Gabriella Rodriguez

We need to talk about the chaos of course registration

We need to talk about the chaos of course registration

Course registration brings on a wave of both excitement and panic for students at Mount Holyoke. Some students are thrilled to finally select classes that they have been waiting months or even years to take. Others frantically race to see what they can fit into their schedule. However, with some students receiving earlier times than others, this creates inequity.

Is karma really what JoJo Siwa says it is? The painful transition from child star to adult icon

Is karma really what JoJo Siwa says it is? The painful transition from child star to adult icon

The transition from child star to adult celebrity is difficult, but this seems especially so for performers who are women. The ethics of child star performance are dubious at best, and actively harmful at worst. Many of these adolescents never get to experience common domestic environments, and they are exploited and carefully “perfected” by their producers until they are as marketable as possible, often at the expense of their personal identities and well-being. Actors such as Selena Gomez and JoJo Siwa started as child performers on television, and both have pursued their own independent music careers. However, the breakthrough from child star to adult entertainer is a brutal growing pain.

Is modern journalism losing to clickbait?

Is modern journalism losing to clickbait?

With many news stations relying on viewer engagement to support their newspapers, online journalism has seen an overwhelming prevalence of clickbait and paywalls, so much so that it has become the new norm for online newspapers. As journalistic standards are an expense, what happens to those who can’t afford it?

Taking away dislikes is not enough to stop social media harassment

Taking away dislikes is not enough to stop social media harassment

In concept, removing “dislikes” from social media platforms seems like a good idea and a practical way to reduce harassment and negativity, but it might not be in practice. In reality, this is more superficial than it seems because rampant harassment persists. While there may be no public like-to-dislike metric anymore — having since been removed on platforms like Facebook and YouTube — this change is not enough. Many times, it seems that the most that any platform does is advise members to be respectful of community guidelines, with a possibility of flagging spam comments. Due to the popularity of sharing material, moderation of sensitive material or anything that violates community guidelines is often difficult.

Dining hall of horrors: We need to be more respectful of our dining staff

Dining hall of horrors: We need to be more respectful of our dining staff

It’s a scenario that is all too common: You finish your meal in the Dining Commons and pick up your plates and cups. As soon as you enter the dish drop-off area, you are overcome with the thick and suffocating smell of who-knows-what. With a low droning sound, the conveyor belt rattles against tipped-over cups. The sides of the belt are splattered with sauce, milk, yogurt, coffee and sticky fluids; crumpled tea bags, pieces of food, stray forks and soggy napkins litter the space. Accidents happen, but this is a disaster on its own level.

Instagram’s algorithm undermines smaller creators

Instagram’s algorithm undermines smaller creators

For a platform that markets itself on building connections and sparking inspiration, Instagram isolates and exhausts its smallest and most vulnerable creators. 

By destroying the visibility needed to survive on the platform by demanding that users follow trends just to be seen, the platform crushes creators’ efforts to reach new audiences and share their work. Instagram’s algorithm also rewards content theft in the form of video reuploads.

Why we need to read archaic literature: the value of studying original texts

Why we need to read archaic literature: the value of studying original texts

Opening a play — or any literary work — that was written hundreds of years ago can be a tremendously daunting task. The English language is incredibly dynamic and has evolved so much over the centuries that old texts might seem indecipherable through a modern lens. However, by reading these texts in their original forms, we can better appreciate the artistry of their creators and gain insight into the past.