Debate team begins new season after sweeping last year's
The Mercer University debate team began their 2021-2022 season at the Rice University Classic Sept. 25 after excelling in last year’s season.
Use the fields below to perform an advanced search of The Mercer Cluster's archives. This will return articles, images, and multimedia relevant to your query.
65 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
The Mercer University debate team began their 2021-2022 season at the Rice University Classic Sept. 25 after excelling in last year’s season.
A new health education course hosted mental health speaker Abraham Sculley on Mercer’s Macon campus Sept. 23 to raise awareness about suicide and prevention in a collaborative effort with Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Sexual Assault, Hazing and Alcohol Prevention (SHAPE).
MerServe’s annual Be a Good Neighbear service event will be held on Sept. 25 this year, returning to its preexisting format after being held over the course of two weekends in the 2020-2021 academic year. The event, which will offer over 20 volunteer sites, will require masks and social distancing for participating students.
After realizing the lack of recognition for many Black-owned student businesses on campus, junior Melody Gervin created an Instagram account dedicated to featuring and supporting her classmates. Gervin is the owner of black.owned.mercer, an Instagram account that she began in the summer of 2020 amid the Black Lives Matter protests. Her account has over 700 followers and has featured over 20 businesses since she first began posting in June. Gervin wanted to bring attention to Black Mercer students’ businesses after seeing social media encourage people to support Black business owners. “A big thing that was going on was to start and to continue supporting Black-owned businesses because we saw that big corporations valued the Black dollar, but didn’t value Black people,” Gervin said. “It’s very important to give your money to someone who actually values you and your life and the life of your brothers and sisters. It’s really good to just pour back into your own community.” She originally conceived of the idea as a Twitter thread, but her roommate suggested she create an Instagram account to feature businesses instead. “I saw a lot of Instagram pages about Black-owned businesses, and they had a lot of the bigger ones that are more familiar, and I just thought to myself, there’s a lot of Black-owned businesses here at Mercer that probably don’t get enough recognition that they need to. Instead of just focusing on the big ones that everyone knows about, it’ll be better for us to support the people in our community right here,” she said. When she first began her account, Gervin reached out to businesses she already knew of and asked for their permission to be featured. As the account has grown, however, business owners now reach out to her for features. That’s how Toni Walker’s business, Urbane TB LLC., was featured on Gervin’s Instagram. Walker said that another Mercer student recommended she reach out to Gervin about having her business featured, which Gervin did in September 2020. Walker said their sales increased when they were featured, and they gained more exposure. “I know a lot of people think that you support a small business by buying from them, but when you give us a follow or repost a picture from us, it really helps us get off the ground. Our biggest problem is other people knowing about us, and it’s really helping that challenge we’re facing right now,” Walker said. After their original feature on black.owned.mercer, Walker said Gervin reached out again around Valentine’s Day to see if they had any specials going on. Urbane TB LLC was one of nine businesses featured in Gervin’s “Black-Owned Valentine’s Day Gift Guide.” Gervin wanted to encourage people to remember to buy from Black businesses for different holidays like Valentine’s Day. The guide is also one of her new strategies for increasing interaction with her account. She plans to do similar posts in the future but also hopes to have a physical event to support the businesses and students that she features. “I didn’t think it would get to this level,” Gervin said. She said a lot of people have reached out to her to let her know that they like the idea and the platform she’s built over the past few months. “It’s been a really good experience seeing how supportive people are and how people want to support Black businesses, because I know we’ve been going through a lot this year. It’s been a difficult year altogether, but I think stuff like this helps bring the community together, and that’s really enjoyable,” Gervin said.
While a warning about the Honor Council is included in nearly all syllabi, the experience of what it’s like to be an Honor Council Justice and what the Honor Council really does is shrouded in a kind of mystery. Part of that is because there are only three types of students who can attend Honor Council hearings: Honor Council Justices, students accused of cheating and student witnesses. All three are bound to confidentiality per the published Rights and Responsibilities for students charged with plagiarism. Student witnesses prevented from discussing the investigation with anyone other than the Investigating Justice, Chief Justice or student counsel. Justices themselves are bound to confidentiality as members of the Honor Council. The Honor Council itself is composed of roughly 25 students as members of the council, with a student-run executive board. The executive board is only composed of three students: the Chief Justice, Associate Chief Justice and the Clerk. “Having a student Honor Council, there’s a different gravity to it in that it gives students a chance to be judged by their peers, and I think in a way, we can have more understanding as peers than a faculty council would have,” said former Chief Justice Gabrielle D’Alessandro. While primarily operated by students, the Honor Council also had an advisory board of five professors that change every semester. They also work with the Provost if they want to make changes to the Honor Code and meet with the deans for appeals. The average Honor Council member is called an Associate Justice. D’Alessandro said that the position isn’t too much of a time commitment, even on a weekly basis. Associate justices are required to attend five out of roughly twenty possible hearings per semester, along with any general meetings. Associate justices are also required to investigate at least one case per semester, where they’re the Investigative Justice for that case. When investigating a case, D’Alessandro described the position as more time-consuming, because the justice is meeting with the professor, student and witnesses to collect information and evidence. After the case has been explained, the justices deliberate over the verdict and, if found guilty, sanctions. Most sanctions tend to fall under one of the following categories: a letter of censure, which is on your academic record; an educational sanction; a zero on the assignment, which D’Alessandro said was the most common; course failures or suspension or expulsion. Former Associate Chief Justice Kallie McDaniels said that there has been a move towards more educational sanctions. “I don’t think anybody would say there’s value in only punishing and not educating and explaining and making it a teaching moment,” said McDaniels. When a student receives an educational sanction, the Honor Council will send one of the directors in the Academic Resource Center all of the information about the case and any other relevant information. The director meets with the student to help walk them through what they didn’t understand. McDaniels used a plagiarized paper as an example for an educational sanction, where a director would help a student understand the plagiarism by going through the offending paper. She said it was an intensive process for several weeks, including activities to better understand the topic. It’s a confidential process, so students won’t know if someone is in the ARC for an educational sanction. McDaniels said that most students who have an educational sanction don’t return to the Honor Council. “We want to make sure that people don’t make these mistakes again, but we don’t want to just be judge, jury and executioner,” said McDaniels. Both D’Alessandro and McDaniels encouraged interested students to consider applying for the Honor Council. They said their experiences helped them grow as students and leaders. “Something I appreciate about Mercer’s Honor Council, and Mercer in general, it’s a learning opportunity to learn and grow from your mistakes,” said D’Alessandro. “They want to give you the opportunity to prove yourself and become a better student, and I think our sanctioning allows for that.”
This is an opinion article. Any views expressed belong solely to the author and are not representative of The Cluster. Back in 2017, the National College Health Assessment released a report that said over 50% of students experienced above average or tremendous stress. That was before anyone had even thought about COVID-19, pandemics or quarantines, so it really isn’t surprising to realize that the amount of stress that students are under has skyrocketed. With the increase of stress that students are feeling, it’s inevitable that it will lead to burnout. In a previous article for The Cluster, assistant director of Counseling and Psychological Services Corey Wetzel said, “Burnout, professionally, is defined as exhaustion or lack of motivation after prolonged periods of stress.” One of the simplest ways to deal with burnout is to take a break, relax, reassess what you’re doing and then come back to your everyday life with a fresh look at everything. That’s why breaks have been so important to workers and students for so long, especially with the way they help reduce stress and the need for a recovery period at the end of the day. Vacations like spring break are even better! Taking breaks not only reduces stress hormones and blood pressure, but it also makes you feel happier and better physically as well. There’s a reason that people look forward to spring break so much, and it’s not because there aren’t classes for a week. It’s the rest and relaxation away from classes that students get that they haven’t been able to since the beginning of the semester. Mercer’s revision of the 2020-2021 academic year has drastically altered the breaks available for students. In the fall semester, there were three main changes: there was no fall break, students had classes on Labor Day and exams were held online when students went home during Thanksgiving. This semester, Mercer has replaced spring break with four random reading days spread throughout the semester. The issue is that these reading days aren’t actually breaks. According to Mercer’s coronavirus webpage, they’re meant to give students time to prepare for exams and assignments. Faculty are encouraged to still be available, which also prevents them from receiving a break throughout the semester as well. While the university still plans on giving students Good Friday and did give Martin Luther King Jr. Day off, the problem is that this still severely limits students’ ability to take a step back and recharge. Many students have to use the reading day as an extra day to catch up or work ahead on assignments. While the change was intended to prevent more students from leaving campus, it doesn’t seem to have been working. While the number of students leaving campus every weekend probably isn’t tracked, more and more of my friends and classmates have been leaving each weekend to get away from campus. They’re not partying; they’re just going home for the weekend due to being unable to see their families or friends throughout the semester. It simply prevents students who either can’t go home on the weekend or can’t drive from doing the same thing. While there needs to be limits in place, this isn’t the way to do it. Instead of completely removing spring break, Mercer could have just required students to be tested when they came back to campus and prior to classes starting again. They could have even shortened break by a day to make sure that students had time to be tested and receive results prior to classes starting again. There are only four reading days anyway, instead of the typical five for spring break. There are valid concerns about how a spring break would have risked exposure. However, for a campus that opened amid student protests last semester, it certainly feels like Mercer chose the option that would negatively impact the students that they’re meant to be helping.
There are a wide range of scholarships available for numerous different categories, including university, field of study or demographic. For students who belong to the LGBTQIA+ community, here are five scholarships to consider applying to. The Point Scholarship The Point Foundation provides scholarships to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students, but also includes mentoring and leadership development programs and events for recipients. During the 2019-2020 academic year, they sponsored 85 students total through the Point Scholarship and the Community College Scholarship Program. Along with those two, they also have a scholarship for queer students of color. All three scholarships have different application deadlines, which can be found on their website. Rainbow Scholarship Offered through the Rainbow Special Interest Group, a subgroup of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers, the Rainbow Scholarship is intended for students interested in participating in study abroad programs. The programs must last at least 28 days and be eligible for credit to receive a scholarship. Applications are available through the Fund for Education Abroad website. The Rainbow Special Interest Group’s information about the scholarship can be found here. Gamma Mu Scholarship Programs The Gamma Mu Foundation’s primary scholarship is for gay men, but they also offer two more scholarships to students within the LGBTQIA+ community. While preference is given to students from rural areas, any gay male student under 35 is able to apply. Applications close March 31 this year. Interested students can apply here. “Out to Innovate” Scholarship for LGBTQ+ Students in STEM Established by the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals Inc., their scholarship is intended for both undergraduates and graduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering or mathematics programs that are also lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or an active ally of the LGBTQIA+ community. The application window will open April 1, and more information can be found here. Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship Offered by the Stonewall Foundation, the Traub-Dicker Rainbow Scholarship is intended for lesbian women either entering or currently enrolled in a higher education institution, including graduate programs. Applications will open in March and can be found here.
Based on the book series of the same name, “Bridgerton” follows the titular family in Regency-era London during the “social season,” the period during which young women came out into society in search of a husband. The first season of “Bridgerton” adapted the first book of the series “The Duke and I,” following the eldest daughter Daphne Bridgerton’s (Phoebe Dynevour) first social season and her encounters with the Duke of Hastings Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page). When the season first begins, Daphne is a favorite of Queen Charlotte and thought to be the most incomparable woman. When her eldest brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) drives away all of her suitors except for the unpleasant Lord Berbrooke, she is desperate for the chance to regain society’s attention in the hope of finding someone she truly loves. Luckily for her, the new Duke of Hastings is equally desperate to stop the mothers from trying to marry him to their daughters, and so they cook up a scheme: they will pretend to be courting one another to make Daphne more desirable and Simon unavailable. At the same time, there are a number of other plotlines running throughout the season, such as the new anonymous columnist Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), the other Bridgerton children’s struggles with love and their place in society and the new arrival of another upper-class family named the Featheringtons. One of the major flaws of the series is that it tries to have too many stories in one season. With eighteen main characters and even more recurring characters, it’s impossible for each character to be fully fleshed out, have their own story arc and play into the main plotlines of the season. The series does its best, but can’t quite manage it all. Despite including too many plotlines, the storylines are captivating and, for most of them, well thought out. If a viewer finds themselves disliking one plot, they don’t have to wait long for another one to take the focus. The series is consistent with the main plot of the first season, however, about Daphne and Simon. Their relationship with each other grows faster than in a typical romance plot because they experience a nonstandard relationship twist in the middle of the season. With so many characters, it makes sense that some of them feel irrelevant to the series. The last episode features another Bridgerton’s arrival, but viewers are more likely to question why the showrunners felt the need to introduce her at the end of the season, or even at all. Of the Bridgerton children themselves, only Daphne, Anthony and Eloise (Claudia Jessie) are given consistent storylines throughout the season, while two of the brothers begin getting storylines in the latter half. The series tries to encourage female empowerment and diversity, but their results fall a little short at times. While Bridgerton daughter Eloise often discusses her dreams of independence and praises the anonymous columnist Lady Whistledown for her own freedom, most of the female characters of the season still operate within the bounds of what is socially acceptable for them to do, regardless of their personal desires. In regards to race, creator Chris Van Dusen purposely included people of color into the series, with the idea that Queen Charlotte, whose potential African ancestry is debated, opened up the doors for people of color to be titled like their white peers. While the series is meant to address race, according to Dusen in a New York Times article, it doesn’t devote much time to it past a single expository conversation in the middle of the series. In the many subplots in Bridgerton, there isn’t one that relates to race or even discusses it. While casting many actors of color is great, there isn’t any commentary on it in the show, despite what Dusen may have said. Content warning: This section of the article includes spoilers. It also includes discussions of sexual assault. The other problematic issue of the series is a scene between Daphne and Simon in episode six, “Swish.” The two have wed and Simon has told Daphne that he is unable to have children, which is actually because of a vow he made to his abusive late father. When Daphne discovers that the issue may not be a physical inability, she makes a far more duplicitous choice. When the two are having sex later on, she refuses to let him pull out at the climax, even as he tries to tell her to stop. While the incident is treated as a betrayal, along with Simon not telling Daphne that his inability to have children stemmed from a vow instead of a physical inability, the show doesn’t address the fact that the heroine raped her love interest at all. Furthermore, the series puts much more emphasis on Daphne’s anger over Simon’s lie rather than Simon’s reaction to his wife raping him. It’s hard to consider their ending a happy one without addressing Daphne’s actions. Bridgerton has been renewed for a second season, set to start production later this spring.
Robert Rodriguez has spent much of his directing career switching between adult-oriented action films like “Machete” to exaggerated family movies like “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D,” the predecessor to his newest film. “We Can Be Heroes” is his first foray back into similar family-oriented action films since the last “Spy Kids” film in 2011, and carries on the charm of the previous films. “We Can Be Heroes” is a standalone sequel that draws on the nostalgia of “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D” to attract audiences, but manages to sustain that interest through its own unique story. Starring YaYa Gosselin as Missy Moreno, the powerless daughter of retired superhero Marcus Moreno (Pedro Pascal), the film utilizes both new and returning actors in its ensemble cast, including Boyd Holbrook, Christian Slater and Adriana Barraza. The film begins with an armada of alien ships approaching Earth. The invasion necessitates the intervention of the entire superhero team, the dysfunctional Heroics, including forcing former leader Marcus Moreno out of retirement. For the duration of their battle, their super-powered children are placed in the protection of Heroics Program director Mrs. Granada (Priya Chopak), where they are able to watch the battle unfold. When their parents are captured and Heroic Headquarters is breached by alien invaders, however, it’s up to the children to escape and find a way to save both their parents and the world. Rodriguez utilizes the same style that defined his “Spy Kids” franchise, with colorful and strange sets that mark the setting as distinctly alien but fun for viewers, stylized action scenes straight out of a comic book and a diverse cast of characters. Still, the pacing and writing can veer too much into telling audience members what’s going on rather than showing them. One memorable scene towards the beginning of the film introduces the zany characters to both Missy and the audience. Wheels, the wheelchair-bound son of the Superman-esque Miracle Guy, spells out each character’s powers and personalities in an on-the-nose scene. The next scene features all the characters utilizing those powers to break out of the heroes’ headquarters, which would have been a far better fit to highlight what exactly each of them can do. In a similar fashion, the movie doesn’t shy away from hammering in the message of the film. While the captive Heroics constantly bicker, their children tend to unconsciously mirror their parents’ tendencies for petty rivalries until leader Missy gets them to work together. The film’s admittedly intriguing twists push the message in viewers’ faces even further. If you’re willing to let that slide, however, “We Can Be Heroes” has its strength with legitimately fun characters. Missy is a compelling lead, with her unique lack of powers, her close relationship with her father and grandmother and her quick wit. Her journey to becoming the leader of the team is an entertaining one as she becomes more and more confident in her abilities. Her friendship with Wild Card (Nathan Blair) is one of the sweetest subplots, along with his own development as he learns to control his unlimited powers and work with the other members of the team. The other kids have less of the spotlight, but will each earn their own fans. The most noteworthy character, however, has to be Guppy. The daughter of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Guppy (Vivien Blair) is a show stealer and sure to be a fan favorite. The youngest of the group, she’s unabashedly adorable and shockingly powerful. One of the best lines of the film comes from a guard who’s forced to deal with the five-year-old, realizing, “Oh, no! She’s got shark strength!” While the story is self-contained and wraps up nicely, it’s set up a world ripe for a continuation. While the main questions are answered and the day is saved, there are still things to be asked and possibilities to be explored about Missy Moreno, the Heroics and their children, along with the world surrounding them. If you’re looking for a serious superhero film or even something like the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the DC Extended Universe, “We Can Be Heroes” likely isn’t the film you’ll want. However, if you want to indulge in some updated childhood nostalgia for films like “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D” or the “Spy Kids” franchise, or even just a fun family action flick, “We Can Be Heroes” is the perfect choice.
This is an opinion article. Any views expressed belong solely to the author and are not representative of The Cluster. Most people can agree that 2020 was not the best year. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, the turbulent political climate and devastating daily news, New Year’s Eve was more relieving than joyous. With the chaos of 2020 and the arrival of a new year, the question is: is it stupid to create New Year’s resolutions for 2021? Most New Year’s resolutions are dedicated to improving one’s life. Some of the most popular and repeated resolutions are to save money, exercise more, eat better, connect with friends or some other self-help idea that will hopefully make you feel better after the events of the past year. After 2020, typical goals seem almost like a joke. Between layoffs, quarantine and a grim death toll, none of the normal resolutions seem appropriate right now. You may ask what the point is for a New Year’s resolution when 2021 seems to be shaping up to be chaotic in itself. It’s just more pressure on yourself to meet some golden standard in a time that seems intent on making it as difficult as possible, without even getting into the typical failure rate of resolutions. Despite that, there are still many reasons to make New Year’s resolutions. Making progress on goals makes people happier and more satisfied with life, according to Psychology Today. The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to create those goals because it gives a more tangible representation of a fresh start. However, only 8% of people actually manage to keep those resolutions all year, and 80% fail by February, according to the Times Tribune. After 2020, the idea of making a lofty goal is more exhausting than exciting. If you only make one resolution this year, it should be to cut yourself some slack. Psychologist Sophie Lazarus at Ohio State University told CNet that after the stressful events of the last year, putting pressure on yourself to fulfill unrealistic goals is not helpful to you nor will it achieve what you want them to. Instead, focus on making your goals smaller and more achievable this year. Setting goals gives you something to focus on during the craziness of the year, but make sure to give yourself room to fail or make mistakes. New Year’s resolutions are best when they are fun aspirations, not strict assignments that will lead to feelings of self pity or failure if you do not accomplish them. Focus on creating goals that won’t overwhelm you. Limit how many goals you set. If nIf nothing else, one resolution can be prioritizing rest and self-care after a turbulent 2020.
A dance team member bounces in the stands as she waves her metallic pom-pom in the air. The scoreboard switches from showing members of the audience to highlighting the score in orange lights. Players mill back out on to the court as the music playing over the speaker slowly drifts off. Fans settle in their seats, shifting attention towards the court as chants of “Go, MU!” start up in the stands. It’s the first Mercer University basketball game as a doubleheader, with the men and women basketball teams having games back-to-back, and it’s not an unusual kind of game. Due to the pandemic, however, games like this now look a bit different. Last semester, COVID-19 led to an adjusted sports schedule here at Mercer, including football being pushed back until spring. Mercer’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have still been able to play out their seasons, which started shortly after the official last day of classes in the fall semester. The men’s and women’s basketball teams played against the Virginia Military Institute and Furman University respectively Jan. 23. There were only a few people in the box office at the University Center handing out tickets. One sat at the front of the booth to hand out tickets to people outside while another sat to the left to pass out tickets to people already inside the UC. When fans went into the arena, they had their tickets scanned by student workers wearing an orange polo and mask. There is no temperature check to enter the arena, but masks are required unless you’re eating or drinking something. In November, Mercer announced that they would have fans socially distance from one another during games. Last year, the men’s basketball games had a lot of patrons that filled up the arena. This year, the stands are only half-full. Small groups sit together, separated from other patrons by a few empty seats. Most people are wearing a mask, but a handful continues to pull them down to talk to their friends or snack on concessions. When fans go to take their seats, they’re asked to sit in their assigned seat because of the doubleheader. After the men’s game ends, they need to spray down the used seats in the arena in time for the women’s game against Furman. Beyond that, the game proceeds as normal, albeit with many more masks than usual in sight. The dance team, cheerleaders, color guard and band are all in the stands, wearing their group’s matching masks. When a player takes a free throw, they all remain in the stands. Instead of two cheerleaders doing a backflip to celebrate the basket, they cheer with the rest of the groups in the stands. During halftime, the dance team takes the court to perform, but the cheerleaders aren’t able to perform on the sidelines at either game. This particular game ended with an 83-80 win for Mercer, but no one goes down to the court to greet any of the players. The celebration is muted as fans begin leaving the arena, and the band plays the last song. The dance team clusters close together, facing the court for their last dance. When the song ends and most of the fans are out of the arena, student workers, players and band members are ushered out to the University Center. Fans can stay here for the next hour between games during cleaning. Fans interested in attending both games aren’t allowed to remain in their seats for the wait between games like they used to be able to. Other members of staff are cleaning the arena in preparation for the next game, so students take advantage of their break to hang out with friends or buy food. Eventually, they’re allowed to head back inside the arena to prepare for the women’s game at 6 p.m. Then they get to do it all over again. The game experience is less crowded and more conscious of the presence of other patrons than before COVID-19. It can be a bit awkward, especially with multiple games on one day. However, it retains most of the typical game experience while making it safer for fans, players and staff to be there.
Streaming platforms are a recent addition to our digital lives, only really gaining such fervent popularity in the last 15 to 20 years. They’ve quickly become a staple of entertainment, however, with streaming video subscriptions’ increase passing cable subscriptions’ increase back in 2017. With the introduction of even more streaming platforms like Disney+ later on, the sharp increase in the number of streaming platforms doesn’t seem to be taking a downward turn anytime soon. Some of the biggest benefits to streaming platforms over cable have been the variety of shows instantly available to viewers and their cheaper price in comparison. However, those benefits are slowly being overshadowed as time goes on and more streaming services are created. Back in 2005 in an interview with Inc., Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said, “Our focus is on getting to five million, 10 million, 20 million subscribers and becoming a company like HBO that transforms the entertainment industry.” Now, it has over 50 million subscribers and has drastically changed how people consume their entertainment. With its success, the market has drastically increased with the number of must-have streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime, HBO, Hulu and more, with new platforms created each passing year. Alone, most platforms range between six and 20 dollars per month. Streaming seems far cheaper than cable TV packages, which have recently increased to an average of over $200 per month. When you look at how much streaming platforms cost together, it adds up quickly. Researching some of the best streaming services brings up numerous services. One example is this article from Tom’s Guide, a website about the best technology, which breaks down different streaming platforms. It discusses eight different services, which together add up to over $130 per month. That’s quite a change from when consumers only needed to subscribe to one service for under $10 a month. Now consumers wanting to get a variety of media have to subscribe to multiple services. Streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ are now creating their own content which is exclusive to their service. Along with that, certain streaming platforms are maximizing their profits at the expense of variety on other platforms. Disney is the prime example for two reasons. First, when they were originally launching Disney+, they decided to remove their content from Netflix to move to their own platform. Second, Disney recently integrated Hulu into their company but are continuing to have two separate platforms instead of combining them into one service. Disney gains more of a profit, but consumers have to spend more money subscribing to multiple platforms. They’ve also taken it a step forward with the release of “Mulan” over Disney+. “Mulan” was originally intended for theatrical release, but after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was released on Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+. Interested subscribers are forced to pay a $29.99 premium fee to watch it on the streaming platform that they already pay for. It will be available for purchase until Nov. 2 before being released for all subscribers on Dec. 4. While it is unlikely for this to become the new norm, it does include worrying implications about how other streaming platforms will experiment with similar models in the future. As there are more and more streaming platforms with individualized content and potential extra fees, it seems like streaming is resembling cable TV all over again. If streaming platforms are evolving into cable, is it really useful to subscribe to those platforms?
Based on the book series of the same name, “Enola Holmes” stars Millie Bobby Brown along with other renowned actors such as Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin and Helena Bonham Carter while also giving newer actors like Louis Partridge the chance to shine. The film follows Enola Holmes, the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, as she sets out on a journey to find their missing mother while dodging her elder brothers’ attempts to force her to become a proper young woman. Along the way, she stumbles upon a nefarious plot in connection to a young runaway lord. “Enola Holmes” takes both new and old characters and brings them to life in such a vivid way. Enola herself is vivacious, energetic, witty and fascinating to watch. Brown captivates audiences with her enthusiasm, making her habitual breaking of the fourth wall feel natural as she briefly converses with the audience. Her growth throughout the film is organic and consistent with her own values, different as they may be to her mother’s or brothers’. It’s through Enola that the film takes the gender norms of the time and flips them on their head. While many period pieces have female characters either lean wholeheartedly into their femininity or reject it entirely, Enola is refreshing in her steadfast refusal to do either. Set during the 19th century, discussion surrounding the vote for the Representation of the People Act of 1884 plays an important role in the plot. A prominent theme of the film is understanding one’s privilege and being willing to do what is right over what is expected. Susie Wokoma plays Edith, a Black woman, tea shop owner and jiujitsu instructor and meets with Sherlock Holmes at one point to discuss Enola and their mother. Edith tells Sherlock, “You have no interest in changing a world that suits you so well.” The themes are timely and, while a bit blunt at times, important parts of discussions that we’re still having today. “Enola Holmes” stands out among the many “Sherlock Holmes” adaptations for a wide array of reasons, but the portrayal of Sherlock Holmes is perhaps one of the best. Henry Cavill brings a new life to the iconic Sherlock Holmes, portraying the typically stoic detective as complex and emotive as he realizes the multitude of issues in his relationship with Enola. The film forces Sherlock to confront the privileges that he’s been given in his life and consider how his mother, sister and others, such as Edith, are unable to take advantage of such opportunities. Newcomer Louis Partridge shines as Viscount Tewkesbury, a young lord who has run away from home. While “Enola Holmes” is his first major film credit, Partridge’s genuine enthusiasm brings the character to life and makes him the perfect companion to Brown’s wittier Enola. His relationship with Enola is adorable to watch as they grow together. It’s also incredibly reminiscent of an actual teenager’s first relationship, helped along by the fact that both Brown and Partridge play characters that are their actual age. With both talented actors, the film is strengthened rather than hindered. While the film’s plot is compelling, the switch halfway through forces plot points from the first half of the film to be left unresolved. There are too many questions left open about Enola’s mother and her motives, along with what exactly her disappearance means. The ending of the film tries to wrap that plot up without actually giving its audience the answers they need. That does, however, mean that the film is perfect for a sequel or even an entire series of films starring Enola. Overall, “Enola Holmes” is genuinely delightful and sure to be a favorite on my watchlist for the foreseeable future. With such amazing actors, timely themes and compelling characters, it’s the perfect film to check out and fall in love with. With any luck, Enola’s story will continue soon with another mystery!
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 80% of college students will change their major on average at least three times. If you’re considering changing your major, you’re in good company! Before you commit, however, here are some things to consider. Think about why you want to change your major There are a lot of reasons to change your major, but some of them may just be temporary setbacks. Is it because you’re struggling with a class? Don’t like this one professor? Figure out if it’s something that is temporary and will get better before you take the plunge. Ask yourself what first drew you to your major Why did you originally want to major in this? Did you pick it because you thought it would make you a lot of money? Did your family want you to? Make sure that you are picking something that you actually like! Consider what others majors you’d be interested in Mercer offers more than 30 different majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences alone. You have a wide variety of possibilities to consider, so make sure that you explore what else you think you’d enjoy studying. Pull up the catalog and list everything you think that you’d be interested in taking and go from there. Check out the course catalog The course catalog changes year-to-year, but there’s always the newest catalog on Mercer’s website. There’s a lot more information in the catalog than you may realize, such as summaries for what each major entails, the requirements and an overview of the different types of classes offered. It’s a good starting place to see if you’d be interested in those kinds of classes. Talk to other students Other students have taken the classes and studied the major that you’re interested in, so use them as resources. Find some students who are pursuing the major you’re interested in and ask them about it. Do they like the classes? What are their career plans? What do they like and dislike about their major? Talk to professors and advisors One of the first steps you should take is talking to your advisor. They’ll understand what you’re going through and will be able to offer some help. Beyond that, however, utilize their experience as a professor. Talk to other professors from other departments and get their perspective, too. They studied the subject and have devoted their careers to teaching it, they’ll be able to give you a more complex, rounded view of the major. Consider your future career opportunities If you were originally a neuroscience major on the pre-med track and are wanting to switch to marketing, you’ll likely need to also re-evaluate your career goals. This means that you may not end up going to med school, but instead running social media for a Fortune 500 company. As long as you can see yourself enjoying and finding success in that career path you’re newly interested in, it’ll be alright! Calm down It’s easy to panic about majors and think that your entire future rests solely on what major you choose as a freshman, sophomore or even junior. However, there are a wide variety of opportunities available for most majors and there are plenty of resources at Mercer that are devoted to helping you. Talk to your advisor, Academic & Advising Services or the Center for Career and Personal Development if you need some help figuring out what you want to do or even just for reassurance about your major. Remember that you can always change your mind Just because you change your major once doesn’t mean that you’re not allowed to change your mind again. Focus on finding your passion and pursuing it, even if it means changing majors a few times.
“The Social Dilemma,” directed by Jeff Orlowski, is a new docudrama on Netflix that tackles the increased popularity of social media in recent years and the effects that usage is having on people and society as a whole. The film features interviews with former executives from companies like Google, Facebook and Pinterest. A fictional physical representation of social media’s effects intercut the interviews to demonstrate a suburban family’s struggles with social media and its effect on their lives. Former executives and engineers revealed that the addictive nature of social media was an intentional part of the design, with features like notifications and the endless refresh enticing users like a slot machine in a casino. The film excels at making you question your own relationship with social media and advises critical thought on how you’re actually using it. Interviews with former executives such as Google design ethicist Tristan Harris, Pinterest president Tim Kendell and the Facebook like-button co-creator Justin Rosenstein highlight how the algorithms originally intended to tailor ads to your personal interests. Eventually, however, this leads into polarizing entire groups of people by showing them completely different results, feeds or ads based off of the data they already have. Renée Diresta, former head of policy at Data For Democracy and research manager at Stanford Internet Observatory, explains how those narrow perspectives then allow the algorithm to feed you conspiracy theories that then impact the real world. An extreme example that’s discussed in the documentary is Pizzagate, a conspiracy theory that believed people ordering a pizza actually meant ordering a trafficked person. “If a user was, for example, anti-vaccine or believed in chemtrails, or had indicated to Facebook’s algorithm in some way that they were prone to belief in conspiracy theories, Facebook’s recommendation engine would serve them Pizzagate groups,” Diresta said in the film. This actually culminated in a man showing up to a pizzeria with a gun to liberate the trafficked children who didn’t actually exist. The film ties everything back into the current events going on around us, including conspiracy theories, radicalized politics, the drastic polarization between conflicting groups and more. Premiering back in January at the Sundance Film Festival, “The Social Dilemma” is more relevant than ever, especially with the upcoming election. To serve as a physical demonstration of the concepts and psychological effects discussed in the interviews, the film adds in a dramatic narrative about a family’s relationship with social media. While the drama tends to fall into that of an after school special, its addition illustrates a concrete and watchable example of the damage that our reliance on social media can cause in our lives. Towards the beginning of the film, Tristan Harris shares how, during his time at Google, he created a presentation discussing the damage that social media could and was causing, which sparked a frenzy among the company. “It created this kind of cultural moment that Google needed to take seriously. And then… nothing,” Harris said. Unfortunately, and ironically enough, the film falls into that pitfall itself. It lays out all of these negative consequences and risks and primes itself to offer up some kind of solution, or even just a next step. However, no one really seems to have an answer for that next step, leaving the film on a somewhat dark note. Over the credits, former executives and researchers who were interviewed share their own relationships with social media and even family rules, which could have helped provide some kind of call to action or change for watchers to take. It was a missed opportunity that gives viewers a hopeless feeling concerning how to actually make change. Despite that, however, “The Social Dilemma” has the ability to spark a vital conversation right now about social media. It shares important information about its usage and its history about events currently going on right now, straight from those who helped create it. The only major flaw is that those who created this dilemma have no solution to it. For people wanting to learn about what impact social media is having on them, their loved ones and even their society, this film is a must-see, but the solution will have to be found by themselves.
Mercer’s freshman class of 2024 elected their class senators to the Student Government Association this past month: Yash Jani, Dominic Ezekie, Benjamin Smith, Atia Bailey and Jalen Dedeaux. Jani received the most votes at 254 votes, landing him the position of Freshman Class President. The Cluster reached out to the freshman Senators about their reasons for running, their platforms and any plans they had for the semester. Yash Jani Yash Jani credits his decision to run to the leadership positions he held in high school as the president of his school’s Beta Club, an organization that focuses on promoting the ideals of academics, character, leadership and service to students. On top of that, he runs a foundation, the Ray of Hope, which helps provide resources to help children who have lost loved ones. With the help of a friend, he created a platform for his campaign focusing on health and wellness. He hopes to achieve this goal through community engagement, service opportunities for students and recycling initiatives — with a special focus on improving the food options available on campus. He said he didn’t expect the support he received. After he shared his campaign flyer with several of his friends, he was tagged in it over 400 times on Instagram by the end of the day. “I was really surprised, and I was just happy that my friends and my peers and everyone at the school supported me to the extent that they did,” Jani said. “It was just inspiring and motivating, and it really pushes me to do better and and really achieve all of the platform goals that we had outlined.” Dominic Ezekie Dominic Ezekie said he wants to be a voice for his class during “this turbulent time.” He plans to improve communication between the administration and students, along with improving COVID-19 guidelines. His goal is to make the guidelines more consistent and allow freshmen to have as close to a typical college experience as possible. “College is a time to meet new people and make connections through various events and clubs, but many of that will be hindered because of (COVID-19),” Ezkie said. “I want to mitigate that disadvantage as best I can.” Benjamin Smith Benjamin Smith was a member of his Student Council during high school and wanted to continue being involved in student government at Mercer. His platform consisted of environmental awareness, student affairs and campus safety. He encourages students interested in getting involved with SGA to join a committee or run for Senate next year. “Don’t be scared to take on a position that seems like a lot, because people are there to help you,” Smith said. “They want you to succeed as well.” Atia Bailey Atia Bailey said she ran for SGA because she wanted to be able to use her ideas and passion in Mercer’s student government after not being able to do much for her high school’s student government. Her platform was on recycling initiatives, improved COVID-19 guidelines and maintaining the typical college experience during the pandemic. She plans to work with Vice President and Dean of Students Dean Pearson to improve the COVID-19 guidelines and find a way to transport Mercer’s recycling to a plant. Bailey also encourages students to take part in elections going forward. “I’m so proud of the voter turnout,” Bailey said. “And I hope that everyone takes advantage of their right to vote in the coming election.” Jalen Dedeaux Jalen Dedeaux said he ran for SGA because of his desire to help the community. His platform focused on mental health and building community. He said that he wants to help make students’ college experience enjoyable. “I’d like to do things that build and grow the community in a way that’s beneficial to everyone,” he said.
The new director of the Great Books program, Charlotte Thomas, is working on a three-year plan to incorporate more works written by female authors and authors of color into the Great Books curriculum. The Great Books program is one of the two general education tracks for students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students on the GBK track are required to take seven Great Books courses, where they read texts that helped create or build upon a foundation for western civilization. Currently, the majority of the required texts throughout the program were written by white men, which has caused some students to express dissatisfaction in the lack of inclusivity in the curriculum. Sophomore Ebony Lumas said she was told by a previous director that it would be unlikely that she would read any texts written by female authors or authors of color before the last two courses of the program. This was one of the reasons that she dropped the Great Books program after the first course. “I had a problem with the lack of females and people of color or people of different genders,” Lumas said. “Diversifying literature is not going to hurt the student, is not going to hurt the professor —it's beneficial … The harmful thing was the old narrative and the old way of Great Books’ set-up. Diversifying it will bring new life to it and make it more accessible to a lot more students.” [pullquote speaker="Charlotte Thomas, director of GBK" photo="" align="left" background="off" border="right" shadow="off"]When the cultural winds are blowing, and you can harness that energy to do something good ... I think you should.[/pullquote] Thomas is currently trying to put a three-year plan into action. Professors involved in the program are in working groups based on what GBK course they teach to inform the process. Those professors are researching women and people of color that fit in the chronology and are a part of the western conversation that could potentially be added into the Great Books curriculum. Professors in these groups are also reaching out to professors in the women’s and gender studies and Africana studies departments, along with other academics outside of Mercer. In each Great Books course, there’s something that Thomas referred to as a eighty/twenty rule: 80% to 100% of the texts from the course must come from the Great Books core. But up to 20% can be added in by professors, as long as those texts come from the same chronological period as the rest of the texts and had an effect on the western tradition. As early as next semester, Thomas is encouraging professors to utilize that 20% to incorporate texts from diverse authors. She wants to be able to see how those texts are discussed in classroom settings so she can better understand how new texts would work with the currently-required texts. “I’ve asked everybody to think about, and I’m not requiring it, but to think about using their 20% for these texts off of the lists that we’ve compiled,” Thomas said. “We just have these conversations. Instead of having them abstractly, we have them concretely, because we actually have experience doing it.” By the third year, Thomas hopes to have funding for reading groups about the new texts, so that professors can learn about them to feel comfortable teaching them to their students. Also in that year, professors in the Great Books program will discuss what current texts should be moved out of the core to make room for new, more inclusive additions. Thomas attributes her decision to make a push for greater diversity in the Great Books program to the increased attention of the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements. “When the cultural winds are blowing, and you can harness that energy to do something good,” Thomas said, “I think you should.” Like Lumas, junior Sarah Moore supports the change. She brought up Mercer’s motto of “changing the world” and said that the GBK curriculum contradicts that message by only selecting authors whose work supports current systems. “By expanding the curriculum to include more diverse voices, I think the Great Books program will finally achieve what it claims to do: allow students to understand their 21st-century selves and society through the great books of the past,” Moore said.
The Umbrella Academy is back and better than ever! Netflix released the second season of the superhero series July 31, 2020. The series immediately began where it left off from the season one finale, with the six siblings, along with Ben’s ghost, jumping back in time in a second attempt to prevent the apocalypse, only for the siblings to end up stranded alone across the span of several years in the 1960’s. Number Five, who ended up the latest year in 1963, once again encounters the apocalypse and his siblings’ deaths. With the help of former assassin Hazel, Five travels back ten days to try and stop the apocalypse for the third time. Unfortunately for Five, finding his siblings, who were all unable to find each other and forced to adapt to the new time period they were stranded in, is only the beginning of his struggles. The second season of the Umbrella Academy takes the best parts of the first season and builds on it. All of the siblings are given important character development throughout the season and grow both as individuals and as a family. A far cry from the distant and hurt siblings from the first season, the Hagreeves siblings are all given separate and unique plotlines that allow them to shine. Their development is all natural and leads to many heartwarming moments as they begin to heal from their respective traumas and find themselves as a family again. Season one had a heavy theme of family, but the second season builds on it into a much more functional direction. While the predominant familial relationship in the first season was the highly dysfunctional Hargreeves, the second season shows the siblings developing into supporting one another and working together. The series also takes advantage of another familial relationship to contrast with the siblings’ improving relationship, which plays a heavy role in the latter half of the season. Speaking of relationships, a criticism from the season one review was the clumsy romantic relationships. Thankfully, it does a much better job the second time around. The uncomfortable Luther/Allison romance was put to rest while the other burgeoning relationships were given time to develop naturally. Even Allison’s marriage, of which the original development is shown through flashbacks, is a high improvement compared to the first season’s handling. The plot raises quite a few more questions about the history of the Umbrella Academy, Sir Reginald Hagreeves, Grace and so much more about the world, without answering most of the questions that the first season raised about those things. They’re definitely shaping up to be part of a series-wide mystery, but it’s also frustrating for the second season to ask more questions without answers. The primary plot, however, is handled well and much more straightforward than previously. The characters’ subplots are also interesting to watch and most are given consistent time throughout the season. The new characters are all fantastically unique, well-acted and interesting. The characters that won’t return for a third season finished out their roles in arcs and it made sense as to where they ended up and where they were heading. Some will most likely return for a third season and play an interesting role in the events. Hopefully, a third season will also be able to address past characters that the second could not, such as Patches and Cha-Cha, whose fates will likely have changed with the aversion of the apocalypse. While a third season of the Umbrella Academy hasn’t been confirmed, its success and finale’s cliffhanger makes it probable. Until then, if you’re wanting a show with strong character development, familial relationships and fun moments, the second season of the Umbrella Academy is a great choice.
COVID-19 has forced students to adapt in many different ways this year. Zoom has become a classroom for many, housing may be different for some and internships went remote. Students who intended on interning during the summer didn’t anticipate a pandemic or the effects it would have on their experience and possible job opportunities in the future. This summer, senior Eliza Miller was originally hired to intern in Washington, D.C. with Prime Advocacy, a company that organizes fly-ins for Capitol Hill. When D.C. shut down due to the pandemic, her internship was cancelled. Fortunately, Miller secured an online internship with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. “I think, overall, the internship was still really valuable, even though it was online,” she said. “Because I was doing a program that had about 150 students overall, we were still able to connect via Zoom and through the networking events that D.C. Internships set up for us.” Myla Swint, a senior accounting major, was originally accepted to do an in-person internship with Verizon in Lake Mary, Florida. “My internship coordinators really went above and beyond to make sure that we felt comfortable and useful throughout the summer, so my experience was definitely what I would have wanted if we were in the office,” Swint said. Swint said the main difference of her digital experience was the networking opportunities, which were no longer in-person. Her employers, however, still held virtual networking events. She said those events allowed her to connect with people across the company. Miller said learning to work in this new paradigm still gives her valuable experiences that will be appealing to future employers. “I definitely think being able to see the flexibility of someone to work in the current environment is something that workplaces will begin to look for when they hire,” Miller said. “ If you continue to follow up with people and nurture connections, there will be opportunities to build your resume even further.” Miller will continue interning with Prime Advocacy this fall. “The people have been so welcoming in both places, and I really appreciated their willingness to try and give me advice and help me out even during these times,” she said.
Mercer University updated their COVID-19 policies surrounding face masks Aug. 24. While Mercer first put into place a mask requirement during its second summer session, the policy was expanded in mid-August after fall classes began. “The updated mask policy includes additional details on where and when masks should be worn as a means of providing clarification for students, faculty and staff to maximize compliance with the policy,” Senior Vice President for Marketing Communications Larry Brumley said in an email to The Cluster. The original policy, sent out in July, did not specify what kind of masks were acceptable or how users would be required to wear them. The updated policy now specifies that all individuals on-campus are required to wear masks that cover their nose, mouth and chin. Citing scientific consensus showing that not all face coverings are effective at slowing COVID-19, the policy outlines that masks themselves must be three-layer cotton masks, disposable surgical masks or enclosed masks with transparent panels. Mercer’s policy does not consider folded bandanas, gaiter masks or knitted masks to be acceptable face coverings. On top of that, the new policy says that masks featuring exhalation valves or vents are not allowed unless those valves are covered by another layer of cloth. Sinjae Hyun, an engineering professor at Mercer University, said in an email to the Cluster that the filtration efficiency — the percentage of aerosol or droplets collected in a facemask — for household materials, including cotton fabrics and N95, ranges from 5% to 97%. With this, the higher the percentage the better. This means their effectiveness at preventing the spread of COVID-19 varies. He specified that a N95 mask collects 97% of droplets, a cotton mask collects 10 - 60% depending on the thickness and number of layers, and polymer facemasks collect 5 - 30% depending on the thickness and number of layers. The percentage of droplets not caught by the mask then disperse into the air, which means that a person with COVID-19 could still spread the disease if the filtration efficiency is not high enough. Hyun noted that there is no perfect mask, but he said that it’s important to wear a good one. The fit, he said, matters a lot too. “If you don't wear your facemask appropriately, the efficiency is going to be lower and it does not protect you well,” Hyun said. “Therefore, physical distancing as well as wearing (face masks) are the most appropriate combination to protect us from the spread of COVID-19 in [the] Mercer University community as well as local communities.” Mercer’s updated policy says that refusal to wear a mask is considered a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and will be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. Employees who don’t comply will be reported to their immediate supervisor or Human Resources. “Mercer’s policies, procedures and plans relative to COVID-19 continue to evolve as the university receives new guidance from infectious disease experts in the School of Medicine as well as from local, state and federal public health officials,” Brumley said. For additional details on Mercer’s COVID-19 policy and response, visit their coronavirus webpage.