Mount Holyoke News — Oct. 29, 2021

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LEAP showcases summer Students reflect on College no-guest projects in hybrid format policies since the start of the pandemic BY MARIAM KEITA ’24 MANAGING EDITOR OF WEB & NEWS EDITOR

Photo by Naomi Jiang ’25 Students attend a panel titled “Conversations as an Archive” as a part of the LEAP symposium.

BY TARA MONASTESSE ’25 STAFF WRITER

Mount Holyoke College’s 2021 Learning from Application (LEAP) Symposium took place on Friday, Oct. 22, featuring presentations from over 150 students recounting their summer internships. Emerging from a completely virtual format in 2020, this year’s program was presented in a hybrid format that included 28 in-person panels and 14 panels exclusive to Zoom. The presentations took place over four sessions and were open to all members of the Mount Holyoke community, with inperson panels hosted in classrooms throughout the Science Center. The Symposium is the final product of a course entitled “Reflecting Back: Connecting Internship and Research to Your Liberal Arts Education,” which runs for half a semester and grants two credits. While open to all students, completion of the course is required for all students completing a Nexus program and is a way for students who received funding through the Lynk program to fulfill the requirements of the grant. The internships spotlighted at LEAP spanned a wide variety of career fields, including in-person work at legal firms, historic museums, medical centers and beyond. Many students completed their internships virtually due to COVID-19, while others experienced a hybrid format that incorporated both online and in-person activities. Students made the decision together whether to present their panels over Zoom or in person, weighing the pros and cons of each presentation format and choosing the option they felt would best help them connect with their audience. Sandra Popadic ’22, who presented at the Zoom-exclusive “Researching our Living Environment” panel, believed that displaying her slideshow on Zoom was the optimal way to communicate her experience. Her summer internship, which involved research at the biochemistry company SwissAustral, was entirely virtual. “When we’re presenting on a computer solely, we’re actually able to have full control over our presentation,” Popadic said. “Even our

moderator was saying she loved the Zoom presentation format because she said it was so much more seamless than in person, and I’d agree.” Anna Chait ’23, who presented in-person as part of the “Exploring Pathways in Law and Advocacy” panel, completed a summer internship at a law firm conducting research for attorneys. Her panel decided on an in-person format that was simultaneously streaming to a Zoom meeting available to the public. “We all felt comfortable with COVID[-19] procedures that the school has implemented for the semester,” Chait said. “We also just saw a lot of value in having an inperson audience … Zoom is great, but it’s not the real thing.” Members of the “Media/Film/ Television & Literature through the Zoom Lens” panel also opted for an in-person presentation format. Keisy Hernandez-Letona ’22, one of the panelists, completed a virtual internship analyzing photographs submitted by volunteers that documented the impact of the pandemic on family life. While the pandemic complicated the internship process for her and her fellow panel members, Hernandez-Letona believes that the overall LEAP experience was still worth it. “It wasn’t what we anticipated when we went in, and we all came out surprised, but in the best way possible,” she said. The LEAP program allows students to connect their internship experiences back to their academics at Mount Holyoke. Hui Shen ’22, an art history major and East Asian studies minor, was able to conduct her internship entirely in person, working as a gallery curator at the Xu Liaoyuan Museum of Modern Art and Design in Chengdu, China. As presenter for the in-person “Museums and Research through Time and Space” panel, she described LEAP as an important part of analyzing her internship and its impact on her career path. “Sometimes you have new thoughts when you review the old things,” Shen said. Shen felt that her experience indicates great promise for future art curators in China’s developing art market. “I want to use my own way to prove that there’s still opportunities for art history major students,” she said.

Mount Holyoke allows vaccinated guests at events BY KATIE GOSS ’23 BUSINESS MANAGER & NEWS EDITOR

The College sent out an update on Oct. 20 about new COVID-19 policies. Effective on Oct. 25, Emeriti faculty and other retired staff members are allowed to enter and use the Williston Memorial Library and Kendall Sports and Dance Complex as long as they show proof of vaccination and get tested by the College regularly. Starting on Nov. 1, one non-College guest will be allowed at indoor student events for each student attending, until a 75 percent capacity is reached. Each guest must be with their host during the event and cannot enter other buildings aside from the location of the event. There will also be select events where guests are allowed without a student as their host, and will only be allowed to

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stay at the event location. For indoor sporting events, there is limited space for guests until a 75 percent capacity is reached at the venue. Whether guests will be permitted at an event is still up to the event organizers. These new policies continue to exclude residence halls. Events where guests are allowed will require either proof of vaccination from a Food and Drug Administration or World Health Organization authorized vaccine or a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within the previous three days or a negative rapid test result within the previous 24 hours. These cannot be self administered tests and must come from an authorized medical agency such as a pharmacy or testing center. The current mask policy at the College has also been extended until further notice.

A&E: the ‘Twilight’ Renaissance

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At Mount Holyoke College, students have returned to a full residential experience this semester. While many students have eagerly returned to in-person classes and exchanging stories over late-night, others are unhappy with the College’s decision to extend its no-guest policy through the end of the semester. Mount Holyoke’s policies surrounding off-campus travel and oncampus guests have changed several times since the start of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. The College defines a guest as any person who is not enrolled in a Mount Holyoke course and does not participate in the College-sponsored asymptomatic testing program. This most recent update was sent to the community via email on Oct. 6. Following the announcement, the College sent out a survey on “students’ interest and comfort with having guests in the residence halls” on Oct. 19. Last semester, in spring 2021, each residential student was asked to sign a student community compact as a prerequisite for arrival on campus. Under the spring 2021 community compact, no family members or other guests were allowed to enter “any residence halls at any time, including during move-in.” Additionally, students were limited in their interactions with other residential students and were not permitted to travel beyond 10 miles of the campus radius without permission. Overnight stays off-campus that were not approved by the Office of Residential Life were also a violation of the community compact. Furthermore, each residential student was assigned to a single room to prevent the spread of COVID-19. After a campus-wide 14-day quarantine period, students were then also permitted to have up to one “guest” who also lived in their residence hall in their room. According to Fatou Barry ’24, who resided on campus during the 2020-2021 school year, many of the COVID-19 restrictions had a negative effect not only on her social life, but on her mental health. “I was by myself for most of the semester, and there was nobody there. Things weren’t open so there

weren’t open spaces to see people and … the dining hall wasn’t open, [so] you had to go in the dining hall, take your food and come back,” Barry said. “I felt really, really lonely because I literally didn’t talk to real humans, other than the dining hall [staff], telling them what to put on my plate.” Only students who had been granted permission by the College, such as on-duty Residential Advisors, were permitted to enter residence halls that they did not live in during the 2020-2021 school year. Additionally, “only on-campus students and approved faculty and staff” were permitted to enter non-residential buildings on campus. Despite this allowance, almost all academic buildings were closed to residential students as nearly all courses were exclusively offered remotely. In the 2021 spring semester, the College defined a guest as any person who did not live in a student’s residential hall. A select few campus buildings, such as the Community Center, were open to all residential students, while other designated spaces, like the Language Resource Center, Dwight Hall and the Reading Room were open to residential students by appointment. The Dining Commons did not offer indoor seating. All self-serve stations were closed and all meals were carry-out only. In Barry’s words, even her interactions within the Blanchard Dining Commons were limited, as she often found it difficult to motivate herself to leave her room to get food. Looking back on that time, Barry now has strong feelings about the College’s COVID-19 related guest policies last school year. “I feel like it wasn’t reasonable because then, since there was nobody on campus, you could hardly make friends. If you didn’t know anybody prior to being on campus, you would suffer, and you wouldn’t be able to bring people that you already knew to hang out with you,” Barry said. Grace Lara ’24 arrived on campus as a student for the first time in the 2021 spring semester. Unlike Barry, Lara believes that last semester’s guest policy was reasonable considering the circumstances. “We didn’t have access to a

vaccine … and we still didn’t really know a lot of the things that maybe we know now about COVID[-19],” Lara said. “I think having stricter terms, and having those greater restrictions was definitely annoying, but I think it was a good thing.” Like Barry, another Mount Holyoke sophomore also struggled to adjust to COVID-19 restricted life on campus during the spring 2021 semester. This student admitted to having violated some aspects of the community compact last school year, including rules surrounding travel and guests. Once, the sophomore even took a weekend trip to Boston, an act which was not permissible last school year, but is now allowed under the fall 2021 community compact. “My mom knew how much I was struggling [on campus] so she decided to come [to Boston to] see me, and I would meet her and go with other family members. I was safe the whole time it was for a day. My mask was on, I was fine,” the student said. Lara expressed mixed feelings about the evolving guest policies. “I feel like having some kind of policy does maintain a certain level of safety. It’s better than just letting people do whatever they want. When there are health concerns for so many people, it is really scary to just know that there’s no restriction,” Lara said. “But I also think that having [the policy] be so strict, to be like no guests at all, is also tempting for some people to want to break that rule.” Lara said that, had they known the person who brought a family member into the residence hall, they considered reporting the incident to the Office of Residential Life. According to Lara, there seems to have been a cultural shift on campus in the number of community compact violations being reported. They credit this shift to the increased number of students residing on campus and the loosened restrictions since COVID-19 vaccines were introduced. “I think this semester, it’s a lot more chaotic and vague, because there are so many more people on campus,” Lara said. “That makes everything feel a little bit less stable, or CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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Senate fills several E-Board vacancies BY HOPE SIMPSON ’24 STAFF WRITER

SGA senate convened this week with an announcement: from now on, students will be able to use safety net funds to cover outside medical related expenses, such as transportation and urgent care costs. In further health-related news, the senate’s COVID-19 & Content Commission group is planning to petition the administration to relax the guest policy. Their proposed plan would involve guests filling out a Google form where they would have to provide proof of vaccination, agree to be masked indoors and in other designated spaces and commit to adhere to all other aspects of the community compact. Commission members suggested that Mount Holyoke students who break this policy should then be required to meet with the Honor Code Council. Additionally, the Academic Outreach Commission noted that some students, specifically first-years, have had difficulties navigating the registration process. As second semester registration is around the corner, they discussed strategies that could help lessen these struggles. One suggestion was to have guides and video tutorials available to walk students through the registration site, course catalog and more. It remains uncertain whether these measures could be put in place in time for upcoming registration. Senate has been in session for two months now and has continued to add members throughout the fall semester. The SGA now has all its E-Board positions filled. These po-

Photo by Lynn Sleiman ’24 A senate committee convenes in the Great Room to discuss assigned issues during the meeting.

sitions were announced at the start of the senate meeting with Maille Romulus ’24 as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion officer, Liv Pitcher ’23 as the archivist and Megan Horner ’23 as the chair of committees. During the open floor, students raised concerns about water-filtered sinks within residence halls. The Ham Hall senator explained their hall’s water filter hasn’t been replaced since the semester began. Though the building does have a water fountain, it’s located in the old dining hall, which students only have access to during M&Cs. Another student mentioned that Buckland Hall has no water fountain at all, nor does it have a filtered tap. However, the SGA E-Board vice president explained that all residence halls have at least one water-filtered tap

S&E: the history of ghost-hunting technology

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or a water fountain. The Buckland senator also raised complaints about recent cleanliness problems in the bathrooms, specifically within stalls. Senators were informed that it is best to go to their RF/RA with residence hall related concerns, as they can often handle such matters faster than the SGA can. However, if problems persist they should inform the E-Board, so they can follow up with the correct parties. Senators also shared some upcoming events. The Ham Hall senator reminded senate that the field hockey season is almost over, with the final game on Saturday, Nov. 1. This Sunday, in addition to being Halloween, is also the date of the flute and violin faculty concert. The performance will be held at 4:00 p.m. in Pratt Music Hall.

COMMUNITY: halloween costume for your sign

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FEATURES

October 29, 2021

. Mount Holyoke News

Klara Grygo ’23 leads refounding of MHC Mock Trial Team BY LENOX JOHNSON ’24 STAFF WRITER

Adorned in sneakers and a leather jacket, the president of the Mount Holyoke College Mock Trial Team was a natural sight amongst the academic decorum of Williston Memorial Library where books abound the umber walls. Klara Grygo ’23, a politics major in her penultimate year at Mount Holyoke, has refounded the Mount Holyoke College Mock Trial Team for the 2021 season. The initial dissolution of the organization has led students like Grygo to take initiative in creating academic spaces on campus beyond the classroom. Grygo, president of the new MHC Mock Trial Team, has taken it upon herself to give the group a second life, essentially from scratch. Mock Trial is an organization in which students are given a fictional case and asked to compete against one another in a competition held by the American Mock Trial Association. Students compete as attorneys and witnesses for both the defense and prosecution. Teams from different colleges compete against one another in performance of courtroom mannerisms, cross and direct examinations, objections and other realistic court procedures.

Photo by Rosemary Geib ’23 Klara Grygo ’23 has years of experience in mock trial, beginning in 2015 in high school.

Grygo’s first encounter with mock trial was in 2015. In her first year of high school, Grygo was timid and withdrawn, seldom feeling comfortable enough to assert herself in public spaces. Grygo found that mock trial effectively forced her out of her comfort zone, enabling her to build a solid foundation on which to cultivate her confidence. “My very first year of high school mock trial I was a little bit awkward [and] I was pretty shy,” Grygo said. “I spoke very softly and I wasn’t very outspo-

ken in general.” Grygo began to notice drastic change in multiple avenues of her life: public speaking, poise and conviction. As she gained experience in mock trial, her reticence faded. Grygo credits the support system available at Mount Holyoke as a determining factor in her confidence in restarting the organization. “I think the Mount Holyoke atmosphere [made me feel] like I can do this,” Grygo said. “[It’s] just being here and seeing other people do so much. They’re always working towards something and doing all of these different things. Just seeing that made me [think] I could start a team here.” Upon arriving at Mount Holyoke, Grygo was not disheartened by the absence of an active Mock Trial team. Instead, she viewed the circumstance as an opportunity to build an institution from the ground up. Having been involved in four years of high school mock trial, Grygo was no stranger to the intricacies of the operation. “It was a mix of being really excited and really looking forward to starting this opportunity and helping others have a team here,” Grygo said. As a first and second year student at Mount Holyoke, Grygo com-

peted with the Amherst College Mock Trial team. She reasoned that, in order to have the experience to teach other people, she needed exposure to collegiate competition. Grygo’s sophomore year of collegiate competition was interrupted by COVID-19, prompting her to take the preliminary steps towards refounding the MHC team. “I knew that I wanted to start a team here, I just wanted to have the experience to be able to teach other people,” Grygo said. “I knew from the very beginning this was something I really wanted to do. I could be part of starting this and helping other students have this opportunity when I graduate.” Since its fruition, Grygo knew starting the organization would be a major undertaking. She found, though, that it was even more extensive in practice than in theory. Following the formation of the mock trial executive board, Grygo and her team set out to organize their first meeting. “It was the first time for all of us,” Grygo said. “It was a big trial learning the process, how to run an org and how to make one function well.” Transitioning to conducting events on campus in the fall 2021 semester required the coordination of several technical tasks: finding

meeting spaces, hosting meetings, managing timelines and applying for funding. Grygo saw the feat as simultaneously exciting and nerve-wracking. Excited murmurs traveled through the room as the MHC Mock Trial Team executive board began their first in-person meeting in fall ’21. Grygo was in awe of the amount of students who showed up eager for the first season to begin. One of Grygo’s executive board members turned to her, expressing how excited they had become in seeing the room filled with prospective members. Grygo described the moment as deeply emotional. “Seeing people show up, talk to each other and introduce themselves was exciting,” Grygo said. “It was a fun moment, but it was also a really surreal thinking back to where I started. It was so great to see everyone there. It made it feel very real.” Grygo is hopeful for the future of the organization and this season’s competition. In her pursuit to refound the Mount Holyoke Mock Trial Team, Grygo hopes to have created an organization that is not just an asset for current students, but one that will last far beyond her time here. “This is how college organizations are started,” Grygo said, “just a person who has an idea.”

First-years adjust to new life on campus; building new community BY JESSE HAUSKNECHT-BROWN ’25 FEATURES EDITOR

From different food to new cultural experiences to meeting new people, there are multiple aspects of adjusting to college life that can be difficult for first-year students. A new physical location, combined with an increase in social activity since the COVID-19 outbreak, has left some students feeling overwhelmed. “It was a little daunting, because I’m going to this brand new place that I’ve never seen before,” Arianna Peña ’25 said. Because of the

COVID-19 pandemic, Peña was not able to tour college campuses, which added stress to the adjustment process. Peña is from Miami, Florida, and is a part of Posse, a nationwide program that partners with colleges to award full-tuition scholarships to students. All of the Posse groups at Mount Holyoke — one for each class year — consist of students from the Miami area. “Despite having the Posse, I did come in wanting to make other friends,” Peña said. “I think in the beginning it was hard trying to make those connections with people, especially since I already had a group of

people who wanted to hang out and wanted to do things. In the beginning, it was harder to try to figure out, ‘Do I hang out with these people I already know?’ Or do I try [to] make new friends?” Assistant Dean of Studies and Class Dean for New Students, Kim Parent, stressed that first year students shouldn’t be too hard on themselves and should allow themselves time to adjust to college life. “The whole world understands that they started college in the pandemic,” Parent explained. “If it takes them a little bit of time to figure it all out, it’s going to be okay and it’s going to be understood.”

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Homesickness For Peehu Chhabra ’25, one of the most difficult parts of the transition to college is the distance from home. Chhabra is an international student from New Delhi, India and has been adjusting to a different culture while being thousands of miles away from where she grew up. “For a normal American high schooler … the only transition that they have to worry about is being away from home,” Chhabra explained. “Everything else, their culture, the festivals they celebrate, the way of living that they have, is kind of the same, I would assume.” Chhabra couldn’t have predicted the culture shock that she went through when coming to America. She described calling her mom to report all of the things she finds weird and surprising about American culture. “The internet has normalized American culture so much that you feel like, ‘Oh, it’s fine. It wouldn’t be that different.’ Well once you come here, you’re just like, ‘Woah, okay,’” Chhabra expressed. “It is like every American cultural meme combined together to form this dynamic environment which you wouldn’t expect.” Chhabra described a feeling of being “out of touch” that is shared among international students who come from countries with different cultures and traditions. Chhabra worries about missing out on events that her friends and family in India will get to celebrate together. “I am still here in October, and November is one of the biggest festival seasons,” Chhabra said. “And while my parents send me photos and try to keep me updated on what’s happening, I still feel like I’m missing everything that I’m supposed to

be a part of.” According to a study published in Emotion, an American Psychological Association Journal, 94 percent of first year college students report feeling homesick at some point during their first semester. Chhabra described that breaks are difficult for her because, while other, mostly domestic, students go home during this time, she doesn’t have that option. Students like Chhabra who stay on campus during breaks see other students reuniting with their friends and families, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and homesickness. “The hardest part would, obviously, 100 percent be the fact that I am so far away from home … Any break that comes around, you’re like, ‘Oh my god,’” Chhabra said. “You dread it.” For Chhabra, fall break felt strange — she described being surprised at how empty campus was with so many students gone. “I was sitting outside of my dorm, in the common room [which] is close to the exit. I saw a plethora of people leaving with luggage and their parents coming in and helping them,” Chhabra explained. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, I miss my home.’ I also want to go back but just don’t have the choice to actually go back.” Given that she is from a state with a much warmer climate, Peña has also had to adapt to a new place that is geographically different from her home. “I’ll see a mountain and be like, ‘I don’t see this, I don’t get this.’ I’m actually experiencing fall for the first time ever. I’ve never had fall before,” Peña said. “I’m cold while other people aren’t. Honestly, climate wise, it’s not hard. It’s just different.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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October 29, 2021

OPINION/EDITORIAL

. Mount Holyoke News

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Start embracing subtitles; foreign language media needs to be a staple of the American film industry

Graphic by Sofía Savid ’24

BY TASNIA MOWLA ’23 OP/ED EDITOR

Foreign films have had a hard time escaping American art houses. Acclaimed Italian moviemaker Federico Fellini may have won the most directorial academy awards, but his works never made it to mainstream American audiences. This has earned Americans a reputation of being disinterested in foreign content, but this is not the whole truth. Major studios have often bought the rights to popular international films, but withhold them from large audiences, opting instead for remakes. For example, this happened to France’s “The Intouchables” (2011), which was given the Hollywood treatment and remade in 2017 as “The Upside” starring Kevin Hart and Nicole Kidman. In many ways, the success of “Parasite” can be considered an anomaly. To see a similar mainstream reception for foreign films, we must go back to the

year 2000 to Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” Instead of remaking films, American film and streaming companies should give original foreign media a platform. The subtitling and dubbing business has never been bigger — and no, Oscar winner “Parasite” did not lead the charge, but it has certainly contributed to wider intrigue. Chris Carey, an executive from Iyuno Media Group, one of the largest subtitling and dubbing companies in the entertainment industry, shared to IndieWire how much momentum the business has gained since winter of 2019. To him, “Parasite” is “just one of a thousand data points” that contributed to that shift. Since the turn of the century, English language films have been introducing segments of foreign language into their productions. After insistence from director Justin Lin, Universal Studios reluctantly agreed to let Uncle Kamata, a Japa-

nese character, speak Japanese in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” (2006). After the film was a hit, one of the next films, “Fast Five” (2011), shot in Brazil, had multiple characters speak Portuguese. This, however, did not prevent Universal from making all characters speak in English in a historical epic set in Japan, “47 Ronin,” released just two years later. This shows that despite progress, Hollywood is still resisting linguistic and cultural inclusivity. A greater impetus for change is coming from the streaming industry. The exponential growth of streaming services abroad is increasing the foreign language offering to all countries, with Netflix at the forefront. Through their 21 international branches, Netflix collaborates with local content makers on production. Local writers, directors and behind the scenes talent know and understand their native country’s context and are able to respectfully introduce American audiences to new

landscapes. guage properties, such as “The Netflix’s recent success story, Witcher” and “Stranger Things,” “Squid Game,” has become their continue to be advertised on their most lucrative property. This is not homepage under original content Netflix’s first foreign language hit — and made available with subtitles these successes started with Spain’s and dubbing. These are the proper“Money Heist” (2017), followed by ties that get media attention and Germany’s “Dark” (2017) and most greater social media promotion. recently with France’s “Lupin,” This is a disappointment, as foreign which was released earlier this year. language content has a strong tradiBoth “Money Heist” and “Lupin” are tion on Netflix. featured on Business Insider’s list Three of the top ten most of Netflix’s top 10 highest perform- watched Netflix originals are foreign ing TV show hits of all time at 5th language productions, so it is curious and 4th place respectively. “Squid that Netflix is not capitalizing on the Game” leads comfortably with an business opportunities here. Judgastonishing 142 ing from audience million household reception alone, viewers within Netflix ought to “Once you overcome the four weeks of its invest more in the one-inch-tall barrier of release. promotion of their Other stream- subtitles, you will be intro- foreign language ing services are content outside of duced to so many more also recognizing targeted regions amazing films.” growing public and to their U.S. interest in interaudiences. national producTraditional - Bong Joon-Ho tions, as well as distributors are a their low-cost babigger obstacle. sis. According to CNBC, Amazon, “Parasite” may be a success today, Apple and, notably, Disney are all but American distributors initially looking to diversify their catalogues received the movie with reluctance. with international content. It opened in only three theatres in On Oct. 13, Disney announced 27 the United States even after wintitles for their Asia-Pacific slate, ty- ning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes ing in with the Disney+ service set Film Festival. “Parasite” eventually to launch in South Korea, Hong Kong expanded to more theatres following and Taiwan next month. Jessica positive audience response. This proKam-Engle, Disney’s head of content vides further evidence that Ameriand development in the Asia-Pacific can audiences are excited to dive region, called this “by far Disney’s into new cultures and settings. Yet most ambitious production effort in the transition is not happening. DisAsia.” The media has been headlin- tributors see little financial incening this move with the participation tive to change their preference for of K-pop sensations Blackpink and remakes, and audiences are missing Kang Daniel. out. “Parasite” director Bong JoonThough “Squid Game” was a Ho said, after receiving the Golden monumental success, it received Globe for best foreign language film, little to no attention from the media “Once you overcome the one-inchfor its Sept. 17 release. Instead, it tall barrier of subtitles, you will be was largely eclipsed by another Net- introduced to so many more amazflix property debuting on the same ing films.” day, “Sex Education” season three. For some time now audiences Although countries can stream lo- have been more open to the world calized content wherever Netflix is of subtitles and dubbing, despite available, so far the role of foreign persistent outdated assumptions content appears to be relegated to from studio executives. It is now up attracting new users and driving up to mainstream distributors to truly subscriber count in countries with transform the culture behind forgrowing audiences. eign language content consumption Netflix’s big-name English lan- across the country.

Cancel culture squashes real conversations at Mount Holyoke When arguments become diluted to appeal to the masses, people may begin to see things in extreme polarity, convincing themselves that those As I engage in class discussions, who disagree aren’t worth talking to. The prevalence of following this I feel like I am in the film “Groundhog Day,” hearing the same watered- kind of thinking at Mount Holyoke down conversations on political makes it difficult for students to issues over and over again. The heed- voice unpopular viewpoints. Many less repetition of political phrases is first-years, myself included, feel that we cannot articulate any opposing a byproduct of cancel culture. According to the Merriam-Web- opinions challenging the majority ster dictionary, cancel culture is “the without facing ridicule and ostrapractice or tendency of engaging in cisation. Sonia Ramanathan ’25 described mass canceling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social feeling constricted about sharing pressure.” Cancel culture creates a views that she didn’t think would be hierarchy of opinions where certain well-received by other students. “I often feel very uncomfortable opinions are given ascendancy over others. It encourages students who expressing my pro-death and antibelieve in the superiority of main- natalist viewpoints because of the stigma associated stream opinions with having negato cancel those “When they’re aptive viewpoints who disagree, proached from a place of towards life,” Rapreventing any manthan said. chance to have trying to be technically Ramanathan educational mocorrect, these conversais not alone. At ments and empations seem more detached the panel Comthy within political discourse. from people’s humanity.” ing Together or Breaking Apart, I have often which premiered felt the overon Jan. 26, former - Emma Gundrum ’25 whelming presACLU president ence of cancel culNadine Strossen ture on campus at Mount Holyoke. As a first-year, a remarked on the dangers of cancel lack of balanced discourse is some- culture on the average social media thing I have been unnerved by at col- user. “I constantly encounter stulege. In many of my classes, I have dents who are so fearful of being often felt like we could not complete subjected to the Twitter mob that a discussion without the reductive they are engaging in self-censormention of “no ethical consumption ship,” Strossen said. The censorship of certain topunder capitalism.” According to the Canadian Marx- ics and opinions is exacerbated by ist organization, Fightback, “no ethi- the presence of social media. Emma cal consumption under capitalism” is Gundrum ’25 noticed the more gena phrase that is often used within lib- eral negative effects of social media eral or leftist circles and has grown activism on discourse around menin popularity in the past few years. It tal health. “People start these discussions appears around campus quite often, but without much thought.The term with highly academic language and is an oversimplification. Though the little context for how those concepts slogan may be punchy and memo- actually affect people,” Gundrum rable, it fails to acknowledge a lot of said. “When they’re approached the nuances of ethical consumerism. from a place of trying to be techniBY ZORA LOTTON-BARKER ’25 STAFF WRITER & COPY EDITOR

Graphic by Gabby Gagnon ’24

cally correct, these conversations seem more detached from people’s humanity.” Additionally, Gundrum found that, so far on campus, conversations surrounding mental health were less authentic than ones she had back home. “I think people might benefit from more open-ended conversations. I think many of us have stories around mental health, and drawing upon the similarities and differences could help provide that unity and ease,” Gundrum said. “If we could let go a bit and focus on understanding people instead of saying the ‘right’ thing or intellectualizing, I think

we’d all benefit from that.” rently on campus. Students should Original ideas are not given the be encouraged to form their own chance to flourish, because can- opinions about issues rather than cel culture does parroting what not incentivize they have heard “I constantly encounter critical thought. from others. They students who are so Mount Holyoke is shouldn’t be so fearful of being subjected afraid of being touted as being one of the leadcancelled that to the Twitter mob that ing liberal arts they fail to grow they are engaging in self- and learn. There colleges in the censorship.” United States, but should be room a liberal arts edufor failure, recation includes search and exper- Nadine Strossen an emphasis on imentation. That empathetic listenis what we need to ing, critical thinking and engage- foster. That is what Mount Holyoke ment, which I am not seeing cur- should champion.

4

SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT

October 29, 2021

. Mount Holyoke News

New York City Board of Health declares racism a public health crisis

Photo courtesy of the Daily Montanan On Oct. 18, the New York City Board of Health and Mental Hygiene declared racism a public health crisis, effective immediately. The resolution referenced the city’s ongoing inequities and called for reforms to data collection methods and health codes.

BY ANOUSHKA KUSWAHA ’24 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

The New York City Board of Health and Mental Hygiene passed a resolution as of Monday last week declaring racism a public health crisis. The step was taken six months after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared racism a serious health threat, a fact which became more apparent over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Smithsonian Magazine. The resolution, passed on Oct. 18, went into effect immediately. The resolution was designed to direct the Health Department of the city to take more steps to make anti-racist healthcare a reality for people of color in the city. The resolution followed an initial informal statement in June 2020 that declared racism a public health crisis in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the nationwide protests against

Climate Activist Spotlight: Nadia Nazar BY HELEN GLOEGE ’23 STAFF WRITER

Nadia Nazar is a 19-year-old artist and climate justice organizer from Baltimore County, Maryland. She is the co-founder of climate justice and activist organization Zero Hour. According to The Baltimore Sun, Nazar was in a middle school environmental science class when she learned about climate change. Part of what inspired her to pursue climate activism was her mother’s work as a marine biologist, according to an interview with the YouTube channel, In the Know Through her mother’s work, she was able to learn about how climate change was impacting animals and the greater world. Using social media, Nazar was able to connect to fellow youth activist Jamie Margolin in the early half of 2018. Together, Nazar and Margolin founded Zero Hour, with help from Madelaine Tew and Zanagee Artis, youth climate activists from New Jersey and Connecticut respectively. According to their website, Zero Hour is a youth-centered climate justice organization that aims to bring together social justice movements, call for climate action and hold elected officials accountable. Nazar holds the positions of co-executive director and art director for Zero Hour. In February 2019, she spoke as the youth representative at the House Natural Resources Committee in Washington, D.C., on climate change, as reported by The Baltimore Sun. In her interview with In the Know, Nazar described how her work as an art director for Zero Hour led her to create art for other climate strikes and demonstrations. In the interview, Nazar stated that “art and music are really good tools to build community and create relationships to support your organizing.” Among many pieces of art, Nazar has created banners that read, ‘Youth for Climate Action Now’ and ‘We Don’t Want to Die.’ Nazar also has her own website, which centers around fighting climate change in a visual format.

systemic and structural racism that followed. In the resolution, the board stated that it is aiming to address the “long history of structural racism impacting services and care across all institutions within our society.” One of the resolution’s overarching goals is to make the city’s continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic more racially just. The passing of this resolution is part of the series of steps the Board of Health has committed to in order to address systemic racism that impacts the health of people of color in New York City. In a statement on the meeting and resolution, the commissioner of the board Dr. Dave A. Chokshi said, “To build a healthier New York City, we must confront racism as a public health crisis.” He elaborated, “The COVID-19 pandemic magnified inequities, leading to suffering disproportionately borne by communities of color in our city and across our

nation. But these inequities are not inevitable. Today is a historic day for the country’s oldest Board of Health to officially recognize this crisis and demand action.” High profile individuals from the city, New York State and around the country congratulated the board on taking action against this prevalent issue, many expressing the hope that the city’s Health Department will work more equitably for its citizens of color. Many of them work with a variety of organizations and health boards around the country, such as the National Birth Equity Collaborative and the American Public Health Association. Some, including Bronx Borough President Rubén Díaz Jr., were encouraged that the board had taken such a definitive step in acknowledging the systemic racism in the city’s institutions. He stated, “We must fight for transformative change to a system that has historically and disproportionately failed communi-

ties of color. This resolution by the New York City Board of Health declaring racism a public health crisis is historic and will be a tremendous step forward in our fight for health equity.” According to a report included in the Oct. 18 resolution from the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, people of color in NYC have historically faced higher rates of HIV, obesity, maternal mortality, mental health issues and physical violence. Their research finds that these disparities have been exacerbated by the pandemic. In their resolution, the board further acknowledged that Black, Indigenous and other New Yorkers of color have suffered a higher rate of COVID-19 infection and death, leading to a disproportionate and sudden drop in the life expectancy of Black and Latine New Yorkers. Black and Latine New Yorkers were also less likely to be vaccinated against CO-

The history of ghost-hunting technology emerged from 19th century superstition BY CATELYN FITZGERALD ’23 SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT EDITOR

Content warning: this article mentions suicide. The beauty in ghost-hunting is its simplicity — and the wide availability of the technology it relies on. Take the case of the temperature gun: on a dark, cold night in the spring of 2019, I paraded around campus with a group of students from my Campus Sustainability course. Our mission was to identify buildings on campus that leaked heat due to insufficient insulation. In the tiny window of the temperature gun, we observed spine-chilling temperature changes around window frames and in the mortar between bricks where heat was escaping. The lack of energy efficiency in the College’s ancient buildings was not paranormal, but it certainly gave us a fright. With some extra time and the power of scientific discovery in our hands, we Graphic by Declan Langton ’22, photo by Liz Lewis ’22 & ghost courtesy of pixabay.com visited the famed “ghost room” on the fourth floor of Wilder Hall. The sion goggles, a motion detector and and furniture, an ability which inroom is supposedly haunted by the holy water, just in case. These gad- spired a rise in spiritual communicaWoman in White who, according to gets are staples of the ghost-hunting tion through the end of the century. an article from the College’s Alum- community. Any fan of the show The sisters’ later admitted the act nae Association, hanged herself in “Ghost Hunters,” which aired from was a hoax, but it nevertheless esafter hearing of her lover’s death. 2004 to 2016, is familiar with the un- tablished the idea that ghosts can be We pointed the temperature gun intelligible mutters heard over the contacted using the right methods at the door of the room, looking for crackling of audio recorders that and a little bit of supernatural ability. Not long after the Fox sisters any sign of a spirit within, but were comprise the show’s episode-making moments. popularized talking to the dead, disappointed with The under- other technologies became known Paranormal investigators temperature diflying idea that for capturing paranormal presferences that often operate under the makes these tools ences. The Atlantic reported that in were meager at idea that ghosts can be suitable for de- 1861, William H. Mumler captured a best. Perhaps the tecting ghosts is ghostly figure in the background of revealed by unexplained Woman in White energy. Paranor- one of his photographs. The photo was not home. changes in the energy of mal investigators was soon a sensation among the According the space they inhabit, often operate un- Spiritualist media and established to an Oct. 2011 which manifests in a sud- der the idea that cameras as a technology for capturinstallment of ghosts can be ing spirits. Mumler later confessed NPR’s All Things den temperature drop or revealed by unex- that the ghost in his famous phoConsidered, the a rogue electromagnetic plained changes tography was simply the result of a owner of a supin the energy of developing error, but the allure of field. posedly haunted the space they in- technology being able to document house in Richhabit, which man- the supernatural persists today. mond, Virginia, What this technology has taught hired ghost-hunting agency Rich- ifests in a sudden temperature drop mond Investigators of the Paranor- or a rogue electromagnetic field. The us is that anyone can be a ghost mal (RIP) to carry out a thorough association of the paranormal with hunter. This Halloween, if you’re investigation of the property for energy can be traced back to 1848, a feeling bold, strap on your night paranormal activity. The RIP team Popular Mechanics piece explained. vision goggles or turn to the triedused an arsenal of tools to detect and According to the article, two sisters, and-true Ouija board and find an exobserve ghost activity. They brought Maggie and Kate Fox, became well troverted spirit near you. Just don’t with them an electromagnetic field known for their ability to communi- forget the holy water. detector, temperature gun, night vi- cate with ghosts by tapping on walls

VID-19. The resolution begins with a series of acknowledgements of the current and past circumstances of racial inequity in New York City’s healthcare and environmental factors that impact healthcare, as the board sees them. It further outlines specific actions for the Health Department and other agencies of the city to work with one another to investigate and remove systemic racism within its policies, plans and budgets. The resolution not only addresses health, but also discusses the many different factors that affect health. The resolution also calls on the Health Department to improve upon its data-collection methods, examine New York City’s health codes and evaluate its own history for systemic racial bias. The actions outlined in the resolution were designed to be specific, actionable and measurable to promote a citywide effort toward equity and anti-racism.

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it’s harder to grasp on to.” One current senior, who lived on campus throughout the 2020-2021 school year, also found herself breaking some of the rules last year. Much like Lara, the senior believes that there was a stronger culture of policing on campus during the spring 2021 semester than either the fall 2020 semester or the present academic term. “I had a little boo fall semester, and I would literally sneak him in every single week. And luckily … people knew but didn’t care. Spring semester, I literally had to get a hotel,” the senior said. Another senior student who has resided on campus since the initial COVID-19 shutdown in March of 2020 and who has also worked for ResLife during her time at Mount Holyoke, echoes some of the senior’s thoughts around the guest policy. “We’re all in college, people are going to be dating. There’s bound to be stuff like that happening and I do think that they kind of just ignored the fact,” the former Residential Life worker said. “I think that’s an issue that [Residential Life] has always had with a guest policy. There could have been rules and regulations around that to keep students safe and to keep them just being human beings.” The former Residential Life worker also had some suggestions for some alternative guest policies that the College could implement. “There should be some check-in policy. Even emailing your [residential advisor] like ‘Hey, I’m gonna have a guest on the floor today.’ You could just mention that [in case] you end up testing positive for COVID[-19] and you have to get contact traced,” the former worker CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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October 29, 2021

GLOBAL

. Mount Holyoke News

Hindu students celebrate the nine-day festival of Navratri

Photo courtesy of Students of Hinduism Reaching Inwards Members of Students of Hinduism Reaching Inwards celebrate Navratri, a nine-day festival which draws from traditions that vary across South Asia.

BY MADHAVI RAO ’24 STAFF WRITER

From Oct. 7 to Oct. 15, Hindu students celebrated the nine day festival of Navratri, which means “nine nights” in Sanskrit. The festival is also known as Durga Puja, Dashain or Dussehra in various parts of the subcontinent. Navratri is typically celebrated to commemorate the triumph of good over evil, although the festivities themselves and the meaning behind them differ across regions of South Asia. One story behind the festival is that Navratri is celebrated to pay respect to the goddess Durga and her victory over the evil king Mahishasura. Mahishasura, a king with the head of a bull, prayed to the Hindu god Brahma for immortality from men and animals — but was left vulnerable to women. The goddess Parvati took the form of Durga and defeated Mahishasura in a battle that lasted nine days. “Navratri is celebrated to pay respect to the god-

dess for this victory,” Deepika KuIn northern parts of the subconmawat ’24 explained. tinent, a common practice during Oishika Saha ’24 explained, “In Navratri is the traditional dance West Bengal, Durga is the main god- known as the garba. Garba, a fastdess, and so most of the festival is paced dance that takes place around centered around a burning lamp, her.” A common originated in the Navratri is typically practice in West Indian state of Bengal is dissolvcelebrated to commemo- Gujarat. Garba, ing large clay derived from the rate the triumph of good statues of the godSanskrit word for over evil, although the dess Durga in the womb, is meant Ganges on the last festivities themselves and to respect the day of Navratri, the meaning behind them feminine goddess known as VijayaDurga. differ across regions of dashami. This traStudents of dition symbolizes South Asia. Hinduism Reacha farewell to the ing Inwards, the goddess. Hindu student For some, the festival celebrates organization on campus, hosted the victory of Lord Rama over the Navratri celebrations. Sohini Bhaevil ten-headed king Ravana from tia ’23, co-chair of the organization, the Hindu epic, Ramayana. In the said, “We had a prayer and then food epic, Ravana kidnaps Rama’s bride for everyone. We even did a couple Sita, taking her to Lanka, where she of rounds of garba, which is a tradiis rescued by Rama and the mon- tional dance.” key god Hanuman. “Back home, we “Around 15 people showed up would celebrate by burning a statue for the celebration,” Saha explained. of Ravana,” Kumawat said. “We ate, danced and did puja.”

International students on challenges acquiring second COVID-19 vaccine BY CYNTHIA AKANAGA ’25 STAFF WRITER

Before getting to Mount Holyoke and receiving the Pfizer vaccine, Chao received the Sinopharm vaccine back in China. However, she did not think the Sinopharm was “as [effective] a s

In combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Mount Holyoke College has “committed to achieving as close to universal vaccination as possible within our community.” Hence, all students and employees are required to be vaccinated unless otherwise exempted. As of Oct. 11, 2021, 99.3 percent of students who live or attend classes on Mount Holyoke College’s campus are fully vaccinated. 98.3 percent of college employees are fully vaccinated, and 0.3 percent are in the process of getting vaccinated. Some international students who are in the process of getting fully vaccinated have expressed some complaints regarding the College’s distribution of the COVID-19 vaccination on campus. On Sept. 18, 2021, Charlotte Mao ’23 received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine at Mount Holyoke. While receiving the first dose, she said that the she was informed that Mount Holy- o n e n oke no longer provided the second i dose. According to an email sent by A m e r IniHealth Services, the College did pro- ica.” vide “two vaccine clinics on campus, tially worried administering the Pfizer BioNTech about obtaining COVID-19 vaccine on Aug. 28 and the vaccine in America, Sept. 18.” However, Mao said that Chao was grateful that the College “many international students ar- was able to provide the first dose. Despite rived after Aug. this, Chao men28, so the first one Charlotte Mao ’23 retioned that she wasn’t an option ceived her first dose of the didn’t receive for [them].” Mao much informaexplained she Pfizer vaccine at Mount “[felt] quite inHolyoke. While receiving tion when getting her second dose. convenienced bethe first dose, she said Chao said, “They cause [she didn’t] have a driver’s lithat she was informed that should have told cense so [she had] Mount Holyoke no longer us more information about the to take an Uber or provided the second dose. side effects of the ask someone to vaccine, but they drive [her] there.” Zoe Chao ’23 had other compli- are acting like we should already cations. Although she “felt lucky know the information earlier or enough to receive [her] first dose maybe we can handle the side ef[at] Mount Holyoke,” Chao also ac- fects, so they just don’t tell us anyknowledged that getting the second thing.” Chao disclosed that she “was dose presented logistical issues for scared” when she developed “a fever her. She suggested, though, that get- for a day” after her first dose and exting the second dose was “a risk [she pressed that she “would have been much calmer and prepared” if she was] willing to take.”

had been informed about the side effects. Mao shared the same sentiment regarding the lack of information about the side effects of the vaccine. Mao

Graphic b

y Anjali R

ao-Herel

’22

had a m o r e severe experience than she expected with the effects of the first dose, which led to her “[absence] for [her] Monday class.” Mao said, “I’m left-handed. They didn’t inform us that our arm would be sore, so they didn’t even ask me if I’m left or right-handed. They just administered the vaccine. I couldn’t do a lot of things in the following three days.” As for getting the second dose, Mao offered a suggestion that would have helped her in making the process much smoother. “Maybe [the College] could have set up a van or rented a bus,” Mao said. Despite the difficulties, Chao explained how the international students formed “a group of other international students who also needed the second dose. [They] worked together and found another friend who was willing to drive [them] there.” She said, “That’s how I got my second dose.”

5

Global COVID cases rise BY SOPHIE SOLOWAY ’23 GLOBAL EDITOR

As of Oct. 26, 2021, there have been 244,342,963 total COVID-19 cases across the world, as reported by the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. This has resulted in 4,960,582 COVID-19 related deaths. 6,848,740,981 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide. The United States leads these total positive cases with a reported 45,572,94945,450,123. The U.S. also has the highest number of recorded fatalities of all reporting countries. Johns Hopkins reports that the United Kingdom holds the secondhighest rate of positive COVID-19 testing within the previous 28-day cycle, with 1,113,163 positive tests reported. Turkey follows the United Kingdom, with 812,780 positive cases reported within the same period. Turkey has a total of 7,879,438 cases and 69,344 total fatalities. CNN has an ongoing tracker on their website, which ranks nations

based on their number of positive COVID-19 cases. Russia currently sits at the fifth position on that list. According to The Moscow Times, Russia has recently seen a distinct increase in positive COVID-19 cases. The country reached its record number of cases on Oct. 25, with 37,930 new cases and 1,069 deaths. Restrictions on outings and vaccination mandates have been imposed regionally, rather than nationally, with Russian President Vladimir Putin again advising local governments to impose legislation on Oct. 25th. Amid these record-setting transmission rates, The New York Times reported that 5049.9 percent of the global population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. The United Arab Emirates leads this statistic, with 98 percent of its eligible population having already received their first vaccination dose. As eligible adult vaccination rates rise, researchers across countries continue to investigate solutions for child vaccination.

FEATURES

First-years adjust, cont’d “I have yet to meet a person who isn’t super open to learning about my culture [and] my old life back Academics home,” Peña remarked. “And I Another challenge for first- want to learn about their stuff year students is the academic ad- too.” justment. Parent explained that, One thing that has made the because Mount Holyoke students transition easier for Chhabra is are often high-achieving, some how she views the campus comfirst-years have to get used to be- munity as being close knit. She deing in a classroom surrounded by scribed talking to friends who go equally high-performing students. to larger state universities and beShe hears from a lot of people ing grateful for the smaller, more that the reading load is heavier familial community that is offered than high school and they have to at Mount Holyoke. make adjustments to balance their “It’s impossible to not see workload. somebody you know while go“Eventually, students figure ing out to dinner or going out to it out; they figlunch,” Chhabure out how to ra said. “I feel “Everyday I tell myself, work with texts, like the sense ‘One step at a time.’ If how to use guidof community ing questions which our colweek one Peehu had to that teachers lege majorly meet right now Peehu, she focused [on] give, prepare would be really proud.” for discussions, when talking to and really get us during orithrough the entation week, - Peehu Chhabra ’25 readings,” Par[saying], ‘Oh ent said. “They we’re connectget better at it ed.’ They did too, we always get better at things not lie about that,” Chhabra conas we do it more.” tinued. “Even in my classes, my Because of the structure of professors are so eager for us to Chhabra’s high school, she hadn’t drop in during office hours or have taken STEM classes during the random conversations with us.” last two years of high school since Both Peña and Chhabra feel she decided to do an arts focused like they have lost some social study. Her most difficult course is skills due to the COVID-19 panneuroscience because it is, as she demic and notice that loss when described it, “a step outside my trying to acclimate themselves to comfort zone.” However, neuro- a new college social life. Parent science is now one of Chhabra’s recognized that the adjustment favorite classes. Additionally, due to college looks different this year to COVID-19, she took a gap year than it has in the past because of in between high school and college COVID-19 and encouraged stuand described needing to readjust, dents to “forgive themselves as given that she had a year away they adjust and give themselves from school. time.” Peña found that the academic Parent described how many transition was easier than she students’ learning experience had expected and credits her high may have been different during school International Baccalaure- their senior year of high school, ate program with preparing her especially if they had a parent or well for the college workload. guardian that took a more hands“The workload doesn’t intimi- on approach. date me as much as I thought it “Now everyone’s even on their would,” Peña said. “[My profes- own in a different way than they sors are] all really transparent were in the past. So some students, about what they want, what they for no fault of their own, may have expect from us, what to do on dif- lost some of the independence that ferent tests and assignments and a lot of seniors in high school have, they’re all very helpful and they’re so they’re pulling it all together all willing to help, which is also pretty quickly,” Parent said. something I appreciate a lot beMore first-years have been cause I didn’t get a lot of it in high reaching out to Parent than in the school.” past. She is a resource for new students who have questions — if she doesn’t have answers, she can Community Peña noted how coming to a point to someone who will, and predominantly white institution can also direct students to involvewas a “shocker” and is a different ment consultants who can help environment from her home in Mi- students find organizations to join on campus. ami. Chhabra described her first “Coming from Miami, that’s super diverse, and then meeting week at the College as being very other people [for] who[m] this is overwhelming, as she came to the most diverse place they’ve America for the first time withever been … It’s just so weird ac- out any family and without much tually being part of the minority luggage. However, she is proud here, but also I’m welcoming it,” of how far she has come from the first week. “Everyday I tell myself, Peña said. Peña sees this as an opportu- ‘One step at a time,’” Chhabra nity to teach others and is grateful said. “If week one Peehu had to that most people she talks to are meet right now Peehu, she would willing to learn about her culture. be really proud.”

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6

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

October 29, 2021

. Mount Holyoke News

‘Twilight’ Renaissance rekindles interest in vampire romance genre BY ROSE COHEN ’22 & EMMA WATKINS ’23 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR | COPY CHIEF & ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

When the creators of the “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2” posters wrote the tagline, “The Epic Finale That Will Live Forever,” it seems as if they were anticipating the thriving fan culture that the franchise would retain almost a decade after its final installment first premiered in movie theaters. The Twilight Saga refers to a series of five vampire romance films, all of which are based on American novelist Stephenie Meyer’s bestselling books of the same name. Although “Breaking Dawn,” the last installment of the Saga, first premiered in theaters in 2012, in the past couple of years, fans have flocked back to the series with the excitement reminiscent of seeing an eagerly anticipated midnight premiere. Book Riot defined this cultural phenomenon, often called “The Twilight Renaissance,” as a period where people are “once again making fan art, sharing memes and discussing the series’ impact after a dip in popularity during the mid-2010s.” The movies revolve around the romantic relationship between the demure, socially awkward Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), a 17-yearold girl living in the mysterious and cloudy town of Forks, Washington, and her boyfriend, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a suave vampire from a large, strange family. The series’ love triangle emerges when Bella reconnects with Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a childhood friend from when she lived in Forks before her parents’ divorce — and a werewolf. Throughout the series, the love triangle serves as a major plot line, inspiring fans to don “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob” merchandise. Throughout the country, it was often unsurprising to hear debates regarding the trio; so much so, that, in 2010, Psychology Today published a blog post about the discourse regarding “Team Edward” and “Team Jacob.” Due to its presumed audience of teenage girls, the Twilight Saga was not expected to be a high-earning franchise when it hit theaters. As reported by Variety in 2018, when speaking at a special 10th anniversary New York Comic Con panel for the Saga, Catherine Hardwicke, the

director of the first movie, stated, “It was a modest budget because everybody thought, hey, a movie for women is only going to make like what ‘Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ made — $29 million.” As of Jan. 2018, “Twilight” had reached a box office gross of $393.6 million worldwide, according to Statista. Following that trend, the films are still successful today; after the Saga was made available to stream on Netflix this past July, Collider reported that the films constituted half of Netflix’s Top 10 list, less than a week after they appeared on the streaming platform. Toward the beginning of Sept. 2020, when the fall semester first started, Laura Dutilloy ’22 was searching for comfort as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, so they turned to the Twilight Saga, a series they previously had not cared much about. After 48 hours, they had watched all five of the “Twilight” movies. “They are very much the definition of consumable media,” Dutilloy said. “Kind of like a Marvel movie or a lot of Disney movies … it’s not difficult to understand, but there’s still heart and there’s still joy that you get from it,” they explained. As a new fan, Dutilloy belongs to the Twilight Renaissance, but grew up in what they called the “anti-Twilight crowd.” They explained that everyone in their life, namely their older brother, thought of the novel as a “scandal to literature” and “the worst thing to come out of media.” But they said the pandemic provided a unique setting for consuming so-called “cringe” media, allowing viewers to simply enjoy the franchise without worrying about others’ opinions. Unlike Dutilloy, Nicolette McGrath FP ’24 first watched and became a fan of the Saga long before the Twilight Renaissance began. “My stepmother loved them, and she kept pushing and pushing like ‘let’s watch it’; I’d be like ‘no’ and she’d be like ‘let’s watch it’ and I’d be like ‘go away…’” McGrath said. Eventually, she gave in, watched the first film, and then decided to see the rest of the Saga. She enjoyed seeing herself in Bella, who she described as “normal … but eventually finds her superpower.” McGrath compared Bella’s journey into selfhood to her experience as a Frances Perkins Scholar, stating, “I kind of feel like that’s me being you know, an FP and doing what I do every day.”

Graphic by Laura Hinojosa ’23

Like McGrath, Anna Sophie Tinneny ’23, who considers herself a “pop culture fiend,” had been a longtime fan of the Saga. “I first read ‘Twilight’ when I was in fourth or fifth grade,” Tinneny said. “I got a Kindle for Christmas, and I texted my mom, ‘It’s time for me to download ‘Twilight’ and read it,’ so I did.” Tinneny, who saw the last two films of the series at the movie theater with her family, recalled viewers screaming when Jacob took off his shirt for the first time to bare his sculpted six pack. Though several Mount Holyoke students found the movies comforting, those same individuals also recognized the films are not without fault, citing the appropriative and exploitative treatment of the Quileute tribe, located in La Push, Washington, and Jasper Hale’s (Jackson Rathbone) role as a former Confederate soldier. Jacob and his family are written as members of the Quileute tribe, but the stories Meyer wrote for them, and passed off as tribal legends, would be virtually unrecognizable to actual Quileute people. In one scene from “Eclipse,” the third installment of the series, Jacob invites Bella to, what he calls, a “council meeting.” At the council meeting, Jacob’s dad describes the tribe’s history to Bella

and says, “The Quileutes have been a small tribe from the beginning. But we have always had magic in our blood. We were great spirit warriors, shapeshifters that transformed into the powerful wolf.” Without researching the actual origin story of the Quileute tribe, a newer fan could watch this scene and believe it as fact. Discussing these problems with the franchise, Dutilloy said, “[It comes down to] who can look at ‘Twilight’ and vampire media as an escape, when [the movies] are dealing with people who are racist and commit acts of racism.” As someone who had been a long-term fan, Tinneny explained that she came to understand some of the problems with the stories when she was a senior in high school. “I read that the Quileute tribe is actually really struggling financially, and they didn’t really get compensation from the movies, or, I don’t think [Meyer] even got permission to use their names,” Tinneny said. “Nothing has been done retroactively to really address it, it didn’t sit right,” she elaborated. Now, within the new context of the Twilight Renaissance, Dutilloy addressed a fear they’ve seen around the internet that some of the genuine critiques of the films would

go unnoticed by new fans. “People are being genuine about ‘Twilight’ again, but still not highlighting some of the criticisms,” Dutilloy said. “I think that has been the shift [with] ‘Twilight;’ people are no longer defending it as good media, but are like ‘this is bad, but … I’m enjoying having it.’ But some of the genuine critiques can get lost in the weeds,” they added. Despite concerns that fans from the Twilight Renaissance may gloss over the more problematic aspects of the series, there is not universal ignorance. For a few years, the Quileute tribe has been trying to raise funds to move to higher ground due to the concern regarding tsunamis and floods in the region. In February 2021, a group of “Twilight” fans created and compiled art and information for “Higher Ground: A ‘Twilight’ Charity Zine.” According to the official Tumblr blog for the zine, it is full of paintings, fanfiction and other artwork from “Twilight” fans. The creators of the zine explained that all profits will be donated to the tribe’s effort to move to higher ground. This instance provides support for the idea that the new generation of “Twilight” fans will hold these stories to a higher standard, while still finding comfort within them.

‘Fabulation’ marks the FMT department’s return to live theater

Photo courtesy of Francesca Marie FP ’22 Liz Almonte ’24 performs as Undine in the FMT department’s live fall production of “Fabulation.”

BY ELLA WHITE ’22 NEWS EDITOR

For one Black student in the Mount Holyoke film, media and theater department, it was “a dream to be able to work on a play like this and design for actors who looked like her,” visiting lecturer Michael Ofori said. The FMT department held performances of its production of American playwright Lynn Nottage’s “Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine” from Oct. 21 through 24. This was the department’s first in-person production since the beginning of the pandemic, and the performance was held in Rooke Theater, with seating at 75 percent capacity. The play stars a successful Black female publicist, Undine, who realizes her husband has left her and disappeared, taking all her money. Her carefully built life then dissembles: she loses her business, her home and her friends. She only experiences more anxiety when she suffers a

panic attack right before realizing she is pregnant. And then, stemming from all of those stressors, she must move in with her estranged family — whom she has not seen in 14 years — who live in socialized public housing projects. “Fabulation” is part of the FMT department’s work to diversify and commit to anti-racist values, according to Ofori’s director’s note. In an interview, Ofori said the department was “able to create opportunities just by selecting this play.” The theater performed “Intimate Apparel” by Nottage in 2016, but the revisitation of her work now is an attempt to broaden the playwrights used by the department and casting opportunities for students. In the past five years, the majority of Rooke productions have been written by white playwrights. “[We’re] putting ourselves on a path towards attracting a diverse cast. By extension, that cast invites their friends, their family and eventually this place does not displace,”

Ofori said. “The net becomes wider, [so], the pool of people we can attract becomes wider.” “It’s providing more [opportunities for] students of color,” Geraldine Louis ’24, who played Undine’s mother, friend and a young pregnant woman, said. “But I feel like there’s also that thought process that I had — did they only want me because I’m Black or because of the talent that I have?” Louis said the play still interested her, regardless of why she was cast. “[Because of] the fact that it was surrounded by a Black lead,” Louis said, “it was more appealing to me.” According to visiting lecturer in film, media and theater Heidi Holder, who wrote the dramaturgical note for the production, Undine “takes her place in a long line of Americans bent on re-inventing themselves.” From the beginning, Undine is a character who has already reinvented herself, and the play, in a slight reversal on this trope Holder notes, follows her unraveling that reinvention. Undine sets herself apart from this traditional narrative, Ofori said, in that “she’s not actively trying to reconnect with herself. She is made to. Everything in the universe is saying to her, ‘You can’t keep going down the path that you’re on. You need to return home.’” The play is about money, Blackness and identity. In order to maintain her power, Undine must maintain a careful image, projecting wealth and control. Liz Almonte ’24 played Undine as a tightly-wound woman who punches down — yelling for her assistant or belittling her brother — to protect the semblance of her identity, even when she has lost everything. Despite this strong, assertive front, Undine addresses the audience throughout the play, sharing her anxieties with them. As the play progresses, Undine becomes in-

creasingly vulnerable; she agrees to a date with an unlikely suitor, voices fewer criticisms of those around her, holds the hand of a pregnant woman in the women’s clinic and admits that she, too, is afraid of her pregnancy. Reflecting Undine, the play is also vulnerable. Many of the transitions done by the stage crew were performed with the lights up, not allowing anything to be hidden from the audience. The backdrop was a concrete wall and elevator doors that gave the stage a sense of bareness and frigidity. “Undine was the only permanent fixture in this play, and everything and everyone else had to revolve around her,” Ofori said, of the purpose of the set design. While Undine remains on stage the entirety of the play, everything else is in flux. Throughout all Undine’s tumult, though, the show remains lighthearted and fun. “It was really nice to see a posi-

tive take on a Black story,” Georgia Rose ’25, self-reportedly one of two white members of the cast, said. “Obviously, Undine wasn’t the best person to begin with, but she went through this transformation into a really wonderful person, and it was a comedy, and it was really funny; whereas a lot of media portrays … Black women as [having] a tragic story.” Nottage wrote the play, according to Ofori, as “an exhale.” “That resonated with me a lot, especially considering the time that we’re doing this play,” Ofori said. “Felt like we all needed to take a big breath.” As the play arrives at its conclusion, “tak[ing] a big breath” is exactly what the characters of “Fabulation” advise Undine to do. And in agreeing to try romance again, coming to terms with her family and accepting that she will have her baby, Undine breathes.

Graphic by Jieru Ye ’23

October 29, 2021

SPORTS

. Mount Holyoke News

7

NCAA to add four teams to women’s Game of the Week: Rowing takes on Head of the Charles basketball championship bracket

Regatta; Volleyball travels to Smith and Amherst Colleges HANNAH THUKRAL ’23 STAFF WRITER

Rowing

Photo courtesy of WikiMedia Commons The University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball team celebrates after winning the 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.

BY EMILY TARINELLI ’25 STAFF WRITER

In a unanimous vote on Thursday, Oct. 14, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee approved a proposal to expand the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship bracket by four teams. Beginning in 2022, the proposal would allow 68 teams to compete in the tournament instead of the previous 64. The same change was approved for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship in 2011. “The committee’s first priority is ensuring that student-athletes competing in women’s basketball have a championship experience that is equitable to men’s basketball,” Nina King, the chair of the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee and director of athletics at Duke University, said in a statement provided by the NCAA. “Expanding the women’s tournament bracket to 68 teams would immediately ensure that student-athletes in both men’s and women’s basketball have an equal number of team opportunities to compete for an NCAA championship each year.” The proposal is part of an ongoing endeavor to eliminate disparities between the men’s and women’s Division I basketball championships, the severity of which came to light earlier this year. FanNation reported that in March 2021, University of Oregon forward Sedona Prince posted a TikTok that exposed stark differences in training apparatuses — the men’s March Madness teams were given a gymnasium full of weight equip-

ment, while the women’s teams were provided with six dumbbells, yoga mats and a stationary bike. “If you aren’t upset about this problem, then you’re a part of it,” Prince said in the video. The “problem” Prince spoke of began long before 2021. The New York Times reported that there was a $13.5 million — almost double — budget gap between the men’s and women’s tournaments in 2019, with the men receiving the majority of the funds. USA Today reported that after Prince’s video sparked outrage on social media, the NCAA commissioned an independent gender equity review from the firm Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, which specializes in discrimination assessment. The review was conducted in August 2021. The firm’s report found that the men’s teams were provided with higher standards of food, workout services, recreational facilities and mementos when compared with the women’s provisions. “The NCAA’s broadcast agreements, corporate sponsorship contracts, distribution of revenue, organizational structure and culture all prioritize Division I men’s basketball over everything else in ways that create, normalize and perpetuate gender inequities,” Kaplan Hecker & Fink’s report stated. “At the same time, the NCAA does not have structures or systems in place to identify, prevent, or address those inequities.” The report provided several suggestions to the NCAA in order to establish gender equity in future women’s basketball championships, such as using “March Madness” branding for both the men’s and women’s tournaments and a “zero-based” budgeting system to ensure financial equity.

The recommendation for expanding the women’s bracket to equal the men’s bracket emerged from Kaplan Hecker & Fink’s report. Previously, as ESPN mentioned, the women’s basketball championship tournaments only had “Women’s Basketball” printed on their courts instead of “March Madness,” and all fiscal resources were rationed from previous years between the men’s and women’s tournaments. In addition to recommending a rebrand for the women’s tournament, the zero-based budgeting system will determine all expenses individually for the two tournaments each year. The NCAA approved both of these measures in September, and they will take effect in 2022. “This is just the start when it comes to improving gender equity in the way the two Division I basketball championships are conducted,” Lisa Campos, the chair of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee and director of athletics at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said in a statement provided by the NCAA. “Adding the March Madness trademark to the Division I Women’s Basketball Championship will enhance the development and public perception of the sport, and the oversight committee looks forward to its work to address other recommendations through the governance structure to continue those efforts.” The proposal to increase the women’s championship bracket to 68 teams will now advance to a final review by NCAA governance committees. While the NCAA did not provide a specific date, an official decision to confirm the proposal will be announced by the middle of November.

The Mount Holyoke rowing team made their way to Boston for the Head of the Charles Regatta last weekend. The Head of the Charles Regatta is one of the oldest head races in the country and has been running since 1965. The Regatta draws more than 11,000 competitors and thousands of spectators. The College sent one boat in the Women’s Collegiate Eights. The boat consisted of coxswain Jaya Nagarajan-Swenson ’22, Celeste Keep ’24, Emma Waldron ’24, Simran Kaur ’22, Jocelyn Greer ’23, Liv Romanowsky ’25, Ellie Mohn ’24, Jill Slatch ’25 and Claire Gabel ’22. The final finish time for the Lyons in the 5,000 meter race was 18:14.979 minutes. They outraced New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference rival Worcester Polytechnic Institute. “[The regatta] is the only time that rowing is a spectator sport, and for most of us it’s the biggest rowing event that we’re ever going to attend, regardless of whether or not we’re competing,” Nagarajan-Swenson said. “[Head of the Charles] is really a coxswain’s race. Coxswains are responsible for steering the boat, strategizing, keeping the boat moving together and executing the race plan,” Nagarajan-Swenson explained. According to Nagarajan-Swenson, coxswains know “the name and location of every bridge and landmark,” “how to take every turn,” “where every buoy is” and “which spots [they] might need to do some counterintuitive maneuvering at, in order to get the best line.” The team placed 18th out of 40, which means the Lyons automatically won a bid for the next Head of

the Charles, since they placed within the top 20 teams. “I’m proud of the team’s ranking and our overall execution of the race,” Kaur said. “Getting 18 [out] of 40 was the first time we have requalified since 2011. We out-pulled 22 crews and requalified for the first time in a very long time.” The regatta concluded the fall season of competition for the rowing team.

Volleyball Mount Holyoke Volleyball traveled to Amherst College and Smith College on Saturday, Oct. 23, to compete against Westfield State University and Bates College in the Volleyball Hall of Fame Tournament. The Lyons started the tournament in a match against Bates hosted by Smith, dropping the match 3-0 with set scores of 25-21, 25-23 and 25-22. Gabi Davis ’22 had seven kills in the match, while Brayden Walden ’22 and Marion Abeja ’23 together totaled 23 assists. Mar Simon ’23, Sarah Bishop ’22 and Chelsea Galicia ’22 came up with nine digs each. Then, the Lyons moved on to their second game, hosted by Amherst College, where they picked up a 3-1 win against Westfield State. The Lyons won the first set, dropped the second and won the third and fourth. The final set scores were 2624, 19-25, 25-23 and 25-22. Bishop had a team high of 12 kills and also 12 digs. Galicia collected a team high of 34 digs. Walden and Abeja produced 30 combined assists. McKenna Crosby ’23 and Simon each had two service aces. Mount Holyoke Volleyball’s competition season ends in a home match against Emerson College on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke College Athletics Mount Holyoke Rowing competes in their scrimmage against Amherst College on Oct. 16, 2021.

NEWS Health Center holds flu vaccine clinic Students suggest changes BY GILLIAN PETRARCA ’23 STAFF WRITER

On Friday, Oct. 26, the Health Center held a flu vaccine clinic for students. “I really appreciated the event,” Lauren Gruen ’23 said. “I don’t have a car, so having something like this on campus was very helpful.” According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, flu season can start in the United States as early as October and end as late as early May, and normally peaks from December through February. About 8 percent of the U.S. population gets sick from the flu each season. The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine each year in order to prevent illness. It is best to be vaccinated by the end of October. Other preventative measures against the flu include hand-washing, covering coughs and sneezes and staying away from people who are sick. The symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat and fatigue. If you feel any symptoms the CDC recommends that you stay home and rest. “Although college students generally are very healthy, living in close proximity to one another and attending large classes gives them more exposure to conta-

gious viruses such as the flu,” Dr. Susan Even, executive director of the student health center at the University of Missouri, said in a university press release. Robert M. Jacobson, M.D., medical director of the Mayo Clinic’s primary care immunization program, said that col- Photo by Imaane Patel ’24 lege students put The vaccine was offered for free to those on the College’s insurance. themselves at risk of the flu and other respiratory ill- through the Health Center’s online nesses by not getting enough sleep portal to receive a flu vaccine. There and through other unhealthy habits, are also options outside of the school such as poor nutrition and not drink- that students can pursue, such as going enough water. Stress can also ing to local drugstores. “I don’t have the college health tire the body and make the immune insurance, so my friends and I ususystem vulnerable to viruses. “Pulling all-nighters to catch up ally get it for free at the Walgreens on studies, staying up late on Friday down the street,” Eliana Petetz ’22 and Saturday to recreate and relax said. The CDC said to expect some with their friends often puts their bodies at higher risk to catch an in- soreness, redness or swelling at the fection,” Jacobson said. “They end injection site, low-grade fever or up leading a lifestyle that runs their aches after receiving a flu vaccine. After vaccination, it will take two bodies down.” The vaccine was offered for weeks to build immunity against the free to those who have the Student flu. Gruen concluded, “I think getHealth Insurance Policy and was $20 for students who have private insur- ting the flu shot is very important ance. Outside of the vaccine clinic, and I hope they do an event like this students can make an appointment again in the future.”

to MHC guest policy, cont’d u

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

said. While Lara said that they have not personally broken the no-guest rule, they are aware of friends and peers who have, including one classmate who brought an off campus partner from Smith College into their residence hall. “That doesn’t make me feel unsafe personally, because I know that that’s somebody from right nearby who has similar restrictions imposed upon them by their own college,” Lara said. “But … it’s all very situational.” Aside from the incident with the Smith student, Lara is also aware of other students who violated the guest policy, including one person in their residence hall who they believe brought a family member into the building during Family & Friends Weekend. “I think when it comes to a health crisis, like the pandemic that we’re in right now, there is like a line of morality. Knowing that there are people who I live with on the same floor and in the same building, who are willing to just bring in people from completely different states … That is something that really bothers me. It really does make me feel

unsafe,” Lara said. “I think people have gotten a lot bolder this semester in terms of breaking the rules.” Lara added, “Last semester, the farthest that most of the people I knew ever went with rule-breaking was going into a [residential] hall that they didn’t live in.” This semester, while only those students who work for the Office of Residential Life have unfettered OneCard access to all residential buildings, the new community compact does not ban travel between different residence halls, nor does it limit the number of approved guests students may have in their rooms. While Barry hinted that some of her peers may not be happy with the extended no-guest policy this semester, she personally supports the guest-policy as it exists today and believes that it helps to eliminate questions about campus COVID-19 spread. Barry said, “I agree with [the no-guest policy]. What I had to go through fall and spring semester last year was worse than what we have now, because [residential students now] have friends. They’re coming back to social life.”

8

COMMUNITY

October 29, 2021

. Mount Holyoke News

e HOROSCOPES e BY DAVID NEJEZCHLEBA ’22 & MAGGIE DONOVAN ’23 COPY EDITOR & HOROSCOPE WRITER | LAYOUT EDITOR & HOROSCOPE WRITER

Jan. 20 – Feb. 18

May 21 – June 20

Sept. 23 – Oct. 22

You might be relieved to hear that your hard work is going to pay off. Though you may feel like an absolute trainwreck, you’ve maintained your momentum and the train will be back on track soon enough.

What’s that thing always shoved under your arm as you walk? Is that … humor that you’re using as a crutch? You do have moments of comedy gold, sly Gemini, but this week seems like a good time to take your feelings seriously.

It’s great that you see every side of the situation Libra, but it’s also okay to take a stance. Don’t let your Lego movie master builder omnipotence prevent you from making decisions!

Feb. 19 – March 20

June 21 – July 22

How are you thinking about your own happiness? If what has previously satisfied you is no longer sparking pleasure, abandon your shell like the hermit crab. You may find yourself feeling naked or vulnerable, but such is the process of rebirth.

Your tendency to act like a cerebral sea sponge and soak up the emotions of others may bog you down this week. Maybe consider the solitary life of a whale instead?

March 21 – April 19

It’s no secret that you get bored easily, foxy little Aries. Try tapping into SOME — we at MHN take no responsibility for the consequences of your actions — of your fiery impulses this week to combat that.

April 20 – May 20

That thing you’ve been thinking of doing? This is your sign to go for it, Taurus. Don’t make any final decisions, but be bold: apply for the job, pick up the paintbrush or make the first move. This is your week of new beginnings.

Event Highlights Friday, Oct. 29 Get Your Geek On

Want to spend your night having a great time dancing with friends? Have a fun costume? Come join Renegades, Bellatrix and Autosave for a nerdy and fun-filled Halloween party complete with a costume contest at midnight! Tickets are $5 for anyone not in costume, $3 for anyone in geeky attire and $1 for anyone in costume. Tickets will be sold at the door and are first come first served. Community Center Great Room 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30 ISOC Halloween Event

Come eat sushi and samosas, enter our gift-card raffles, decorate Halloween cookies and sing karaoke with your Big/Little! We will be pre-ordering bubble tea from Vivi’s — if you want to pre-order, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/2iRa353nw8RHSjNw6 We encourage everyone to dress up in their Halloween costumes, though it is not required! Prizes will be available to those who do though! Community Center Great Room 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30 Monsters Ball

Monsters Ball is Mount Holyoke College’s annual Halloween dance party! The orchestra celebrates being able to play together again with a concert of favorites: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Star Wars Suite by John Williams, Night on a Bare Mountain and some pretty dazzling waltzes and polkas. Come join us for some fun and dance! Program: John Williams - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Suite; Johann Strauss II - The Beautiful Blue Danube; Modeste Mussorgsky - Night on Bare Mountain; Johann Strauss II - Thunder and Lightning Polka; John Williams - Selections from Star Wars Suite i. Main Title, iv. Yoda’s Theme, v. Throne Room and End Title Mary Wooley Hall - Chapin Auditorium 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 31 “Hocus Pocus” Showing

Watch the classic Halloween movie “Hocus Pocus” while eating free candy! Register on Embark for the location 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 1 Dia de Los Muertos/ Day of the Dead

Join us in celebrating those who have passed away. We will be building an altar with photos, flowers and other offerings to honor our loved ones. Open to self-identifying Latinx students. The Eliana Ortega Cultural Center 12 - 2 p.m.

Happy Halloween from the staff of the Mount Holyoke News!

Your emotions may precede rational conclusions. If you examine the root of your worries this week, you may find them grounded in nothing of substance. Free yourself from fear formed in illusion.

July 23 – Aug. 22

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

Nov. 22 – Dec. 21

This is your week to make bold moves. Ask them out. Get a tattoo. Ask for that extra ketchup. Maybe bring Taurus along on whatever adventure you’re up to. The world is your oyster, go take the pearl.

There are moments when it’s best to keep quiet. Practice recognizing these moments and reflecting on your words: how they might impact others? Introspect by using your indoor voice inside your mind.

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

You can watch the clock all you want, but getting the timing right can be nearly impossible. De-center time from your vision and rely on your intuitions instead. We’re just floating around on a giant rock in an abstract infinite timescape. You can’t really mess it up.

You’ve been very relaxed as of late. Good for you. Maintain the energy of a flowing river and you’ll find your freshwater ecosystem looking rather healthy: a balance of producers, consumers and decomposers cultivating your energy.

Dec. 22 – Jan. 19

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES FOR THE SIGNS AQUARIUS A beard. An avid writer. Some might call him a genius. If you’re thinking of Plato, think again. Aquarius, you’re sexy Karl Marx. PISCES You’re the creative type. You’re in touch with your emotions. You’re the perfect amount of self-absorbed. You’re Jared Leto from the 2019 MET Gala. ARIES With all that heat in you, and your admirable leadership abilities, it’s no wonder you’re Lava Girl this year. TAURUS With an ego like yours, and the stubbornness that propels all your adventures, there’s only one possibility. You’re Davy Jones, but as a gym bro. GEMINI There’s always an element of duality within you — perhaps you feel like you have two minds in one. Fix your eyes on the pasture, because you’re the two headed calf, Gemini. CANCER We don’t really have an explanation for this, but based on the Cancers we know on campus, you should go as a bunch of grapes, like in the Fruit of the Loom commercial. LEO You sure aren’t a water sign, but your compatibility with Aries and your unbounded confidence means you must be Shark Boy. VIRGO Astute. Smart. Perhaps a bit too critical at times. Virgo, consider investing in a gown this Halloween. You’re Judge Judy, but with a slimy twist — as Medusa. LIBRA Compassionate and empathetic Libra, you’re caring and cuddly yet sometimes inexplicably prone to anger. Evil Paddington is the costume for you. SCORPIO You’re bold and you live for the drama, Scorpio. As a water sign, you could only be Ursula from the Little Mermaid. SAGITTARIUS Your greatest quality is flexibility, and you’re somewhat of a cosmic networker. Your sign is also a goat, which makes you well poised as The Goat Puppet from the Sound of Music. CAPRICORN You’re not usually one to pick a costume that’s too cliche or corny, Capricorn. This year, you are one of two things: a unicorn or a haunted piece of candy corn.

Clipart courtesy of Pixabay (ghosts), Max Pixel (pumpkin) & Free SVG (bats)