Internet Explained: Social Media Trends and the Cultures they Create

By Conner Tighe / 3 days ago

Along with his friends at Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg developed a revolutionary way of communication; one that involved zero in-person interaction yet expressed everything anyone wanted to say for better or for worse. In 2004, Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook, or what it’s known today as, Facebook. Facebook went from an interactive way of communication to politics, memes, and a news outlet. Later, when Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, TikTok, etc., were founded, age groups flocked to certain platforms while abandoning others. There’s much to observe in findings and cultural influence where social media is for lack of a better term—the culprit.

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History Of: Drag

By Conner Tighe / 3 days ago

Although drag can be confidently claimed as an important outlet of gender discovery and understanding, it wasn’t always that way. 

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Q+A with Axel Flóvent

By Conner Tighe / 3 days ago

Singer-songwriter and Folk Iceland musician Axel Flóvent recently went on a journey of self-discovery while traveling in Europe. As a singer-songwriter, Flóvent writes and composes all his material. After growing up in a musical family, Flóvent sought identity and found inspiration from his life experiences and the environment he was living in. Flóvent says nothing else made sense to him except music, because he gave all his attention and care to it. He seeks to write as a conversation between himself and others. From a video call via Facebook Messenger, the artist agreed to discuss his life on tour, motivation, and the upcoming album You Stay by the Sea, which released on Jan. 15.

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Five Movies you might've missed in 2020

By Mason Kupiainen / January 15, 2021

There’s no need for any explanation as to why 2020 was disastrous for film fans. Despite the few great films that did come out — like Tenet, Wonder Woman 84, Soul, The Devil All the Time, and The Invisible Man — there weren’t many films that caused a lot of excitement. Plenty of indies and streaming services continued to release films, but many of the notable titles didn’t garner a lot of attention. Nonetheless, within this wasteland of a year, there were a few notable titles that didn’t receive the love that they should have. 

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Five Lesser-Known Facts about the CD and its Fall from Popularity

By Conner Tighe / January 15, 2021

1979 was a big year in the entertainment industry. Alien, Mad Max, The Amityville Horror, and more well-known films were released, but a bigger breakthrough was also released to the world: The CD. A thin, reflective disc became the most popular and sought-after avenue for playing the best music had to offer. Before the internet and after the beloved record player, CDs would take over the music industry only to begin their decline decades later. Although at one time CDs could be found anywhere music was sold, the music industry has evolved, leaving a barren wasteland of CDs in its wake.

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History Of: AJ Mitchell

By Conner Tighe / January 15, 2021

Talented at the age of four, AJ Mitchell grew up in Belleville, Illinois, where he learned his piano skills from his father, a pianist. At six years old, Mitchell wrote his first song and, in high school, he was a member of the choir group. He performed at local coffee shops and bars until finding fame in 2016 on social media. His debut single “Used to Be” was released in 2017, which Mitchell claims it’s his favorite song of his to perform.

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Top Young Adult Fiction Books of 2020

By Annie Bastian / January 15, 2021

As 2020 comes to an end, I realized that even though I have spent more time inside this year than just about any other person, I have yet to read a book. I then decided that my mission for the last month of the year was to read the top books of 2020. I originally planned to space out the reads throughout the month, but due to schedule changes I spent most of the week before Christmas completely immersed in books. I struggled to find a list of top books that I found to be both interesting and credible. I finally stumbled upon the Goodreads Choice Awards 2020. 

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Kingdom Hearts Games Ranked (Console Releases)

By Conner Tighe / January 6, 2021

Kingdom Hearts’ combat system, Disney references, and the overall plot remain unparalleled as one of the finest family-friendly titles and a title everyone should experience at least once in their life. As the series continued, it had its dips and rises but remained unyielding in its replay-ability. These are the titles that performed and underperformed.

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Why Stephen King is the Greatest Living Author

By Mason Kupiainen / January 6, 2021

Even if you’ve never picked up a book from one of the greatest writers ever, aka Stephen King, chances are you’ve either heard or seen one of the many films inspired by his work. Probably the most recognizable author living today, King has written 63 novels, 120 short stories, 20 novellas, and five non-fiction books. Movies and shows still are being made, with many more in the works, but what makes King’s work memorable and always on the radar of filmmakers? What about his work continues to draw in audiences? There are countless reasons, but here are a few major standouts. 

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Socially-Distanced Holiday Activities to do this Winter

By Kellyn Harrison / December 31, 2020

As we end this COVID-stricken year, many of us are still quarantining in our homes or are following social-distancing regulations and having to find safe alternatives to celebrate the holiday season. It has been especially difficult getting in the holiday spirit with the unusually warm weather, but listed below are some ways you can still feel festive while following CDC COVID-19 Guidelines. 

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16 Years of Magic with ‘The Polar Express’

By Conner Tighe / December 24, 2020

With the struggle to find Santa’s existence, the movie’s score, and an ending that continues to leave me in awe, The Polar Express continues to be the best Christmas movie for all ages. It is unrivaled by both live-action and animation Christmas movies alike.

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Artist of the Month: Female Punk Bands

By Lia Weisbecker-Lotz / December 23, 2020

Growing up, punk music always had a special place in my heart. It offered me a way to let out all of my built-up emotions and frustrations. Recently; however, I noticed that all the punk music I had been listening to growing up consisted of all-male bands. Which disappointed me, because I knew that there must be bands full of women who are also furious at the world and at how they’re treated. Women who also had an attitude and humor that was so commonly a part of punk. Here are some female bands I found that shared even more viewpoints on music, the world, and what punk really means to them.  

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Five movies that are better than the book

By Mason Kupiainen / December 23, 2020

It’s a commonly held belief that the book is better than the movie. Fans can get quite irate when a film adaptation leaves out some of their favorite moments from the novel, or the movie isn’t quite how they pictured it in their minds. Book lovers also become angry when a movie drifts too far away from the source material, sometimes becoming unrecognizable to the book on which the movie is based. However, there are some exceptions when a film adaptation surpasses the novel.

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Anakin Skywalker’s rise and fall is a story masterpiece

By Conner Tighe / December 23, 2020

Although Skywalker’s character was explored decades after the well-known Star Wars trilogy, he’s the most interesting in terms of character arc, the past that separates him from most Jedi, and his turn to the dark side. His dark past and lust for power make Skywalker the most influential and memorable character of the entire franchise.

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Top 10 Albums/EPs of 2020

By Conner Tighe / December 23, 2020

2020 has been one of the best years for music, with many artists coming out of this strenuous year’s woodworks. Some artists returned after leaving the spotlight for a bit, while others have dropped some of their best music out of nowhere. Although 2020 has had its share of mystery with the pandemic, the music industry has addressed issues worth discussing, such as love, masculinity, staying mindful, and saying what it means to have fun with music and friends.

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Your required watchlist for ‘Cyberpunk 2077’

By Blake Chapman / December 23, 2020

A world dominated by advanced technological progress/prowess, invasive corporations industrializing the planet to catastrophic levels, and millions of volumes of new information flooding the digital landscape every second. Sound familiar? I am talking about cyberpunk; a subgenre of science fiction exploring dystopian futures filled to the brim with neon billboards stretching into the stratosphere and cybernetic enhancements that make you more machine than man. With the launch of what might be an entire generation’s first foray into this style of storytelling, here are a few movies that will prepare you for the world of Cyberpunk 2077.

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Agree to Disagree: Apple Music vs. Spotify

By Arianna Sergio and Andrew Beckley / December 23, 2020

A constant debate is the dispute between which streaming service is better: Apple Music or Spotify? Apple die-hards stick to their guns and defend Apple Music to the ends of time, while Spotify users hold their ground and refute every claim that Apple Music lovers throw at their face. So, which streaming service is better?

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Warner Bros. Potentially Kills Theaters with HBO Max

By Mason Kupiainen / December 14, 2020

This year has been disastrous for film fans. There were countless incredibly huge blockbusters originally slated for this year including Dune, Black Widow, Eternals, A Quiet Place Part 2, and No Time to Die. There were also some interesting smaller titles such as The Green Knight, Willy’s Wonderland, and Spiral. In what felt like a blink of an eye, all these films and more were pulled from their schedules and tossed into 2021. The next 12 months were slated to be jam-packed with an abundance of films scheduled to roll out. However, Warner Bros. has completely changed the landscape and broken all the rules, doing the unthinkable with their latest announcement.

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The Curious Case of Abby Anderson

By Anthony Herring / December 14, 2020

When 'The Last of Us Part II' released on Jun. 19, its thrilling performances, pulse-pounding gameplay, and breathtaking visuals were all acclaimed. However, the same cannot be said for its narrative. Said narrative saw 19-year-old Ellie, one of the protagonists from 2013’s ‘The Last of Us’, go on the warpath in order to avenge the death of Joel, her father figure, and the other protagonist from the original game. The person responsible for Joel’s death was a young woman named Abigail “Abby” Anderson. In a shocking twist, players were made to control her for nearly half the game’s runtime. Such a tactic allowed for her perspective of the game’s storyline to be illustrated.

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History Of: Shawn Mendes

By Conner Tighe / December 6, 2020

Shawn Mendes’ cover of “As Long As You Love Me” brought his name into fame that would later lead to three studio albums with an incoming fourth album, Wonder, hitting shelves Friday, Dec. 4. The singer’s career has been crafted with bridges, scars, and love that only furthered his path to continue forward instead of turning back.