April 2022

The Winning Essay!

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María Eir Magnúsdóttir 

Janet Calandra 

COM-110A 

02.13.2022 

A person who should be remembered in history: Beyoncé Knowles Carter 

Who should be remembered as one of the greatest in history? Beyonce Knowles Carter should be at the top of the list. Beyonce Giselle Knowles was born on September 4, 1981, in Houston Texas. After singing in her mother’s hair salon and competing in talent shows with her childhood friends, Beyonce and Kelly Rowland formed the pop-diva band Destiny’s Child with two other additional friends. However, those two members left the group after a while and Michelle Williams joined as the band went on as a trio, the members remained the same until the group disbanded in 2006. Making their first record signed in 1997 Destiny’s Child rose to stardom for making amazing music, winning awards, and selling records and tours. Beyonce soon got recognized for her talent and gift for making music. After a successful time with Destiny’s Child, Beyonce began her solo career in 2003 with the album Dangerously in Love. Beyonce rose to fame fast and has stayed on top ever since, being the greatest performer of all time. For all of her amazing hits, and battles she has taken, and for being the artist behind “Crazy in Love” Beyoncé is the greatest artist in history.  

Music has been part of humans since the very first species could make sounds and beats with mouth or objects even before they learned to speak. It is a fact that everyone likes music and musicians are very appreciated and loved or even devoted to by people who are considered their fans. People have been head over heels with music throughout history, music will never die. People show up to venues and concerts in every weather just to hear the music. Music itself is something that will be forever in our story and how it has evolved and what meaning it has to people will always remain. People have their happy song, husband and wife have their song; everyone has their song. A person making songs and music should always be remembered as a big part of history, as Beyonce has been doing for the past decades.  

Beyonce’s music has lived through decades and still lives in people’s lives and will forever be known. Beyonce has been winning awards since she started making music with Destiny’s Child to present date having won 28 Grammys awards, 13 Billboard Music Awards, 9 American Music Awards, BET Awards, and 5 Golden Globe Awards. Overall, Beyonce has repeatedly won 102 awards, having been nominated over 200 times. Not making the awards being the only thing that makes this flawless artist the best in history, she has the biggest fan base in the world. Her fans have grown up listening to her and she has a fanbase all over the world. By selling out numerous of tours and even selling out venues in under a minute “Tickets for the first New York date on the ‘4 Intimate Nights with Beyonce’ tour sold out in just 22 seconds.” (“Beyonce’s Tour Sells Out In 22 Seconds”). It can be stated that Beyonce’s fans have always been crazy for her performances because nobody can put up a show like Beyonce does. According to The Good Guide, no one has had a better performance at Coachella in the 23 year history of Coachella “Her performance at Coachella was so astounding and netizens (citizens of the net – internet that is!) gave Coachella a nickname as “Beychella” (Lam, “TOP 10 COACHELLA PERFORMANCES OF ALL-TIME “). She not only made it historical by the show she put up, but she once again broke another glass ceiling in her career, Beyonce was the first Black female headliner of Coachella. She made the festival into her own concert in 2018. This is not the only time Beyonce has entered a show as a guest but ending up being the main character of the show “There’s no question Beyonce just stole that Super Bowl halftime show from its headline act, Coldplay. The only remaining question is, who didn’t see that coming?” (Bianco  Review: Beyonce upstages Coldplay in Super Bowl halftime show). Even though Beyonce was not the headline act in the Superbowl 2018 halftime show she made the headline for the show. With her tribute outfit to Michael Jackson and her amazing dance, it can be stated that Beyonce outshined Coldplay during the halftime show.   

Not only is she a miraculous artist, but Beyonce is also the one who uses her voice and platform to raise awareness about things that do matter in the world. It can be stated that Beyonce is a proud feminist icon and has several lyrics about feminism and she speaks up loudly to fight for women’s rights. Beyonce created a new wave of feminism according to Time “Beyoncé has managed to become the biggest female pop star in the world while cultivating her marriage, her role as a mother, and her sexuality. And in doing so, she’s ushering in a new wave of feminism,” (Dockterman “Flawless: 5 Lessons in Modern Feminism from Beyoncé”). There is no way to deny the fact that people in the past who express themselves as a feminist were not popular. Feminist has often been used as a term for ugly women with hair under their armpits and who are bitter towards men. Beyonce uses her music to promote feminism with encouraging lyrics that break the glass ceilings. She made a big hit with “Pretty Hurts” raising the awareness of how much pressure is put on women by society. She points out the problem that women are told that they need to be looking a certain way all the time with ambitious standards, Beyonce says it is a problem with our society but not their bodies.   

“Pretty hurts  

Shine the light on whatever´s worse  

Perfection is the disease of a nation  

… It´s the soul that needs a surgery”  

“Pretty Hurts” is a song telling women that it is the problem within our society and being obsessed about looks is destructive. During this time, she spoke about how Beyonce had body image issues before performing at the Superbowl. Calling out people in the industry, she made a statement with “Pretty Hurts.” Beyonce also made “Partition” and “Blow” on the same album in 2014, those songs send strong message to the world about feminist. In “Partition” Beyonce fights the box feminist are put in about not liking sex and both songs send that message that men are not entitled to be the only one liking sex and that women can be sexual beings on their own terms as well as having the freedom to express their own sexuality.   

On the same album Beyonce made a song that was a cultural reset. The song “Flawless” is song inspired and including the words of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a feminist author from Nigeria that has been advocating for women’s rights for a long time. She takes out a part from Chimamanda speech “We should all be Feminists”   

We say to girls: “You can have ambition, but not too much  

You should aim to be successful, but not too successful  

Otherwise, you will threaten the man.”  

Because I am female, I am expected to aspire to marriage  

I am expected to make my life choices always keeping in mind that marriage is most important  

Now, marriage can be a source of joy and low and mutual support  

But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we don’t teach boys the same?  

We raise girls to see each other as competitors  

Not for jobs or for accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing  

But for the attention of men  

We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way boys are  

Feminist: a person who believes in the social,  

Political, and economic equality of the sexes (Adichie, “We Should All Be Feminists”). 

This verse is emphasized in the song how women are told to bow and obey to males and marriage as well as how women are given rules for the one reason only not to outshine the men in their lives.This big feminist verse fits perfectly in the song is absolute brilliance. The song is slowed down and it ends with the strong definition on what feminist is “Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes” (Adichie, “ We Should All Be Feminists”). This song is the most empowering song for feminism, having the song itself being amazing helps. She does not only represent feminism in her songs and lyrics in masterpieces like “Flawless,” “Diva,” “Partition,” “Irreplaceable,” “Run the World (Girls,” and more but in her performances and using her platform to spread out the important message and influence. Furthermore, Beyonce is the CO-founder of CHIME FOR CHANGE, which is a big global campaign that promotes global gender equality and made it her theme for the 2016 “Formation” tour.   

Feminism is not the only big activist activity Beyonce stands for, Black people’s rights are a big matter to Beyonce, by having it also included in her music. According to the Complex Beyonce puts in a lot of money towards the movement. “She and her husband Jay Z have also donated thousands of dollars to post bail for several Black Lives Matter activists who were arrested during protests against police brutality,” (Hassan, “6 times Beyoncé proved she was a low-key activist”).  

Using her voice, it was obvious that Beyonce’s historical Coachella performance was full of feminism and celebrating black people’s history by singing “Lift Every Voice,” which is seen as the black national anthem that she uses her platform to send out the best message. The stage was full of beautiful dancers, backup vocals, and instruments in all sizes and Beyonce quotes that it was important to her in the documentary Homecoming “I wanted a black orchestra, I wanted the steppers, I needed the vocalists I wanted different characters,” she states her beliefs in the power of diversities in every form and find them beautiful in their own unique way “like the things that these young people can do with their bodies and the music they can play and the drumrolls, and the haircuts and the bodies. It’s just not right, it’s just so much d— swag.” (Beyonce, “Homecoming”). Paying tribute to her culture and to everyone who came before her, she highlights how she wants people to be grateful for all their gifts even though they do not fit in the boxes set by our narrow-minded and disturbing society. “Thankful for the beauty that comes with a painful history and rejoice in the pain, rejoice in the imperfections, and the wrongs that are so damn right. And I wanted everyone to be grateful for their curves, their sass, their honesty. Thankful for their freedom,” (Beyonce, “Homecoming”).  

Nevertheless, making a song that will live forever in people’s lives is without a doubt a big step towards making history, not only making a song that climbed lists and billboards during the time it was released. “Crazy in Love” is the greatest song in history. According to NME no one has made a song as legendary as Beyonce, “Bey’s first single was a sink or swim moment. But instead of doing either of those, she released ‘Crazy in Love’ as the lead single from her hotly anticipated debut album ‘Dangerously in Love,’ and it totally soared” (Mylrea,” Happy 15th birthday to Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy in Love’ – here’s why it’s still the best pop song of the millennium”). This upbeat rhythm makes everybody dance to the lines that people sing on the top of their lungs. Writing a song about love without being too corny and boring we see how Beyoncé is the main character in it which is empowering for everybody. “How I’m feeling, and my pride is the one to blame (Beyonce, “Crazy in Love”). She clearly has her pride and is being herself. Having Jay-Z rap his verse is a great part of the song as well, as the beat gets sped up and Jay-Z has great rhymes and lines. “Crazy in Love” is meaningful, since it is Beyonce’s and Jay-Z’s love story. After dating in 2002 they released “Crazy in Love” in 2003. Being still married today fans care more about this song than others for its true love story.  

This amazing artist has influenced numbers of people, myself included. Being born between the years of 1980 and early 2000, I had the privilege to grow up with the music of Destiny’s Child’s by singing them on Singstar. Then, getting to listen to Beyonce’s albums on CD and iPod every moment was filled with joy. I remember playing with my sisters, making dances to her songs and singing the lyrics from the top of my lungs. As you get older you know that this generation goes wild if they hear her song “Crazy in Love” when going out. Getting to grow up with her music is a reason  to see her grow not only as an artist, but as a person as well. When Beyonce released “Pretty Hurts,” I was 13 and I had not been aware of the issues in the world happening and did not understand the beauty standards put on young women. I am now aware of what was considered beauty back when I was 13 and now, times are different and that is thanks to feminism and Beyonce has been singing this kind of message to my generation. Growing up, feminists were looked at as noisy and ugly women who were bitter towards the world and did not like the roles they were getting. Sending the message with her lyrics that it is all right for me to take up space, to be loud, demand things, and pursue dreams outside the gender space, even though I am a woman. She is one of the amazing ladies that use their platform to encourage females that promotes feminism in many ways. Beyoncé is an exceptional role model for me, and she will always be my favorite female artist not only for her music but how she has been there for me growing up and getting to live with her music in my ears for a number of situations; fun moments, angry moments, and sad moments. She is one of my generation’s greatest role model and for me she is the most amazing person on earth.   

With her amazing work of art, her music and performances, Beyonce will always be remembered as the greatest artist in history and her consistency proves how long she will be in our hearts. According to the Indian Express “She is called ‘Queen Bey’ by her fans and has a three-decade career that has changed the direction of pop music. And it goes beyond hair, makeup, and some brilliant music. She is one of the most significant cultural icons of our time, a cult figure who speaks for a generation. A look at why Beyonce is “music’s most powerful woman” and the undisputed queen of pop,” (Khurana,” Explained: Why is Beyonce one of the most significant pop stars of our time?”).  

People will always remember this strong and smart woman who will forever be the greatest artist of all time. Having a number of awards such as Grammy’s, Billboards, American Music Awards, and more for her case. Making top hits after hits consistently like “Crazy in Love,” being the flawless role model she is as an activist, but also her forever lasting fanbase the “Bey Hive,” it cannot be argued that Beyonce is the greatest artist in history.  

  

Works Cited 

“Happy 15th Birthday to Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy in Love’ – Here’s Why It’s Still the Best Pop Song of the Millennium.” NME, 18 May 2018, www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/beyonce-crazy-in-love-best-song-why-2316762.  

“How Many Grammy’s Does Beyonce Have?” The US Sun, The US Sun, 23 Dec. 2021, www.the-sun.com/entertainment/4326230/how-many-grammys-beyonce-have/.  

“Beyoncé.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Beyonce.  

Bianco, Robert. “Review: Beyonce Upstages Coldplay in Super Bowl Halftime Show.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 8 Feb. 2016, www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/columnist/2016/02/07/review-super-bey/79967754/.  

Chval, Lauren. “I Just Don’t Think Beyonce Is Good.” Chicagotribune.com, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2018, www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/redeye-beyonce-overrated-20150407-htmlstory.html.  

Dockterman, Eliana. “Beyoncé: Lessons in Modern Feminism.” Time, Time, 17 Dec. 2013, time.com/1851/flawless-5-lessons-in-modern-feminism-from-beyonce/.  

Hassan, Huda. “6 Times Beyoncé Proved She Was a Low-Key Activist.” Complex, Complex, 20 Apr. 2020, www.complex.com/pop-culture/2016/03/times-beyonce-addressed-civil-rights/flawless.  

“Homecoming: Lyrics: Homecoming.” Beyoncé, www.beyonce.com/album/homecoming/lyrics/.  

Kent, Naomi. “Beyonce’s Tour Sells out in 22 Seconds.” Capital, 16 Aug. 2011, www.capitalfm.com/artists/beyonce-knowles/news/new-york-tour-tickets-sell-out-record/.  

Khurana, Suanshu. “Explained: Why Is Beyonce One of the Most Significant Pop Stars of Our Time?” The Indian Express, 22 Mar. 2021, indianexpress.com/article/explained/beyonce-grammys-black-parade-pop-star-7237081/.  

Omise’eke Natasha Tinsley and Caitlin O’Neill. “Beyonce’s ‘Formation’ Is Activism for African Americans.” Time, Time, 8 Feb. 2016, time.com/4211888/beyonce-formation-activism/.  

How Translation Effects the Viewing Experience

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A discussion on Shrek and Encanto

If you speak more than one language, you have likely enjoyed a film in a particular language over the other(s) you speak. This is an experience I have had several times, and there are some movies that I prefer in Spanish while others I prefer in English. This is the case for Shrek and Encanto, which are iconic movies that are available in both languages. Despite watching Shrek in English several times, there is an indescribable sense of nostalgia that makes me prefer the Spanish version.

 One reason for this is definitely the fact that I grew up watching the Spanish version. Moreover, I feel many of the jokes are much funnier in Spanish. This is especially the case with Donkey, who is voiced by Eugenio Derbez. For example, there are many references made to some of Derbez’s works. These references involve Donkey saying things like “preguntame” and “fue horrible,” which are allusions that contribute to the humor in the movie. Since he does not voice the English version of the movie, these references and the jokes behind them are lost. On the other side of this situation, there are also other movies that I think are more enjoyable in English. This is the case with Encanto, which is actually a film that features Latin American characters. As a result, one might assume that the movie would be best enjoyed in the first language of the characters.

However, given the fact that one of the most enjoyable parts of the film are the songs, the movie sounds much better in English. That is not to say that the Spanish version of the songs were bad. They were still very good songs, but I feel like they do not sound as good as the English version since some of the rhymes and jokes do not translate perfectly. In addition to the English songs sounding better, I also feel that the effect of “Dos Orungitas” is much more powerful when listening to the movie in English. This is due to the fact that the Spanish song is unexpected, given the fact that most of the songs in the movie are in English. As a result, the lack of anticipation that a Spanish song was going to be introduced makes the effect of the song more impactful. After all, who can resist such a heartbreaking song when it punches you right in the chest?

Written by: Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana

Graphic by: Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana

Campus Upgrades

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Ways FPU can improve Life on Campus

One of the many great things about FPU is the size of the school. It is a smaller campus compared to some of the others in the valley, allowing students to feel a more intimate experience at school and a feeling of community. Despite the campus having a homey vibe, it of course has things it can improve on. Whether improvements are within classrooms, dorms, or adding things to the open-air aspect of it all, FPU has room to grow. 

Since its inception in 1944, FPU has seen a slew of improvements and add-ons over the decades. With an ever-growing campus, it was necessary to make investments to grow the school as it grew with incoming students and staff. However, the last major additions to the school since 2000 have been AIMS Hall (2002), Steinert Campus Center (2003), Seminary House (2010), and North Hall (2010). Both the Seminary House and North Hall already existed and were later officially part of the university. We also know the Warkentine Culture and Arts Center is soon to be completed and introduced in the near future, but what else is FPU missing?

With this question in mind, the Syrinx has decided to interview fellow Sunbirds to get their perspective on additions FPU should make.

What would you want FPU to add to make campus life or the overall experience here better?

Siena Anzaldua, English, Senior:

“Honestly, more resources for students who are first generation and for individuals whose parents have no experience with the college system. Also, more resources for students where they can communicate grievances in relation with their professors because there is a lack of a chain of command where students can take serious complaints and concerns.” 

Samantha Diaz, Media and Film Studies, Sophomore:

“Something that could make the fpu experience better could be creating more on campus events that both commuters and residents can enjoy. Along with that, maybe offering more food options in the cafeteria/cafe or having food trucks every once in a while would be something students would look forward to during the semester.”

Kylyn Dirks, Communications, Senior:

“A big fitness center, for people who don’t play sports, I know we got one but it’s small and it’s usually occupied by sports teams.” 

Mauricio Gonzalez, Communications, Junior: 

“Personally, I love sports. Always have and although I’m not an athlete at FPU, I would love to see intramural sports take place or even a sports event type thing happen on campus. I feel like it would be different and also just pretty fun to have others let loose and let some energy out. I remember when my cousin was once a student here at FPU they had a large variety of activities like that, where students were heavily involved. But yeah that’s my opinion.“

Jimmy Guzman, Assistant Director of Sports Medicine:

“Food Trucks.”

Demitrius Searcy, Communications, Senior:

“Better dorms with better chairs and beds.”

Megan Sheret, Business Administration, Senior: 

“Up to date entertainment facilities.”

Michael Smith, Communications, Senior:

“A game room.”

Rebeca Tapia, Kinesiology, Senior:

“I know they are planning on doing it, but I would like to have restrooms and locker rooms over by the track. Everyone has to walk over here to use them.”

Kristi Yorke, Psychology, Grad Student:

“If they could, like, provide more food options in the coffee shop that would be nice because I am a commuter and don’t have a meal plan with the cafeteria.”

FPU has definitely grown over the years. Part of being a school rooted in change means that the campus can get pretty forgotten along with the change. The addition of the Culture and Arts Center is sure to be a big win for Sunbirds, but little changes here and there couldn’t hurt.

Written by: Julian Alcaraz | Editor & Alicia Garcia | Staff Writer

Graphic by: Liza Larrabee

Thoughts on The Iliad and The Odyssey

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A discussion on gender roles and heroes

While the Odyssey and the Iliad are classic pieces of literature, they contain themes that may not be enjoyable for a modern audience. One great example of those themes is the gender roles within the stories and what it means to be a hero. To start off, women are treated unkindly in the two works. To explain, the women within these stories are either the perfect docile wife, or they are evil women you would likely describe with a word that starts with b and ends with h. An example of the first category is Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, who remains loyal to a husband that essentially abandoned her for war.

Now, by no means is Penelope an empty skull with an inability to think for herself. Despite that, the impression of her as a docile and loyal wife mostly comes across through her and her husband’s differences. These differences are best expressed by the fact that Odysseus happily cheats on his wife while Penelope remains loyal. As stated before, Penelope is quite brilliant, but she is not praised for her intelligence. Rather, she is praised for being the ideal wife since she finds ways to not be married off again. From this praise then, we get the impression that women within this society are perfect wives when they remain loyal to husbands, regardless of what the men have done. This impression is further emphasized given the fact that Odysseus is never looked down upon for cheating on his wife. So from this situation, we get a very unequal dynamic between men and women. 

Furthermore, we also get a very negative view of what heroes are meant to be like. As stated before, Odysseus cheats on his wife and remains a celebrated hero despite that. Not only that, but many of his decisions often led to many of his men getting killed, along with their journey being prolonged for even longer. Yet, we are meant to see him as a hero? This issue is also one that we see in the Iliad with Achilles, who is a man with many flaws. To keep this short, however, I will only bring up two which are his disregard for humanity and his pride. The first is one that we see with the fact that he owns a slave, who is a woman named Briseis. Yup, he owns a slave who he refers to as his “prize.”Now, I should not have to explain to you why that is a bad thing, so I will move on! Second, Achilles is an extremely proud man and it is because of his pride that he stops fighting for the Greeks. Essentially, Achilles threw a temper tantrum because his slave was taken from him and his “honor” was tarnished as a result of it. Yes, this man refused to fight and let hundreds of Greeks die just to save his supposed honor! 

Now, many begged him to fight again and one of the most notable of those is his best friend Patroclus. Even when the person closest to him begged him to spare those that were getting killed, Achilles refused to do so and let his friend fight in his place instead. Spoiler alert, this ended horribly given the fact that his friend got killed. Once that happens, Achilles finally decides to fight again but as you can imagine, it had nothing to do with saving the soldiers but everything to do with him getting revenge. So, my issue with Achilles being portrayed as a hero is that he is a horrible person. For one, he owned slaves and sold others into slavery. Additionally, he allowed hundreds of innocent men to die simply because he felt like he was “wronged” when his slave was taken from him. So while these stories may be enjoyed by many, they certainly are not something I would keep on my bookshelf!

Written by: Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana | Editor

Graphic by: Valerie Claustro

Doors or Wheels?

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Have you ever wondered if there were more doors or more wheels in the world? The thought seems interesting, as it is something to really think about. This random thought was brought up when a viral post on Twitter was posted by a group of friends who were said to be having a “pointless” debate on whether there were more doors or wheels in the world. The thought sparked a worldwide debate on the Twitter post, leaving  many people to provide their opinions and points as to why they chose doors or wheels. Polls were made and counted votes on what people chose and the explanation behind their choice. While the topic is trending, FPU students and professors were asked the same question on whether they believe there are more doors or  wheels in the world and their explanation for why they chose that answer. Here are some of the responses from students and professors that were interviewed.

Do you believe there are more doors or wheels in the world? Explain why.

Cullin Bates, Sophomore

“There are more wheels because wheels come in bigger quantities than doors. such as the number of roller chairs and they have at least 4 wheels per chair. Also on roller coasters the wheels are used to operate the ride.”

Toby Bartlett, Senior

“I think that there are more wheels than doors. This is the case because the world would cease to function without Wheels, while without doors, not much would change. Based on this fact alone, the world needs more Wheels than doors to keep going.”

Professor Randall Fowler, Communication Studies

“It’s all about how we define a door, Cause if we’re talking about beads when you walk through something or curtains if those count as that would be a whole lot to consider. I don’t know though I honestly might be team wheels as you have four wheels on every car and eight-teen wheels on an with-teen wheeler. So there’s a whole lot there you have to deal with and think about as well. But I think overall I’m going to have to go with team wheels on this one.”

Professor Rick De La Pena, Marketing

“I’m gonna say there’s more wheels than doors as the wheel is a basic component to basic transportation. So I think there’s a lot more objects out there with wheels on them than doors. That’s my rationale as I believe there are more wheels as well. With wheels we aren’t really defining what counts as a wheel.  There’s all kinds of wheels like in cars but there’s also wheels in different kinds of machines and stuff like that. It all depends on how you define a “wheel.” That’s what ultimately comes down too. But I will go with team wheels for sure.”

Written by: Casey Watkins

Graphic by: Casey Watkins

How do you celebrate Easter?

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Egg hunts and Easter traditions shared by Fresno Pacific students, A focus on food, family, and faith

The fun of a good Easter egg hunt almost always makes the work of putting on itchy Sunday Church clothes worth it. Whether you are finding shiny, aluminum-wrapped chocolate eggs or dollar bills stuffed in plastic shells, the thrill of rooting around in the grass, searching for Easter treasure is just one aspect of the holiday that makes it so special. Several students share their egg-hunting stories – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Maddy Ward, a sophomore at Fresno Pacific, shares her family’s version of Easter. “My family religiously color-coded Easter eggs, even themed them to hobbies or favorite animals for each child in the family so everyone had the same number of eggs, but each egg was special. They also hid the older kid’s eggs in much harder places to make the whole hunt more fun,” Ward said.

Michelle Salazar, a freshman (and future teacher), gave voice to the many traditions her family has. “Sometimes my family and I take a trip to the beach and spend Easter there. Then, we usually come home and crack Easter eggs on our heads,” Salazar said. Michelle paused to laugh. “My little brother and I decorate them and fill them with confetti and flour,” Salazar said. However, as the world changed, and family trips across the globe were called off, Michelle’s family traditions endured, going to the beach was not possible, but Easter remained an important celebration of family, food, and fun. 

Candelaria Sanchez also touched on the difficulty of celebrating during COVID. “Because of Coronavirus, I haven’t celebrated Easter with my family in over two years. Typically, we all gather to eat and hide eggs in the park – all of the cousins, grandkids, and anyone brave enough to join, compete to find the golden egg. It can get vicious,” Sanchez said.

This Easter, there is so much to be thankful for, and in honor of the holiday, an appreciation for new beginnings encourages us all to go out and look for the blessings in life. 

Written By: Cailey Lessel | Opinion’s Editor

Graphic By: Cailey Lessel

A Look On Cringy/Embarrassing Things Gen Z Does

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Obsessions with quirkiness, oversharing, and much more!

Every generation has trends or characteristics to be embarrassed about. Today, however, we will discuss Gen Z and some of the cringy and embarrassing things that some of its members do. Some of these will also be applicable to generations like the millennials, but the focus of the story will remain on Gen Z. So, buckle up and be ready to possibly relate with these a little too much!

The Obsession With Being Quirky

Being quirky or unique in some way is a phase many in this generation go through. Most will recognize this behavior in those girls that claim they are “not like other girls.” However, this phase goes much deeper than that and can actually be harmful in some cases. Oh, you are clumsy? That is so quirky! Oh, you have dyslexia and can not spell? That is somehow even more quirky! Now, this second example is one of the most common forms of quirkiness within this generation. This is especially the case on apps like Tik Tok, where having a disorder like Tourette’s Syndrome and Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is faked by many as a way of getting attention. Obviously, that does not mean that everyone who claims to have these two disorders are lying.

 However, many individuals on this platform have been exposed to faking it for attention or to seem “quirky” and “cute.” This is especially the case with DID since it is actually a very rare disorder. Despite its rarity, Tik Tok would have you believe that it is much more common than it actually is. Therefore, the misuse of disorders like these is very harmful because it glamorizes and romanticizes issues that can severely impact a person’s life.  To these individuals, it is not like people with Tourette’s and DID can have their entire lives controlled by their disorders. No, instead, their disorder is something cute to laugh about and gain attention for.

Doing Tik Tok Dances at Odd Moments

Like with the previous category, Tik Tok is largely responsible for this embarrassing behavior. Admittedly, most members of the Gen Z generation do not record themselves dancing at odd moments. However, many avid fans of Tik Tok often partake in this behavior. Have you seen that video of Addison Rae filming a Tik Tok dance in front of a bunch of people? Ooof, how awkward! Under normal circumstances, this type of behavior would not be awkward if the person was not silently dancing and lip-syncing. Since that is the case, however, this type of behavior can be uncomfortable to watch!

Oversharing on Social Media

Sharing one’s experience can be helpful at times when trying to advise others. There are some moments, however, when sharing details of one’s life becomes too much. For one, there is only so much one wants to learn about a person they do not know that well. Furthermore, however, oversharing can oftentimes lead to a person becoming obsessed with gaining validation through likes. A great example of this type of behavior are breakup and crying videos that many people post. While some that post this kind of content do not do it with the intention of gaining attention for it, it is clear in some cases that the ultimate goal is to gain some kind of validation. Gaining likes may feel good in the moment, but will it really fix your situation? In the age when anything can become a meme, is it really helpful for your mental health to post videos and pictures of your breakdowns?

Overuse of Catchphrases

It’s the repetition for me. See what I did there? Admittedly, some Gen Z phrases are not cringe at all, but some make you question how they even came to be. In addition, while some Gen Z phrases are funny at first, the constant use of them soon means that they lose their spark. In fact, some phrases and trends can soon become annoying when one comes across them on a constant basis. For example, anyone that has been on Youtube will have come across overused phrases in comments sections. They may have been funny the first few times someone used them, but after several uses, these phrases become annoying and give off the impression that a person is simply trying to be relatable.

Written by: Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana

Graphic by: Liza Larrabee

A Review/Rant on Classical Books

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Thoughts on books we were forced to read in high school

Many of us have been forced to read classical books at school, and the experience can be one that sucks the entertainment out of reading. As a result, here is a short review relating to some of the most popular books that high schoolers are forced to read. Along with the short rant I will provide, there will also be a rating and a nickname that I think fits the book better than the title.

The Great Gatsby

Do you want to read a bland love story? If so, this book is the perfect story to pick up! I will warn you, though, you will be very disappointed and likely angry by the end of it. To be fair, the “love story” is not the only focus of the story. For example, the failure of the American Dream is a theme that is often explored in the book. Despite that, the themes are not enough to overshadow my hatred for the love story between Gatsby and Daisy. In summary, Gatsby is so in love, possibly obsessed, with Daisy that he dedicates years to the task of becoming the perfect man for Daisy. This perfect man may or may not involve a lot of money, even though Daisy herself has loads of it already, so you can gain an idea of what type of person Daisy is. Besides the lack of chemistry between these two, we also see more infuriating events take place. For one, Daisy gets away with murder, and Gatsby takes the fall for it. Along with that, the most compelling relationship between the characters involved is that of Nick and Gatsby. Many have pointed out the homoerotic undertones, and my opinion on that is that the book should have owned up to it. If it had, we at least would not have had a bland and one-sided relationship.

Rating: 2/5

Nickname: “Even Rich People are Golddiggers”

Frankenstein

While the themes in this book are amazing, the plot is boring 70% of the time. Sure, interesting things happen occasionally, but those events are usually too coincidental for my taste. Admittedly, as a professor pointed out, the least unbelievable thing in a story about Frankenstein creating a man out of thin air is all of the coincidences that occur. Despite that, I wish a little more creativity was used in the story. After all, I can not help but roll my eyes when the creature happens to kill his creator’s brother, frame his family friend, and kill Frankenstein’s childhood friend. After all, the creature knew nothing of the world or his creator, so it is not like the creature plotted most of these events! The opposite is true since the creature killed Victor’s brother and framed Justine without knowing they had anything to do with Frankenstein!

Rating: 2/5

Nickname: “Happy Coincidences”

A Tale of Two Cities

“To be or not to be that is the questio-” wait, wrong beginning. “It was the best of times…” that’s more like it! While this novel has an iconic opening, this novel is not an interesting one. To be fair, this novel is well crafted and well thought out. For example, it is evident that the author created many motifs, themes, and metaphors that he expanded on throughout the story. However, I and many of my classmates were confused most of the time while reading the novel. So, while it is unquestionable whether the story is well written, it is questionable whether it is interesting. For me, many of the characters were too boring to care about what happened to them. In addition, the love story was also one that lacked chemistry. This meant that I had nothing to become attached to, so getting through each chapter was a struggle. 

Rating: 2.5/5

Nickname: “A Tale of Boredom and Confusion”

Of Mice and Men

Out of all the books I was forced to read, this is the only one I actually liked. While this story was slow at times, the friendship between the two protagonists was so compelling that it did not really matter. Besides the compelling friendship, though, there are also many interesting characters and themes in the novel. More than that, however, there is a heartbreaking ending that drives home the message the writer was trying to express. So if you are not prepared to have your heart stomped on, this book might not be for you! On the other hand, if you like unconventional endings and would love to see the themes of found family and friendship, this is a great story!

Rating: 5/5

Nickname: “Of Heartbreak and Hopelessness”

Romeo and Juliet

Ahhh, true love! While this play is mainly a “love story,” I find the relationship between the two characters the least compelling dynamic I have ever seen. For starters, Romeo was pining after Rosaline at the same party he met Juliet. Soon after laying eyes on Juliet, though, Romeo has completely moved on and is deeply in love! If I was meant to believe that this is in fact a love story and not satire, you failed at your job Shakespeare! After all, how can I root for a couple when they know each other for less than a day before getting married? Sure, one can argue that it was “love at first sight” but given the fact that these two are 16 and 13, I think it was actually something that starts with L and ends with T.

Rating: 1/5

Nickname: “It is Not True Love Unless you Only Know Each Other for 1 Day Before Getting Married”

Jane Eyre

Besides the huge age difference between these two, the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester is inappropriate in other ways. For one, Jane is essentially the nanny and teacher of Mr. Rochester’s ward. This means that we have an employer/employee love story in our hands! Besides that, however, we also see a dynamic that has so many red flags that Jane should have run for the hills. For example, Mr. Rochester does not truly respect her and actually threatens her on one occasion. Furthermore, this novel sends a very problematic message through Mr. Rochester treating Jane better once the two get married. As a result of this change, the message that is sent is that a woman can change a man with her love. This message is one that encourages women in abusive relationships to bear the treatment since “he will change.” Therefore, this novel has a horrible romance that reinforces problematic messages that only lead to further misery. 

 Rating: 1/5

Nickname: “You Should Definitely Ignore the Red Flags Because He Will Totally Change for You”

Written by: Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana | A & E Editor

Graphic by: Liza Larrabee

FPU Spring Fling 2022

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A Night of Dinner, Dancing, and Dessert for FPU Students

On Friday, April 1, 2022, Fresno Pacific hosted the Spring Fling dance at Moravia Wines & Event Venue. The night consisted of dinner, dancing, and dessert for FPU students. Student Life planned a spectacular event, as many students did not want to leave!

At the beginning of the dance, attendees ate dinner at tables decorated with candies and flower buckets. Student Life was mindful about attendees’ various eating types, as there were vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. Students chose between grilled chicken, grilled vegetable kebabs, or vegan sausage for their main entree. Sides included build-your-own pasta salad and bread rolls. Dinner fueled the guests for the dance floor!

The dance floor is where students got to show off their best moves and best outfits. Since the event was held at Moravia, the dress code called for formal to semi-formal attire. We selected the best dressed male and best dressed female to be featured. Pictured are Fernando Lopez and Chelsea Heaton.

Fernando Lopez is a first year liberal studies major at FPU. He showed up to the Spring Fling dance in a sapphire blue mens’ suit from Men’s Wearhouse. To compliment the sapphire blue, he paired it with a brown turtleneck underneath. With his brown shoes to add to the mix, he looked like a million bucks. Fernando stood out in an awesome way!

Chelsea Heaton is a junior business management major at FPU. She looked lovely in a long, flowy, pressed velvet teal dress from Ross. She paired the teal color with black strappy heels. As a finishing touch, she wore a dainty gold necklace. Chelsea looked absolutely stunning!

Spring Fling 2022 was an exciting night for all, as students took amazing photos, ate delicious goodies, and danced the night away. Moravia could not have been a better venue to host the dance. Thank you to Student Life for putting on an awesome event!

Written by: Brandi Aguilera | Copy Editor

Graphics by: Brandi Aguilera

The Crocheted Ducky: a small business ran by a student from FPU!

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A description of the business and how it came to be!

Are you interested in supporting small and local businesses? If so, The Crocheted  Ducky is the perfect business to support! This business is run by FPU student Jacklyn Avila, otherwise known as Jackie, who makes a variety of crocheted art. From an adorable baby Yoda, to a snowman with a removable hat, to handbags, Jackie offers a variety of adorable items. Not only that, all of these items are affordable and if you desire something she does not have on her Etsy page, she also takes custom orders.

So, how did this business come to be? Like many other things, the answer to that is the pandemic. During quarantine, crocheting became really popular online. More than that, though, Jackie grew up with a grandma that knitted each of her grandchildren’s baby blankets. One of her biggest inspirations was her beloved grandma and the possibility of connecting over a hobby. Since she also had a friend that was trying it out, Jackie decided to test it out herself.

 Her journey to crocheting, however, was not a perfect one. For example, her very first attempt at crocheting involved following a Youtube tutorial on how to make a stuffed dinosaur. Despite her efforts towards making this dinosaur, Jackie grew frustrated when her own did not match the one on the video. After several sessions in which she tried her best to recreate the dinosaur from the video, Jackie decided to put it away.

 When this occurred, she felt very discouraged and figured that it might not be her thing. Some months later, though, Jackie decided to give crocheting another try by finding a much simpler tutorial. The result of her decision was her first successful stuffed animal, which led to her realizing she wanted to make more! Although her first attempt was unsuccessful, the answer was clear: perseverance is key! 

Now, besides her story highlighting how important perseverance is, what other advice can we get from her experience? For starters, her story shows that an activity, like crocheting, can be much more than a hobby. In her words, the activity she partakes in can be a coping mechanism for many people. More than that, it can also be a way to find a positive community that has thrived, as a result of people dedicating themselves to an engaging hobby. Along with that, though, her success can also demonstrate how important building an online presence is when starting a business.  For one, having an Instagram page before making her Etsy account helped her gain a following. Additionally, the interaction that she gained from the people that followed her served as a motivation. From the fact that she just received her first custom order from a complete stranger, it is clear that her online presence has helped her immensely!

Check out her instagram or Etsy page for inquiries and orders!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecrochetedducky/

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheCrochetedDucky

Written by: Saraleim Mozqueda Saldana | A&E Editor

Graphic by: Liza Larrabee