Yet another collection of bleak wintry days replete with classes, snowfall and revelry that UR calls a “semester” has gone by, leaving some wanting and others wanting to leave. While you pack your books, clothes and various items, take the time to read our thoughts about the changes that have taken place here this semester.CHEERS to dining services, ARAMARK and the Students’ Association government for the addition of sushi, a popular new dining option for the UR community.JEERS to mandatory four-year dining plans for the incoming freshmen. It is unfair to them, and corners them in an expensive position.CHEERS for the vibrant student theater program on campus that has provided the community with enjoyable cultural life.JEERS to the Napster dialogue for being one-sided and failing to adequately address the concerns of the student body.CHEERS to the new Napster system for legal music access. Free access to a lot of music is something most students can enjoy. However, we JEER the lack of Macintosh and Linux access to our music service.CHEERS to the planned busing changes and to RED for providing an impetus for students to explore the Rochester region. It will help us integrate our community into the city, which is certainly a beneficial change.JEERS to “The Hive” Web page, which is sadly outdated in many respects. For instance, even as former SA President Chris Calo’s term is ending, his cabinet has still, as of yet, not been listed on the Web site, and the link to senate committees does not display who is on which committee.CHEERS to the Fast Ferry, which is finally going to arrive, and allow students to easily visit Toronto practically any time they like.JEERS to the removal of funding for the Sanskrit program. The program helped make the Rochester experience unique for many students, and allowed students to learn about one of the most prolific classic languages known.CHEERS to the Campus Club Connection for creating an easy method for student groups to manage their membership, but JEERS to their Web site, which is frustratingly difficult to use, and has a number of problems with accessibility.CHEERS to fixing last semester’s online registration glitches and making registration this semester’s registration problem-free.JEERS to removing the public server. The server made transferring files from computer to computer all over the campus a simple and easy process for students.



Misogyny and bigotry plague the heavy music scene

Bands fronted by people of color, queer folk, and feminine-presenting people have always existed, but because their white, cisgender male counterparts overshadow them, they struggle to find and build a following and are often belittled for their musical skill.

The fear of rejection: an epidemic

Each rejection felt like a stab of “you’re not good enough,” and because of this fear, I missed out on so many opportunities to grow.

Looking beyond the scope of campus: what we should do with our eclipse glasses

Receiving glasses for free was a privilege that not everyone in the path of totality had.