At Sangam, the essence of India truly comes alive on the plate. Its menu spans a wide range of authentic dishes with a special focus on the bold spice-laden cuisines of South India. The restaurant's warm and welcoming atmosphere makes it the perfect place for both first-time explorers of Indian food and anyone who grew up missing home-cooked curries and dosas.

We kicked things off with the Chicken 65, a fiery deep-fried appetizer that perfectly captures the thrill of South Indian street food. Each piece is crisp on the outside and tender within, coated in a crimson spice blend that pops with chili, curry leaves and garlic. The heat hits just right, balanced by a squeeze of lemon and a crunch of fried shallots - the kind of dish that disappears before you even realize it. It is the kind of appetizer that sets the tone for the rest of the meal, leaving you eager for more.

Next up was the Ghee Dosa and Chicken Chettinad, a duo that perfectly represents the richness of South Indian comfort food. The ghee dosa, a golden paper-thin crepe, arrived glistening and fragrant, its buttery aroma filling the table and drawing a few impressed looks from nearby diners. Crisp at the edges and soft in the center, it paired beautifully with tangy sambar and creamy lentil chutney, each bite hitting a balance of spice and texture that felt both nostalgic and new. Crisp at the edges and soft in the center, it paired beautifully with tangy sambar and creamy lentil chutney, each bite hitting a balance of spice and texture that felt both nostalgic and new.

The Chicken Chettinad, on the other hand, was a full-on spice symphony - smoky, peppery and aromatic with curry leaves and roasted masala. The chicken was tender, and the dark, complex sauce clung to each bite like velvet. Every spoonful packed flavor without overwhelming heat, giving the kind of depth that keeps you going back for just one more taste. With a side of basmati rice, it was the kind of dish that fosters a complex palate and lingers long after the last bite.

To finish, we dove into Sangam's Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani, a true showstopper. Long-grained basmati rice shimmered with saffron, layered over juicy chicken marinated in yogurt and a secret blend of Hyderabadi spices. The fragrance of cardamom, mint and fried onions made it hard to wait even a minute before digging in. Every spoonful was perfectly balanced, the tender chicken, the spiced rice and the cool raita tying it all together into pure comfort. It was hearty and fragrant, the kind of dish that makes you wish you could slow down time just to savor it longer.

By the end of the night, our table was quiet - the good kind of quiet that comes from satisfied appetites and happy company. Sangam delivered exactly what we had hoped for: a cozy Saturday escape full of warmth, spice and stories shared over food. Whether you are missing home, exploring new cuisines or simply looking for a meal that makes the weekend feel special, Sangam Indian Cuisine is worth the trip to Cockeysville.

Mahler Revsine, a third-year Computer Science (CS) doctoral student and a steward for Teachers and Researchers United (TRU-UE), the University's graduate worker union, shared his experience with budget cuts in the Computer Science Department in an interview with The News-Letter. Revsine also currently represents a student who was dismissed from the University due to the lack of backing by a formal principal investigator (PI) in a grievance hearing between TRU-UE and the University. Together, Revsine pieces the story of the CS department amid funding cuts.

Department as a Whole

In an email to The News-Letter, the University stated that the budget cuts have not inhibited the department's ability to offer academic programming and industry resources. Moreover, the number of PhD students has grown despite administrative changes cutting research opportunities.

"Despite the recent challenges posed by federal funding cuts, graduate opportunities in the Whiting School of Engineering are operating from a position of strength. The department continues to offer robust academic degree programs," a University spokesperson wrote. "Notably, CS PhD enrollment has grown from 216 students in 2024 to 224 in 2025, reflecting sustained student interest and the department's capacity to support advanced study."

Revsine confirmed that, according to a CS town hall meeting in September, the number of PhD students remains the same from the past academic year. However, Revsine added that, within the CS department, departmental events have been reduced and researchers are not traveling to conferences as much as before. PIs have to limit how much students can travel as they have a limit on how much they can spend per student on a conference travel.

"[The cost for conference travel] is so small that you can't do anything with it. I have some friends who were told that they could go to a conference [before 2025], but they had to go back on that once the new administration came in," Revsine said.

Alex's Story

Revsine transitioned into the details of the fourth-year CS doctoral student, who opted to remain anonymous for this article and use the pseudonym "Alex." In 2024, Alex's advisor left the University to pursue a different job, independent of any budget cuts or Alex's performance. Revsine highlighted the importance of a PI as a doctoral student, emphasizing the gravity of the PI's departure.

"When your PI leaves the university, you're kind of screwed, because, as PhD students, your PI is your lifeline. They're your boss. They're your source of funding. They do everything for you. When this happened, this student was left without a lab," Revsine stated.

Alex was involved in a study focusing on a niche, underserved area of CS, so they did not have many options for other labs to potentially join. However, Alex was also responsible for curating and assisting a course as a teaching assistant (TA) in this field of study. According to Revsine, Alex continued to work as a TA, overhauling the course with new technology and gaining a new passion for teaching, even enrolling in a course to prepare for University lecturing.

"Even though [Alex] didn't have a direct supervisor, they were able to work with a different professor, and they worked on a research project that was eventually published in some capacity at a conference, with their name on the paper," Revsine noted. "[...] All this to say, while their advisor left the school, they were instrumental in teaching and doing research at the University."

Revsine said that on April 30, Alex received a letter from the department saying Alex had four months to find a new advisor or they would be terminated from the program. Revsine emphasized the unfair action against Alex due to a lack of prior communication and access to alternative labs, driven by budget cuts to the department.

"Before this April 30 deadline, [Alex] didn't have any sort of communication from school saying that they had to find a new PI; there was no sort of official warning or anything like that. [...] [Alex] collaborated with a few different professors, but nobody had the funding or space in their lab to take [Alex]. And also, at the time, [Alex] wasn't feeling any pressure to find a new PI, because they hadn't officially been warned," Revsine stated.

In late July, Alex reached out to Revsine and a fellow steward to ask for TRU-UE's help, which led to the filing of a grievance stating that the University was putting unfairly large pressure on the student without appropriate help. On Sept. 8, the student was dismissed from the University due to an inability to find a new PI, and the grievance filing prompted a new hearing.

Revsine said that Alex reached out to many professors over the summer, even using the help of a University-appointed advisor, but their search was unsuccessful; all professors explained that they had no additional funding to take on another student, especially in the underserved area of Alex's concentration.

"Yeah, so I think, combined with what I know about all the budget cuts, I feel like this student basically was given an impossible deadline to meet, where there was just nobody that could have taken them on," Revsine added.

According to Revsine, while Alex did reach out to faculty members for help, they opted primarily for TRU-UE's support.

"I imagine that they felt sort of isolated. I mean, they didn't have a lab, which is like a common way that people have a support system, and our only communications really were with these people from the department who weren't very helpful," Revsine said.

Alex is currently in a nonpaid role and waiting for the grievance hearing results. Revsine said the department should step up to pay Alex due to their contribution to the university.

"[TRU-UE] has very clear language in our collective bargaining agreement that students are guaranteed five years of funding. And frankly, the only reason why this is an issue in the first place is because the department's being stingy and not paying for this student," Revsine asserted. "If there was a situation where you could pick whatever lab you wanted, the department would foot the bill if there was any sort of gap in funding."

The University holds a $13 billion endowment to assist in federal research funding cuts, which Revsine argues can assist Alex's case.

"If [the University] is serious about maintaining their status as one of the elite research universities of the world, they need to give back to the people that make that research possible. They'll say that they are out of money, because probably their higher ups told them they're out of money. Ultimately, they have a massive bank account. If academia is under attack, that is the exact time to dip into that bank account," Revsine stated.

In a statement to The News-Letter, the University mentioned new research support programs, including Pivot and Bridge Grants for researchers with canceled federal funds, to help affected workers. The University also offers editorial services through Editorial Assistance Services Initiative (EASI) for no additional charge. Further, PhD research completion grants are provided directly to students and postdoctoral researchers with terminated awards.

"[We] remain committed to supporting our students, researchers, and academic programs, even in a challenging financial climate," a University spokesperson stated.

However, Alex's case did not involve canceled federal funds; no available resources centered around a student without a PI or difficulties getting into research groups.

According to on background information, the University confirms that graduate program academic dismissals are not linked to budget cuts.

The construction is widely criticized by the Baltimore community, which is calling for transparency. For more than a year, residents have voiced concerns that construction will create problems for them both during and after construction, citing parking shortages, noise and loss of wildlife along Stony Run Creek, a Chesapeake Bay tributary. In a recent The News-Letter article, several Hopkins students agreed with such concerns and called on the University to listen to feedback from Baltimore residents.

Baltimore has launched an erosion control project using $10 million for the restoration of Stony Run, and residents are apprehensive that further development may jeopardize these ongoing initiatives. According to residents, the University has requested a waiver which absolves them from any responsibility to provide adequate stormwater management during and after construction. The ongoing flooding issues reported in the neighborhood further amplify concerns, highlighting the potential risks associated with stormwater runoff.

Hopkins already struggles with runoff management, as seen during the construction of the SNF Agora Institute, where repeated flooding and sediment overflow followed major storms. Community members worry that the DSAI, which will sit even closer to Stony Run Creek, will worsen these conditions and undermine years of environmental repair.

While Hopkins has promised improved infrastructure, such as a 500,000-gallon rainwater cistern, new high-capacity stormwater lines and soil-stabilizing landscaping, many residents remain skeptical given the University's past failures to uphold similar commitments during the Agora construction. The DSAI project underscores broader issues of environmental accountability and equity in Baltimore, raising questions about how institutions like Hopkins can be held responsible for mitigating harm to both the environment and the communities that border their expanding developments.

Hopkins is one of the largest tax-exempt property owners in Baltimore. Consequently, what the University chooses to build, and where, has immense power to shape local resident life. Yet, it is unclear how much consideration Hopkins places on the feedback of the residents regarding DSAI. Although research into the constantly growing frontier of AI is important and solidifies the University's position as a top research institution, it should not be at the cost of the welfare and security of local residents. Building DSAI without extensive community feedback or engagement undermines the University's mission of "[aligning] with the communities that [its] technologies are intended to serve."

These large-scale construction projects may create jobs and benefit local businesses; however, the immense financial role that Hopkins holds implies an obligation to meaningfully serve its neighbors and greater community. Currently, it is difficult to measure the positive impacts of these projects on the community while the negative ramifications have been abundantly clear.

The University should not make decisions solely based on its own interests, especially when its activities directly interfere with the lives of Baltimore residents.

Ultimately, this is an issue that has existed for as long as the phrase "the Hopkins bubble," which refers to the University's perceived distance from its surrounding community. The construction of DSAI only widens the gap between the University and the surrounding communities of Baltimore.

This is not to say that the University is not a helpful actor in the city. While we commend the University for recently increasing its investments in the city and AI research, Hopkins will be much less successful in building a positive legacy surrounding DSAI if the surrounding residents are disregarded and its negative effects are left unacknowledged.

Even if Hopkins has new - albeit unclear - plans to improve upon the shortcomings observed in how it has conducted past construction projects, its current efforts are not enough to recover the trust between the Baltimore community and the University. DSAI presents an opportunity to rebuild this relationship. Hopkins should not only consider what the surrounding communities are feeling about its massive-scale construction projects, but also actually deliver on its promises.

At the age of 71, Krasznahorkai has become only the second Hungarian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, succeeding Holocaust survivor Imre Kertész's 2002 win for his powerful exploration of historical tragedy. The statistic seems almost a shame for a country with so rich a literary history, resplendent with exceptional writers such as Magda Szabó (whose novel The Door unravels a complex codependency between two women) or Ferenc Molnár (whose The Paul Street Boys remains perhaps the most twisted portrayal of a fight between schoolboys).

Nevertheless, Krasznahorkai's recognition offers a bigger platform to one of the most deservedly famed writers in the Hungarian language, dubbed by no less than Susan Sontag as the "contemporary master of the Apocalypse." It also marks the fourth consecutive year the Nobel has been awarded to a writer predominantly working in a non-English language. The news bears good tidings for the prize's linguistic diversity, though its geographic diversity remains questionable.

Krasznahorkai's works have inspired comparisons to authors ranging from Franz Kafka to W.G. Sebald, though he has made mention of his desire "to be free to stray far from [his] literary ancestors and not make some new version of Kafka, Dostoyevsky or Faulkner." Certainly, he has curated his own visionary voice in works such as The Melancholy of Resistance, where a town embarks on a disturbing and surreal descent into madness after the arrival of a traveling circus exhibiting a whale carcass.

The novel captures the essence of spiraling social order with Krasznahorkai's signature winding writing style - a style perhaps best exemplified by his novel Herscht 07769, made up of only a single sentence stretched across hundreds of pages by commas and delirium. The judges of the 2015 Man Booker International Prize put it best when they acclaimed Krasznahorkai for his "extraordinary sentences, sentences of incredible length that go to incredible lengths, their tone switching from solemn to madcap to quizzical to desolate as they go their wayward way."

The writer's idiosyncrasies emerge as consistent themes throughout his body of work - for anyone looking to steep themselves in an atmosphere of bleak and oblique collapse tinged with the driest of humor, you can't go wrong with one of his books.

His consistent exploration of human greed seems shared with other Hungarian literary staples, augmented by the social critique embedded in each of his apocalypses. His novels brim with his potent voice, expressing insights into human nature in a manner at once intensely dark and darkly funny.

"Because you don't talk," exclaims a man at the end of his rope in The Melancholy of Resistance, "you 'whisper' or 'expostulate'; you don't walk down the street but 'proceed feverishly'; you don't enter a place but 'cross its threshold,' you don't feel cold or hot, but 'find yourselves shivering' or 'feeling the sweat pour down you!'"

It is almost impossible to speak of the writer without addressing his immense contributions to the movies of the famed Hungarian director Béla Tarr - a match practically made in heaven with Tarr's signature torturous pace and evocatively melancholic atmosphere perfectly complementing Krasznahorkai's own grueling but compelling writing style.

The 7-hour long Sátántangó, adapted from and best enjoyed in conjunction with Krasznahorkai's debut novel of the same name, is perhaps the most pivotal example, crafting a nightmarish and hypnotic vision of hell from the tribulations of a small village. Mention must also be made of Krasznahorkai's contributions as a screenwriter for The Turin Horse, a film bearing his classic touch of that all-consuming degradation in the smallest of contexts in the life of a farmer.

Some might question the message the Nobel committee sends by lauding such an unrelenting and cynical oeuvre. In my eyes, Krasznahorkai's virtue mainly stems from his singular conception of a dystopia - not one inspired by new fantastic creations like in so many classic works of science fiction or one caused by cataclysmic globe-shaking disaster, but many smaller apocalypses emerging from the tenuous threads that hold people together.

His words carry a timeless relevance that makes them appear almost eerily prescient in their commentary on the fragility of social order. Krasznahorkai sweeps up his readers into a feverish whirlpool of despair and spits them out with the kind of catharsis that can only come from complete submersion.

As such, The News-Letter has continued to examine how the addition of the Student Center has influenced student life, campus culture and the overall sense of community at Hopkins.

The grand opening celebration

The grand opening celebration of the Student Center took place on Oct. 16, with donors filling the Student Center to celebrate its completion. The event opened with a short performance and skit from the Hopkins Pep Band, Peabody musicians and Hopkins students, followed by opening remarks from President Ronald J. Daniels. Daniels outlined the history of the Student Center, beginning with its original conception in 1884.

In the official press release for the opening of the Student Center, the University described the building as a cornerstone for student engagement and collaboration.

"The new facility will serve as a new hub for campus life, connecting members of the Hopkins community to one another from across different campuses, backgrounds, interested [and academic] pursuits," the University wrote. "Designed to emphasize openness, the Student Center's rooms and event facilities are flexible and shared by all, with no permanently assigned spaces."

A short speech by Michael Bloomberg followed Daniels' opening, highlighting the University's contributions to democracy and public health. He also reflected on his long-standing relationship with Hopkins and the importance of giving back to the institution that shaped his career.

"[When] I graduated, I sent the University a check for five dollars. It wasn't much, but the dollar amount didn't matter. The most important thing is that I recognized that I owed something [to Hopkins] and I would owe it for the rest of my life," he said. "I've been fortunate enough to help students attend Hopkins, regardless of their family income."

Following the ceremony and remarks from University leaders, attention shifted to how students have been engaging with the newly opened facilities.

One student, senior Tanti Felli, was tasked with presenting at the grand opening on behalf of the Office of Leadership Engagement and Experiential Development (LEED). He shared his perspective on the importance of student leadership and representation within the athletic community in an interview with The News-Letter.

"We're here trying to show the Student Life Committee how important leadership is, not only for the athletic community, but for Hopkins as a whole," he said. "I'll be presenting with two other athletes. I feel like our involvement with the leadership space in the athletic community has been pretty prominent, so I feel like that's why we're invited."

Atmosphere

The News-Letter conducted a survey measuring student response to the Student Center after the opening of the dining options to gauge changes in community attitude. Overall, students rated the atmosphere of the Student Center an average of 7.67 on a scale of one to 10, 0.67 higher than the rating of the atmosphere before the dining options opened.

Similarly, students rated their ability to socialize and connect with others in the Student Center an average of 7.13 on a scale of one to 10, 1.57 higher than the rating before dining options opened. Together, these scores indicate that the addition of dining spaces has enhanced the social environment of the Student Center but did little to change its overall atmosphere.

These results suggest that while students appreciate the new dining options for their ability to bring people together, the ambiance and functionality of the Student Center remain largely consistent with previous perceptions.

Senior Grace Aboagye reflected on this shift, sharing her observations in an interview with The News-Letter.

"People [have] become more social as they go downstairs, because they have to use the mobile app to order," she said. "So they order, and while they're waiting around for their order, that gives them a chance to converse, to talk. I've seen that a lot in recent weeks."

Moreover, she noted that the dining additions have made the space feel more dynamic and community-oriented, giving students a reason to linger and interact beyond academic or club-related activities.

"It's a cool space," Aboagye said. "I feel like maybe I expected something a little different, considering how long it took to make it, I feel like there might have been a chance for more fun spaces, but I think that what they do have is pretty cool."

Likewise, sophomore Suryan Plenz mirrored this response in an email to The News-Letter. He explained that the introduction of dining options has transformed the Student Center into a more inviting and social environment.

"It's so much more lively than before. One way [that] everyone bonds is through food. Before, the Stuce was just some big building with places to study, now it has a small food court," he wrote. "I've been going to the Stuce a lot more. Lowkey every day now."

Quality of dining options

As students begin to utilize the Student Center in different ways, survey data reveal varying levels of engagement with its dining options.

The News-Letter's survey found that 36.7% of students never indulge in the food options at the Student Center, 60% reported eating there one to three days a week and only 3.3% of students partook in dining 4-6 days a week. This suggests that while the Student Center has generated interest, regular use remains limited among much of the student body.

Generally, students found that the quality of food was satisfactory, though not exceptional. Many students noted that while the new options added variety, the taste and portion sizes could be improved.

The survey found that students rated the food quality an average of 6.9 on a scale of one to 10. This statistic was generally even, with 36.6% of students rating the quality between one and six, while 63.3% of students rated the quality between seven and 10.

In an interview with The News-Letter, senior Biomedical Engineering major Taliyah Huang shared her experience trying one of the new menu items.

"I've tried the burger, and I was recommended it by my friend because he said that it was really worth the value - it was only 10 bucks or something, and it had plenty of food - so I decided to try [it] as well, and I was pretty satisfied with how it turned out," Huang said. "[The Student Center] smells like food now. Other than that, I wouldn't say a lot of people have been using the food options too much, so there hasn't been that big of a difference in my opinion."

While some students like Huang appreciated the convenience and taste of the food options, others found the pricing to be a significant drawback.

Pricing of food

The topic of affordability was a recurring theme among survey responses. 80% of students reported that the pricing of the options was expensive, while 20% said the pricing was fair or affordable. This sentiment reflected broader concerns about accessibility and meal budgeting among students.

"The food price for a rice bowl is 12-14 dollars, yet the portion size is very small. I have only had food 1/2 times after the dining opened because it is expensive in the long run. We are students at the end of the day," one anonymous responder wrote. "Whether we use dining dollars, J-Cash or a card, eating almost $15-20 worth of meals every day is not feasible."

Additionally, students also pointed out the limited value and flexibility of meal options, noting that the overall pricing structure makes it difficult to enjoy a complete dining experience.

"Some meals are a little expensive, making it difficult to get the full meal typically offered at cafeterias (entrée + drink, side, dessert, etc.)," another responded. "For those who typically only eat the entrée, this setup ends up working out fine, but it can get expensive if one wants to have all of the options seen at other cafeterias."

Accessibility to dietary needs

While pricing emerged as a major concern, many students emphasized that affordability is not the only barrier to dining at the Student Center. For example, accessibility for students with specific dietary needs also plays a significant role.

In an interview with The News-Letter, freshman Dhruva Lahoti discussed how his dietary restrictions affect his ability to enjoy the dining options.

"I went one time, and I'm vegetarian, so... all I've heard is that the chicken and waffles are pretty good. [...] But, when I got one thing, the portion size was kind of small," he said. "They have a lot more options. As a freshman, I don't have as many dining dollars [...] so I wouldn't be able to eat [there] consistently."

Lahoti's concerns about dietary inclusivity were also echoed by several students, many of whom emphasized that while the addition of dining options has diversified the food scene on campus, it has not necessarily expanded accessibility for students with specific dietary needs. Several respondents noted that vegetarian, vegan, halal and allergy-friendly options remained limited or inconsistently available across vendors.

One anonymous responder raised concerns about the lack of halal-friendly options, underscoring how this issue can alienate students who follow specific dietary practices.

"The dining options are currently limited to just one halal choice. Aside from Koshary, I can't consume anything else, which is quite disappointing. There should ideally be at least one or two more halal options available," they wrote. "Places like Urban Kitchen or Connie's could easily incorporate halal chicken into their menus, as it costs the same as regular chicken. Johns Hopkins should have taken the initiative to talk to them about this."

The responder then went on to emphasize the cultural and ethical importance of these dietary considerations.

"Moreover, halal chicken is often considered better for the body. We care about animals and want to minimize their suffering, and saying a prayer for them is a meaningful gesture," they wrote. "Several research articles support this, and given that Johns Hopkins University is a leading research institution, it should consider these factors."

Likewise, another respondent cited challenges related to food allergies and the mobile ordering system.

"I have a gluten allergy so I can't eat much there. The Koshary place has a great tasting bowl but there isn't a place to leave notes when you order so I can't leave a warning that I need to avoid cross-contamination," they wrote. "Also, for example, I ordered the protein bowl one time and it apparently has dressing on it, but I don't like dressing... There needs to be a place to leave notes/comments on the mobile ordering app for reasons like those."

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

At the climax of Rise of Skywalker, the ninth and final episode of the Star Wars saga, a showdown against Palpatine and his army on Exegol takes place, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) and the newly reformed Ben Solo (Adam Driver), also known as Kylo Ren, working together to take him down. Ben is mortally wounded, and Rey dies after killing Palpatine by deflecting his lightning bolts with the lightsabers of Luke and Leia. Ben sacrifices himself in order to transfer his life force to revive her while the rest of the Rebels succeed in destroying Palpatine's forces, and throughout the galaxy, people stand up to the First Order. Finally, the grand nine-movie adventure ends with Rey taking up the name of "Skywalker," and hope is restored for a brighter future.

Do. Or do not. There is no try.

But was this truly the end of Ben Solo? In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Adam Driver revealed that he had developed a concept for a film that would take place after The Rise of Skywalker and complete his character's redemption arc, given that he originally joined the franchise with the idea that Kylo Ren's journey would be the opposite of that undertaken by Anakin Skywalker, also known as Darth Vader, in the earlier episodes. He took this idea to director Steven Soderbergh (known for Ocean's Eleven, Erin Brockovich and Logan Lucky), who outlined a story with his screenwriter wife Rebecca Blunt that they pitched to the heads of Lucasfilm. It piqued the company's interest, and it brought in screenwriter Scott Z. Burns (known for The Report and Contagion) to write a full-fledged screenplay. Driver recalled that it was "one of the coolest... scripts [he] had ever been a part of."

From there, production costs were considered and intentionally planned to be modest, harkening back to the style of the original trilogy. Then, the script was presented to Disney for a green light, but CEO Bob Iger and Co-Chairman Alan Bergman dismissed it. According to Driver, their reasoning was that they couldn't see how Ben Solo could still be alive. This final decision has allowed the project to be discussed publicly after being developed in secret for the last two years.

Never tell me the odds

In recent posts on Bluesky, Soderbergh said that a conversation with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy revealed that this was the first time Disney had rejected a finished Lucasfilm screenplay for a green light. In a statement to the Associated Press, he noted that he "really enjoyed making the movie in [his] head" and he's "just sorry the fans won't get to see it." The feeling seems to be mutual, as the recent news has sent the fandom spiraling.

On Oct. 23, a plane flying the banner "SAVE #THEHUNTFORBENSOLO" flew over the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. Collider interviewed the fan who commissioned it, who said they hoped the banner would show Disney how loved the character is and how much fans want this story to unfold. On Oct. 25, a billboard in Times Square displayed the message "For Adam. No one's ever really gone. Hope lives. Ben is alive! #THBS" above the popular tourist attraction Carlo's Bake Shop every twenty eight minutes throughout the day. Collider spoke to the fan who purchased the billboard, who had the same sentiments in mind. They described their intent to show Disney the will of the fans, adding that if Palpatine could return, so could Ben. They also spoke of how the existence of the script has united the fanbase, as they feel they are fighting for a story that already exists and wants to be told.

I have a bad feeling about this

Given the extent of Disney's Star Wars catalogue since the end of the third trilogy, it's puzzling to understand the reasoning behind its decision. From the internet fervor over Baby Yoda of The Mandalorian to prequel shows about characters ranging from Ahsoka to Boba Fett, as well as the upcoming Starfighter film, directed by Shawn Levy, starring Ryan Gosling and featuring Daisy Ridley returning as Rey, there seems to be no limit to Disney's wallet or imagination.

Nevertheless, the recent fan outrage seems to point toward a blunder on Disney's part. As a Star Wars fan myself, I believe this movie could have provided more depth to the character by exploring his background and how he would find himself in a new world without the First Order/Empire. It could have seen him reconcile with the other members of this third trilogy crew, atone for his deeds as a member of the Sith and perhaps even interact with other members of the dark side still holding on to what is lost. Could Disney be swayed by the fans to revive the project?

Students reported feeling unsafe on campus in light of the event. In an email to The News-Letter, sophomore Reshmita Nayudu explained her new safety concerns.

"I think it's incredibly frightening as a woman on campus because my safety is no longer guaranteed," Nayudu commented. "How can parents feel comfortable sending their kids here if their safety isn't a given on campus?"

Collectively, the Sexual Assault Resource Unit (SARU) members described the event's repercussions in an email to The News-Letter, raising concerns that the University has not taken sexual assault incidents similar to Saturday's attempt seriously.

"Students have been worried aboutcrime outside campusgrounds, but very near campus/off-campus housing. Since the summer, there have been increased reports of groping/inappropriate touching that have causedstudents to feel unsafe. Our members say they are not surprised this happened and are curious why other sexual assault related incidents haven't been taken as seriously by the University," a SARU spokesperson wrote.

On Sunday, Oct. 19 JHPD Chief Branville G. Bard emailed the University community with updates of the case. According to Bard, the University provided security footage to the BPD after all three departments responded to the Blue Light alert at the time of the attack. The BPD shared an image from surveillance footage of the person of interest.

Since the case, Bard said there will be increased patrols on campus overnight, including greater presence from Public Safety, the JHPD, the BPD and Allied Universal officers. Students have been advised to contact Public Safety any time they feel unsafe.

SARU, however, expressed uncertainty about the safety brought by security, specifically Allied Universal officers. According to SARU members, students have observed the officers acting negligently to student danger and unprofessionally in their role.

"At our meeting, there were many first and second-hand reports of students being catcalled by Allied Universal(yellow-vested security officers)" a SARU spokesperson wrote."Students also report seeing them smoking/vaping on shift, as well as having two earbuds/headphones in and being on the phone, instead of being a watchful/safe/protective presence. It feels as if Hopkins is taking action just to take action, without consideration if it is helpful action or not."

On Wednesday, Oct. 22 BPD and JHPD officials hosted a press briefing on the Beach, announcing that the BPD arrested Raymond Willis Lunn on Tuesday in connection with the incident, with assistance from the JHPD and an anonymous tip. According to BPD Col. John Herzog, Lunn is a repeat violent offender and a registered sex offender who currently faces charges of assault and attempted rape.

"Lunn, a registered sex offender, has an extensive criminal history in the neighboring jurisdiction, including prior convictions for attempted rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, assault, burglary, auto theft, violation of probation and more. He's a repeat violent offender, who has served multiple prison sentences," Herzog stated. "Investigators continue to review any potential sexual assaults in the area to determine if there may be any connections to Lunn."

Herzog added that the BPD is still investigating whether Lunn had been on the Homewood Campus previously. When asked about the tip received by the BPD, Herzog said the contents must remain confidential for the investigation, but that the tip led officials directly to Lunn.

Bard concluded the briefing by emphasizing a main goal of his unit: addressing any crimes that occur on campus.

"I want to emphasize that we'll continue to use every available resource at our disposal to deal with anyone who intends to commit a crime on or near our campus," Bard said. "The safety of our community is paramount."

In the future, SARU recommended the University to brighten campus grounds at night to increase safety precautions.

"All of the quads are dark at night, and making them brighter would increase safety. Especially with non-affiliatesaround (like construction workers) on campus due to construction or other events, seeing dark figures and not being able to identify them due to dark conditions makes students uneasy," they wrote.

SARU also highlighted the importance of recognizing sexual assault and supporting sexual violence victims outside of media coverage and public recognition.

"This particular sexual assault was violent, public, and by a non-affiliate, which created a big response from the community and University. Sexual assault occurs on our campus, even when it is not publicized, and affects many students."

SARU is an organization promoting the Sexual Assault Resource Connectors, who are peer supporters trained in trauma-informed response and resource navigation for sexual violence victims.

In all community emails, Public Safety and the JHPD promote University resources for mental health and sexual assault crises. These include, but are not limited to, evening security escorts, the LiveSafe app to communicate with Public Safety officers, crime prevention tips, confidential sexual violence support (including the 24-hour Sexual Assault Help Line at (410) 516-7333), the Office of Institutional Equity's online report form and the Employee Assistance Program. In the event of an emergency, Public Safety advises students to call 911. For non-emergencies, students can reach Public Safety at (677) 208-1200.

As the boundaries of art continue to blur, the question of what marks art 'good' or 'bad' has become increasingly complex. These distinctions matter not just for critics or artists, but for anyone seeking to understand how creative expression shapes human thought and culture. However, before we can evaluate the quality of art, we must first ask a more fundamental question: What is art in the first place?

In order to define the idea of what is considered to be 'good' art versus 'bad' art, we must first define 'art.' In itself, art is the product of creation, mental and physical.

According to Immanuel Kant in Critique of the Power Judgment, art is defined as "a kind of representation that is purposive in itself and, though without an end, nevertheless promotes the cultivation of the mental powers for sociable communication." If we characterize art as a tool of representation, we can argue that its value lies not in what it is, but in what it does.

Additionally, Leo Tolstoy defines art in What is Art in the thesis: "To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, [...] so to transmit that feeling that others may experience the same feeling - this is the activity of art." In Tolstoy's perspective, art functions as a communicative bridge in which emotion is transferred from one consciousness to another. Therefore, the success of art depends on whether that emotional or intellectual experience is effectively shared.

Further, Albert Camus in The Myth of Sisyphus (specifically his chapter on "Absurd Creation") defines art's purpose as only to describe human experience, and not explain, and that an artist may only create a world that mimics our own: Art is a product of the absurd, defined as the conflict between humanity's innate search for meaning or purpose and the universe's indifference to such. As such, I argue that art is defined as a tool for communication, which then establishes that what qualifies as 'good" art is its efficacy in transmission.

Novice art

Having established that art's value lies in its capacity to communicate intention, we can now examine how this framework applies to varying degrees of artistic ability. 'Novice' art can be defined as art that is created with limited technical skill or experience (coming from an artist who lacks experience). The reason why the majority of 'novice' art is considered to be 'bad' art is that the usual purpose of novice art is to be aesthetically pleasing.

Take, for example, an image of a girl by a body of water, but the anatomy of the girl is incorrect, and the body of water does not obey the rules of physics. In itself, this piece would lean closer to the idea of 'bad' art, as the novice artist clearly demonstrates an engagement with nature and craft. By this, we mean that the artist shows an awareness of form and environmental context by their attempt to replicate a recognizable human figure within a natural setting. The failure, however, lies not in the artist's attempt itself but in the piece's inability to communicate a coherent message to the viewer.

Because the visual elements contradict reality without a discernible purpose, the work does not convey a feeling, idea or narrative that can be received by an audience. In this sense, the piece exemplifies an 'absurd' form of creation: It exists and is technically informed, but its intention to communicate is lost amid inaccuracy.

Child art

While novice art often fails through overreliance on form and technical ambition, the child artist represents the opposite extreme: art created with pure intention. A child's art intends to communicate an experience or feeling. In this case, a child's art may be considered 'good' art based on its intention, as it succeeds in expressing emotion without needing to use mediation or artifice. The child may not aim to replicate reality with utmost precision but rather aims to render the world as they perceive it. Through this lens, what distinguishes a child's 'good' art from 'bad' novice art is not the level of skill, but its honesty in communication.

However, child art may still be considered as objectively 'bad' by a subtle distinction. While child art communicates effectively at an emotional level, it may lack the refinement, universality and complexity that allows a broader audience to fully grasp its message. While the child's sincerity grants the work authenticity, the success of communication still comes from their inherent intention of conveying the message.

If the child's creation lacks a discernible message, then it fails to fulfill the function of art as a vessel for meaning. In such cases, the piece may remain as a product of expression but not of communication. This highlights an important limitation: Effective communication is not only about intention but also how it interfaces with an audience.

Contemporary art

As we have examined how both intention and communication operate in novice and child art, we can extend this framework to modern and conceptual forms, where intention itself becomes the subject of the work. Take, for example, the contemporary art piece "Comedian" by Maurizio Cattelan. As a simple banana taped to the wall, many have criticized the piece as uninspired and an overall 'bad' piece of art.

Nevertheless, I argue that if we apply the established concept of 'good' and 'bad' art, the piece may fall into either category. If the piece intends to convey a sense of absurdism (as a reflection of the meaningless repetition of both life and the art world), I would argue that the piece is 'good' art, as it succeeds. This is because the medium itself reinforces the message. By taping a banana to the wall, Cattelan reduces the artwork to a familiar object that forces viewers to confront the arbitrariness of artistic value and the absurdity inherent in the art market. The humor and surprise generated by the piece communicate its intended reflection on absurdity. However, if the piece's intention were to evoke sadness or intimacy, it would fail in that communication and be 'bad,' as its chosen form is incapable of conveying those specific sentiments. The success of the piece depends entirely on the alignment between intention and reception.

Yet, the events surrounding "Comedian" complicate this distinction. When performance artist David Datuna removed the banana and ate it, he transformed the piece into a new act of absurdism. By consuming the piece, Datuna revealed the instability of meaning in contemporary art. The controversy that followed thus became part of the piece itself. In this way, "Comedian" succeeds both through its subject and the discourse it generates. If art's purpose is communication, then its intention and ability to provoke thought secures its place as 'good' art.

Art with no purpose

The argument that art with no purpose cannot be critiqued as 'good' or 'bad' art is ineffective. If there is art created that has 'no purpose,' then the purpose of the created art is to have 'no purpose.' The critic must then ask: How effective is the art in conveying a sense of no purpose? Therefore, even art with the intention of having no purpose can be criticized by our categories.

Let us consider the idea of nature as art. Nature cannot be art per our definition, as it lacks origins of conscious intention. While nature may invoke beauty or meaning, these qualities are derived from human interpretation rather than from any communicative purpose within nature itself. A sunset may inspire awe, but it is not created with the aim of conveying a message or emotion. Thus, while nature can resemble art and serve as its subject, it cannot itself be considered art. The distinction lies in purpose: Art is the product of deliberate expression, while nature simply is.

This argument can be extended further into the metaphysical. If one believes in the creation of nature by God, then there is an inherent form of intention in the creation of nature, which would make it art. Within this framework, nature becomes an expression of divine will, communicating not through human intention but through the deliberate act of creation itself. This reinforces that art is defined by its capacity to convey intention.

The argument of subjectivity

The idea that good art is subjective must be separated from the concept of objective art. Judging 'good' art based on individual perception assumes that art's communicative success is relative to the observer's capacity to interpret it. However, if we define 'good' art as that which effectively communicates its intended message or emotion, then there exists an objective criterion by which to evaluate it: the coherence between the artist's intention and the viewer's reception.

The subjectivity of taste, such as a viewer's preference for color, form and style, does not invalidate the objectivity of communicative efficacy. An artwork can be personally disliked and yet objectively successful in expressing its intended concept. This communicative success can be assessed by considering whether the intended message is accurately transmitted to the audience. Indicators might include critical reviews that identify the artist's intended meaning or scholarly analysis that traces how the work's elements convey specific ideas.

Conclusion

By defining art as a substance whose essence lies in communication, we create a framework through which 'good' and 'bad' art can be evaluated beyond aesthetic preference. Kant's conception of art as purposive representation establishes that art exists for the sake of expression. Tolstoy extends this by grounding art in emotional transmission and Camus' notion of absurd creation furthers this understanding, situating art as a mirror of experience.

Together, these views reveal that the defining feature of art is not its beauty or realism, but its capacity to effectively communicate intention. The question of what makes art 'good' or 'bad' is not one that concerns personal taste, but of coherent communication.

Kaylee Nguyen is a sophomore from Pensacola, Fla. majoring in Medicine, Science and the Humanities and Writing Seminars. She is a News & Features Editor for The News-Letter.

"Each of our guests approaches their work differently, and together they show that impact can come from many directions, whether that's research, grassroots organizing, or community care," they explained.

Willow Goode, a civic life specialist at the CSC, began the event by directing attendees' attention to cards on the tables. Each card had a list of constructive dialogue principles. The principles included letting go of winning, getting curious, sharing stories, navigating conflict with purpose and finding what is shared. Goode asked everyone if any of the principles resonated with them.

Jasmine L. Blanks Jones, the executive director of the CSC, found the first principle applicable to a world dominated by opinionated media. She explained that the emphasis on emotionally driven opinion in social media and on news channels has prevented people from having conversations based on facts. She believes that a lot of discourse has become about convincing people to believe what you think.

Ben Belz, the associate director of civic learning at the CSC, shared that the principle about navigating conflict with purpose resonated with him on a professional and personal level.

"It's applicable in all areas of life; relationships, parenting - eveything I do," he said. "Sometimes the purpose is just to have a conversation, not necessarily to convince someone."

Goode then asked each of the guest speakers to introduce themselves and talk about their work.

Hahrie Han introduced herself as a professor of political science and the director of the SNF Agora Institute. Han explained that the Agora Institute is modeled after the ancient Agora marketplace, a place of gathering and discussion.

"One of the challenges with the communities we live in, is that a lot of the Agora-like spaces have been hollowed out or emancipated," said Han. "Part of the work that we do is trying to figure out how to recreate the principles of those spaces."

Han then explained that her work involves research on social movements. She partners with organizations to study what makes a movement most effective. She has worked with tenant organizers, interfaith organizations and immigrant life groups.

Han also spoke about the misconception that social upheavals are fast-paced and coincidental. She explained that this thinking, influenced by the media, neglects the creative and strategic work done by organizers.

Part of Han's work involves figuring out how community organizations can be structured so that everyone can help facilitate positive change.

"If ten people show up, but they feel like they're pawns in a game, that's not the same as ten people who show up and feel like they have their hands on the levers of change," she said.

Erricka Bridgeford then introduced herself and her work. Bridgeford used to say she did anti-violence work, but now, in an effort to decenter violence, she describes it as work toward peace.

"Violence is not promised. However, each and every human on the planet has peace somewhere inside of them," she said. "People just need opportunities to have their peace nurtured and supported."

The Baltimore Peace Movement, formerly Baltimore Ceasefire, was created in 2017 as a reaction to the amount of violence in Baltimore. The year it was created, Bridgeford had an idea for a peace challenge, one weekend, 72 hours, of intentional peace.

The peace challenge now happens four times a year. The Baltimore Peace Movement provides a calendar with dozens of events that happen from Friday to Sunday. Members of the Baltimore community can suggest and organize events.

"Violence is a language, and if you're going to say, don't use that language, you have to replace it with something," Bridgeford explained. "So we said, let's replace it with joy."

Bridgeford has found that violence is reduced up to 53% during those weekends.

Bridgeford also works in community mediation, which comes out of the peace movement. She acknowledges that there will always be conflict in communities, but there doesn't need to be violence. Mediation is another way to address that.

The Baltimore Community Mediation Center provides free, confidential mediation services in the communities where conflict happens. The Mediation Center provides mediation training for free, and in return, trained mediators provide their services for free. Bridgeford also fought for a Maryland law that protects the confidentiality of mediation conversations so that people can be completely comfortable during their discussions.

Bridgeford explained that patriarchal guidelines often inhibit people's ability to properly communicate. She said that by disallowing people to raise their voices, interrupt each other or use vulgar language, authentic expression is suppressed. Comfort is a priority during mediation, so those guidelines are not enforced.

Another way in which Bridgeford aims to make conversations as productive as possible is by ensuring that the mediators reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.

"We work hard to recruit people from all walks of life - ages, gender expressions, educational backgrounds," she said. "When people show up at mediation, they need to see mediators that look like them in some kind of way."

Marci Yankelov then introduced herself and asked the attendees what they had for breakfast. She explained that she thinks it is important that people think about the things they take for granted, because there are many people who go throughout their day without eating out of necessity. That is what motivates her work.

Yankelov explained that there are barriers that limit the reach of food pantries. Sometimes they are closed when people get out of work, or they are not accessible because of a person's disability. Community fridges are different from food pantries because they give people the freedom to take what they need when they need it.

Additionally, many community fridges depend on small efforts of the community, in addition to leadership's organizing. Yankelov said that people leave leftovers from their dinner and canned goods from a food pantry that they don't want. Others save food from restaurants and grocery stores that would have been wasted.

"It is really the community itself that supports the refrigerator," she said.

Yankelov uses her own job to help the community fridge network.

"I'm a full time real estate agent. I work with a lot of investors," Yankelov explained. "When they buy a house, they always take out appliances. So I get them to donate the refrigerators."

Eight months ago, there were two community fridges in Baltimore. Now there are more than 20. Yankelov believes that part of the network's success comes from everyone's ability to set aside their feelings about politics. The organization does not tolerate polarizing discussions that blames people or groups.

"All we talk about is the hunger," she said.

After the guest introductions there was a break for dinner. The event was catered by Lote 787, a woman run and owned Puerto Rican catering business - one of the only ones in Baltimore.

Following dinner, attendees broke into three groups, each table with one of the guest speakers.

Julie Rivera, the assistant director of student leadership at the CSC, spoke about her earlier experience as a student at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She explained that because Hopkins was founded as a research institute, social activism looks different. The role of the CSC is to help facilitate activism in a way that is compatible with the interests and capabilities of students.

"We hope to help students find what they like about Baltimore and then capitalize on that," she said.

A sophomore spoke about the Hopkins Applied Physics Lab's (APL) recruitment of undergraduate engineering students. While a position working for the lab would provide job stability, some students find that the APL's connection to weapons production is an ethical disadvantage of working with the lab.

The event concluded with a conversation about the future of social movements. In a virtual interview with The News-Letter, organizers explained ways that students can get involved.

"The work we do at the CSC is more important than ever," they explained. "We'd encourage students to start by checking out Hopkins Groups to see all the amazing student organizations we advise through the Center for Social Concern…you can also check out Hopkins Engage to learn about volunteer opportunities in Baltimore City."

In an interview with The News-Letter, sophomore Angelina Dong recounted her experiences as a Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellow at the Hoke lab under Dr. Ahmet Hoke at the Hopkins School of Medicine. Currently majoring in Neuroscience and Medicine, Science and the Humanities, Dong joined her research lab in the September of her freshman year. Her project is titled "MAP4K4 Inhibition as a Promising Treatment for Chemo-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Effects of MAP4K4 Inhibition on Paclitaxel Antineoplastic Capabilities."

Peripheral neuropathy is categorized as the damage to the peripheral nervous system, nerves outside the spinal cord and brain. As of 2022, 2.4% of the world population experiences this disease, with the number increasing to 8% in older age groups. Current forms of treatment range from exercise and physical therapy to surgery, depending on the severity of the damage. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) among the hands and feet is one of the common side effects found in patients undergoing chemotherapy. One example is paclitaxel, a chemotherapy drug used to treat cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer. Categorized as an antineoplastic drug, paclitaxel treats malignant cancers through preventing proliferation and growth, eventually triggering apoptosis.

MAP4K4 is a gene and a Ste20 protein kinase that plays a role in regulating a multitude of cellular functions in eukaryotes. Regarding CIPN, MAP4K4 may play a role in the JNK neuronal stress response pathway that eventually leads to axonal degeneration in neurons. Dong's research will help determine if the MAP4K4 inhibitor she's investigating can be used to treat CIPN in patients.

"MAP4K4 overexpression is associated with a poorer prognosis for pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, lung adenocarcinoma," Dong explained. "A research associate at the Hoke Lab discovered a MAP4K4 inhibitor that can potentially inhibit axonal degeneration in CIPN. My goal is to see whether this MAP4K4 inhibitor interferes with the chemotherapy's [anti-tumor] activity, or if it may synergistically interact with chemotherapy to eliminate cancer cells."

This involves treating cancer cells with the MAP4K4 inhibitor treatment and with the chemotherapy, measuring the cell viability along with the efficacy of the chemotherapy within the different experimental conditions. Dong shared that the first portion of her project revolves around in vitro experiments before moving on to in vivo mice studies.

Dong was able to learn about Undergraduate Research, Scholarly & Creative Activity (URSCA) through the Student Involvement Fair and asked her principal investigator for his support applying to the Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program.

"I started meeting with URSCA whenever they would host drop-in hours. I met current researchers and URSCA staff. Being able to speak with them - asking questions about the structure of the grant and having them look over certain sections I had written… attending those sessions and asking them for help when I needed it was critical in my writing process."

Dong offered specific tips for the URSCA application process.

"There's a lot of background and literature review required to formulate your research project," she said. "Meeting with the URSCA staff helps a lot with the process of outlining the grant, since there's a very specific structure to follow. Also, one main piece of advice I have is to really try to show your passion through your writing; it's a very structured research grant proposal, but there should be elements of you included in there too"

Future career plans for Dong included either applying to MD or MD/PhD programs to continue research that focuses on both neuroscience and oncology.

When asked about advice for aspiring undergraduate researchers, Dong emphasized the importance of maintaining an open line of communication with one's lab members.

"Make sure you are seeing them, meeting with them regularly, getting to know them as people as well as researchers. Have the initiative to take that first step sometimes… at the end of the day, you're not just in the lab to do your experiments and go home. A lab is a team environment, so you should strive to be a part of the research team."

Given the state of gun violence in the United States in recent years, it is obvious which argument prevailed in front of the bench. In a 5-4 decision, the conservative justices, with the swing vote of Justice Kennedy, successfully cemented the individual right to bear arms without needing to fulfill the condition of militia affiliation. This expansive interpretation has limited the scope and abilities of already limited gun control legislation; if not already in the courts, then in legislatures and the political atmosphere. Instead of a tool of a free state like the founders intended, firearm ownership had become, and is now validated as being, synonymous with an American identity of unrestrained freedom from government overreach and reactionary fear of all things unknown and foreign.

In a country where firearms owned by individuals outnumber people, this identity built around firearm ownership is used to demonstrate a form of zealot patriotism. Such an attitude has plagued legitimate action towards helping children and groups - our fellow citizens and neighbors - from being victims of gun violence, all in the name of a freedom the Founding Fathers never intended when actually dissecting the text of the Second Amendment consistently.

The real text of the Second Amendment is as follows: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

The consequential decision of the conservative majority relies on a wide breadth of historical intent behind the grammatical structure of the Second Amendment - which, when read, is antiquated in its syntax at the very least - and how it separates into a prefatory clause ("A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State") and an operative clause ("the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed"). The majority opinion argues that based on the writing style of legal texts of the time, the prefatory clause clarifies - but does not expand or limit - the operative clause, which holds the real substance of the sentence (the right to bear arms).

In addition, the majority opinion holds that to "bear arms" in American historical contexts, as similarly written in the Constitution, was not very often connected to the militia, and was more often related to the individual ability to carry weapons (p. 584-5). This is a fact reinforced by certain uses of the term throughout history as a personal right despite possible military contexts, in which the opposing side argues for its exclusivity as a military term. The majority opinion even argues upon the definition of the militia, which, in the end, they define as the existing body of able-bodied men able to take up arms for cases of common defense. The idea originates from the lack of a specific founding of a militia, and only its ability to "organize" one (p. 595-6), in Article I of the Constitution.

The Heller decision rests upon an originalist and textualist interpretation of the Constitution, approaches meant to ascertain the meaning of the law based on the intent when it was written and the plain language of the law, respectively. However, these methods, in the context of gun rights, leave much to be desired in terms of argumentative rigor, exposing inherent flaws in the combination of these approaches - where the originalist interpretation applies a layer of estimation to the law and the textualist interpretation skews from its plain word.

The majority opinion in Heller tries to infer a historical text's construction and intent through modern understandings of dated texts, and as a result fails to be either plainly originalist or strictly textualist. The opinion tries to maintain the veneer of its conservative originalism, but falls to the same semantical and overly scientific justifications that conservative justices railed against in more liberal interpretations - like when dissenting justices in Roe v. Wade Justice White and famed conservative Justice Rehnquist objected to the reliance upon scientific and medical facts to settle many aspects of the case. Justice Scalia's majority opinion in this case fails to deliver a purely textualist or originalist interpretation precisely because neither of the strict definitions would have led to the same decision, and instead delivers an opinion that goes against the actual holding of the case.

When looking at it through a strictly originalist lens, the definition of the prefatory clause to be simply a clarification of the operative clause ignores the intent of the Bill of Rights being not only a safeguard of individual rights from federal overreach, but also a protection of individual states' rights under the Constitution. It is by no lapse of judgement from the political thinkers and judges of that time that state governments had no obligation to ensure any rights provided by the Bill of Rights to the state level even after the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Only when the process of selective incorporation of rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights was justified by the Due Process Clause did the rights finally extend to the state level in 1897 and later further affirmed in 1925.

Furthermore, the majority's opinion that just because Congress had no right to organize "a militia" ignores the fact militias were a state, not an individual, affair, and that calling upon "the militia" is better interpreted historically as simply calling upon any and all able state militias for common defense as needed. Yet, this does not take into account the special term "well-regulated militia" in the prefatory clause, which the majority deliberately omits due to its nature as a prefatory and not an operative clause, limiting its weight and dismissing any alternative interpretations for its inclusion.

Through the textualist lens, which is centered around the plain word of the law and not its historical trifles, the Second Amendment guarantees states the right to define their own standards of a proper state militia.But this guarantee does not extend far enough to imply that every able-bodied man is part of it. There is little reason why - if the militia consists of every able-bodied man - they would specify "well-regulated" rather than "bodily-able," or even omit qualifications in its entirety. After all, few can claim realistically that a loose band of armed and fit men without any code, rules of engagement or training is "well-regulated" in any sense of the term, even Washington himself.

This issue with the often isolated phrase "militia," especially a well-regulated one, must have been considered by Washington and the other drafters of the Constitution as they contended against armed individuals and groups during the fragile first years of the United States. Insurrections by rogue armed groups such as Shays' Rebellion played a central role in the buildup to the Constitutional Convention and a tightening of the federal power, while the resolution of the Whiskey Rebellion affirmed that power through the putdown of another armed rebellion against the federal government. Antifederalists especially sought to retain the state power to form and arm state militias in fear of a standing federal army. This can be seen in the original Articles of Confederation, which severely weakened the national government in fear of another monarchical central authority. Under the framework of the Articles of Confederation, many states integrated private militias who could only operate under state government orders, while those who declared themselves a "militia" or were simply organized and armed without state approval were often put down lawfully by both state and federal forces.

Ultimately, the Second Amendment, through a judicially incoherent mix of various interpretations, created a narrow gap which allowed the justices to rule in favor of an individual right to gun ownership outside of a connection to a militia. This disastrous analysis of the Second Amendment - justified through inconsistent historical analysis and arbitrary grammatical estimations presented as unwavering historical fact (not even the first time) - did little to the continued rise of and debate over gun culture in the United States, other than to cement its divisiveness throughout the ages. A decision that was opposed to it will not have done much to dent a nation built upon the notion of freedom either.

However, this ruling did stunt the trajectory toward more proactive gun regulation in the United States at a time when the country began to agree upon some forms of gun control, and continues to be the crux upon which many defenseless children and people across the country lay dead in school shootings, terror attacks and other acts of gun violence as a result of the inappropriately easy access to firearms, especially for more dangerous high-capacity or assault-style weapons. One cannot deny the fundamental intent of the Second Amendment as a safeguard to protect individual rights, but it was not the right meant for individuals, but rather, that of the states' right to protect itself and its citizens against an overarching federal government, not just an individual freedom for freedom's sake.

Still, there was something about hearing his name again that reignited our excitement, and honestly, Khalid is the kind of artist whose voice sounds like summer even in October.

Boasting over 32 billion streams with his career that's reshaped R&B, Khalid has carved out a space as a distinct storyteller. The 27-year-old artist behind anthems like "8TEEN," "Talk" and "Outta My Head" continues to maintain his easygoing charm, making his music feel unique and effortlessly universal (which is perfect for a campus crowd).

The show itself was sold out on the day that tickets were released on Hopkins Groups (Oct. 14), with over 1,700 registered participants. Doors opened at 7 p.m., with a DJ playing music to warm up the crowd before Khalid performed.

I was lucky enough to be up front, right against the barricade when the doors opened. The bass from the speakers pulsed through the floor as the crowd began to press in, everyone eager to claim their spot before the lights dimmed. Crowds swarmed and voices rose in anticipation, the air thick with the scent of hairspray and perfume.

Around 9 p.m., Khalid entered the stage to a roar of cheers, opening with his smooth, laid-back track "OTW" that features 6LACK and Ty Dolla $ign. The crowd immediately erupted, hands waving and voices joining in as the bass thumped through the floor. From there, the concert flowed seamlessly into a setlist that balanced nostalgia and growth.

Khalid performed various hits like his track "Lovely" with Billie Eilish and "Saved." He also sang additional songs from his album American Teen, showcasing his evolving sound. His transitions felt intentional, and the choreography was captivating. The lighting also shifted with each track, offering a performance that felt polished and personal.

When Khalid was announced as the headliner for this year's concert, the Hopkins community burst with discussion. People were glad that there was a well-known artist performing at this year's event, and with that excitement came high expectations that, by the end of the night, were exceeded. From the moment the lights dimmed to the first note that echoed through the Ralph S. O'Connor Recreation Center, it was clear that Khalid knew how to command a crowd.

What surprised me about the concert was the production value put into his set. Khalid's performance was accompanied by live instrumentation rather than a backing track, in addition to brilliant choreography performed by four dancers. The show was "lovely," a seamless blend of soulful vocals, atmospheric lighting and genuine crowd connection that made the night feel intimate despite the sea of people.

Between songs, Khalid spoke to the audience about gratitude and growth, reminiscing on how far he'd come since his first album. In his words, he described himself as "Unc Status" as of now, a playful nod to how long he's been in the industry. The crowd laughed and cheered, many shouting lyrics from his early hits, as if to remind him that they'd grown up right alongside him.

By the time he closed the show, the crowd was swaying in unison. As the final notes faded, I realized that even though I saw him just months before, there was something special about hearing Khalid live again, this time surrounded by the Hopkins community.

Deep-learning method accelerates drug discovery

An Oct. 23 paper in Science detailed the development of a deep-learning model, DrugReflector, as a computational drug discovery tool. Traditionally, drug discovery has been a tedious process of manually screening compounds on the bench, but DrugReflector acts as a preliminary screening step to computationally predict how specific compounds may affect a cell's activity and gene expression. The authors of the study reported 17x increase in compound hit rate compared to manual screening methods when they used DrugReflector to screen for drugs affecting blood cell production.

Since DrugReflector is capable of learning, researchers were able to feed the results of their downstream drug testing step back to the model, which further improved its ability to predict novel drug targets. However, it's important to note that the program was initially trained on only around 9,600 compounds across 50 cell types, which is far smaller than the number of chemical compounds available for drug use.

Google announces a new powerful quantum algorithm

Researchers at Google have announced that they have reached "quantum advantage" with their Willow quantum chip in an Oct. 22 press release. Quantum advantage, or quantum supremacy, is the ability for a quantum computer to solve a problem inaccessible by classical computers. The basis of quantum computing is the use of units known as qubits, which are quantum particles able to exist in more states than traditional computing's binary bits.

Google researchers claim that their algorithm, known as Quantum Echoes, is able to find the structure of basic molecules by simulating the interaction between the molecule's nuclear magnetic spins 13,000x faster than traditional computers. Though Quantum Echoes seems promising, researchers not involved in the project are wary to accept Google's result without more extensive analysis - it is still to be determined if Google's quantum algorithm is truly superior to traditional algorithms. Furthermore, there is still a considerable amount of work to be done before quantum computing can be used for useful applications including drug discovery, agriculture, materials science, mathematics and physics.

COVID-19 vaccines may lead to cancer resistance

A study in Nature showed that non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma patients who received a dose of an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine had higher cancer survival rates. The researchers conducted mouse experiments and found that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine increased the activity of the immune system and sensitized tumors to immune checkpoint inhibitors, a common immunotherapy used to treat a wide range of cancers. In humans, receiving the vaccine within 100 days of starting checkpoint inhibitor therapy was associated with significantly increased survival rates compared to patients who either did not receive the vaccine or received it outside of the 100-day range.

The authors proposed that the mRNA vaccines used produced a more potent immune response because the mRNA was directly transported into cells instead of only into the bloodstream, making them better able to prime T cells to attack tumors. This preliminary research could lead to the further development of immune-stimulating mRNA-based vaccines effective against a broad range of cancers.

For fairness, I chose items purely based on my mood at the time and rated them based on taste, quality and price value. I gave each dish an individual rating alongside an overall average rating for the vendor. I ranked these meals relative to other dining options on campus rather than outside restaurants. I strongly urge everyone to try each place regardless, as these ratings reflect my own tastes and preferences.

Koshary

The Koshary comes from the Koshary Corner in R. House, serving Egyptian comfort food featuring lentils, rice and kebab-based plates. I ordered the Protein Bowl, Smash Kebab Flatbread and Béchamel Pasta.

The Protein Bowl contained musakhan chicken (roasted with sumac and onion), rice, veggies and yogurt dressing. I found the bowl hearty and filling - a great option for anyone looking for a quick, satisfying meal. The chicken, however, was a little tough and dry, and the dressing overpowered the bowl - truth be told, I prefer minimal to no dressing on bowls, but I found it excessive regardless. I give the Protein Bowl a 6.5/10.

The Béchamel Pasta fascinated me. A mix of pasta layered with ground beef, warming spices and béchamel (a white roux), the dish resembled an Egyptian lasagna. I found the pasta rich and filling, but halfway through, I grew tired of the repetitive dairy- and meat-heavy flavors dominating. This was the cheapest item I ordered ($9), but it offered the best value for the portion, as I could only finish half in one sitting. I give the Béchamel Pasta a 6/10.

Then came the star - the Smash Kebab Flatbread. The juicy, perfectly spiced kebab combined with a soft, flavorful flatbread made all bites burst with rich notes of paprika, cilantro and smoky undertones. Hands down, this flatbread was one of the best things I've eaten on campus. While it was expensive for a medium portion, I think every bite is worth the expense. I give the Smash Kebab Flatbread a 10/10.

Overall, the dish scores make the final rating a 7.5/10.

Urban Kitchen

Urban Kitchen, an extension of The Urban Oyster in Hampden, serves classic American fare like burgers and chicken sandwiches alongside bold combinations like oyster mushroom fritters, smoked brisket bánh mì and shrimp po' boy.

I ordered the shrimp po' boy, a sandwich filled with fried shrimp, honey-cilantro slaw and remoulade. Overall, the sandwich was delicious. While the shrimp-to-breading ratio made me feel shortchanged on shrimp "meat," the shrimp itself was crisp, juicy and well-seasoned. Even the tangy, spicy remoulade paired perfectly with the slightly citrusy shrimp and slaw. However, the bread was disappointingly dry and almost stale, which made me give up on the sandwich midway and snack on the shrimp instead. I also loved the shoestring fries provided, which were perfectly crispy, golden and spiced with notes of chili powder. I rate the shrimp po' boy a 7/10.

Lucky Danger

Lucky Danger, run by award-winning chef Tim Ma, presents classic Chinese American dishes.

I ordered the veggie lo mein, which consisted of stir-fried noodles and mixed vegetables. The noodles themselves were excellent - springy in texture and well-coated in sauce. However, the sauce was overwhelmingly one-dimensional; it felt like soy sauce with the occasional undertone of teriyaki dominated each bite, leading to flavor fatigue. Some veggies, like the bok choy, felt undercooked and overly crunchy. Regardless, the dish was filling and satisfying enough to finish, but I'd recommend trying another dish at Lucky Danger. I rate the veggie lo mein a 5/10.

Connie's

Connie's, famous for comforting fried chicken and waffles, expanded its food stand to include fish, shrimp and rice bowls in its third vendor opening at the Student Center.

I ordered the Combo Meal with Chicken and (Buttermilk) Waffles, Connie's Seasoned Fries and orange juice. Word of advice: the Transact app description, stating that the combination includes fries, is misleading. The Combo Meal only adds one bottled drink to the standard meal, which, in my opinion, is not worth the additional $3 cost.

As for the meal itself, it was comforting in concept but not in execution. Soft, fluffy and subtly sweet, the waffles were the best part of the meal. The chicken tenders, however, were dry and bland despite their nice crisp texture. The ratio also felt off - two small tenders and one full waffle made the meal feel disjointed, like two separate items sharing a plate rather than a cohesive "chicken and waffles" experience. Ideally, the flavors should complement and blend, with the waffle soaking up the juicy chicken, but this version never quite reached that level. Using bone-in chicken or even a juicy thigh might have made all the difference. At $18, it's one of the biggest drains on dining dollars I've encountered so far, especially given the modest portion sizes. I give the Combo Meal a 4.5/10.

Overall, the new Student Center dining options breathe some much-needed life into the Hopkins food scene. Each stall brings its own history and character, bridging us closer to Baltimoreans and their passion projects. Yes, the prices can sting and the quality can be hit-or-miss given the university setting, but there's something refreshing about finally having variety that feels like real food, not just another cafeteria-esque rotation.

For students at Hopkins, the Garba celebration in autumn provides a break from the stress of a busy fall semester. Nitya Donthi, a sophomore studying Neuroscience, described some of the most memorable parts of the celebration for her in an interview with The News-Letter.

"The dancing, the food, dressing up, getting ready with friends - it's just a really fun experience, and it's a good break from everything," Donthi explained.

Garba also helps students at Hopkins connect with their peers throughout a variety of social circles. Gaayathri Nadarajah, a sophomore studying Public Health, highlighted how important the event is for building community among South Asian Hopkins students in an interview with The News-Letter.

"Garba is a really great way to start off the year and really reconnect with SASH and all it has to offer," Nadarajah said.

The celebration is one of the many events that SASH holds throughout the year, with a number of community-focused outreach efforts and engaging programming lining its calendar. In the spring, the organization hosts its SASH Formal, a dance event that aims to provide a similar space of communal joy. The club also hosts events such as panipuri (a fried Indian snack) eating contests and chai chats to further mental health advocacy for South Asian communities.

SASH also aims to create a space for all Hopkins students from a variety of backgrounds to take part in South Asian celebrations. In an interview with The News-Letter, SASH Co-President Anant Mashalkar described the Garba celebration as a space for everyone at Hopkins to share a good time together.

"It's a great place where people come together, even if you're not from the same culture specifically. We just celebrate a common interest and a nice night together," Mashalkar continued.

SASH Co-President Arindam Bagga also highlighted some of the group's community-based programming in an interview with The News-Letter, describing one of the club's monthly programs.

"We have chai chats every month [...] we invite people to just come share their thoughts on [mental and physical health, as well as] cultural issues," Bagga explained.

Another highlight of the club's programming is the ability of South Asian students at Hopkins to share traditions specific to their cultures with other South Asian students who haven't celebrated them before. Garba is specifically a Gujarati dance, so students who haven't partaken in the event are able to experience the celebration for themselves. SASH Programming Chair Arjun Jasuja shared his own experience in an interview with The News-Letter.

"I really didn't celebrate [Garba] before coming to Hopkins, but now... I celebrate with my friends who are Gujarati, and it's a really interesting way to see their specific culture within India," Jasuja said.

SASH encourages students to keep an eye on its upcoming events, especially its aforementioned chai chats and panipuri eating contests, the latter of which can be entered for only $4 and provides access to all-you-can-eat servings of the fried snack. Details about the SASH Formal and further events can be found on Hopkins Groups or on Instagram at @jhusash.

Football: W (52 - 21)

At the tail-end of their three-game home stretch, the Hopkins football team looked to continue their undefeated start to the season. Coming up against a Ursinus team that rolled through McDaniel College 52 - 0 the week before, it seemed like it might be a shootout between two strong offenses. At least that's how it seemed before both teams stepped out onto the field.

Hopkins came out with their guns blazing as they ripped a 76-yard touchdown on the first play of the game, setting the tone for what would become a beatdown. After taking only 10 seconds to score their first touchdown, Hopkins would score a couple of minutes later, and then add on another touchdown before the end of the first, making it a 17 - 0 game heading into the second quarter.

The second quarter proved no more fruitful for Ursinus, as Hopkins took a 31 - 0 lead with four minutes left in the quarter. While the Grizzly Bears scored a couple of garbage time touchdowns, the scoreline ultimately reflected the lack of competition between the two sides.

Junior wide receiver Cole Crotty stood out as he recorded nine receptions for 228 yards and two touchdowns, including the opening play touchdown. Senior running back Geoff Schroeder also had an outstanding game as he accumulated 115 total yards and two touchdowns. Notably, the combination of graduate student quarterback Bay Harvey, Cole Crotty and Geoff Schroeder became the first set of teammates with 300 passing yards, 200 receiving yards and 100 rushing yards in a single game in Hopkins!

Field Hockey: W (8 - 0), W (2 - 1), W (1 - 0)

The Hopkins Field Hockey team has been almost flawless this year, as they have climbed all the way up to #2 in the national rankings.

They began their week facing off against the McDaniel Green Terror at home. Despite their name, the Terror didn't strike much fear into the Blue Jays as they were dismantled in a complete effort by Hopkins. Senior forward Megan Chang would open the scoring for Hopkins, en route to a hat trick that cemented the Blue Jay victory. The game was truly never close, especially after a four-point third quarter from Hopkins that pushed it all the way out of reach.

After their 8 - 0 victory, Hopkins moved on to face 15th ranked Williams College away from home. In a much closer contest, the Blue Jays were still able to emerge victorious, thanks to goals from Megan Chang and sophomore midfielder Deedee Golla. While Williams would make the contest slightly tight after responding with a goal, that would mark the end of their attempt at a comeback.

Hopkins would round out the week with a contest against Washington College back at home. Despite the scoreline reflecting a close contest, Hopkins did have control over much of the game, allowing only eight shots from Washington College compared to their own 22. Sophomore midfielder An Tran was the lone scorer from the matchup thanks to a tip-in goal from a penalty corner at the end of the first period. Overall, an incredibly successful week of competition for the team, with only three matches left in their regular season.

Women's Soccer: W (1 - 0)

Coming off of a difficult loss to Washington College, the Women's Soccer team travelled to Pennsylvania to take on Franklin & Marshall.

Hopkins looked to take command of the game from the get go, and they did so successfully, tallying up 10 shots in the first half compared to Franklin & Marshall's one. Despite this, scoring was still kept very tight for most of the first half until a 43rd-minute goal from senior forward Maria Romo-Nichols, her fourth of the season.

While the Blue Jays didn't have quite as much of a vice-like grip over Franklin & Marshall in the second half, as they were outshot 6 - 3, the Diplomats weren't able to put any pressure on Hopkins freshman goalie Ella Kruntchev as they managed no shots on target. Romo-Nichol's goal ended up being the difference in the game, as Hopkins was able to come away with a win and significantly help their chances at securing a bye in the Centennial Conference tournament.

Men's Soccer: W (4 - 0), T (1 - 1)

Despite an up and down season for the Men's Soccer team, they looked to finish off on a positive note with four matches left.

Heading to Pennsylvania for a matchup against Franklin & Marshall, Hopkins got off to a great start. Freshman defender Thomas Bean would score his first goal at Hopkins in the seventh minute of the game, thanks to an assist from another freshman, forward Brendan Listzwan. The Blue Jays would score again before halftime, taking a 2 - 0 lead going into the break.

Coming out of halftime, Listzwan would score a goal of his own within the first four minutes. Bean then followed that up with his second goal of the afternoon, cementing his brace and the Blue Jays' victory as they won 4 - 0.

The second match of the week came against a very good Dickinson team - ranked eighth in the country - at Homewood field. Despite going down early on in the contest, the Blue Jays did not give up as a penalty that was won in the second half allowed them to tie up the score. While the game would ultimately end in a tie, it signals good improvement from a young Hopkins squad that they can take into the season next year!

Like a horse with a broken leg, I have come to face my own death sentence: I am a poet uncomfortable unpacking emotion.

The diagnosis reached me in an audio comment left under the piece I submitted for my poetry class. My professor spoke gently, as if I were a feral kitten he was rescuing, in the way that all creative writing professors yet somehow no doctors do. As he delivered his critique, I knew it to be true: I understand the occasion of this poem, but what is it really about?

What did me in was this peacock poem. In my dad's rural hometown in southwest Missouri, where we visit my grandmother to this day, there were peacocks. To everyone who lived in this town - and even those like myself who visited frequently enough - they were so common as to lose their novelty and become a plain nuisance, like toddlers in a daycare. Pretty privilege corrupts. Like a coy, insincere apology, the peacocks fanned their perfect tail feathers while they pecked the paint off car doors and harassed clients at the senior care facility. Something must be done, the city decided.

The humane mass exodus of the town's once-familiar feral peacocks into privately owned pets went undetected, at least by me. In the times I visited my grandmother since their removal, I never registered their absence.

I want to say something smart about how, when something so constant suddenly disappears, it's the same as if it were still there - how the mind slips on an overcoat to protect itself from the truth's pelting rain. When we don't see the sun, we know it must be behind the clouds. Then again, my chief concern when visiting my grandmother's town - after seeing her, of course - was if we would go to my favorite Chinese buffet, so my mind was hardly primed for peacock peeping.

Only this past summer, the day following the Fourth of July when the gunpowder crouched to a morning-after smell, did I visit the park that the peacocks called headquarters and notice they were missing. When had that happened?

As I swung myself on a swing set, I recalled the peacocks with an emotion some other language probably has a better word for, but which English claims is "bittersweet" and says good enough. Half awe, half dread - the feeling that tells you, if you could live past moments again, you would do them better this time. The swings cried under the weight of my 19-year-old body.

Like unsuspecting subjects of a flash photograph in a dark room, none of these details came out right in the poem. They were caught in all their worst angles: beady red eyes, slouched spines and mouths half-open in unsmiling ways. What I wrote was an ugly portrait, and all because I cannot be honest with myself when writing a poem.

The thing is, I have an easier time being honest without the plausible deniability of poetry. If The News-Letter editors and my well-meaning family would allow, I would have no issue publishing my social security number and every last secret in a Voices column.

My real hometown - not just the nearest name-brand city - is featured unflinchingly at the bottom of this article. When it comes to writing about my grandmother's town in a poem only my professor will read, however, I get shy. Quoting a news article as my poem's epigraph, I omit the name, writing "City of _______" instead. Sidestepping the issue of naming the park in my poem, I bend its themes to fit the fallibility of memory so I can write "Something Memorial Park" rather than dox the park I went to as a child.

I don't know why I'm a cagey poet but an over-sharing journalist. The easy answer is to blame it on my parents: my dad, a stoic Southern Baptist creative writer; my mom, a caricatured Catholic journalist. My grandmother's town has - had - a peacock problem, and I have, present tense, a poet's problem.

In keeping with my persona as an over-sharing journalist, I should mention: I'm writing this article over a week after my deadline. Ignoring the onslaught of other obligations that mostly account for my tardiness, there lurks a different truth: I knew this was the topic I wanted to cover, but I was once more gummed up when it came time to confront even the relatively mild emotions of a few dozen missing peacocks in a place I don't even live.

A thesis at the end is just bad writing, but I hope to be excused. Here goes an honest attempt at an attempt to be honest.

Those peacocks - bright, beautiful creatures in the armpit of Missouri - spoke to a kind of magic that I wanted to believe could grace places where little else is going well. I wanted to believe that goodness was always somewhere to be found if only you reached out, and uniquely so in places that need it the most.

Do I have to spell out, then, what it meant for the peacocks to be pulled away?

Riley Strait is a sophomore from Olathe, Kan. studying Writing Seminars and English. He is an Arts & Entertainment Editor for The News-Letter. His column, "In Medias Res," translates from Latin to "into the middle of things," shares narratives that bury occasional insights within fluffthat often leave the reader wondering, "Did I ask?"

Lorde began her Ultrasound World Tour in Austin, Texas on Sept. 17, performing in 10 cities since, with 38 left spanning 19 countries. Most recently, Lorde sold out The Anthem in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 4 and Oct. 5, performing with openers Chanel Beads and The Japanese House.

Chanel Beads took the stage around 7 p.m., introducing The Anthem to its unique indie-rock sound. With around 600k listeners on Spotify, Chanel Beads was clearly working to expand his audience to the larger fanbase held by Lorde. There is not much to say about their performance, as a combination of the overwhelming heat of The Anthem and the incredibly intense feedback from the microphones and speakers during their set led to a less than ideal listening experience for the audience. From the parts audible, Chanel Beads seemed to fit into the overall vibe and sound of Lorde.

At 8:15 p.m., The Japanese House began her set. With around 2.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, The Japanese House opened to a loud cheer from the audience. Any audio issues were solved by this point, allowing us to clearly hear her indie tunes. The excitement was now tangible in the audience, partly because Lorde was only 45 minutes away, but also because of the fun of The Japanese House. Her funky yet hypnotizing sound seemingly captured the ears of her pre-existing fans and those being introduced to her music for the first time.

Finally, at 9:05 p.m. the lights of The Anthem dimmed and the audience began to roar. Strobe lights appeared from the stage as Lorde seemed to materialize in front of everyone. She opened with "Hammer," a hit song off of her 2025 album Virgin. Fans screamed their hearts out as she began the concert, while others sobbed with their friends as Lorde called out to the audience.

Lorde then continued to play some of her biggest hits, such as "Royals" and "Buzzcut Season" from Pure Heroine. The energy in the audience was palpable as Lorde effortlessly combined her intense lyricism and jaw-dropping physical performance. Notably, Lorde played on the vulnerability of her songs, as she would remove articles of clothing or look longingly into the audience as she sang of heartbreak, loneliness and despair. It was this authenticity that bonded the audience. It was the type of performance where you cried while holding hands with strangers you met an hour ago.

As the concert progressed, Lorde held the audience in the palm of her hand, feeding into our every emotion. As the temperature in the pit began to rise, Lorde stopped the show twice as concert-goers passed out, waiting for them to be brought to safety before resuming her show.

In the last six songs of her 24-song show, Lorde solidified her legacy as not just a singer, but as a performer able to bring together thousands of people. At the end of "Team," the stage lit up with the colors of the Palestinian flag. The crowd cheered at this display, serving as a contrast from the D.C. outside The Anthem, where members of the National Guard were walking the perimeter of the venue.

Lorde then transitioned into her final section of the concert, playing her biggest hits, "What Was That" from Virgin and "Green Light" from Melodrama. While "Green Light" played, green strobe lights flashed vigorously as the crowd jumped up and down shouting along with the lyrics. It felt more like a communal bonding experience than just a concert. Lorde soon joined the audience in its celebration as she walked through the pit to perform "David."

Lorde entered the audience, taking people's hands and singing right to them as she made her way to the B stage to perform her encore. She performed "A World Alone" and "Ribs." The audience yet again sobbed, jumped and sang along with every note.

As Lorde ended her show and fans filed out of The Anthem, the consensus, it seemed to me, was that this concert was one that was made of pure magic. Lorde had her audience singing, dancing, sobbing, screaming, jumping and laughing all within her two hours of performance.

Lorde committed every bit of herself to her show, reminding us all at the end that the reason she writes is for us and that her songs become ours over time. Every bit of that message was felt as she performed. The show she put on caused people to feel united, especially in a time where life can feel so polarizing. Lorde put on a show that was special for those attending with their friends of over 10 years as well as those attending with their new friends of just two months. If you see Lorde on tour, prepare to laugh, cry, and hold hands with the stranger next to you while jumping up and down.