you

QUICK HITS: Charles Yost

By Isaac Green Collegian Freelancer

Dr. Charles C. Yost is an assistant professor of medieval history at Hillsdale College. What motivates you in your study? I’m just really fascinated by the dead. What is your favorite cuisine? I just like meat. If you could live in any time period excluding the present, when would you choose? The 13th century, because I think society made sense

back then. What is one of your favorite pieces of literature? “The Exorcist,” by William Peter Blatty. Do you know any languages in addition to English? I can read Latin, Greek, Italian, French, German, and Spanish. I can’t speak them but I can read them. Can you play any instruments? No, but if I could choose to play any instrument it would be the organ. If you could have a conversation with any historical figure, who would you

choose? I would have a conversation with Pope Innocent III. What is your favorite time period? The Medieval Period. Do you have a favorite musical genre? No. I’m really eclectic and like lots of different kinds of music. It would be hard to restrict myself to one genre. What is something that you think everybody should be required to learn? Everyone should have to learn how to honor their father and their mother. What is something that

you hope is discovered in your lifetime? I hope we find the lost letter of Emperor Michael III to Pope Nicholas I. We have Pope Nicholas’ response and his response is very angry. This Byzantine Emperor Michael III, also called Michael the Drunkard, sent what has been called the rudest letter in the history of the Byzantine Empire to the papacy, but we don’t have the actual letter. What inside of your academic field gets you most excited? Church and religious history.

better be halfway to Kroger to replenish the stash. And while his food choices are like that of a first grader, it is exactly what I need sometimes. But I’m not the only one enjoying his snacks. Last year, while at Donnybrook Residence, I heard a scream not far off from those in “Criminal Minds.” It was pure horror. Hoop came sprinting up the stairs screaming “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.” I asked if MeLCat had shut down, to which he shuddered at the possibility, quickly reassuring me that wasn’t it. Instead, Hoop had been eating Goldfish out of the box while working. Several handfuls in, he noticed something terribly wrong: a colony of ants was roaming about his crackers. He’s not knowledgeable about food. He’ll fight to the death that Little Caesar’s is Detroit-style pizza, which is so objectively wrong it hurts. A thing I have loved about my time living with Hoop is our frequent journeys together. We began a tradition junior year of visiting college campuses nearby and getting drinks after. Lame, perhaps, but our treks to Adrian, Jackson, and Spring Arbor gave us hours of good conversation and reassurance we have the best campus. He’s a man of politics. He’ll name-drop local officials in conversations that have nothing to do with them. I’ll never forget going to Hillsdale County GOP meetings with him. He works the

crowd and knows everyone by name. If the mayorship becomes vacant, he can step in seamlessly. My most cherished memory is my first day of work at the White House Internship Program last year during our time on the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program. Hoop began interning at the White House a week before I did, so he showed me around. We went through security, walked between tunnels and cars, and came out to the most breathtaking view of the West Wing. We stood there in awe. He’s a character. If you ask for a ride to Mass, don’t be surprised when he’s playing JCole or Ice Cube on the drive to St. Anthony’s. But he may not keep details quiet. I learned this last year when I privately told him how much I spent on a date and he asked the girl how she felt about having that specific amount spent on her. Thanks, Hoop. Through all his quirks and oddities, he has a big heart. All who visit Wessex can see his door decorations: photos printed on 8.5x11 paper of him with his closest friends. It looks like the fridge of a soccer mom. There are countless stories I haven’t told because Hoop knows too much about me to risk exposing him. But ask anyone who knows him, and they’ll be sure to have ridiculous stories about my funny roommate.

Charles Yost can read in six different languages. Courtesy | Charles Yost