Tag: michigan state university

Springtime in Lansing — FEATURing April/May 2018 Print

Leave a comment

Spring is a period of rebirth and growth, and there are plenty of activities and events that reappear in our community during the warmer months. Once the season of skiing, sledding and skating comes to an end, festivals, ball games and concerts are welcomed with open arms. No matter where you are in Michigan, the Mitten State has a lot to offer after the snow starts to melt.

April showers lead to beautiful views on MSU’s campus. Many students lay out picnic blankets and study, while others hang hammocks and lounge; pickup games of basketball, soccer and volleyball can be found in each neighborhood, along with friendly faces who encourage others to join the fun. Junior Drew Bartlett is excited to enjoy the MSU Food Truck once the nice weather rolls in! “When I have a long day of class in the spring, I love to get my lunch from the food truck and eat it outside. The food is fresh and delicious, and it’s a perfect break from school work,” Bartlett said. Students who live on campus will often seek out the Food Truck because the meals are a pleasant change from the dining halls.

Another fun activity students enjoy in the spring is walking. Junior Sydnee Levine is a fan of taking walks along the Red Cedar and River Trail at night. “A big group of my friends and I always like to take walks at night in the spring. It’s warm enough where you’d only need a light jacket, and the cool air is refreshing, and it’s cool to experience campus in a way you wouldn’t normally see it,” Levine said.

The Greater Lansing area hosts a myriad of events in the spring that draw in audiences of all ages. The Capital City Film Festival from April 11-15 is a local favorite, as well as for those who travel from out of town. The website states that the festival is a “multimedia showcase of independent films and live touring bands with engaging audiences in Michigan’s capital city.” Not only does the festival celebrate artists from our community, but it lets creators from around the world promote a diverse, cultural atmosphere. With individual events that range from free of charge to $15, this is a great, inexpensive way to get out the residence hall and into the community.

Lansing’s Beerfest at the Ballpark on April 28, is another springtime tradition – for ages 21 and up, of course. The festival is held in the concourse and front lawn of the Cooley Law School Stadium and is a dream for every beer lover! With over 300 craft beers, ciders, meads, spirits and wines from over 70 Michigan breweries, there’s something for everyone. The event’s location is a fitting backdrop as baseball is a springtime favorite for Lansing residents.

If you love music, then make sure to mark Lansing’s StoopFest on your calendar. For its third year in production, the festival will be bigger and better than ever. When StoopFest was established, the goal was to create an inclusive environment for Lansing’s music and art lovers, showcasing talented individuals within the community while promoting Lansing’s eastside. The community embraced the festival, holding nearly 100 performances in six different houses with music ranging from rock and folk to hip-hop. This year, the goal remains the same, but the plan is much larger. By expanding capacity, including more well-known artists and occupying more spaces within the community, the event is setting itself up to become a staple of Lansing for years to come.

Spring is a perfect time to enjoy all that our lovely state has to offer, and the Greater Lansing area makes it easy to do so. With events beginning in early April, the season is a wonderful time to explore the community. When the sun begins to shine and the snow melts, the opportunities to get outside and have some fun are endless.

How MSU Students are Challenging the University’s Culture of Silence — BLOGGing March 2018 (co-written with Emily Orlando)

Leave a comment

In 1997, Larissa Boyce told Kathie Klages, who was then MSU’s head gymnastics coach and the head of the MSU junior gymnastics program that Boyce was a member of, that an MSU physician named Larry Nassar had touched her inappropriately during medical treatment. At 16 years old, Boyce put her trust in Klages, a woman Boyce referred to during her victim impact statement on Jan. 19 as someone she “looked up to. She was the person I thought had my back.” Instead of protecting Boyce, Klages discouraged her from filing a formal complaint, convincing her that the medical treatment was legitimate and that she had just misunderstood Nassar’s actions.

Though Boyce was the first woman to report Nassar, she was far from the last. This much was made evident during Nassar’s Ingham County sentencing hearing, which took place Jan. 16-Jan. 24 of this year. At that hearing, 156 women and girls came forward detailing stories eerily similar to Boyce’s: they were assaulted, and then they were silenced. Women on MSU’s campus, women involved in gymnastics and other sports on campus, and women coming to MSU for medical help were repeatedly let down by those in positions to help them. And it wasn’t just Klages. A Detroit News report outlines as many as 14 people who, over the past 20 years, were notified of Nassar’s abuse — and did nothing. The inaction of athletic trainers, coaches, a university police detective and others will forever affect MSU. But for the time being, the students won’t let it define their university.

The New York Daily News stated that “the students are the only ones acting like adults in response to the Larry Nassar scandal,” and we find that to be true to this day. On Jan. 26, students rallied at the rock to show support for the victims of Nassar. After students, professors, and athletes spoke, the crowd marched, homemade signs in hand, to the Hannah Administration Building, chanting “silence is compliance.” Later that same night, on a different part of campus, hundreds of students gathered at the Breslin Center to watch the Spartans take on the Wisconsin Badgers. Student leaders provided teal t-shirts to every member of the Izzone and passed them out as students walked into the stadium. The entire student section was participating in the #IzzoneTealOut to show their support for the survivors. The State News, The Detroit News and even CBS News wrote articles detailing these two events and commending the students for rallying together to show that this is important to us. Our University, however, hasn’t said a word about students coming together in this way. The announcer at the Spartans vs. Badgers game didn’t even acknowledge it.

What more will it take? The students want to talk about this. The students want the survivors to find peace and justice. The students want to make sure that this never happens on our campus again. If our administration won’t even comment on our efforts, what will it take for them to recognize that the students see a problem and actively want to fix it?

 

Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

 

Emily Orlando is a podcast lover, a Food Network connoisseur and a senior majoring in professional writing with a focus in editing and publishing—in that order.

Melodies of MSU How MSU’s students and faculty embrace music as a community — COVERing March 2018 Print

Leave a comment

MSU’s College of Music is a hidden gem on campus. It’s listed in Niche’s top 50 music schools in America and offers many different bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree options. It even offers non-degree programs, including a minor in music and a performance diploma. The College of Music however offers far more than just degrees — it creates a unique community on campus by offering inclusive sessions and workshops called Listening and Healing that are enjoyed by students who are involved with the college. These events are the basis for a supportive environment in which students, faculty and staff participate in, to initiate a unanimous responsibility that embraces students’ similarities while celebrating their differences.

Casey Sherwood and Connor Bulka are freshmen who benefit from the community aspect of the College of Music. Sherwood studies vocal performance with dreams of singing for international opera companies and beginning a nonprofit that brings the benefits of learning and performing music to children, who do not have the opportunities in their daily lives to do so. Bulka is studying music performance, and his instrument is a tuba. He plans on either performing in a professional orchestra or becoming a music professor for small groups of students.

The pair are part of a tight-knit community that is created by the College of Music. “It’s two buildings; you’re with the same people all day. You get really close, really fast,” said Sherwood, thinking of how she was instantly able to make friends when she came to campus in the fall. “The voice department all comes together on Thursday afternoons and has recital hours, so you get to see the entire vocal department perform and see what they’ve been working on. You’re there to support each other and aspire to be better together.”

Bulka has found his community by making personal connections with music majors outside of the college, especially in university-required courses. “Since our schedules are so similar, I’ll be going to my Africa Studies class and see someone from my music class, and I can go over and spark up a conversation,” said Bulka.

Sherwood and Bulka are also huge advocates for non-music majors participating in music on campus. “There are choirs here that you don’t need to be a music major to be in. All you have to do is audition!” Sherwood explains. This is a perfect opportunity for students who have a passion for music performance but decided not to study music in college. “Some professors even do individual lessons,” Bulka adds. The College of Music offers countless performances that are free to students and anyone who enjoys watching and listening to live music. “On Fridays, the College of Music puts on concerts in the lobby of Landon Hall,” Sherwood mentions while listing off countless musical events that are free to Spartan students. “Music enhances life in the right ways.”

The College of Music aims to share its community spirit with the rest of MSU by making it easy for students who are not music majors to get involved in all the fun; music is a universal language, and everyone has some sort of experience with music. While music can provide a personal experience, it’s also a factor in creating a fiercely inclusive community. Concerts, open mic nights and karaoke at Crunchy’s all contribute to the community aspect. There are also plenty of courses that non-music majors can enroll in and get their fix of music education.

Professor Joseph Steinhardt, Ph.D., is a perfect example of how music courses can become inclusive and reach even non-music majors. He teaches in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences under the department of advertising and public relations. He may be a professor now, but back in 2003 he started Don Giovanni Records while in college. The record label started while Steinhardt was in a band at Boston University, and he moved the label to New Brunswick after graduation. Don Giovanni typically focuses on bands local to the New York and New Jersey scene and has a formidable reputation for backing female and LGBT artists. Now that Steinhardt is a professor, he shares his wealth of knowledge in the music industry with his students. In his Independent Music Culture and Society course, students from any major can spend a semester learning about the operations of an independent record label by gaining hands-on experience in the manufacturing, distribution, press and marketing functions of a label. The goal of the course is to prepare students who are interested in working in music-related fields for any sort of job they could possibly apply for. Through this course, Steinhardt came up with the idea to create a minor in indie music production.

“The idea of this class is that you don’t have to be a musician or a music major to work in the music industry,” Steinhardt said. “The culture side fosters community and it fosters political change. It has a significant impact on culture. Music can’t just be a product; it’s more important than that.”

While Steinhardt cannot promise that this minor will show up in MSU’s degree navigator any time soon, he is excited to continue to work with the college of Communication Arts and Sciences to make it happen.

The MSU Community Music School is located on Hagadorn road, right across from campus. It was founded in 1993 with the goal of providing everyone in the community with an access to music education. They are inclusive of everyone, regardless of age, ability or income. The music school offers private lessons, group classes and ensembles, summer camps and music therapy. Jamie DeMott, director of the music school, is an MSU alumna who has always had a passion for music. DeMott graduated from MSU in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in music education and pursued her master’s degree in arts and youth development in 2009. As director, she “oversee[s] all programs, all faculty — basically the operations of the Community Music School as a whole. Every day is different.”

The range of services, sessions and courses that the MSU Community Music School offers to members of the community is expansive. “We offer music education and music therapy from birth through senior adults,” DeMott said. “It truly runs the gamut. We have had students as young as just days old.” One of the most special aspects of the school is the use of music therapy to help children and adults. The courses aim to use “the therapeutic use of music to address anything from closed brain injuries to autism.” The sessions are taught by MSU music students, professional musicians and music educators who each bring unique methods and style to each class. The school also functions as the lab for MSU music students, giving students hands-on experience as music educators.

Music is a force that has the incredible ability to create community and culture. It brings people together every day and serves a critical role in students’ lives at MSU. From music majors and professors to students studying an array of different topics, music is one thing that connects them all.

Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

Thank You for the Music March is Music in Our Schools Month, and MSU is Full of Music — FEATURing March 2018 Print

Leave a comment

Music affects everyone in diverse ways, but many will confirm that music ultimately changes lives. Being exposed to music brings about countless benefits, and many experts believe that music is a crucial part of education, creativity and expression. In 1985, the National Association for Music Education dedicated a monthlong celebration of music in schools to raise awareness of musical education for all students. Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM) is celebrated each March and is an opportunity for music teachers to highlight the programs in their academic community that bring the benefit of music to students at any level.

At MSU, music is a part of our daily lives — whether we notice it or not. We walk to class to the tune of the bells in Beaumont tower, we sing “Victory for MSU” and the “Alma Mater” at every sporting event, and we’ve all seen at least one amazing musical at the Wharton Center. While those things may seem obvious, there are many other ways to experience and participate in music at MSU and during MIOSM, even if you aren’t a music major.

The College of Music schedules performances that students are welcome to enjoy. From piano performances and symphony bands to jazz orchestras and wind symphonies, there are more days in the month of March that feature musical events than days that do not. These festivities are completely unique to MSU’s college experience and are free to students with a valid ID. Generous sponsors and lovers of music donate time and funds to make these performances happen, including MSU’s public radio station, WKAR.

WKAR is a public radio station in East Lansing that is owned by the university and has been providing students and faculty with classical music channels since 1948. Along with stations that play classical music, WKAR also provides some of National Public Radio’s popular programs. Fans of folk, jazz and classical music can tune in at any time of the day to catch playlists within their favorite genres. Student radio is an underrated but crucial aspect of ensuring that music is an integrated part of education, by making it accessible to anyone on campus.

Speaking of student radio, MSU’s Impact 89FM has students covered on all things alternative music. Impact is one of the nation’s largest college radio programs with over 300 students who work and volunteer for the station; this collaborative effort is recognized across campus as students are involved with not only FM music and DJing, but also with updating the website’s written articles about music, covering all MSU’s sports teams, managing marketing and conducting professional interviews. Impact also hosts events over the course of the semester that aim to get students involved with music in any context.

One of the most well-known events that Impact sponsors on campus is Open Mic Night with the University Activities Board. Open Mic Night takes place every other Tuesday night and is a favorite of Spartan students. March 13 and March 27 are the next Open Mic Nights, so grab your friends and head to the MSU Union for a night full of music. Students are encouraged to embrace their musical, comedic and creative sides by signing up to sing a couple of songs. There are even regulars who perform; The Three Dollar Bill Crew, a huge crowd pleaser, leave the crowd laughing every time. You don’t need to be the next Beyoncé or Justin Timberlake to perform — you just need to have fun!

Music is an important part of MSU’s social and cultural identity, found in any corner of the university. There are countless opportunities for students to get involved with music whether it’s through working at one of the radio stations, performing at open mic night or attending events scheduled by the College of Music. Since March is Music in Our Schools Month, take advantage of all the music our school has to offer and make the most of this university.

 Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

10 Love Songs We Love to Hate — BLOGGing February 2018

Leave a comment

They’re notoriously cheesy, sometimes they’re cringeworthy, but they’re also our guilty pleasures. There’s no shortage of love songs in this world, and sometimes we become painfully aware of that, especially in February when this idea that cliché, movie-style, romance is the only way of showing affection is shoved down our throats. While there are plenty of delicate, beautiful love songs out there, there are definitely more than a few that are so bad you have to love them. Here are 10 love songs that we just love to hate. Be sure to listen along with the playlist!

https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/126162006/playlist/2SdOk0otoO6Tb8oCW13mZO

 

“I Really Like You” by Carly Rae Jepsen

This gem off of Jepsen’s 2015 album “Emotion” is one of the catchiest songs in existence, but it’s also one of the cheesiest. The lyrics are incredibly basic, and the chorus repeats the word “really” 6 times, which to many, is a writing faux pas. If you’ve heard the song, you understand that even if you don’t want to sing along you end up doing it anyways. And that’s why we love to hate the song!

 

“Smile” by Uncle Kracker

As a staple of Midwest pop radio stations, Uncle Kracker is an artist that we grew up listening to. Any Michigander has known the lyrics to “Smile” since they knew how to speak, and it’s honestly a cute song. The easygoing melody is pleasant, but the use of simile in the lyrics is overwhelming and sickly sweet. It doesn’t take too long for something so cute to become annoying, yet we can’t help but sing it when it comes on the radio.

 

“Boyfriend” by Justin Bieber

If you didn’t live under a rock during your adolescence, you’ve heard “Boyfriend” and you loved it at first. When it was released Bieber was still a sweet teen-heartthrob, and this was his first move towards the “bad boy” cliché. Now, as young adults, we fully understand just how cringeworthy the line “I don’t know about me but I know about you so say hello to falsetto in three, two, swag” is, and we claim that we never listened to Beiber to begin with.

 

“A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton

The 2004 film “White Chicks” is an accurate portrayal of the widespread obsession of Vanessa Carlton’s hit song, “A Thousand Miles”. Groups of girlfriends scream sing it together, and boys claim to hate it, but somehow know all the words. If the catchiness and the vulnerability of the heartfelt lyrics aren’t enough to get stuck in your head for days, the widespread popularity of the song is sure to create a situation in which you’re going to have to sing along and like it.

 

“Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne

We all went through our angsty tween phase where we wore pink and black graphic tees and worshipped the queen of pop-punk, Avril Lavigne. I know we all loved to sing “Girlfriend” and scribble our crushes name in a notebook while drawing hearts around it, but those days are over. The repetitive nature of the lyrics are annoying, and nobody wants to actually be in a love triangle. Though if the song comes on at any moment, you’re still going to know every single word.

 

“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift

If the story of an on-again-off-again relationship wasn’t annoying enough, immature lyrics and country-turned-pop star vibes make this Taylor Swift song eye-roll worthy. Everyone has at least some opinion on Taylor Swift, and whether you love her, or you hate her, you know the song and you’ve heard it one too many times.

 

“Perfect” by One Direction

Like Justin Bieber, every girl loved One Direction at some point, and whether they admit that or not is up to them. Now that the guys have all gone in different directions, it’s fun to reminisce and sing their old pop hits while getting ready for a night out with the girls. While we all know that nobody is perfect, it’s still fun to imagine Harry Styles telling us that he thinks we are.

 

“Somebody To You” by The Vamps featuring Demi Lovato

Whenever this song comes on, I imagine a group of fun, hipster-ish, teenagers sitting around a bonfire on the beach singing along. The beat is addictive, and the vocals featured by the boyband are so smooth and innocent. The lyrics are playful and bring a youthful energy that can seem cringeworthy now that we’re older. Still, you’re bound to be singing along with the chorus before the song ends.

 

“Black Magic” by Little Mix

Little Mix is a badass girl group that doesn’t take anything from anyone. That being said, their song Black Magic was definitely a pop favorite a few summers ago. This is another one of those songs that is just so catchy it’ll get stuck in your head for at least a week. Not only is the tune catchy, but the lyrics are just fun! As much as some people wouldn’t want to admit to singing along, it’s inevitable!

 

“Out Of My Limit” by 5 Seconds of Summer

It’s no surprise that another boy band made it onto this list. 5 Seconds of Summer has a special place in my heart, (I swear I was going to their shows before they even released their first full length album) but some of their jams are adorably immature. Their song “Out of My Limit” has lyrics that will remind you of having a secret crush in high school, but it’s so upbeat that you can’t help but dance along!

 

Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

Revolutionary Research MSU students explore their passions through research — FEATURing February 2018 Print

Leave a comment

Undergraduate research at MSU has been on the rise lately, and many students are making their college careers meaningful by participating in hands-on, research-based environments. Research is a vital part of learning because it allows students to think critically and analyze various situations. Students from each major are constantly encouraged to think outside the box and question what they do not understand. This promotes research in a way that makes it a learning experience, which allows students to explore multiple passions.

Since MSU is a Big Ten university, it allows students to participate in research programs that receive international recognition and have renowned reputations for producing groundbreaking projects. When people think of research, the first thoughts that come to mind are of science and data. But research exists in every college and every major. The university offers unique opportunities for collaboration between students and faculty that effortlessly combine the academic and creative sides of research.

The best way for MSU students to showcase their research as undergraduate students is to enter their project into the annual University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF). This is MSU’s main showcase for undergraduate research, scholarship and creative work. UURAF allows all the undergraduate students to engage with, participate in and exhibit original work.

First place recipients in the Humanities and Performing Arts section of UURAF, Ryan Duda and Evan Phillips, are theatre majors who created “Farm the Musical: Theatre and Autism.” The musical is a collaboration of efforts from students across all majors at MSU to create an original musical that is specifically geared toward children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

“We knew that theatre had significant educational benefits for children with autism, but we wanted to be able to create tangible evidence for ourselves. It is one thing to read about research and to watch videos of interactive musicals being performed for this audience, but it is an entirely different thing to experience all of that for yourself,” Duda said.

The pair was able to conduct their study with a sponsorship from the Michigan State University Department of Theatre. Duda felt that they couldn’t have accomplished their goal without MSU’s generous support. He and Phillips were able to use their sponsorship to take trips to New York City and meet with theatre professionals who are actively working in pursuing the same mission.

“Without our 2016 trip, we might not have received the information or connections we needed to complete this project. UURAF was also beneficial in allowing us to present our research to peers who did not have the same deeply passionate biases that we had,” said Duda. “The feedback we received helped us to better focus our research plan for the following year.”

Alternatively, Clairessa Smith, a junior studying psychology and youth in society, has been participating in SONA all semester. Through SONA, she is able to study “interpersonal processes and psychotherapy,” through labs where she and her lab partners interpret “interpersonal relationships in psychotherapy settings.” She first became interested in doing this research when she attended a psychology research fair, where she was able to meet individually with the lab directors. Here, she expressed her interest in the research and that she was looking to gain experience. Smith is also a big supporter of students from all majors participating in research projects.

“To get involved, no matter what major, talk to professors of classes you like. They are a great resource to possibly have you get involved with their own research but can also direct you to someone who is looking for undergraduate research assistants,” Smith said.

MSU is a suitable place for undergraduate students to explore many different activities, majors and interests. Research is quickly becoming a typical aspect of education at MSU because it is no longer reserved solely for students pursuing science-related majors. All students, from theatre majors to STEM majors, are encouraged to participate in research studies. Since asking critical questions is a crucial part of learning, many students turn to research projects to explore their passions and majors.

Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

The Top Five Albums of 2017 — BLOGGing January 2018

Leave a comment

This year has been a wild one, to say the least, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s been a great year for music! As a passionate music lover, I thought it would be a great idea to round up the top five albums of the year, within five different genres. Read ahead to learn a little bit about each album, and hit play on our Spotify playlist to listen along while you read!

 

Rock: Japandroids – Near to the Wild Heart of Life

One of rock’s best-kept secrets is a two-piece band called Japandroids. Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia they have been low-key setting the rock scene on fire with angsty tracks since 2006. They follow similar music-writing styles as Modern Baseball and Arcade Fire by creating songs that actually tell stories. NPR describes Japandroids as “one part classic rock, one part punk” and that is a 100 percent accurate way to describe their 2017 album, Near to the Wild Heart of Life. Complete with angry anthems you can scream along to as well as emotionally charged love songs, this album deserves a spot in our top five. The lyrics to every single song are beautifully deliberate, and the instrumentals accompany them perfectly to create an entirely stunning rock album.

 

Hip-Hop: Tyler, The Creator – Flower Boy

I’ll preface this description by explaining that Flower Boy is extremely explicit, with 13 out of the 14 tracks marked as uncensored. However, that’s just part of what makes this album so beautiful. Tyler, The Creator created a brutally honest narrative that details multiple moments of his life, giving listeners a personal experience. The album covers all the bases with smooth yet gritty ballads and tracks that make crowds go absolutely wild when he performs them live. It is undeniable that Tyler, The Creator has unmatched talent, but this truly outstanding conceptual album tops all other hip-hop records that were released this year.

 

Country: Little Big Town – The Breaker

I do not like country music. At all. But Little Big Town began to change my mind with their newest album, The Breaker. The songs on the album are beautifully written and are completely different from the “typical” country song that turns so many people off from the genre. Little Big Town hits hard with their metaphorical lyrics and soothing instrumentals by combining uplifting summer anthems with smooth love songs and nostalgic tunes. The Breaker is definitely a surprise, but a welcomed one! It gives me hope that people who normally dislike country music can dig this mature sound, making it obvious that it needs to be in our top five.

 

Pop: Lana Del Rey – Lust For Life

When an album isn’t received well by fans or critics, there is a lot of pressure for an artist to come back and create something better on their next try. When Lana Del Rey’s Honeymoon was released in 2015, it did not receive much love. Fans of Lana Del Rey had high expectations for Lust For Life when the singer announced its release back in February. We all waited with anticipation for the fateful day in July when we were blessed with possibly the most beautiful album in Lana Del Rey’s entire catalog. The retro sound and positive vibes that this album gives off are quintessential Lana, and it’s honestly perfect. She has gone above and beyond in creating such a specific image for herself and her music, which makes her deserving of a space in our top five.

 

Indie/Alternative: The XX – I See You

Before this year, when I thought of The XX I thought of deep, emotional tracks that were reserved only for times when you needed to lie in bed and sob while trying to feel something again. Their newest album, I See You, keeps the deep themes that can be found in their previous songs, but the music is much more upbeat. The XX plays into electronic music by creating tracks that sound like dance music, but have emotional lyrics. The dynamic between co-lead singers Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim is truly beautiful and makes for songs that are somehow both upbeat and passionate. The blank blank is this and that.

Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

5 of The Best Christmas Songs You’ve Probably Never Heard — BLOGGing December 2017

Leave a comment

Christmas music is quite possibly the most underrated genre out there. It’s only socially acceptable to listen to it for maybe two months out of the entire year, so you better make it count while you can! Many people gravitate towards the classics when they’re in the mood for some Christmas Spirit, but there are some unknown jams out there that will warm your frozen heart. Since many people tend to listen to the same songs every year, this list will help you shakeup your holiday playlist. Read on to hear 5 underrated and unknown Christmas songs!

Ho Ho Hopefully – The Maine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAIlv0PMTY8

Way back in 2008, The Maine released a Christmas miracle. The first track off of the “…And a Happy New Year” EP is the emo christmas song that everyone needs in their life. The story of the song follows a couple who is in danger of falling out of love because they never see each other. They’re hoping the holiday season is just what they need to bring them back together, exactly where they belong: under the Christmas tree.

Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlR0MkrRklg

Ariana Grande uses her adorable personality and unmatched vocal ability to transport listeners to a love-filled winter wonderland. This 2014 jam goes unnoticed on the radio, but it 100% needs more airtime. It’s upbeat and impossible not to dance to. Its accompanying music video is also looks homemade, like it’s something she and her friends did for fun, so it gets an A+ in my book!

Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass – All Time Low

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZMd55_MK_Y

Departing completely from the sugary-pop feeling that the last song evokes, Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass is the perfect holiday breakup song. Imagine: your honey has left you heartbroken before the holiday season. What are you going to do about it? Are you going to waste your time crying over a crappy ex? Heck no! You’re going to scream-sing this song in your car, and stick it to them.

Hoping For Snow – The Vamps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWhCMolsEMY

It’s obvious that The Vamps found inspiration from George Michael’s super-popular Last Christmas for the lyrics of their holiday song, and it’s an adorable take on the romantic vibes that surround the holidays. Boy bands and Christmas songs go together like peanut butter and jelly. Their romantic take on reminiscing fondly on past love is the perfect soundtrack for sipping cocoa and watching the snow fall.

All I Want For Christmas is You – My Chemical Romance (cover)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8rjrPIGZ5U

Not many artists have the ability to actually succeed in covering Mariah Carey. This task becomes 1000 times more difficult when the song happens to be All I Want For Christmas is You. My Chemical Romance (please get back together!!) covered the hit in 2009 and did not disappoint. The band performs it in typical MCR fashion by isolating Gerard Way’s haunting vocals in the first verse and speeding it up at the chorus, keeping the edginess present throughout the rest of the song.

 

Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

3 of The Best Thanksgiving TV Specials — BLOGGing November 2017

Leave a comment

I don’t know about the rest of you, but Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Not only does it fall just when you realize that you’re in desperate need of a mental break, but it’s full of family, food and football. If you’re anything like me, curling up on the couch and watching some TV sounds like the perfect way to end the holiday. We here at ing love TV and Thanksgiving-themed TV episodes. Read on to see if your favorite made it into our top three!

How I Met Your Mother: “Slapsgiving”

There were a lot of things HIMYM did right during its time on television (except for that ending). Its “Slapsgiving” Thanksgiving Special is definitely one of those things. In the episode, Marshall reminds Barney of a bet they made in which the winner would be awarded five slaps to use on the loser whenever they see fit. In an attempt to scare Barney, Marshall begins referring to Thanksgiving as “Slapsgiving”, mentioning that he’d use his third slap during the holiday. The hilarity mixed with the torment Marshall puts Barney through makes for a perfect comedy.

Gif courtesy of How I Met Your Mother on CBS

 

New Girl: “Thanksgiving III”

If you haven’t seen New Girl you’re missing out. It’s the quirky comedy you absolutely need in your life. In the third Thanksgiving episode of the series, Nick decides that he needs to prove his manliness to his roommates by celebrating Thanksgiving in the woods, hunting for their dinner and surviving in the wilderness. Once they’re thrown in the woods, the gang goes crazy and Jess ends up eating a dead fish. It’s not the Thanksgiving celebration anyone would’ve expected, but it sure is entertaining to watch!

Gif courtesy of New Girl on Fox

Regular Show: “The Thanksgiving Special”

The best part of the cartoon Regular Show is that every episode is anything but ordinary, and the Thanksgiving special is no exception. Mordecai and Rigby ruin Thanksgiving by playing football in the house and trashing all of the food that their friends had been working so hard to prepare. In an attempt to save the holiday, the pair enters a contest to write the best Thanksgiving song and win a turducken—a turkey stuffed with a duck, stuffed with a chicken. Once Mordecai and Rigby write a song that truly captures the meaning of Thanksgiving, their competitors begin causing trouble. If you’re looking for a song to get you in the holiday spirit, this episode is the way to go.

Gif courtesy of Regular Show on Cartoon Network

 

As you prepare to stuff yourself with the best holiday food, log into your Netflix or Hulu account to cue up our top three Thanksgiving Specials. Sit back, relax and enjoy the holiday!

 

Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in Professional Writing with a concentration in Creative Writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history and dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.

Social Media in Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief How stories come together on social media — SUPPORTing October 2017 Print

Leave a comment

On Friday, Aug. 25, Hurricane Harvey hit southern Texas, wreaking havoc on homes, businesses and families. This tragedy has brought the country together in ways that only a natural disaster can. However, today, the support that is flowing into Texas seems to be measured in Instagram likes and Twitter retweets. This endless support looks good in theory, but is the coverage helping? Are those affected by this tragedy receiving the assistance they deserve?

To begin looking for answers, a quick trip to Instagram is a good start. By looking up #HurricaneHarvey, 642,053 posts are generated (as of late August). By scrolling through the feed, hundreds of photos display hearts or the shape of Texas. While positive thoughts and prayers are always appreciated in a time of need, what the victims of this disaster really need are food supplies, funding to rebuild and the donation of necessities such as clothing and toiletries.

Many celebrities, such as contestants from “The Bachelor” franchise the Kardashians and others used their platforms to raise awareness of the severity of Hurricane Harvey and asked their fans to donate to the American Red Cross. While they may mean well, these celebrities post once or twice and then go back to posting photos of their overpriced iced coffee and #throwbacks from their latest beach vacation.

On the other hand, some take it more seriously, such as the band Green Day; they kept up with their typical social media posts while also posting multiple displays of the damage done in Texas. The band also hosted a full performance through Facebook Live on Sept. 5, encouraging their fans to donate to Americares.

To further investigate how this social media coverage is affecting the disaster, we interviewed Kirsten Rockey, a junior studying communication with a minor in communication sciences and disorders at MSU. Rockey grew up in Katy, Texas, 30 miles west of downtown Houston.

“My hometown, Katy, was one of the hardest hit areas of Hurricane Harvey. My parents still live in the home I grew up in, and my sister and her husband live in the town as well. This is the place I grew up in. This is my home,” Rockey said.

While Rockey’s family home was not directly affected, she worried about the friends and relatives she has living in the area.

“Fortunately, my parents’ and my sister’s homes were okay. My high school is being utilized as the headquarters for the National Guard. It’s hard to not be affected by a storm of this capacity. My family wasn’t able to work for most of the week due to water levels on the highways,” Rockey said.

To keep up with hurricane news, Rockey turns to her mother for updates. Since the social media coverage is so widespread, Rockey believes that “people in Houston have done a fantastic job of using social media to fundraise since the hurricane occurred.” The use of social media has become a tool to fundraise and help the residents of Houston.

“I have an up-front and personal connection to the storm. I think [social media] is a great way to fundraise. The world is a much smaller place now due to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram,” Rockey said. “It’s a great way to ask for help but also offer help to others. I saw many friends back home sharing numbers and shelters that were open to people in need.”

It turns out social media has played a remarkable role in disaster relief aid. For example, American football player JJ Watt has raised tens of millions of dollars for hurricane victims. Other celebrities, such as Kevin Hart, sent out a video encouraging people to donate to the cause.

The storm and its aftermath have been all over social media, so there’s no escaping it, and this encourages people to donate. Rockey and those affected by the hurricane — even those who were not — are eager to see the country come together.

“All I can do is encourage people to please donate to charities, specifically charities that will donate all proceeds to the relief effort,” Rockey said.

Charities and organizations that display notable effort and donate money to the cause include Americares, ShelterBox USA and All Hands Volunteers.

 Maggie Morgan is a junior majoring in professional writing with a concentration in creative writing. Hobbies include: spending all of her money on concert tickets, trying to convince Green Day to let her be their friend, geeking out about music history, dreaming of writing for Rolling Stone. You can follow her on instagram at @swaggie_.maggie.