My Last President’s Ball
by Rebecca Dance This Saturday is my last President’s Ball. With a theme of “Glitz & Glam”, I’m not sure there could be a more perfect theme for me. Anybody who knows me will know that I adore being sparkly, and I can’t wait to make sure my outfit is absolutely perfect. However, shopping for that final dress was a little bit bittersweet – it’s kind of the last time I can think of that I’ll be shopping for a dress for an event like this. It feels like growing up: when I shop for clothes now I’m not just thinking about whether or not I’ll look good in that article of clothing. I have to think about whether or not what I’m wearing would get me dress coded in middle school. So, shopping for a dress for Prez Ball felt like a kind of final moment. And it actually is. This is my final Prez Ball. I’ve only been to three, since the plague came down on us during my sophomore year and Roanoke College, rightly, decided that they didn’t need to risk that massive contagion for a dance. I wish I’d had the four experiences, but I know I’m not alone across the country in knowing that I missed one year. That’s okay though – all it does is encourage me to make sure that I am as glitzy as possible for this year. If I have to leave, I’m going to do my best to go out with a bang. It feels fitting to start the final downhill stretch of my undergraduate years with a party. Since Spring Break just passed, we’re in the final stretch. The finish line is only just out of reach. So, on Saturday, I propose the following plan: We dance, we sing,…
The Scream of Your Life
by Mateo Biggs Long time horror fans can always find a way to bond with one another– especially in the case of slasher films. Among the ageless classics like “Nightmare on Elm Street” or “Friday the 13th”, there are many that have stood the trials of time and remained strong even with what we now consider cheesy effects. However on the other side there have been old names turned into new remakes such as 2021’s “Halloween Kills”, 2019 “Child’s Play”, and even 2019’s “Black Christmas”– all remodeled and reshaped to fit the modern horror narrative. Unfortunately these remakes don’t always measure up to the originals and there are no bigger critics than those of horror films. As of March 10th, 2023, “Scream VI” has officially been released to theaters following after the 2022 release of its predecessor “Scream V” which held a 6.3 out of 10 stars and only 67% of google audience members actually enjoying the film despite its positive critic acclaim. As opposed to the ratings given to “Scream V”, the newly released “Scream VI” has already received a 7.3 stars out of 10 on IMDb and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 76%, a metacritic score of 61% with 89% of google audience members enjoying the film! These scores speak for itself, truly, but the film is able to stand on its own while respecting the legacy of the original stories of Ghostface. Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (“V/H/S”, “V/H/S/94”, “Ready or Not”), “Scream VI” has many notable faces as members of its bloodstained cast. From Jenna Ortega (“The Fallout”, “Stuck in the Middle”, and the ever famous “Wednesday”), and Melissa Barrera (“In the Heights”, “Siempre tuya Acapulco”, and “Club de Cuervos”) to the impressive “Scream” veteran Courteney Cox (“Scream 2-5”, and “Friends”) and even Jack Champion (“Avatar: the…
Folks of ‘Noke: Enzo Blake
by Juniper Jones Enzo Blake is a senior from Purcellville, Virginia who is majoring in Teaching English as a Second Language with a concentration in East Asian Studies. Enzo’s pronouns are he/they. Enzo has taught all grades except 2nd grade and is currently student teaching as an ELL Instructor for grades 3-5 (and don’t tell anyone but he likes middle schoolers the best out of all the grades he’s worked with). When asked what their biggest beef with how we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is, he said “We often do not recognize the roots of it, specifically the fact that St. Patrick wasn’t Irish and he committed ethnocide.” One of Enzo’s most unexpected flexes is that he is chill with all of the homies on the Valley Metro Bus System. Don’t ask why! Enzo says, in response to the question of what he thinks of snow falling whilst the Spring flowers are in bloom, “Painful but beautiful. Painful in the sense that we don’t get any snow day, nor do my students who desperately need one. But it’s also aesthetically pleasing.” The day of glitz and glam is quickly approaching and the rush to finally get that elegant wardrobe is consuming many of us. When asked who Enzo is wearing to the President’s Ball, he replied “I’ll probably be wearing a good ol’ experimental, Enzo-style raid of the Trans Closet.” As is the tradition with senior interviews, we must know what Enzo plans to do once they graduate. He says “My hope is that I will make it through the second round of the JET Program and be able to teach abroad in Japan. In case I don’t get in, I’m lining up interviews for the Roanoke City, Salem City, Loudoun County, and Fairfax County school districts.”
Kiss Me, I’m Irish
by Rebecca Dance I didn’t realize I was Irish for the longest time, even though my mother’s maiden name is McCarthy, my favorite storybook when I was a little kid was Hush: A Gaelic Lullaby, by Carole Gerber, and my mother makes corned beef every Saint Patrick’s Day. Looking back, I can’t believe I didn’t figure out I was Irish earlier. I mean, I learned “Rattlin’ Bog” as a sing-along at Girl Scout camp and didn’t realize it had any other uses until I got to college. Really, it wasn’t until my aunt gave me a jewelry box full of my grandmother’s jewelry and I decided I wanted her Claddagh ring that the pieces started to fall into place. With this publication coming out on Saint Patrick’s Day, I wanted to write about something that called in my heritage, and the theme of the day, and I settled on “Kiss me, I’m Irish.” I understand that it’s meant to represent luck. Ireland, the Emerald Isle, home of the leprechauns and their pots of gold, is, in theory, a very lucky place. Take a moment to think about it though: in what universe has it been lucky to be Irish? Without even diving into the issues between the British and Irish, I can just even start with the potato famine and being forced to scatter to other places. It sure isn’t that lucky to be Irish when you think about that. Also, leprechauns aren’t particularly lucky – they’re considered to be chaotic neutral at best and downright devilish at worst. They don’t want to give you any gold, or grant you any wishes. Their magic is finicky at the best of times. So, coming up on this Saint Patrick’s Day, I hope that everyone has a beautiful weekend. Go looking for…
Comic-Con Survival Guide
by Marisa Seager Last month I attended the Big Lick Comic-Con, which was my very first con experience. When I went I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I do now in preparation for my next. So, I’ve decided to create a sort of survival guide for those looking to attend their first comic-con or those who could benefit from a few tips for their next one. First, make sure that you plan ahead. Most cons sell tickets in advance and others sell them the day of the event as well. It’s important that you figure out how you will be purchasing tickets and how soon you might need to. Along with this, you should try to schedule your activities. Typically it will say on the official website what guests will be there and on what days. It will also say what kind of activities the guest will be participating in such as signing and photo opportunities. Second, be prepared for lots of waiting. It’s likely that you’ll not only wait in a massive line to get inside, but also to participate in the activities. These types of events are pretty packed, but coming at a specific time could save you some of the hassle. Third, decide on a budget ahead of time. If you’re looking to participate in activities like signings and photo opportunities, then check out the official website to see if prices are listed. Aside from the activities there will be tons of booths stocked with goodies for purchase. Do note that some vendors might only accept cash or card, so try to bring a little bit of both just in case. Fourth, dress comfortably and accordingly. With more people it’s likely that it’ll be hot inside the building, so do consider wearing layers that can…
Not Boys but Geniuses
by Karen Kohler The Indie music supergroup consisting of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker, Boygenius, is in the midst of making its grand return. Previously, the group had only released a singular, self-titled EP back in 2018. There had been a lot of talk of the three creating more music together and they were often seen hanging out and even performing at each other’s shows, but they are known to actually be good friends beyond just making music together, so there wasn’t a sure conclusion. Finally, just a couple months ago the three were seen taking photos together. A couple weeks into January, they made an official Instagram page and announced their first full length album, titled “The Record” would be coming out on March 31st. Along with the announcement, they released three songs: “True Blue,” “$20,” and “Emily I’m Sorry.” “True Blue,” has Lucy singing lead, “$20” has Julien and “Emily I’m Sorry” has Phoebe. Just a couple weeks ago, they released a fourth track, “Not Strong Enough.” This is definitely the strongest track on the album so far as it features all their voices and blends them together with harmonies very well. Many of their tracks just focus on one of them for the majority but this one uses all of them in a relatively equal capacity. “Not Strong Enough” is also the first song they have made a music video for. Boygenius will be going on tour this summer as well as playing at Coachella. They’re doing a concert series and on their day will perform with Clairo, Dijon, and Bartees Strange. These are at a variety of outdoor venues across the U.S. including one in D.C. The three also did a Rolling Stone photoshoot where they recreated Nirvana’s famous shoot with their outfits and…
Shows that Netflix Shouldn’t Have Canceled
by Marisa Seager As we’ve all noticed by now, Netflix has a habit of canceling really good shows after only a season or two. These are some of the shows that in my opinion shouldn’t have been canceled. Ozark – This show premiered in July 2017 and was canceled after season four in 2022. Ozark was one of my favorite shows for years and I feel like it could have had more seasons. Atypical – This show premiered in August 2017 and was canceled after season four in 2021. What’s not to love about Sam and the rest of the gang? It was bittersweet to see this show end. Dead to Me – This show premiered in May 2019 and was canceled after the third and final season in 2022. I loved this dark comedy and was sad that it didn’t go further than it did. Archive 81 – This show premiered in January 2022 and was canceled months later in March 2022. The supernatural drama had my attention from the start and was extremely hard to stop binging. I was pretty sad when I got to the end only to find out that it had already been canceled. Resident Evil – This show premiered in July 2022 and was canceled the very next month, August 2022. For many you either loved or hated this one, but I can say that I enjoyed it. However, I can understand what the die hard RE fans didn’t like about it. Of course, there are plenty of canceled shows that I miss, but these are some of my favorites. If only they would have gotten the views they needed in the eyes of Netflix so that they could have reached their full potentials!
The Fight for the Right to Abortion
Written by Mikaela Gantz The debate on one of America’s most divisive issues is still making the frontlines almost a year after Roe v. Wade was overturned. This time, however, the debate is over abortion pills. Mifespristone was approved in 2000 by the FDA as the first step in a two-drug process to abort early pregnancies. Last January, this drug was made widely available to the public, as the FDA changed its policies to allow retail pharmacies to give it out. This change in the law could make it easier for millions of women to obtain abortions. There is a lot of backlash over abortion pills, as it is the most common form of abortion in the United States currently. It makes it easy, some lawmakers would argue too easy, to abort a fetus. In California, Governor Newsom is in a heated debate with Walgreens, threatening to not renew their contract with the state, over a statement Walgreens put out on abortion pills. Walgreens amended their statement to clarify that they will continue to provide mifepristone in states where abortion is still legal, which includes California. Michigan recently repealed a 1931 abortion law that made abortion pills illegal. This allows millions of women the freedom to choose what is best for them with a wider range of options. In Texas, a judge is debating whether mifepristone should be legal at all in the state. A lawsuit was filed by an anti-abortion group that claims it’s unsafe for pregnant people to take abortion pills due to associated health risks and deaths. The FDA says that up until the 10 week mark it is perfectly safe to have an abortion at home with the two drug process. This debate over abortion pills and access points a glowing arrow to the larger debate…
Celebrating Powerful Women
by Alexis Barton The month of March marks the yearly celebration of women’s history month and International Women’s Day. In its worldwide celebration, the month is dedicated to uplifting the voices of women and honoring their contributions to our society. According to the Census Bureau, the celebration dates back to 1857, where female laborers in New York City protested their unfair treatment in the workplace and marched for equal rights (2023). March 8, the day when the protests took place, has now become known as International Women’s Day. On campus, there have been several events honoring the contributions of women. On March 1, International Student Services hosted a banner signing in front of the Colket Center where students had the opportunity to write uplifting messages to women in their life. Many of these messages included, “I love you mom”, and shoutouts to friends of students. Other messages served as reminders to other readers, including “you are beautiful” and “you are capable”. In an interview with the College, junior Madeline Higgins shared that, “It’s really important for everyone on campus to get a chance to show all the women in their lives that they are important to them” (2023). The banner is now featured on the bannister inside Morehead Hall, where several prominent women on campus have offices. Even before March, the College has made an effort to showcase the accomplishments of our female faculty and staff. This includes a recent article about Dr. Carrie Murawski, an assistant professor in the English and Communication Studies Department. In November, Dr. Murawski was honored by the National Communications Association with the Scholar-Activist Award in the association’s gender studies division. Dr. Murawski is known on campus for her advocacy and service-oriented courses as well as her involvement with the Virginia Conference on Race. Her…
Senior Spotlight: Cooper Neeble
by Tim Hoffstaetter Everyone on campus who knows Cooper knows he is a wonderful man who is extremely kind and caring, also knows he is extremely fast! I wanted to highlight his brilliance as a person as much as I can while he is still here as he is one of the best teammates anyone could ask for. The school will definitely be losing a great student, friend, teammate, and athlete when he leaves so with that said I give Cooper Neeble the floor. How did it feel to be an ODAC champion in your sophomore year and first outdoor track season in 2021? “It was an experience I will never forget. I had been training hard up to this race, and felt confident going into it. I knew I was ready to win, but had to perform well with no mistakes. My teammates were cheering their heads off, and even though my parents and brother weren’t there due to COVID regulations, I knew they were going crazy watching the livestream. Kicking down the final straightaway and crossing the line in first was an unworldly feeling – I knew my training had finally paid off.” How does it feel to be a two-time school record holder? “Honestly, it feels pretty amazing. My collegiate career has had its share of highs and lows, but I have always wanted to be consistent with my training, believe in the process, and trust in my own abilities. The sport has often been very humbling, but also very rewarding as well. I am very happy and blessed to have experienced these two record-breaking performances alongside and for my teammates, coaches, family, friends, and everyone else who has supported me and continues to do so throughout my career.” What are your goals for…
