Dec 4, 2019

Page 1

THE MEREDITH

HERALD

Happy LDOC

@meredithherald @meredith_herald #harktheherald meredithherald.com

December 4, 2019

Iris Ball on Thin Ice Inside This Issue White By Olivia Slack, Online Editor, and Mimi Mays, Editor in Chief

NEWS

Managing Seasonal Depression MCBB Winter Update Kamala Harris A&E Mister Rogers Women of Country Music Pop of Culture: Real Housewives OPINION Holiday Charities "Ok, Boomer"

Decorations; photo by Mimi Mays

On Saturday, Nov. 23, Meredith College held the White Iris Ball, the school’s annual semi-formal dance. This year’s theme was Alice in Wonderland, with the tagline “Join Us For a Trip Down the Rabbit Hole.” Students danced the night away at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley, which has been the venue for Meredith events for many years. This time, however, the certainty of this venue was in question. As with most large college events, there is drinking involved, and along with drinking there tend to be conflicts and disorder. According to Paola Cira, one of the White Iris co-chairs, the Marriott was tired of the instances of vomiting, stealing and broken property, so they put Meredith on “probation.” This meant that if these incidents continued to occur with the same frequency as they had in prior years, the Marriott would no longer host Meredith events like semi-formal and spring formal. In lieu of this new ultimatum,

the Meredith Activities Board (MAB) took extra precautions. First, attendees had to enter through the rear of the property instead of the front entrance. Second, attendees were not permitted to drink from the hotel bar nor were they allowed near it. The College paid for more Raleigh police officers to be at the event in order to reinforce a higher standard of security, and anyone found responsible for property damage would have to cover any fees associated. “All these new policies were not just things MAB put in place to prevent more incidents,” says Cira; “they were also things mandated by the hotel.” The reason guests could not enter through the front, for example, was because the hotel didn’t want them in the lobby potentially disturbing guests. Fortunately, Meredith isn’t yet banned from the hotel property,

Students at the photo booth; photo by Mimi Mays

as there were fewer incidents this year than in the past. This does not mean that Meredith is off probation, but it is a step in the right direction. Cira cited having to deal with some instances of students stealing tabletop decorations, and there was one alleged observed case of vomiting inside the ballroom, but the Marriott has not expressed any wishes to disband from the partnership with Meredith. Cira says that, all things considered, she and her fellow organizers consider the event a success.

Books to Read This Holiday Break By Staff

The Secret History and The Little Friend by Donna Tartt Once you read Donna Tartt’s writing, it’s hard to forget. The Secret History is about six college kids who study the Greek Classics, and it focuses on this elusive, academic group of students through the eyes of the newcomer from California: Richard. The six characters spent much of the booked shrouded in the beautifully aesthetic surroundings of Hampden, Vermont, and slowly succumb to the dangerously wild teachings of their Classics teacher, eventually falling into the spiral of evil. If you choose to pick up this novel, beware! It is very theme-heavy and originates from many influences of Faulkner and F.

Scott Fitzgerald, but if you decide to take the plunge into this novel, you will be rewarded by the amazingly descriptive writing that Donna Tartt brings to this story. The Little Friend is a little different from Tartt’s other two novels, taking large influence from the author’s childhood. Set in Alexandria, Mississippi, The Little Friend tackles murder, racism, innocence and prejudice from a child’s perspective, quite similar to the classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird. If you enjoy mystery and themes similar to classic Southern literature of the 20th century set deep into the plot of the story, this book is definitely for you. – Emma Fry

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women by Naomi Wolf While this nonfiction book was originally published in 1990, it is still incredibly relevant. It addresses the various aspects of society that affect a woman’s impression of her own physical appearance, and that of others. Naomi Wolf writes to appeal to all audiences, but this nonfiction book is geared specifically toward women and focuses on how they interact with society. This book is an important reflection on these aspects of life and is a good educational read for your time off, especially for us Strong women of Meredith College. – Ell Shelp-Peck

The Raven Cycle, a series by Maggie Stiefvater If you’re looking for a more time-consuming reading endeavor over break, check out the Raven Cycle. Starting with book one, The Raven Boys, the series tells the magical story of an alternate world and the search for an ancient Welsh king. The main characters in the series are some of the most lifelike out there, and the writing style will make you wish this world were real. A sequel series is just beginning too, with the first book, Call Down the Hawk, having just come out. If you didn’t read this stunning YA series back when it first was published, it’s certainly perfect to have beside you over break. – Olivia Slack

Recess This series takes place at an elementary school, where the adults always seem to be changing the rules. The six main characters are T.J., the leader and schemer of the group; Spinelli, a bully with a heart of gold; Vince, the jock of the group; Gretchen, the science genius; Mikey, the drama king; and Gus, the wimp. This unlikely group of friends works daily to overcome different problems that occur during recess. If you are looking to relive some light-hearted childhood nostalgia, Disney+ offers all 127 episodes, as well as the four movies in this franchise. – Rachel Van Horne

Purl This new animated short film opens on its main character: a stereotypically feminine anthropomorphic yarn ball named Purl. Purl has gotten a job at an unmistakably masculine firm called B.R.O. Capital, and it’s painfully obvious how much Purl has been made to stand out in her new environment. To no surprise, she becomes alienated by her human, masculine coworkers. Then, Purl figures out how to fit in at work: cracking dirty jokes, putting on a suit, redecorating her girly desk, being more assertive...just becoming one of the boys. I wanted to slam my laptop shut; what kind of misogy-

nistic attempt at a feminist narrative is this?? But ultimately Purl realizes that all she’s doing is perpetuating the community’s sexism, and film's end reveals a freshly inclusive workplace. Purl tackles tough topics and is sure to resonate with audiences, but, in my opinion, it isn’t as victoriously feminist and all-encompasing as it could be. Purl gets her coworkers to like her by being more outspoken, for example; but the creators forget that women are often disproportionately characterized as being “too aggressive” when exhibiting the same behaviors as men. You'll have to watch it yourself to see how it measures up. – Mimi Mays

Disney+ Hidden Gems By Staff

Ice Princess I absolutely loved the movie when I was younger, and rewatching it didn't let me down. It not only brings in those winter vibes but also shows female perseverance. In all Disney movies, there is an underlying theme; this one was no different. It tells the story of a girl who gives figure skating a try for a science project she is working on. She then learns that she has a passion for it. The movie follows her through her troubles with her mother and the troubles she faces on the ice. – Hannah Brittain-Du Bois


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Dec 4, 2019 by The Meredith Herald - Issuu