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The Queen's Gambit: Best New Drama Series on Netflix

Laisa Gastaliturris | Nov. 15, 2020

The Queen’s Gambit started a new debate about sexism in chess. Without a doubt this one of the best series that Netflix has, scoring 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The character development, different display of emotions and struggles, length of the series, and original story are reasons why it’s #1. From the main character being a kid who had nothing and no one, to becoming a global phenomenon loved by all, The Queen’s Gambit shows that women are a force to be reckoned with. 

Crash Course But John Green Isn't Invited

Katie Meyerson | Nov. 13, 2020

There are lots of mediums in the world through which you can make art. While others may spend their time honing one skill into fine edge, I choose to use every medium I can and be mediocre at all of them. Jack of all trades, master of none, as the saying goes. In this blog post, I will be giving a short crash course on every medium I’ve ever tried, what they require to get started, their difficulty rating, and my general rating out of ten. John Green may not be hosting, but this IS a crash course.

Why I Can't Stop Reading Humans of New York

Natalie Flynn | Nov. 11, 2020

There’s this blog called Humans of New York. You may have heard of it. Self-taught photographer Brandon Stanton created it back in 2010; essentially he walked around New York City stopping random people on the streets, taking their portraits, learning snippets of their stories, and captioning the pictures with their quotes. It started out slow but has since exploded to the tune of 20 million followers. Back in 2013, Stanton bound several hundred of his best photos together in kind of coffee table book of the same name, the first of several.

Four Dark Academia Style Reads to Get You Through November

Gracie Donovan | Nov. 8, 2020

It’s officially November, so that means dark academia season has finally arrived. What is dark academia, you ask? Dark academia is an aesthetic centered on higher education, the arts, romantic longing, and (of course) death. It first gained popularity on blogging sites like Tumblr and can now be found on TikTok as well. Now that it’s fall, it’s the perfect time to take part in all the creepiness dark academia has to offer. But first, you’re gonna need to get a better idea of what dark academia entails. The best way to do that is to read the books that inspired the wonderful aesthetic. So, here are five dark academia style books to read this fall. 

Four Dark Academia Style Reads to Get You Through November

Gracie Donovan | Nov. 4, 2020

It’s officially November, so that means dark academia season has finally arrived. What is dark academia, you ask? Dark academia is an aesthetic centered on higher education, the arts, romantic longing, and (of course) death. It first gained popularity on blogging sites like Tumblr and can now be found on TikTok as well. 

Four Reasons Shakespeare is Still Timeless

Grace Hasson | Oct. 29, 2020

Shakespeare’s plays and all of his work is not only entertaining enough to still be fun to read today, but truly stands against the test of time and other literature. I am currently taking a class on Shakespeare’s first decade of plays and it has brought me an appreciation for the playwright’s work. Shakespeare’s work has a range from tragedies that will make you cry to comedies that will make you laugh out loud, to histories that will entertain while educating. Across these three genres Shakespeare blended the three and tested the limits of writing to the point where his work is still timeless and enjoyable today.

The Feline Muse

Annie Przypyszny | Oct. 25, 2020

There’s never been a shortage in history of cat-inspired art. From engravings on ancient Egyptian tombs, to Japanese woodblock prints, to Victorian greeting cards, cats feature prominently in many influential art periods. 

Decolonize Your Mind: A BLM Photo Series

Anonymous | Oct. 20, 2020

Growing up in Hawai'i––an island some would consider a racial utopia (I certainly wouldn't)––it was rare to have discussions on race and privilege, especially about the Black experience in America. Being in such an isolated location made it feel as if we were immune to the racial inequities and injustices that plagued the "mainland," a term locals use to describe the continental United States. My friends and I would crack lighthearted jokes all the time, such as being "podagee" (Portuguese) for doing something in a foolish or incorrect way. 

Our Social Dilemma

Laisa Gastaliturris | Oct. 7, 2020

 What is the problem? Is there a problem with our usage of social media? Yes, and it’s impossible to give it such a succinct answer when the list of problems is extensive. The creators of different social media platforms such as Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tik Tok, and so on never intended for social media to be as harmful as it has grown to become over the years. By watching the documentary-drama film “The Social Dilemma”, I got an understanding of how much social media has affected my life. I highly recommend that everyone watches this film, and I hope it changes something within you as it did me. As I continue my article, I will highlight some key takeaways from the film that impacted me the most.

Christian Girl Autumn: A State of Mind

Sophia Fingerman | Oct. 2, 2020

Ah. The time has come at last. With the sweet goodbye kiss of the Hot Girl Quarantine Summer, our tan lines begin to fade and our minds go languid with thoughts of cinnamon and clove. Folks, freshly spent from your summers of slut-dom, lay down your SunBum and adjust your VSCO to warmer tones, for Mother Nature hath decreed…

A Real Reading Rainbow

Shelby Rose | Sep. 13, 2020

When entering the realm of LGBTQ literature it’s easy for readers to find ourselves within the same trap that we often do: being left with or gravitating to narratives centered around white, male stories. Lists of LGBTQ book recommendations often parrot the same titles, ignoring a large swath of literature out there addressing queer women, transgender people, and persons of color. Even in a community that prides itself on its “diversity”, LGBTQ stories are dominated by the same group that governs mainstream literature canon. That’s why I’ll be taking this post to highlight a few novels that venture beyond the stories we’re frequently told. By no means is this list comprehensive, but hopefully it will turn both LGBTQ and allies of the community onto a new range of reads.  

LOS ANGELES - FEBRUARY 8: Singer Beyonce Knowles poses with her six Grammys backstage in the Pressroom at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center on February 8, 2004 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Grammy Nominees: A Comprehensive(ish) Review

Emily Coneybeare | Dec. 3, 2019

It’s award show season! Red carpets, outfits, and (in theory) the celebration of the art of the past year. The Grammys, like most award shows, have a diversity problem. Critics have hailed this years’ nominees as changing the dynamic of the award show, but frankly; I’ll believe it when I see the winners. It is really important, though, that some really incredible artists and bodies of work were nominated and I (as always) have many opinions. Here is my comprehensive(ish) review of the General Field Grammy nominees (because I simply do not have the energy to go through 84 categories) and who I personally would like to see win. 

It’s About Time: We Finally Know the Met Gala’s Theme

Rachel Suleymanov | Dec. 2, 2019

If you’ve seen the Devil Wears Prada, as not doing so would be robbing your soul, you have at least a small understanding of what the fashion industry can be like. Anne Hathaway aside, the movie’s true anchor is Meryl Streep’s character: a play off of the fabulously cold Anna Wintour, the artistic director of Conde Nast and Editor in Chief of Vogue. 

AU’s Visting Writers Series- Christa Parravani

Caitlin Colucci | Nov. 22, 2019

This past month I attended one of the events from the Visting Writers Series at AU hosted by the Creative Writing MFA program. Christa Parravani was featured and spoke about her past memoir, Her, and shared part of the book she is currently writing. She spoke highly of the literature faculty at American and discussed her own experience as a professor at West Virginia University. I had previously read some of Parravani’s work in my LIT-107 Creative Writing class about the death of her twin sister prior to her twin sister’s rape. I already appreciated her style of writing and I learned to love it, even more, when I heard her read aloud. 

How We Read Queerness in Literature

Saraya Roberts | Nov. 20, 2019

For the past few weeks my literature class has been reading the book Dodging and Burning by John Copenhaver. The book is a mystery that highlights queer culture and how queer people were treated in the 1940’s by looking at the relationship between two boys: Robbie and Jay. 

Unhinged: Tik Tok As An Art Form

Syeda Siddiqi | Nov. 19, 2019

You know how in movies, people die, but then come back to life soulless, without morals, and unhinged? That is Tik Tok in a nutshell: Vine, but without a soul and unhinged. 

Local Artist Spotlight: Spoken Word Poet Charity Joyce Blackwell

Kendall Kalustyan | Nov. 18, 2019

Every Tuesday my friends and I attend the open mic night at the Busboys and Poets 14th and V location. As we file into the dimly lit room, with walls covered in murals honoring great artists of color through history, we have the privilege of hearing from a vast array of artists that share their respective talents and works. But the nights I treasure most are when Charity Blackwell hosts the event.

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