Author: Sarah Malik

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Young Americans and their Battle with Voting

stickers with i voted inscription and flag of usa
Photo by Element5 Digital on Pexels.com

We are only days away from Election Day, and it’s safe to say that tensions are high. If you thought the 2016 election was hectic, well, I think it’s best if you buckle in.

Millions of early voters have already cast in their ballots. Amongst these people are first time voters. This election has caused the younger generation, ages 18-29, to rise up and voice their political concerns from both sides. According to previous censuses, young people are the least likely to cast in their votes for elections in America. The reasons for this vary from thinking voting is ineffective to not being educated enough on issues. Voting is considered a civic duty, however, young men and women aren’t typically interested in politics when they have other things to worry about: school, careers, and the stress that comes with starting their adult life.

It’s no secret that this election has brought division amongst all sorts of people. Citizens and parties are more focused on asserting their dominance based on their political beliefs rather than the advancement of this country, and for this reason, young voters are coming through to fill out their ballots early and get their voice in. They have slowly begun to realize that elections dictate their futures, and if they aren’t happy with the circumstances of the country they live in, they have the ability to change course. Many people have previously argued that because there is an electoral college, their votes don’t matter, however, the popular votes alert state officials to tell them who the citizens of their states prefer. Recently, more people have been urged to voice their concerns and elect officials who stand by them with the nation’s best interest in their minds. 

There is a lot that goes into voting. The presidential race itself can be confusing and dividing, as people scramble to find the representative they support the most. In the beginning of the 2020 election, there were 1,222 candidates running for presidency, and although we have narrowed down to 4 now, it’s very time consuming to research each candidate’s political views. As if it isn’t already hard to narrow down picks, when a candidate drops out of the race, one must find the second best option, and as candidates continue to drop, people run out of their favorites.

Take Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren for example. Both candidates are members of the Senate and share many similar political views such as their stances on environmental issues. Inside Climate News reported, “Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) cited climate as the main reason he opposed President Donald Trump’s free trade deal with Mexico. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said climate had to be part of defense strategy.” Young Democratic voters mainly favored Sanders and Warrens due to their progressive beliefs, as young voters are typically more liberal, however, when both dropped out of the race, the youth eagerly looked to who they’d endorse and it was Vice President Joe Biden. Now, this is a challenge because Biden is less progressive than the other candidates, however, even though he isn’t a favorite with young voters, they have coined a term: Settle For Biden. There’s a detachment because voters aren’t exactly pledging their allegiance to Biden, but simply saying, “Well, this is as good as it’s going to get.” While the majority of the young Democratic voters have decided to settle, there are some voters who have become discouraged enough not to vote. The Republicans face the same problem with young voters, but this election has seen a rise in numbers for both sides.

The problem is just this: voting is hard. It’s a massive responsibility to research your candidates and then narrow down the list and then continue to narrow it down until there is just one option left. And what happens when that candidate isn’t the one the people want?

Young voters have been encouraged to show up as they make up a third of the votes. Amongst the states who have already shown a high percentage of young voters include Texas, Florida, and California. These states also have the greatest number of electoral votes.

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The Pros of Reopening Schools

white lockers
via aminoapps.com

Across the nation, schools have given students the option of returning to in person classes, and it’s opened up a whole new discussion. Most schools are offering hybrid classes, which means the bulk of the work will still be done remotely with the exception of the two days spent in socially distanced classes. There are a lot of factors to consider before making the decision.

Parents are apprehensive about their children returning to an environment in which it is likely to come in contact with someone exposed to COVID, however, their children are more than eager to return. It comes as no surprise that the effectiveness of the education students are receiving has been jeopardized due to factors such as toxic households, health issues caused by the sedentary lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to, and the lack of focus on studies during a global pandemic. Returning back to a building meant for education could motivate children as opposed to being home and remaining uninspired to pursue their education. Students have made very big sacrifices in an attempt to keep things as normal as possible when it comes to their education, but it’s been seven months of staying indoors nearly every day and it’s caught up with them. K-12 students are online for six hours every day without socializing with their peers, and students pursuing higher education are sitting through 4 eighty minute Zoom classes every day back to back. It’s bound to have an impact on them, so it’s completely understandable why they’d push to be back in school. As the CDC reports, children with disabilities and those coming from low income households are more likely to benefit from the opening of schools because they are with professional teachers who are trained to teach equally and to accommodate, and this can be hard to do over technology.

Many businesses have reopened and adults are going back to their regular jobs resulting in little to no time to aid their children in homework or other struggles that come with childhood and adolescence. Most parents rely on their kids to go to school for eight hours a day, not counting extracurricular activities, and many have scheduled their work around their kids. The return of students would lead to some sort of normalcy for households with working parents who can’t stick around all day to help their kids. Families that consist of single parents, two working parents, and low income households may not have the option to keep their children home for much longer, especially if their children are younger.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, I’d like to argue that teachers are severely underpaid, and are even more so underappreciated as they scramble to accommodate classes of 25+ students online. Teachers’ efforts have been overlooked in terms of the job they do to make the best out of the situation to refrain from affecting children’s education even further. They have scrapped their previous methods of teaching and taught themselves to be just as effective online as they are in person, they have had to teach themselves new ways of connecting with students, and elderly teachers have had to become well versed with the ever so unreliable technology. Despite all the sacrifices teachers and professors have had to make, they have not seen a pay raise in the United States, aside from a handful of schools in local counties. The AP news website has a section dedicated to reporting news on teacher pay raises, and as you scroll through the articles, it’s clear that pay raises aren’t being made a matter of importance across the nation. Plans are dying or being postponed, and budgets are being cut despite the extra mile the teachers go to make online learning work. If students were to go back to their in person classes, it would help teachers relax a bit on the days they are at the school. They won’t have to worry about scheduling issues and extra help because they’ll be able to connect to students without a concern about technological issues. Since pay raises are not being taken seriously in this country, a positive to consider is teachers having less of a burden on them as they return to their natural environment.The CDC has set up guidelines for schools reopening on their website, offering the best information households need to consider their decision about sending children back to school, as well as measures institutions need to take in order to make the buildings safe and COVID free. These measures include frequent tests, wearing masks, disinfecting, social distancing and, if COVID has been found in schools, to begin contact tracing. There is a plan for everything set up by the CDC ranging from school bus protocols to serving lunches. Ultimately, it’s up to each family to decide for themselves about their stance on students and teachers returning to schools.

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Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass by Lana Del Rey: A Review

violet bent backwards over the grass poem collection by Lana Del Rey
via thevlm.co.uk

Lana Del Rey is a beloved singer-songwriter who has won many awards for her albums including two Brit awards, and now she’s added published poet to her list of achievements. Her book, Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass, is a collection of her poetry published late June of this year, providing readers with 14 spoken word poems for their enjoyment. Prior to publishing, she teased a few poems on her social media to get fans excited for her first debut. She has also narrated her book for Audible, which allows readers to listen to her trademark melancholic tone, her gentle whispers in their ears, bringing them along on her journey.

Her book begins with a deeply sentimental epistolary titled, “LA Who am I to Love You?” in which the narrator highlights her loneliness when she is away from the city of Los Angeles. She expresses with sorrow that she’s tried to enjoy San Francisco, however, it doesn’t treat her like Los Angeles. She acknowledges that the city is not perfect stating, “the city not awake / the city not asleep / the city that’s something else — something in between / the city that’s still deciding / how good it should be.” She repeats multiple times “can I come home now?” creating the right emotional yearning tone for the city. There’s no hint that she’ll be returning to the city anytime soon because something is keeping her away, but she thinks about LA often and wishes she were still living there. This poem is authentic and raw. Vulnerability is relatable and a universal experience, so I praise Del Rey for beginning the book with this poem.

Most of the poems have an undertone of longing and reminiscing the past. Del Rey creates the appearance of a hazy dream that readers are trying to remember although the memories aren’t theirs. It’s extremely metaphysical and executed well. 

The fifth poem is titled “Salamander”, and it highlights the differences between a creative artist and someone who just doesn’t understand the privacy of an artist. Del Rey states, “Some stories aren’t meant to be sold / Some words aren’t meant to be told” arguing for the right to keep experiences hidden if one prefers it, refusing to be forced into sharing something they feel only belongs to them. This poem hints at the downside of fame and celebrity lives that are picked apart by the media and fans just to get to “know” them, violating their privacy. She suggests that thoughts can’t always be explained and shouldn’t have to be explained, staying in the owner’s head completely safe and far from nitpicking people (“You see, the things that can’t be bought can’t be evaluated, and that makes them beyond human reach / Untouchable, safe, otherworld / Unable to be deciphered or metabolized.”) Many celebrities have had their fair share of messy run-ins with tabloids and paparazzi and in this poem, Del Rey highlights the struggles of keeping thoughts to oneself in a world all about sharing. 

The entire collection isn’t all gloomy and melancholic though. Del Rey is known for her soft spoken, low-spirited tone, however, she surprises readers with a more happier couple of poems later in the collection. “Quiet Waiter Blue Forever” and “Happy” are lively poems that create a romantic atmosphere, and the narrator of both poems mentions the good times rather than focusing on the bad. The poems give readers a break (to wipe their tears maybe?) from the sad poems. This is an excellent way to keep readers hooked as the collection slowly comes to an end, leaving on a positive note. In fact, the final poem “Bare Feet on Linoleum” brings the book to a close with the narrator seeming more self assured, leaving the past in the past (“But anyways – that’s all over now / I’ve moved on, gone scorched earth… People love my stories / People love visions”).

Despite landing a whopping 5 stars from audience reviews on Google, the book has been met with mixed reviews from journalists. The Guardian’s Yara Rodrigues Fowler writes, “This is not only exasperating, it’s boring. There’s nothing wrong with artists drawing on their own experiences. Del Rey’s mistake is forgetting that part of being a poet is to tell us about the world, not just focus on herself.”

However, there are positive reviews like The Quietus’s Nick Roseblade who states, “Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is the album I’ve always wanted Del Rey to make. It’s brave, in a naïve way, and filled with some of glorious subtle backing tracks. This is an album that will appear to the hardcore members of the Cult of Del Rey, but there are plenty of highs for casual fans. Del Rey ends the album with the line “People love my stories. People love visions”. And she’s right. They’ll love this too.”

As always, the verdict of a book is entirely up to the reader. It may be your cup of tea, or it may not be. For me, it most definitely was. I give it a 8.5 out of 10.

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Movie Sequels That Should Not Exist

via youtube.com

Making a sequel to an already amazing film can be tricky. It’s either going to be a hit or a miss, and as the viewer, you’re either gonna love it or despise it with every cell in your body. Some sequels are awesome such as Frozen II and Spider-Man 2, but there are films that we really could have gone without. Here’s a list of those movies just so you can avoid them in the future:

  1. Mean Girls 2 – Why? No seriously, why is this a thing? I will never understand why producers make sequels without the original cast. There are plenty of mean girls in the world, but there is no mean girl quite like Regina George. More importantly, where is Aaron Samuels? You can’t use the same mean girls trope for both movies, especially when the first attempt was spot on.
  2. Grease 2 – Okay, let’s be real. If you say you prefer Grease 2 over the original Grease, you’re lying to yourself. How can any of the songs amount to “Summer Nights” and “You’re The One I Want”? I’ll tell you: they can’t. Olivia Newton-John’s voice cannot be topped. And aside from the most obvious couple that’s missing from the movie, where is the best character of the entire movie, Rizzo? We were just starting to appreciate her character development! I can’t just move on from that. Well, at least the second movie has Frenchy, even if it is a brief appearance.
  3. Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar – A swing and a miss. Let us have the happy ending we deserve without having to worry about a certain villain with an awful goatee and eyeliner better than my own.
  4. Pocahontas 2: Journey to a New World – Disney decided to side with history with this one, but come on. After making us all ship Pocahontas and John Smith? What happened to appreciating forbidden love? That’s just cruel, Disney. If you’re going to veer off script in terms of historical accuracy for the first movie, you might as well own your mistake and leave it as that. 
  5. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again – I would have really appreciated it if we didn’t go again because there shouldn’t be a follow up to an already perfect film. Let us use our imaginations! We don’t need to know about the next generation.
  6. Home Alone 3-5: Who are these children and why do they think they can ever be as iconic as Macaulay Culkin? Why mess with the perfect masterpiece that is the first Home Alone? And, okay, the second home alone isn’t as good, but compared to the rest of the movies, it’s Academy Award worthy. We don’t need 5 movies to know that 8 year olds are smarter than us adults. Let it go!
  7. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald: I loved the first movie, I really did, and I totally get that there was a cliffhanger at the end and a surprise appearance from Johnny Depp, but after watching the second movie, I think it’s best if we all agree that the only valid movie in this series is the first one. Eddie Redmayne is an awesome actor and perfectly captures Newt Scamander, but maybe it’s time to give the Harry Potter series a rest.
  8. Insurgent and Allegiant – I understand that the wildly popular book series deserves to be brought to the big screen, but why in this way? The trailers hook you in because they have perfect visuals, and they get your heart hammering in a delicious way…but the actual movies? There’s so much going on, so much packed into those 2 hours that it feels like a dump of random scenes strung together. It only makes your head spin. The books are so much better.
  9. Peter Pan 2: Return to Never Land – I don’t want to watch a movie about Wendy’s kid! That’s so depressing! It already takes me 3-5 business days to get over my feelings after watching the first movie, why would I want to hurt myself by watching the second? Also, Peter Pan really needs to do something else with free time instead of convincing mortal kids to come to Never Land with him. Why does he think he’s doing them a favor?
  10. Mulan 2 – Mulan was never a movie about romance, so why is that the theme for the second movie? I will never understand Disney’s obsession with marriage. Mulan is a soldier! She is a brave woman who took her father’s place when he was drafted for war. She saved China, for crying out loud, is that not enough of an achievement? Also, if you’re a fan of Li Shang you are not going to be happy with this movie.

If you insist on watching these movies, just don’t expect them to be blown away. Watch them when you’re feeling down so their horridness makes you laugh. That’s the only reason why I’d watch these movies anyway.

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