R’Perspective: I’m not going to Erika Kirk’s heaven
Where religion, politics and controversy collide: Inside TPUSA’s faith tour stop in Riverside.
Editor-in-Chief
On Jan. 21, 2026, the Make Heaven Crowded Tour stopped at Harvest Church in Riverside, California as part of its Los Angelesarea run. According to the tour’s
NEWS
to serve as “a gospel centered gathering calling people to repentance, faith and bold obedience to Jesus.”
More than 6,000 people registered to attend, and thousands -
seating areas. For those who were unable to attend in person, the event viewers.
Outside the church, however, hundred protestors gathered with
Councilmember campaign forums continue in Ward 6
Councilmember candidates discuss their approaches to controversial infrastructure mandates.
Staff Writerat the La Sierra Senior Center located in ward six. Candidates were asked to respond to constituent concerns surrounding the Riverside
constituents insight into their plat-
Dr. Jimmy Calanchini shows that there is no linear path in life.
Contributing Writer
Calanchini. A proud product of the UC
postdoctoral work and groundbreaking cognition to boot.
Xavier Scott Zach Hoisington highlanderadrep@gmail.com
Noah Davis Witten
HUMANS OF UCR
Christina Grossack (she/them), PhD Mathematics, Sixth Year
CONTACT US THE HIGHLANDER 101 Highlander Union Building Riverside, CA 92521 www.highlandernews.org editorinchief@highlandernews.org
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Compiled by Isaac Solnick, Managing Editor
UPCOMING EVENTS
DANIELA CRUZ / THE HIGHLANDER
OpenAI plans add ads to Chat GPT
AI TOOLS WILL BEGIN TO TEST OUT ADS IN THE U.S. FOR THE FREE AND GO TIERS.
As of the new year, OpenAI has made plans to begin implementing advertisements to their services as part of maintaining operations and paying back companies. Back in Oct. 2024, Sam Atlman, the chief execu-
“I kind of think of ads as like a last resort for us as a business model,” referring to methods of monetizing ChatGPT, the company’s large-language model (LLM). It now appears that all other avenues have been exhausted.
On Jan 16, the company announced it would be “planning to start testing ads in the U.S. for the free and Go tiers” in
order to continue to provide the services for free and eight dollars per month, respectively. Acknowledging that many people rely on the chatbot for directions, opinions and advice on a huge variety of topics, the company has also detailed its advertising principles. They are largely focused on ensuring that the overall experience of using ChatGPT is not impacted, along with the preservation of user privacy, which carries with it a promise to never sell user data to third parties. Additionally, the company has declared that it does not optimize ChatGPT for total user time spent, unlike other advertising platforms such as Instagram or YouTube. With ChatGPT having over 800 million users, just 35
million of which pay for the platform according to Reuters, even small-scale rollout of advertising in the U.S. alone could prove to lifeline for the company. According to Forbes, OpenAI has committed commitments over the next few years. These
ASUCR Senate Meeting
THIS WEEK’S VIRTUAL MEETING COVERED LEGISLATION AND EVENT UPDATES.
On Jan. 21, 2026, the Associated Students of the University of California, Riverside (ASUCR) meeting
having taken place via Zoom.
The Senate approved Senate Bill SB-W26-002, which aimed to reword language in the ASUCR Elections Code and clarify the Elections Committee’s role in addressing campaign violations.
College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences
Senator Rohan Vig gave a senator report about
ongoing work in the rollout of a Green Campus Action plan Sip & Save Initiative and the development of a student housing resolution.
Senator Vig also announced the upcoming R’STEM Find Your Research Match Expo, which is expected to take place on Feb. 3. After adjournment, Executive Vice President Mia Rose Tu’ifua reminded the Senate that the next meeting date could change based on Senator availability, suggesting a rare deviation from the usual Wednesday 7 p.m. meeting time. H
commitments are to various AI-related companies
support for model training, compute capacity and web services in order to further improve ChatGPT. Amazon, Oracle, Microsoft and Nvidia are among the companies who are owed tens to hundreds of billions of dollars from OpenAI.
Despite this, their total revenues to date total slightly less than 30 billion dollars, and their all time venture capital raised is less than 100 billion. While the trillion dollars owed is not due right away, OpenAI and ChatGPT have promised to quickly upscale their to meet their commitments.
Crime Watch: Hiker found dead in Riverside County mountains
FIVE HIKERS LOST IN ANZA, FOUR FOUND ALIVE.
On Saturday, Jan. 19, a hiker was found and pronounced dead in Anza. Deputies responded to the 56000 block of East State
after receiving a call reporting a group of four hikers had gone for a hike the previous day and had not returned.
The caller also reported that one additional member of their party set out looking for them believing them to be lost.
Unit and Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit (RMRU) assisted with the rescue, ultimately locating and extracting the group of four to the Lake Hemet Mountain Station.
lone hiker was later found at the bottom of a 150-foot mountain face and pronounced dead on the scene by RMRU personnel.
ties tate of ous one out ost. Unit tely r to m ced nel. ide er’s er’s
An investigation was initiated by Riverside County Coroner’s Bureau once the hiker’s remains were recovered. The hiker’s identity has not yet been disclosed.
H
COURTESY OF SANKET MISHRA VIA PEXELS
COURTESY OF RAEAN
Councilmember campaign forums continue in Ward 6
COUNCILMEMBER CANDIDATES DISCUSS THEIR APPROACHES TO CONTROVERSIAL INFRASTRUCTURE MANDATES.
The Mission Grove Neighborhood Alliance (MGNA) hosted the second part of their City Council Candidate Forum series on Jan. 21 at the La Sierra Senior Center located in ward six. Candidates were asked to respond to constituent concerns surrounding the Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) and six other topics to give constituents insight into their platform.
In attendance for the event were Ward 2 candidates Gracie Torres, Mike Vahl, Barry Daws and Dan Florez. Also present were Ward 4 candidates Chuck Condor, Jessica Qattawi and Rich Vandenberg and Ward 6 candidates Luis Hernandez, Oswaldo Puerta and William Smith.
The opening question, which was shared with candidates prior to the event, revolved around the RTRP, a 2006 plan funded by California Independent Systems Operator (Cal ISO) to build a second connection from the state’s main power grid to Riverside through collaboration with Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) and Southern California Edison.
RPU’s website asserts that a second connection is necessary to prevent the city
from losing access to the state’s power grid, whereas proponents argue that its implementation of large overhead towers along the Santa Ana riverbed would be
in the area. They have instead advocated for an undergrounding of the connection
installation cost and that further delay of the project will increase cost to ratepayers.
Considering this, candidates were asked to propose an alternative and share its pros and cons. Nearly all candidates stated that they would not allow the transmission lines to be built aboveground as the risk was too high. Qattawi stated, “We don’t want to be the next Altadena. I am for responsible infrastructure and putting these lines above ground is irresponsible.”
Candidates instead proposed that they could look into having the wires undergrounded only in areas with severe
environmental impact report to reconstruct the plan to current standards, rather than the now-outdated 2006 standards.
Puerta was the only candidate who stated he would not resist the aboveground
occur if the project were pushed back further, sharing that he would be a “bad steward of [the people’s] taxpayer dollars” if he were to do so. He expressed, “If the money is not there, we need this to be the compromise we have to live with for now.”
The candidates were then asked to respond to six other questions pulled from the event’s attendees. These questions include candidates’ thoughts on campaign contribution caps, how they will prioritize constituent interest when they compete with their donors, their thoughts on the new appointed inspector general position and possible omission of the ethics committee, if they agree with the current conduction of city council meetings and their plan to clean up areas of the city which have high homeless population and drug use.
The next forum is set to take place on Feb. 11 at North High School, around two miles away from the University of Riverside, California campus. The forum will be open to the public.
KASSANDRA AGUIRRE
ALEX WONG / THE HIGHLANDER
Riverside turns down a $20.1 million state funding for homeless housing
RIVERSIDE CITY COUNCIL VOTES AGAINST AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN.
JIHOON KWON
On Jan. 13, 2026, the Riverside City grant intended for homeless housing with four councilmembers voting against the grant and three councilmembers voting in support of it.
Initially, the council voted in favor of pursuing funding on May 20, 2025. The project, University Terrace Homes, aimed proposed acquiring and converting the Quality Inn Motel located on University Avenue. The funding was awarded in November through the Homekey+ program and aimed at creating permanent supporting housing for those at risk of homelessness.
According to IE Community News, the project received opposition from nearby stakeholders. Councilmember Clarissa
Cervantes, who voted for the project, singled out Farmhouse Collective as one of the most vocal critics of the project and noted her suspicion that the business might have
According to The Press-Enterprise, Councilmember Sean Mill, who voted against the project, argued that models which have prioritized housing have “always been a failure” and “a transitional housing model” with the capacity to adequately respond to mental health and substance abuse problems is a more appropriate alternative. Councilmembers Philip Falcone and Chuck Conder, who voted no, remained silent about the reason for the decision.
Cervantes responded to the concern raised by Mill by pointing out that the issues were addressed through an operation plan and
“came with premeditated decisions or had already made their mind up” which she pointed out is “not a fair public hearing for an item like this.” She also spoke critically about the councilmembers who did not justify the votes, saying she “was very shocked and disappointed.”
Despite the recent decrease in homelessness in the area, both the City of Riverside saw 614 people unsheltered and the county saw nearly 4,000 people unsheltered in 2025. Riverside Mayor Patricia Dawson said that she was “disappointed that the money isn’t going to be able to be spent” and that such projects need to be led and supported by the community.
Potential withholding of funding for sanctuary jurisdictions
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CLAIMS WITHHOLDING FUNDS WILL STOP FRAUD AND CRIME.
MARIBEL HERNANDEZ
President Donald Trump’s administration has faced major backlash from the American people due to the immigration crackdowns that have taken place since Trump’s re-election. Yet, in the past few weeks, the death of Renee Nicole Good at the hands of an ICE agent has further ignited protests from both citizens and politicians in standing their ground against the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
On Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump warned that beginning Feb. 1, he plans to withhold funding from any states whose local governments are resisting his immigration crackdown. This threat builds on one he made back in 2025, when an executive order signed by Trump claimed he planned to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities.
has not been clearly set, but in essence, it limits a state or local government’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement as
residing in the city.
Back in April 2025, U.S. District Judge William Orrick of California — a federal judge whom Former President Barack Obama
— ruled this executive order to be
“unconstitutional.” While Orrick has stated that a similar case was
fear of enforcement is even stronger than it was in 2017.”
Trump has claimed that his plan to withhold funding stems from
in doing “everything possible to protect criminals at the expense of American citizens and [because] it breeds fraud and crime.” Statistics have shown that “US-born citizens are over 2 times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes.”
Last year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) published a list of cities, states and counties it deems to fall under the sanctuary jurisdiction, which are overwhelmingly led by Democrats. Among the states listed are California, Chicago, Minnesota and New York — all of which have experienced immigration raids in the past couple of months.
COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE VIA FLICKR
U.S. Presence at the 2026 World Economic Forum
NEWSOM AND TRUMP BOTH SPOKE AT THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
From Jan. 19 to Jan. 23, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026, also referred to as Davos 2026, took place in Davos, Switzerland amidst a time of heightened domestic and global tensions.
At this year’s conference, which marked 56 years of the Forum since its initial 1971 meeting, leaders from various countries and corporations joined together to discuss pressing global challenges across the political, societal and economic sectors. With this year’s theme being “A Spirit of Dialogue,” the Forum aims to serve as an impartial platform that empowers global leaders to turn dialogue and ideas into action.
Over 400 political leaders, including more than 60 heads of state, were among the nearly 3,000 participants who convened at the Forum. Among those participants were U.S. President Donald Trump and California Governor Gavin Newsom.
In an on-stage conversation with Ben Smith, a co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the news website Semafor, Governor Newsom denounced corruption in the Trump administration, acknowledged his long-
standing rivalry with Trump and announced a focus on strengthening California’s economic growth. The conversation comes a day after
was denied entry to a Fortune magazine
Forum, with Governor Newsom writing on an X social media post, “How weak and pathetic do you have to be to be this scared
President Trump gave a special address at his recent one-year anniversary of holding turnaround in the U.S., explained his motivations behind his Greenland push and the topic of immigration. “It’s the United States alone that can protect this giant mass of land, this giant piece of ice, develop it and improve it, and make it so that it’s good for Europe, and safe for Europe, and good for us,” President Trump said of why America seeks to gain ownership of Greenland.
He asserted that U.S. ownership of
allowing the U.S. being able to prevent outside threats while providing Greenland with increased investment and security. He concluded by praising the Forum’s attendees and emphasizing that the U.S. is committed to building an ambitious and stronger future.
Additionally, while in Davos, President
countries formally signed a charter to launch his Board of Peace, establishing the Board
At the signing ceremony, President Trump announced, “Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations. You know, I’ve always said the United Nations has got tremendous potential, has not used it.”
The charter enables the Board of Peace, chaired by President Trump, to be a self-
resolution, prompting concerns from many world leaders that the Board might undermine the authority of the United Nations.
OVI MATHIVANAN
Canada’s Mark Carney is stepping in for America diplomatically
AFTER THE DIPLOMATIC TURMOIL OF TRUMP’S SECOND TERM, CANADA SEEMS READY TO STEP INTO AMERICA’S FADING SPOTLIGHT.
As Trump “would consider taking Greenland by force as an option to acquire the land” and “may go along with Greenland,” it seems his style of bullying diplomacy won’t earn Washington that much trust anymore with Europe.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized President Trump’s escalating dissatisfaction with Europe. In the speech, Prime Minister Carney boldly rejected the U.S.-led “rules-based order” under President Trump and called for middle powers, such as Canada, to take the lead in a new era of multilateralism in the absence of a stable White House amid “great power rivalry” and coercion.
Carney stated, “We’re in the midst of a rupture, not a transition” in the global
abandoning the concept of mutual cooperation and rules as Trump has
Greenland. Although he has now ruled out “excessive strength and force,” Trump didn’t fall short of reminding countries that the U.S. military would be “frankly
unstoppable” if he chose to use it.
Carney’s trip to Beijing between time a Canadian Prime Minister visited China since 2017, aimed at resetting and repairing relations since the 2018
diversify trade and relationships while the U.S. escalates confrontation. It proves that middle powers like Canada are starting to reposition themselves in a more multipolar system, rather than aligning themselves with a U.S.-centric order.
The Trump administration’s policies, of annexation into the 51st state and aggressive stances toward China, have eroded Canadian trust in the U.S. Canada has shown greater leadership in Ukraine’s aid, G7 commitments, (ICC) commitments and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) burden-
and more importantly stood in solidarity with its arctic ally — Greenland.
Canada’s public support for Greenland whether Ottawa will bow down to Washington’s agenda, which Carney has
red lines and maintaining a position of independence and long-standing commitment to NATO.
Carney’s administration has been blending the Pearson-era idealism of the 1960s, where Canada was seen as a peacebuilding nation with pragmatic pivots. Still, Canada has always acted in this manner historically. The country played a leading role in the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) during the 1956 Suez Crisis, with Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson essentially establishing the blueprint for modern peacekeeping, a move designed to ease tensions between nations, even those that were supposed to be allies. It’s safe to assume that Canada has become Europe’s most trusted ally in North America in the face of Trump and is mending the wounds stemming from it. Canada remains a U.S. ally at its core and is not aiming to supplant American power. The U.S. also still maintains its global leadership role with its economic and military might. However, countries and traditional allies of the U.S. will start pivoting towards Canadian leadership, purposely ducking and chastising Trump by skipping diplomatic events and invitations where he is involved, such as at Davos, his “Board of Peace” and public criticisms of his foreign policies. H
ALAN LOK
UC San Diego’s remedial math issues reflect a broader education crisis
THE RECENT REPORT FROM UCSD PAINTS A GRIM PICTURE, BUT IT IS EMBLEMATIC OF A LARGER CRISIS FACING MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION.
MICHAEL GOI
The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Senate Administration Workshop on Admissions recently released a report on the math and English freshmen and the courses to which they were was that one in eight admitted freshmen in the current academic year does not meet the standards for high school mathematics.
The gap in required mathematics knowledge at the elementary and middle school levels is so large that UCSD had to redesign its remedial mathematics courses to address it. UCSD’s remedial mathematics woes among its freshmen crisis nationwide in mathematical education.
The main factor causing the mathematics 2020 pandemic, which led to the virtual delivery of instruction and hindered students’ ability to study by data from the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), which saw a drop in math and reading achievement levels in 2022 and has yet to fully recover.
This theory is corroborated by an Education Next study at the United States Military Academy at West Point, which found that students who learned virtually during the pandemic learning outcomes, with fewer students reporting “feeling connected and focused compared to inperson students.” According to reports covering education, the pandemic “weakened expectations for students” and caused a “dwindling supply of student academic performance, contributing to
the broader crisis of students’ lack of grade-level knowledge of mathematics.
Another factor worsening the mathematics education crisis is the elimination of standardized testing at UC schools. In 2021, the UC Board of Regents eliminated the requirement of the SAT or ACT for undergraduate admissions, thereby broadening the applicant pool. However, according to the report by UCSD, this placed more reliance on high school GPAs to determine mathematics readiness. The UC’s Standardized Testing Task Force (STTF) noted in their 2020 report that California high schools “vary greatly in grading
the predictive power of HSGPA has decreased since the last UC study.”
The UCSD report further reported that during the pandemic, teachers often lowered “grading standards in acknowledgement of students’ special challenges.” Therefore, this resulted in a decrease in the reliability of transcripts as indicators of student readiness and success upon admission. Universities are not selecting students based on mathematical abilities anymore, which further degrades the value of mathematics education and students’ ability to stay prepared for the required grade-level mathematics courses.
GPAs are now merely suggestions or fantasies rather than hard data of a student’s academic success. In the past few years, we’ve seen some California schools drop “D” and “F” grades to boost students’ chances of getting into colleges. However, this approach means that failing a class has no consequence; failing students are instead placed in supplemental winter or summer courses.
Oftentimes, these supplemental courses include
online exams, limited instruction and more retakes than possible answers, which merely boosts GPAs intended only to help students pass the class rather than to help them learn the required material. As a result, GPAs don’t correlate with students’ ability or skill, exacerbating the crisis in mathematics education, as students’ mathematical abilities stagnate or decline.
Many argue that supplemental courses, such as winter academy — a one-week program over
who excel in other subjects receive additional time and opportunities to learn subjects in which they might struggle. However, allowing students to pass a class without learning anything through rigorous tests and exams in these programs is a net negative and harms their futures.
Another disagreement would likely be that the reinstatement of standardized tests in the UC system, such as SATs and ACTs, would exacerbate inequity and discrimination because of inequitable funding and educational quality disparities across schools. While these are clear concerns that should be discussed, tests are the only proven way of assessing students’ mathematical readiness
Without standardized tests, schools cannot measure or assess a student’s mathematical knowledge and skills.
a larger crisis facing math education across the
but also an education system that fails at its core purpose of teaching students, this crisis must be addressed. Fixes must be implemented now to term, or else this issue will get worse. H
I’m not going to Erika Kirk’s heaven
WHERE RELIGION, POLITICS AND CONTROVERSY COLLIDE: INSIDE TPUSA’S FAITH TOUR STOP IN RIVERSIDE.
On Jan. 21, 2026, the Make Heaven Crowded Tour stopped at Harvest Church in Riverside, California as part of its Los Angeles-area run. Accord-scription, the event aimed to serve as “a gospel centered gathering calling people to repentance, faith and bold obedience to Jesus.”
More than 6,000 people registered to attend, and the venue. To accommodate the turnout, organizers creacross various gymnasiums and outside seating areas. For those who were unable to attend in person, the event was livestreamed on Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) Facebook account, reportedly drawing close to 10,000 viewers.
Outside the church, unfolded. Over a hundred protestors gathered with signs criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Make America Great Again (MAGA) and TPUSA more broadly. They confronted attendees as they entered, chanting “shame!” in an attempt to discourage participation.
Despite the size and energy of the protest, many inside the event appeared unable — or unwilling — to connect the demonstrator’s messages of love and unity to TPUSA’s divisive politics or history. This disconnect raised an unsettlingees were genuinely aligned with TPUSA’s values and how many came simply to see Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Char-
due to a lack of awareness among the TPUSA crowd underscored the message
the protestors aimed to send. From inside, the event felt much like a conventional Sunday service, but more on the Mega Church side, where it feels more like a performance than an actual place of worship. The speaker lineup for this stop included pastors Greg Laurie and Lucas Miles, “Girls Gone Bible” podcasters Angela Halili and Arielle Reitsama, street evangelist Bryce Crawford and TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk.
Yet unlike a typical church service, it was dif-
being said in the sermons knowing Harvest Church’s controversies. Especially the lawsuits involving lead pastor Greg Laurie and former Harvest pastor Paul Havsgaard. Havsgaard faces multiple sexual assault allegations with oneing that while Havsgaard operated Harvest Homes in Romania, he “savagely molested and terrorized scores of Romanian children, inhis custody and care.”
Although Laurie and
Harvest Church deny wrongdoing of the situation, featuring a leader entangledlegations sends a deeply troubling message. For a tour claiming to reconnect the younger generation with faith, platforming someone tied to such accusations is profoundly contradicjudgement; at worst, it signals a disregard for survivor accountability and youth safety.
Another tension lingered
striking duality. In religious settings, the organization projects warmth and spiritual reassurance, stating, “God loves you. He’s here for you. He has a plan for you.” Yet in political contexts, that compassion often gives way to rhetoric marked by hostility towards ideological opponents.
Prior to his death, conservative political activist Charlie Kirk made statements that sharply contradicted the organization’s professed message of universal Christian love. He once claimed that “prowling
Blacks go around for fun to go target white people.” and warned that “large dedicated Islamic areas are a threat to America.” Exclusionary rhetoric such as this sits uneasily beside a mission supposedly grounded in faith and unity.
The tension extends beyond race and religion to gender politics as well. Kirk had previously mocked feminist ideas such as when Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged, he hopped on his show and stated “Reject feminism. Submit to your husband, Taylor. You’re not in charge.” That sentiment resurfaced in subtler
while most speakers addressed the audience freely, “Girls Gone Bible” hosts Halili and Reitsama spoke only through pre-approved, moderator-led questions, their segment framed and
of the other male speakers were.
This echoed a remark shared by one protestor outbecause women are able to create life.” To me, this is a
critique of religion as a tool for controlling what men cannot biologically claim. Though Halili and Reitsama are vocal conservative advocates, their carefully managed presence suggested a lingering impulse to control women’s voices — even when they clearly align with the movement’s ideology.
In the end, the “Make Heaven Crowded Tour” functions not only as a religious gathering, but as a carefully staged media performance — one that repackaged political ideology through the aesthetics of worship and moral urgency. By framing its message in the language of faith, while distancing itself from its political history, TPUSA cultivates emotional loyalty without accountability. Between the protests outside, the controversies tied to Harvest Church, and -
matory rhetoric, it is questionable whether the event truly is about saving souls or shaping the next generation of voters.
MATA ELANGOVAN
Take It or Leave It: The 5 p.m. winter midnight is taking a toll on college students
EARLY SUNSET QUIETLY RUINS MOTIVATION, ROUTINES AND MORALE ACROSS CAMPUS.
happens when you leave your evening class and are met with complete darkness. Upon checking your phone, you realize that it’s only 5 p.m. and the sun is already gone. Not setting. Gone. Vanished. Fully clocked out for the day. It feels like you went to class in
out. Winter daylight savings feels like a personal attack on college students as it drains not only a sense of time, but also motivation, willingness and energy to push through the rest of the day.
As if college life wasn’t already hard to operate with unrealistic schedules, minimum sleep and tons of classes and social events, winter provides the best way to support us by making the coziest environment right when it’s peak lock-in time. For most people, as soon as the day gets dark, motivation crashes. Not “drops.” Crashes — straight to the ground with a thud.
Productivity decreases and your brain switches to a low-power mode, even though the day has barely gotten halfway. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the University of Utah Health,ing your moods. The decrease in light expo-
internal body clock, which relies on tracking light to keep a 24-hour cycle in check to regulate physical, mental and behavioral chang-
because now our bodies are releasing more
melatonin early on, which naturally makes us sleepy.
Mayo Clinic also states that due to the hormonal changes that occur with a change of seasons, people may feel moody and sometimes even depressed — particularly with of depression linked to seasonal changes —
MAIN ST
In addition to messing with our circadian rhythm, winter also messes with our extracurricular commitments and schedules. Club meetings are one of the winter’s cruelest jokes, because it feels weird walking about the campus at 7 p.m after it has been dark outside for so long. A night of “fun extracurriculars” feels less like a hobby and more like a punishment at that point.
The majority of the people who show up are either tired, half-awake or asking how it’s only 7 p.m. Meetings go by quietly, as people try to stay focused and pretend to care while
ORANGE ST
No one wants to brainstorm or be enthusiastic in group meetings since it feels like 2 a.m., even though it’s not even dinnertime.
Speaking of dinnertime, that’s a whole other casualty of early sunsets. Eating at 5 p.m. feels too early, but waiting until 8 p.m. feels way too long. This is mind-boggling because you’re either eating dinner at an un-
ing endlessly. However, your eating habits aren’t because you’re hungry, but because your body signals that it’s time to wind down
soon. This behavior could start a cycle of potential health problems — binge eating and obesity to name a couple. To avoid this, it’s recommended to engage in physical activity, such as a short walk or a quick gym session, to help digestion and not build up fat.
Going to the gym would be possible if there were any motivation to step out of our
ish up all your homework, eat at 8 p.m. and then hit the gym — it sounded like a perfect schedule. But now, just the idea of changing into gym clothes and leaving your warm room after sunset is laughable.
Although the gym is packed after class hours, the question still remains as to what motivates most people to step outside when their bodies are signaling “no, let’s go to sleep.” The darkness convinces you that rest is the only acceptable option, even though you started this year with your yet-again daily gym New Year’s resolution — which will get ruined by winter pretty easily in just a month into 2026.
Don’t worry, it isn’t just you that feels like you can’t meet your New Year’s goals; most of the University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) campus feels that way during these long winter nights. Many students are seen
going for the next seven hours that are left. Everything feels heavier, quieter and slightly more exhausting than it has any right to be.
SHREYA PATEL
Scotty-Scopes:
The signs as snacks
Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22):
You make things feel harmonious and fun wherever you go. People enjoy your presence and look to you for lighthearted energy.
(Dec. 22 – Jan. 19):
You hold yourself together in every situation and others rely on your it’s impossible to ignore.
Aries (March 21 – April 19):
Loud, explosive and impossible to ignore. You show up in big bursts and leave a mark everywhere.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22):
Nurturing and soothing, just like a hug from grandma. People always feel better around you.
ENERGY, MOOD AND PERSONALITY, BOILED DOWN TO EDIBLE FORM.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21):
People are intrigued by your depth and crave more without fully understanding why. You hold a quiet power that leaves a lasting impression.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18):
Bold and a little rebellious. You challenge expectations and bring a tangy twist to any situation. People never know what to expect next, but they love it.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20):
Comforting and exactly what people turn to when they need a little boost. You will always stick around.
Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22):
Maybe Takis or Cheetos, a little dangerous and bold. You spice up every room you enter and leave people guessing what will happen next.
(Nov. 22 – Dec. 21):
High-octane and always moving. You keep momentum going and push boundaries without hesitation. People can’t keep up, but they admire your unstoppable drive.
(Feb. 19 – March 20):
lasting impression on everyone around you. People wish they could bottle your vibe.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20):
A little bit of everything. You keep things interesting, unpredictable and sometimes confusing.
Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22):
Practical, organized and dependable. You bring order to chaos and quietly keep things together. Everyone counts on you, even if they never say it.
Candy necklace
Dark chocolate
Sagittarius
Energy drink
Capricorn
Almonds
Sour candy
Pisces
Cotton candy
Popcorn
KitKat bar
Trail mix
Soup
Spicy chips
Granola bar
IQBAL
From punk rock and record labels, to social psychology and academia
DR. JIMMY CALANCHINI SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO LINEAR PATH IN LIFE.
Few academic journeys are like that of the University of California, Riverside (UCR) professor, Dr. Jimmy Calanchini. A proud product of the UC System, Calachini’s journey to become a social psychologist winds through time. Traversing the path of an engineering student,
having a distinguished career in psychology with international postdoctoral work and groundbreaking research on bias, identity and social cognition to boot.
undergraduate studies at UC Davis as a civil engineering major, but he quickly realized that it was not where his interests lay. After two years, he he wanted to do, and what he cared about.
While living at home and working at a record shop to pay the bills, he attended a concert put on by American punk rock band the Ramones, which turned out to be a transformative experience. Dr. Calanchini found himthe music, but on the people. He wondered about individuals in the crowds and the social interactions unfolding around him at the concert. His curiosity led him to audit a psychology was there when everything clicked.
“I realized I loved thinking about people,” Dr. Calanchini recalled. “I loved thinking in this way and this way to understand the world.”
The following winter, he returned to UC Davis, completely infatuated with psychology. After working in a memory lab and a personality lab, Calanchini found partiality in graduate seminars. Unlike lecture-based courses, graduate seminars were collaborative and discussion driven.
“You’re expected to contribute.” Dr. Calanchini remembers, “this is grad
tion.
After graduating, he originallyplying to graduate school. But while working at a record store, he joined a band, recorded music and distributed it. Dr. Calanchini got accepted to doctoral programs, but he faced an unexpected decision. “I got into grad school, but I also landed a record deal.”
Dr. Calanchini chose music. “I knew if I didn’t take the record deal, I’d always regret it,” he expressed. “I
once, I could probably get in again. But I would never get a record deal again.”
Over the next decade, Dr. Calanchini toured across the U.S. and Europe with his band promoting their record label, Downtown Academy. “Music has always been central to my identity,” he stated. “That decade was the right thing for me.”
These years proved useful in shaping his academic interests. “The punk scene is very politically charged, with
race, class and identity,” he explained. “It’s also a space where extremist groups try to recruit.” While encountering people in this demographic over the years, Dr. Calanchini developed an almost automatic ability to recognize threats. “You just know where the trouble is going to be … It’s pattern recognition. It becomes automatic.”
to his research. “From a social psychological perspective, it’s fascinating,” he explained. “How do automatic impulsive processes contribute
His questions led him to return to academia, where he earned his doctoral degree at UC Davis and completed his postdoc at the University of Freiburg in Breisgau, Germany. His journey then brought him to UCR as a faculty member running the Riverside Social and Spatial Cognition Lab, studying how attention, memory, perception and cognitive control shape
it comes to gender, race, class and gender identity. His work is mathematical, utilizing global datasets with millions of participants.
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marily as a basic scientist, his work is becoming more interdisciplinary. Working alongside his graduate students, some of which participate in UCR’s Science to Policy Program, his policy-relevant insights. One current project aims to inform United Nations initiatives by linking global gender stereotypes to women’s well-being across nations.
Looking ahead, Dr. Calanchini hopes to be a mentor to his students and those curious to join his research lab. “I don’t see undergrads just as helpers,” he insisted, “That doesn’t honor the training mission of the University of California.” His lab emphasizes training and collaboration, where undergraduate researchers meet with graduate students, participate in lab meetings, present their work and have the opportunity to showcase their research at campus conferences. “Watching an undergrad give their most rewarding parts of my job.”
In an age when students are often out early, Dr. Calanchini sees the nontraditional path as a strength. “You don’t have to have a perfect path,” he noted. “That decade outside academia gave me a perspective nobody else of school because of familial, cultural, personal obligations, have the life experience to ask unique [research] questions no one else is asking.” H
regions with higher levels of racial bias tend to show higher rates of police violence against Black Americans, and countries that strongly endorse traditional gender stereotypes have fewer women in leadership roles. These discoveries show how psychology research can have large-scale societal implications. -
WADE MU
Contributing Writer
SPOTLIGHT NORM’S NOOK
UCR Arts Mall in CHASS
sculpture created by artist Roy McMakin in 2019, is a fairly new addition to the campus. Its location in the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
areas that allow students to rest and people-watch before their next class while admiring the CHASS lawn. The tall yellow steel reads “Things change” or “Change things,” depending how you look at it. It invites students to gather around it, discussing school, life and other things of importance. Next time you’re in CHASS, take a seat under the inspirational messages!
MOVIE COUPLES
Across 1. News/Sports radio station based in Philly
5. “Casablanca” heroine
9. S3 Bridgerton Couple
14. Name of 2020 song by Korean RnB artist Lee Hi 15. Cherry discards
section of an ode
17. A power of attorney (shortened)
18. Have _ ___ to pick
19. Canonized pope known as “The Great”
20. “We were on a break!” couple
23. Popular African airline 24. Bride of July 1981
28. Cat call 30. ___ -Z
31. ____ vu
34. Melrose Place’s “Janda”
37. “_____ Rich Asians”
39. Sphere
40. “Copy that”
41. Spiderman x Euphoria Star
44. ____ prof
45. Dutch city
46. License required for a Land Surveyor
BY: K STAFF
47. Train for a marathon
KIRTI SHEELAM FF WRITER
49. Chocolate chips maker
51. Long-necked mammal
55. Gossip Girl’s “it couple”
58. Diving duck
60. Soothing succulent
61. Dryer residue
62. Three-time 20-game winner for the ‘70s Red Sox
63. NYC Sewer rodents
64. Mahler’s “Das Lied von der ____”
65. Left-winger, in slang
66. “I’d hate to break up _ ___”
67. Loch ____ monster
name
3. Operating Loss informal acronym
4. West Coast Blues
5. “The Girl From _______” (Brazilian song)
6. Swiss chocolatier 7. ____ up a commotion
8. “The Thin Man” dog
9. Pakistani city near the end of the Khyber Pass 10. Chose
11. Drags one’s feet
12. ___s of March
13. “The Matrix” hero
21. Actress ___ Naomi King
22. Lump of dirt
25. Hockey feints
26. Physics state of motion
28. Corday’s victim
29. Genderqueer identity
31. Jet similar to a 747
32. Wear away
33. “Misery” co-star
35. India’s prime minister since 2014
36. Actor of Pamela
Landy in “The Bourne Supremacy” 38. Shout at from below 42. Fraction of a min.
43. Least interesting
City, informally
GRAPHICS BY LAYNA LAPIKAS / THE HIGHLANDER
NOLA PERIFEL Assistant Features Editor
ALONDRA ORDAZ / THE HIGHLANDER H
SUDOKU
Relax and practice mindfulness with these yoga poses.
By: Nola Perifel, Assistant Features Editor
1. When making an important decision, I:
2. What is your ideal relaxation spot?
3. What is your biggest weakness?
Games, food, language and more: Egyptian Student Association returns
AFTER A PERIOD OF INACTIVITY, EGYPTIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION SPREADS ITS REACH.
Part of being the most diverse public university system in California means that the University of California, Riverside (UCR) is home to backgrounds. There are plenty of cultural organizations for students to join. The Egyptian Student Association (ESA) has recently added its name to the list, bringing a cozy environment, educational resources and a sense of community for its students.
Sarah Fathalla, fourth year environmental engineering major and president of the club explained that the club originally started around 2020, but after the pandemic, the club lost a lot of members. Fathalla was one of the members that helped bring the club back around a year ago, “We’ve been around for a good year and a half now … we want to teach other people about
Egyptian culture and have fun events where you can meet other Egyptians.”
The club is open to students of all backgrounds as Beshr Hammami, third year neuroscience major and treasurer of the club explained, “I also think ESA is a very welcoming organization. I’m not Egyptian, I’m Syrian, but I’m on board. I feel very welcome. And it just shows what this club is all about.”
The club’s meetings oscillate between social events and informational activities. The social events consist of meeting at cafes outside of campus or meeting with other Egyptian Student Associations at other universities such as the UC Irvine or the University of Southern California.
Fathalla said that the collaborations are a recent development that the club wishes to continue into the future, “I
think we all wanted that shared community, that sense of ‘we’re here with other Egyptians.’ We’re collabing with other campuses of the same organization and obviously it helps with meeting other people.”
The club also collaborates with other campus organizations such as the Syrian Student Association, Students for Iraq, Pakistani Student Association, Afghan Student Association and Lebanese Student Association.
The ESA’s informational activities center around sharing unique aspects of Egyptian culture such as certain Arabic dialects, music and food. For they played a word scramble game using Egyptian words, encouraging people to re-order the letters of the words.
The club also has game nights centered around aspects of the culture and creates informational
graphics to help educate club members. The ESA is also very active on social media where they post updates on Egyptian culture such as the African Cup of Nations where the Egypt
Fathalla emphasized the importance of community, as representation is one of the issues facing Egyptian students at large, “I feel like I didn’t grow up around a lot of Egyptians here in California. It can vary, obviously, person to person. Meeting someone new [and] knowing that they’re Egyptian always makes me really excited. I feel like throughout college, I’ve met a lot of people. Even while by the table brought in a lot of people and they’re super excited, because they didn’t think that [UCR] would have something to do with Egyptian culture.”
H
SANJANA THATTE
COURTESY OF ESA
How to get back into reading
A GUIDE TO RE-DISCOVERING ONE OF THE BEST HOBBIES IN THE WORLD, OR AT LEAST IN THE BOOKSTORE.
Was the last time you picked up a book for a class or to take a per-
may not realize it, but it’s been awhile since most of us have read for fun. Once elementary school ends everyone’s interest in reading tends to take a decline and few people end up picking it back up again later on. However, I am here to convince you that it’s time to bring it back. Whether you like reading or not, here’s how you can get into it again.
Many people associate reading with “classic” literature like “Frankenstein” or “To Kill a Mockingbird.” While these books are important and well-written, they aren’t enjoyable for everyone and that’s okay. Reading should be about enjoyment, not forcing yourself through something you don’t connect with. To get into reading you have to be honest with yourself about what you might actually like.
A great and easy way to analyze what kind of book you may like could be by looking at the type of TV shows-
ing what genre you like, you’ll start a book and may not feel motivated -
pens don’t feel required to do so, it is completely it’s all a part of the discovery process. Think of your genre of comfort in reading.
realize how much your brain and mind gain from reading, it makes you want to pick up a good book! Knowing this can help you re-enter the reading world. It’s
back into going to the gym to become healthier. Reading is weightlifting for the brain.
Picking up a good book shouldn’t feel forced, a great way to start is by
per day. A super easy way to do this is by using the Apple books app and setting your daily goal to
Reading isn’t just fun, it improves communication and understanding skills. It improves focus, expands your vocabulary and challenges your imagination. Fiction allows you to picture characters, worlds and even
helps you visualize new ideas and concepts. Some people see reading as just a past-time with words on paper. But when you
Consistency may seem your niche and feel yourof your time spent in the pages, it won’t become a second thought. While reading may not seem like your cup of tea now, don’t knock it till you try it! Your new hobby this year could just be one library away.
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Hollow smiles
THE CONFESSIONS OF A WORK-IN-PROGRESS.
NAYSHA AGARWAL
A raw, intimate meditation on losing joy and searching for the light that once made living feel whole.
The light, the laughter, the way my chest used to swell with something soft, something safe.
Once, I cried from joy. Now, I scream in silence, and no one hears me breaking.
When did my tears, those sweet, glistening proof of feeling become a cry for help
I don’t remember the last time I felt whole. It wasn’t one big moment, it was thousands of small ones. Little pieces of me torn away by cold stares, unanswered calls, the way people say “I love you” but leave anyway. Joy used to live here. It danced in my laughter, it curled up next to me at night. Now there’s just this ache, deep, constant, like a wound that forgot how to heal. I am tired.
but the kind that settles in your bones, makes your soul feel heavy, like you’re dragging yourself through days that don’t want you in them. I cry, not from the fullness of love, but from the hollow it left behind. A silent cry for help wrapped in small smiles, disguised in “I’m okay.”
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That feeling of being enough. Of being seen. Of waking up and wanting to. I miss the version of me who didn’t have to pretend. Who didn’t whisper “help me” into the void, hoping it would whisper back. Tell me —
Or is it just hiding, waiting for me to remember H
Neon in the Gutters: Cyberpunk Visions of the Future (Exhibit)
@ Fourth floor of Rivera Library, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
01/30
01/27
01/28 to
01/29
Transgresoras: Artists Giana De Dier and Marilyn Boror Bor with Elena Shtromberg
@ Virtual, 1 p.m.
Decolonizing the Art Song: Latin America’s Voices, Identities, and Soundscapes (Patricia Caicedo) (Florence Bayz Music Series)
@ Arts Building 157, 12 p.m.
Sam Aros-Mitchell: Performance as Ceremony / Indigenous Futurities
@CHASS Interdisciplinary South 1111, 3:15 p.m.
Why evolving sound can transcend music for the better
A REVIEW OF A$AP ROCKY’S “DON’T BE DUMB.”
ANTHONY ASCENCIO-CARVAJAL
Olong awaited “DON’T BE DUMB” album. This was assumed to be the release date after his performance at Camp Flog Gnaw 2025, where Rocky wore a hoodie with the date “01162026” on his sleeve. However, fans were still skeptical due to this day falling on National Nothing Day, as well as Rocky releasing merch that said “Album never dropping.” Besides his cruel sense of humor, the eight year hiatus is over.
“DON’T BE DUMB” boasts an extensive list of collaborators from Brent Faiyaz, Doechii, Gorillaz, Thundercat, Tyler, the Creator, Westside Gunn, will.i.am and more. In an interview on the Joe
mentioned a deluxe album coming soon, hinting at features with Metro Boomin, Mike Will Made It and even a possible feature with his wife, Rihanna.
Danny Elfman even made contributions to the songs in the album, as a result of his longtime collaborator Tim Burton, designing the album’s cover art. Each character -
hiatus. The “I <3 NY” representing an earlier point in his career as a native New York rapper.
The crash test dummy is a reference to his last album “Testing,” whereupon it not reaching the same acclaim of his last two albums before made Rocky feel “emotionally discouraged.” Despite this, he continued experimenting with his sound and went beyond what he created for “Testing,” leading to a on “DON’T BE DUMB.”
Throughout his music hiatus rounds in the fashion world. The cover art character Babushka Boi represents a style he wore in 2019. The character “Rugahand,” was
songs from “DON’T BE DUMB,” like “STOLE YA FLOW.”
There is a crosscultural collaboration between themes of German Expressionism from Tim Burton’s side and Ghetto Futurism of which Rocky lists Andre 3000 as a prime example. This combination leads to what Rocky has coined as
“Ghetto Expressionism,” which is a new movement that reclaims Black urban life through conveying meanings that challenge perspectives. The bridge between these aesthetics of German Expressionist cinema can be seen in the new music videos for “DON’T BE DUMB,” and its roots in modern hip-hop culture create these beautiful thematic scenes with incredible emotional depth.
Alongside German Expressionism, around this time the Harlem Renaissance was blooming,
Harlem native, pays homage to the movement on the album. On the song “Robbery” that features Doechii, it samples the song “Caravan” by Thelonius Monk, which is a cover of a song by Duke El-
lem Renaissance movement. The song itself has more jazz themes than regular rap sounds one would expect.
The song “Punk Rocky,” draws on more rock styles with the single’s cover art referencing Playstation game cases. The album includes
such as Drake, and even a callback to his recently beaten case where
he was nearly facing a 24-year prison sentence. “FISH N STEAK (WHAT IT IS),” features longtime collaborator Tyler, the Creator in a smooth song.
Overall, there has been a great shiftpanding on new sounds that would make the haters of “Testing” even more concerned, but admirable to those excited by his musical evo-al art movements have turned the themes of the urban lifestyle into a medium Rocky uses as a political statement, with his fashion lines and music videos being his canvas to express these concepts. This is seen in the song, “The End,” featuring will.i.am and Jessica Pratt, where the subject matter discusses the state of the world with issues around racism, religious blaspheit.
This album is a certiof time. Its roots in conceptual art movements and deeper themes build on this being more than just a regular hip-hop album. It’s the
Kick it with Bruno Mars’ ‘I Just Might’
REACHING NO. 1 ON THE BILLBOARD CHART, THE SONG HIGHLIGHTS MARS’S FUNKY SOLO COMEBACK.
If there’s one word that could be used to describe Bruno Mars’ long-nitely “electrifying.” Even when it comes to being sidelined in singles and other projects, his presence and melodic genius can always be felt to the appeasement of listeners. Now in command of big-budget music productions while collaborating with names as big as Lady Gaga and Rosé, there’s no doubt that Mars has come a long way from being that tweedy and meek fedora-sporting pop artist everybody who was present during the early 2010s could remember.
After ten years since his last solo album, Bruno Mars broke the silence with the release of his newest single, “I Just Might.” The track is meant to open up his latest album, “The Romantic,” which is set to release in February. Within the last few weeks, the track climbed up the Billboard charts all the way to the number one spot, beating Taylor Swift’s “Fate of Ophelia.” With a retro beat tailored to get people to dance alongside some feel-good lyrics, it’s no small wonder why the track has made it to the top.
dently clear that listeners are meant
song treads on some disco territory as well, taking cues from songs like “Young Hearts Run Free” by Candi Staton. A tight brass section, congas and hand clapping further drive the song to play at chill functions.
as glass within the track. Despite being known to take inspiration from
than a rehash of a bygone era. The track is practically a testament just how timeless and resonant the ‘70s was in terms of music.
Although some might contend that the sound and tone of the track is the same as a lot of his previous songs, Bruno Mars has always been an artist who places vibes over deeper meanings. Although it’s rightfully arguable Mars’s songs could be somewhat mind-numbing, with “I Just Might” being no exception, it isn’t exactly an entirely bad thing. In today’s music scene
COURTESY OF ATLANTIC RECORDS
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Channeling the energy of funk and soul powerhouses like Parliament, Sly and the Family Stone and the Commodores, Mars excels in creating a nostalgic, vibrant track to be blasted in clubs à la Studio 54. With catchy vocalizations and blatant callouts to a DJ regarding a girl he wants to court, Mars makes it evi-
sounds of the 1970s have been the main point of reference for Mars and could certainly be seen in a majority of his works with Silk Sonic. Just like his previous songs like “Treasure” and “Locked Out of Heaven,” Mars reinterprets and reconstructs vintage tones and familiar sounds in a way that makes “I Just Might” feel contemporary.
The retro atmosphere of the track is much more of a homage to the greats that came before him rather
in as much profound messages and introspective prose as they can, he wants nothing more than to make the audience have fun and feel good about themselves. With all of the crummy events and impediments happening in the world today, it’s more than fair for listeners to shut their
and celebrate. With his new album on the horizon, one can only hope that it retains the bright, optimistic and vintage vibes heard on “I Just Might.”
Bruno Mars rightfully vies for the top of the chart with a track that’s absolutely out of sight. With an upbeat and danceable sound akin to many of his previous songs, Mars proves that sticking to the formula might be the best way to go.
NIKO SUWANDI / THE HIGHLANDER
Westeros Returns in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’
“EVERY KNIGHT NEEDS A SQUIRE.”
It has been nearly seven years since “Game of Thrones” ended with its infamous eighth season, an ending that left behind a complicated legacy for HBO’s adaptations of George R. R. Martin’s work. Since then, the network has returned to Westeros with “House of the Dragon,” a grueling prequel centered on the violent legacy of House Targaryen.
HBO’s latest adaptation, “A Knight of the Seven
on Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” the series favors a more intimate and grounded story unlike the spectacle-heavy adaptations that came before it.
The premiere episode is titled “The Hedge Knight” and follows Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk), Egg, played by Dexter Sol Ansell. Unlike the polished dragon riders and royal families audiences are used to, Dunk is strikingly ordinary. He doesn’t have a name worth knowing, no money or land to call home and not much of anything to lose besides three horses. The episode established this immediately through the death of Dunk’s knightly mentor,
Dunk’s existence.
The grounded perspective of this episode is its greatest strength. “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” feels distinctly Westerosi without relying on typical grandeur. The cinematography captures moments of beautiful serenity along with the dirt and decay of the environment. The world feels lived in and busy, reminiscent of early “Game of Thrones.” There is a rawness that reinforces Dunk’s place in society.
Despite its somber start, the episode is consistently humorous. Much of this comes from the dynamic between Dunk and Egg, whose sharp wit contrasts with Dunk’s awkwardness and bluntness. Their exchanges feel natural and character-driven rather than forced, giving them personality.
In this episode House Baratheon’s Ser Lyonel Baratheon is introduced and leaves a lasting impartying lord whose hectic hospitality makes him a particularly memorable and enjoyable presence.
One of the episodes’ strongest aspects was its
use of music, particularly when Dunk approaches Lord Baratheon. The orchestra that is playing in the prior scene continues playing, but as soon as they face each other, the score seamlessly shifts into a more tense interaction. This transition mir-ing being called to Lord Baratheon’s table. Dunk is nervous about being in Lord Baratheon’s presencenitely out of place. The music lingers behind their exchange, immersing the audience in the tension of the scene.
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” succeeds because it’s self-aware about its themes of survival and honor in the hectic Westerosi world. In doing so, it reminds viewers why Westeros is as compelling as it is.
Episode one, “The Hedge Knight,” leaves viewers wanting more, not out of dissatisfaction, but out of anticipation.
‘Dead Man’s Wire’ is an intense portrayal of desperation and moral ambiguity
be one explanation, but it is made ambiguous whether Tony has truly been cheated by the Halls as M.L. Hall refuses to acknowledge it.
for a director with a voice as distinct and di-
portray a detached observation of nihilistic fatalism and detached state of drift, a theme prevalent in Van Sant’s Death Trilogy and
Will Hunting” either. It gestures towards mulstatement on any of them.
In “Elephant,” Van Sant captures the obscurity of meaning which leads the tragic incident to become unintelligible. In “Dead Man’s
(Bill Skarsgård) wires a shotgun around Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery), a son of the mortgage broker M.L. Hall (Al Pacino), who Tony believes has defrauded him.
son for Tony’s crime, but cannot arrive at a clear answer. Failure of capitalism seems to
own explanation to deescalate the situation, none of which seems to work.
COURTESY OF ROW K ENTERTAINMENT
The media and news impose their own version of the story to the one most favorable for rating and viewership. Even Tony himself seems to misunderstand his own motive due to the sudden media coverage and fame he receives, claiming to represent the small people
of Indianapolis which doesn’t seem to be the case.
Regardless of whether Tony’s claim was groundless or not, it is only following his crime that he is heard by the institution, even if it was merely procedural. The moment he is put under arrest, the case is treated as resolved and Tony’s voice is neglected again, hinting at individual desperation and erasure within bu-
court, that Tony is found not guilty by reason of insanity, seems both appropriate and cruel. While “Dead Man’s Wire” does not match the directorial ambition Van Sant exhibited
media such as podcasts, news broadcasts as well as reality. Inspired by an actual crime thater as the likes of Abbas Kiarostami or Charlie Kaufman.
While it’s not Gus Van Sant at his sharpest, “Dead Man’s Wire” still manages to capture moral ambiguity resulting from indi-
HENYA DADEM
COURTESY OF HBO
GUS VAN SANT CAPTURES SYSTEMIC NEGLECTION OF INDIVIDUAL VOICES.
JIHOON KWON
Turn on, tune in and drop out with these upcoming 2026 films
THIS YEAR’S QUINTESSENTIAL FILMS FOR VIEWERS TO WATCH.
everyone to enjoy.
mockumentaries and more, here are some
Brat Summer apparently isn’t over as Moment.” A “2024 period piece” mockumentary set during the release of Charli XCX’s “Brat”
Charli as she navigates fame and pressure by the music industry when it comes to how she should follow up her unprecedented success.
Charli XCX aims to provide a comedic yet blunt take on the music industry and the burden
features big-named actors and actresses such as Alexander Skarsgård, Kylie Jenner and Rachel Sennott, with some being completely
“We Bare Bears” visionary Daniel Chong “Hoppers.” Centered around Mabel Tanaka, a 19-year-old college student who has the chance to communicate with animals via having her mind transferred in a robotic beaver, she decides to lead a campaign against humans who are actively trying to destroy their habitat.
With cute animals and broad environmentalist themes, the urge to skip out on “Hoppers”
musically blessed as Mark Mothersbaugh is set to be the lead composer. Despite having a plot that seems eerily similar to “Over the Hedge,” there is no doubt that Chong will work the same creative magic seen in “We Bare Bears” in a
Detective Comics (DC) Universe, “Supergirl” is shaping up to be more messy and hardcore than the previously released “Superman.” Kara ZorEl, more famously known to many as “Supergirl,” is far from the level-headed boy scout that is her cousin, the equally famous “Superman.” Her bad attitude, penchant for being drunk and her dog Krypto makes the perfect formula of chaos and mayhem.
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Structured as a space odyssey akin to the James Gunn-directed “Guardians of the Galaxy”
of action and grunginess for audiences to relish in. It’s even more awesome considering that Lobo, a wise-cracking space biker and anti-hero who’s yet to make an actually decent appearance
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Following up his critically acclaimed decided to grace the screen once more with his adaptation of “The Odyssey.” Being one of the most renowned and bombastic works within the Western literature canon, there is no doubt that Christopher Nolan, as well as a star-studded cast of actors and actresses such as Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, would do the epic justice.
“The Return,” which on Odysseus’ return from his treacherous voyage, Nolan hopes to capture the whole nine yards from the sacking of Troy to his stay with Circe and his eventual arrival back up to be a revitalization of the sword-and-
COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
sandals genre that has evidently been missing for decades. With a stacked cast, larger-than-life settings and rousing moments of action and awe, one can only hope that Nolan shoehorns in a couple of his practically trademarked references to science and math.
and a long hiatus up until 2021, nobody would’ve expected “Dune” to bounce back into a lucrative, among the likes of “Star Wars” and “Aliens.” With the success of Dune parts one and two, Dennis Villeneuve plans to wrap up the trilogy
Alongside the return of Paul Atreides, played by Timothée “The Chosen One” Chalamet, actresses such as Zendaya and Josh Brolin, as well as newcomers such as Robert Pattison.
plot still kept under wraps, the only thing that the that Spielberg has touched upon in numerous
With the Third Kind,” most likely a showcase of what Spielberg has learned about making
With heavy-hitter actors and actresses such as Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor as well as an unique story about aliens and the unknown, “Disclosure Day” is likely set to be a dark horse 2026.
IAN PALMA
Highlanders battle to the end in a 80-66 loss against UC Irvine
IZZY GRAHAM
LIN AN INTENSE DEFENSIVE BATTLE AGAINST UCI, UCR TAKES ANOTHER CONFERENCE LOSS.
ast Thursday, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) men’s basketball team hosted UC Irvine (UCI) in hopes to improve their Big West Conference record.
The Highlanders entered Thursday’s game on an exciting high after beating California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) the game prior, boosting their conference record to 2-5. Meanwhile, the Anteaters had a 5-2 conference record, but came into the game with a two-game losing streak after losing at the University of Hawai’i and UC Davis.
The game opened with the Anteaters winning the tip and going on a 7-0 opening run. Redshirt sophomore guard Jurian Dixon
coach Gus Argenal to call an early timeout less than three minutes into the game.
Following the team timeout, the Highlanders were able to make good defensive plays. Although they struggled to
board with a three-pointer.
Despite both teams trading baskets all from UCI, the Anteaters extended their lead
After a pair of three-pointers from graduate forward Jailen Daniel-Dalton, own rhythm. The Highlanders rode a wave
The Anteaters came into the second half with restored energy. Even with the much needed break, UCR could not quite keep up with the momentum that UCI had. The Anteaters opened the second half with a 19-0 run and it would take the Highlanders over six minutes to score in the second half.
Marqui Worthy Jr. stopped the bleeding
by nailing a three-pointer. Worthy went 7/16
Once UCI stretched their lead to over 20 points, the Anteaters didn’t look back. The Highlanders were able to cut the lead to nine points with seven minutes to play, but never got any closer after that. UCI held on to win, 80-66, and improved to 6-2 in conference play. The loss dropped UCR to 2-6 in the Big West
This past Saturday, the Highlanders hit the road to face UC Davis. Worthy Jr. once again led the team in scoring with 18 points, but UCR fell short once again in a 74-66 loss. This week, UCR will play Long Beach State on Thursday, Jan. 29 in the Student Recreation Center (SRC) Arena in hopes to get back on track with another conference win.
ELENA VERSAGE / THE HIGHLANDER
Katarina Curcic clinches game against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
KATARINA CURCIC COMES BACK FROM BEING DOWN AT MATCH POINT.
On Jan. 17, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) women’s tennis team defeated Claremont-MuddScripps in a thrilling 4-3 Dual Match. The Highlanders clinched the game through Katarina Curcic’s comeback from being down 5-4 in the third set, winning the overall match 6-3, 3-6 and 7-5.
g Curcic’s comeback -4 in the third set, match 6-3, 3-6 and USD) transfer
The United Arab Emirates-born Serbian, Curcic, is a University of South Dakota (USD) transfer in her second year studying
through a friend who had told her to just check Instagram. She shared that after seeing the post she was jumping up and down in joy,
that it wasn’t match point due to how and drag one’s performance down. “It’s just another game. We keep on going,” described Curcic.
bioengineering. Growing up between Abu Dhabi and Serbia, Curcic never had one set club she could practice in. “I went to school in Abu Dhabi, but towards [high school], I would train a lot more in Serbia, so I would be going there and back.”
Curcic was unable to prepare the college video she had hoped for and ended up playing tennis at USD. Towards the end of her sights on transferring out and was reached out to by UCR coaches. “I had the coaches. [My initial reaction was] ‘Oh my gosh, this is where I want to be. This is something that I would really really love to do,’” commented Curcic.
credited the su the emotion the moment down to matc
credited the support of her teammates for the huge boost in morale she had through the third set. Recalling the emotions and atmosphere from the moment Curcic’s game came down to matchpoint, she mentioned, “Hearing [my teammates] cheering every point and knowing that someone’s backing me up no matter what happens, it took a lot of the pressure
explaining she was “so, so happy!”
Curcic found out she was named UCR’s Student-Athlete of the Week
When Curcic had a chance to win the match for the Highlanders versus Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Curcic stated her main strategy was to instill the idea
With conference play to start on Tuesday Jan. 27, Curcic feels representing UCR is a shared privilege between herself and the rest of the team. “We really just want to give it our all for UCR Tennis,” Curcic describes as she believes that to play for and represent the University of California, Riverside is “just an honor.”
Curcic, who has played tennis for 11 years, was asked if she had ever imagined playing at the level she’s at now. She responded, “Yes and no. It really depends on the time and the day that you would ask me as well as the practice, but it’s something
When I was young, I didn’t want to play tennis. I thought it was very boring, but then I saw my mom playing, and I was like, ‘Oh, hold on, that looks kind of fun.’”
CARLOS GARCIA
With
PHOTO COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS
Wickstrom leads Highlanders in hardfought 81-68 loss to UC Davis
HANNAH WICKSTROM’S 26 POINTS NOT ENOUGH TO DEFEAT UC DAVIS.
The University of California, Riverside’s (UCR) women’s basketball team hosted UC Davis (UCD) on Saturday Jan. 24. The Highlanders entered the game sixth place in the Big West with a 4-4 conference record. The Aggies were ranked third with a 6-2 record. Davis carried momentum from a win over defending Big West champions UC San Diego, while Riverside looked to snap a twogame losing streak.
The Aggies got out of the gates quickly. They started the game with a three-pointer from Avery Sussex. Then, Davis went on to score seven more unanswered points until Bria Shine made a layup for the Highlanders. However, UCD were able to capitalize on early turnovers from the Highlanders. The Aggies also found success from beyond the arc, while the Highlanders, who typically score in the paint, struggled to break through
with UCR down by 16.
Megan Norris opened the second quarter with a layup for UC Davis and continued to
control the paint. Norris grabbed 12 rebounds and scored 10 of her 21 points inside. UCR
Wickstrom and Taylor Swanson, but struggled to sustain momentum as Davis’ balanced scoring extended the lead. UCR had -
vis took a 24-point advantage into halftime.
Wickstrom opened the second half by securing a defensive rebound and knocking
in Saturday’s game. She has been a force for UCR this season, averaging 22.3 points per game, leading the Big West in scoring and ranking in the top ten nationally in NCAA Division I women’s basketball.
The Melbourne native jumpstarted the Highlanders in the third quarter, scoringers were able to force turnovers, but they weren’t always able to turn them into points. Riverside found some success on the boards, grabbing rebounds and making the most of second-chance opportunities. Even as UCR
didn’t slow down at all. They kept scoring and stayed in control, sending the teams into the fourth quarter with the score 71-42.
The Highlanders continued their momentum into the fourth quarter with Wickstrom leading the way. Seneca Hackley and Maya Chocano also made an impact for Riverside. Chocano collected rebounds and created second-chance opportunities, while Hackley added ten points and generated key steals as the Highlanders outscored the Aggies by 16 in the fourth quarter. Despite Riverside’s ef-fortably held on to win 81-68.
The Highlanders travel to California State University, Long Beach on Thursday for their second matchup of the season. The defeating Long Beach 77–59.
ELENA VERSAGE
ELENA VERSAGE / THE HIGHLANDER
Men’s Tennis - Jan. 19
Nevada vs. UC Riverside 7-0 L
Men’s Tennis - Jan. 23
Event: UNLV Quad Day 1
UC Riverside vs. UNLV 4-0 L
Men’s Tennis - Jan. 24
Event: UNLV Quad Day 2
UC Riverside vs. Weber State 5-2 L
Men’s Tennis - Jan. 25
Event: UNLV Quad Day 3
UC Riverside vs. New Mexico State 5-2 L
Women’s Tennis - Jan. 20
San Jose State vs. UC Riverside 6-1 L
MAIN ST
Men’s Basketball - Jan. 22
UC Irvine vs. UC Riverside
80-66 L
UCR Team Leaders: Points: Marqui Worthy Jr. (22) Rebounds: BJ Kolly (8)
Assists: Dre Perteete, Jailen Daniel-Dalton (3)
Men’s Basketball - Jan. 24
UC Riverside vs. UC Davis
74-66 L
UCR Team Leaders: Points: Marqui Worthy Jr. (18) Rebounds: BJ Kolly (9)
The Highlander Newspaper is a great way to keep up with current events and news around campus. If you are interested in the newspaper’s articles or pictures, we offer opportunities in writing, photography and design. Join us every Monday at 5:15 p.m. in HUB 101 to learn more.
