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As A.I. reshapes how we study, the temptation to cheat becomes ever stronger, threatening both academic integrity and the very purpose of education. Sitting in the theater during announcements, I felt the room fall under the weight of an almost tangible atmosphere of shock, surprise, and solemnity. The theater fell silent; even the slightest murmur could be heard as Ms. Swain’s words cut through the air, heavy with disappointment: she was speaking to announce three disciplinary notices on academic dishonesty. The use of A.I. to cheat on assignments has slowly crept into student life, as violations of academic integrity seem to be at an all-time high across the school. As Generation Z, we are witnessing unprecedented changes and new technologies that have ushered in an entirely new chapter of humanity. Tools like ChatGPT and other A.I.-powered platforms make it ever easier for us to generate practice problems for subjects like math, science, or history. Indeed, a whole new future is opening before us as A.I. now holds the potential to assist humans in performing calculations, streamlining tasks, and achieving things that were once thought impossible. Yet, A.I. comes as a double-edged sword: while A.I. promotes efficiency, we are facing by far the most severe challenges to maintain our honesty and integrity. Indeed, ChatGPT is but one click away from generating an entire essay that can save you hours of writing and a sleepless night. Yet, though A.I. may serve as a valuable tool to improve our studying process, it should remain strictly as a “tool” not something that will do the work for  you. The misuse of A.I. has disastrous consequences. Once caught, years of hard work can vanish in an instant. Students caught cheating may face various penalties, including getting a zero on the assignment, suspension, or even expulsion. The marks will remain, permanently destroying the trust that once existed between the student and the teacher. Even if students luckily slip away once, the burden on their conscience will linger, torturing them with the fear of being discovered. The temptation of trying to save a few hours of work is never worth taking such a big risk. The true value of education lies in the development of our thinking skills and knowledge that enhances our intellectual growth. If A.I. is doing all the work for us, we forfeit the opportunity to learn the content and grow. English essays, for example, help us to develop critical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to form and support a coherent argument. The use of A.I. to finish these tasks strips away our very privilege to learn and develop as intellectuals at one of the best schools in the country.  In addition, using A.I. to cheat erodes our sense of morality. Indeed, one of the most important aspects of education is its ability to help us learn the right from the wrong. The misuse of A.I. reduces our understanding of the importance of protecting our honesty and integrity. It leads us to become desensitized to lying and cheating, paving the way for more unethical behavior in the future as our perception of good and evil blurs. Our purpose in attending school should never be driven by the desire to earn good grades and gain admission to prestigious colleges but rather by the aspiration to learn how to be a good person that contributes positively to society. While it is beneficial to embrace A.I. as a tool, it is crucial to recognize the fine line between helping to study and cheating. By using these technologies ethically and resisting the urge to violate academic integrity, we can ensure that our education continues to serve its true purpose: developing not just our minds, but also our characters.  Gina Zhao

The Next NBA Superstar Leaves New England to Become a Blue Devil: The Journey of the Top Ranked High School Basketball Player’s Collegiate Commitment      Photograph by Celine Ding As the fall fades and football season concludes for teenagers across the country, high school basketball begins and aspiring athletes move from the grass to the courts. One of these rising athletes is a 6 '8 phenom from New England. Cooper Flagg, a 16-year-old kid from a small, rural town in Maine, has left scouts, college coaches, and celebrities in awe of his talents. As a freshman at the local Nokomis Regional High School, Flagg won Maine’s Gatorade Player of the year in 2021. In his remarkable 2021-2022 freshman season, he averaged 20.5 points per game and 10 rebounds, leading his team to a 21-1 record and later a state title (Gatorade). With Cooper Flagg becoming nationally recognized and making a name for himself, he became an easy pick for the Men’s U17 National Team, where he helped the team to a gold medal win over Spain. At the FIBA Men’s U17 World Cup, Flagg averaged 9.3 points and 10 rebounds per game and was later announced the USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year (USA Basketball). Flagg continued to display his talent at the most prestigious tournaments around the country while proving to be one of the best defensive players on the court.  With Cooper Flagg’s young and blossoming career ahead, Flagg made a critical decision to leave his hometown in order to pursue his collegiate dreams. He decided to transfer with his twin brother, Ace, to Montverde Academy in Florida, a basketball powerhouse that has produced talents like R.J. Barrett, D’Angelo Russell, and Ben Simmons. It is here where Flagg plays against the best competition in the country in hopes of developing his game for the next level. Additionally, he is able to showcase his talent on the national stage. As a sophomore at Montverde, Flagg averaged 9.8 points per game and 5.2 rebounds, earning him the top spot in the 2025 high school recruiting class (MaxPreps). During the summer after his sophomore year, Flagg shocked the basketball community again. He decided to reclass up a grade into the 2024 class so that he could head to college sooner and one day to the NBA. Even after jumping up a grade, ESPN still ranks him as the number one recruit in the 2024 class, where he is a Five-star and touted as one of the best high school basketball players this decade (ESPN).  Cooper Flagg’s next decision was to decide the college where he would take his talents. After official visits to both Duke University and the University of Connecticut, he canceled his last scheduled visit to the University of Kansas. On October 30th, Cooper Flagg announced his commitment to play at Duke University under Jon Scheyer. With Duke acquiring Flagg, 247 Sports ranks the 2024 Duke basketball recruiting class as the number one class in the country. Duke has four Five-star 2024 commits, which is double the amount of Five-star recruits at the next best recruiting class, Kentucky (247Sports). During Duke’s annual Countdown to Craziness event, Flagg revisited Duke for a second time, experiencing the electric atmosphere of Cameron Indoor Stadium, and further confirming his commitment to attend Duke. In Flagg’s interview with SLAM, Flagg explained that "after [he] got on campus, [he] really started to envision [himself] in Durham"  (SLAM).  It seems like Duke is the perfect fit for Flagg and his development into an NBA player. Duke, with its five NCAA basketball championships, is always in contention to win March Madness every year, but with Flagg, the other members of the 2024 recruiting class, and Duke’s stacked current roster, Duke has a more than favorable chance of bringing back a ring to the Blue Devils.  The future is bright for Cooper Flagg,  as he continues to shine on the basketball court. In his first high school game this 2023-2024 season, he scored 19 points for the nationally number one ranked Montverde Academy. Flagg is also projected to be the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft after he completes his freshman year of college. Cooper Flagg is a standout generational talent, who has the capabilities of becoming a superstar in the future, but as of now, he is still just a young boy from a rural Maine town, playing high school basketball with his twin brother, and trying to make a name for himself on the court.  Ryan Wolff

Investigating roots of Mangione’s popularity On the morning of December 4th, Brian Thompson, the United Healthcare CEO, was fatally shot by Luigi Mangione in Midtown NYC. After a days-long manhunt, Luigi Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania with a charge of first-degree murder and terrorism. Surprisingly, Luigi Mangione’s case ignited a rally of support amidst the shame of murder. Although the case reflected many defects of the American healthcare system, violence should never be condoned as a means of change, despite Luigi Mangione’s grounded address against the lack of access to the American healthcare system. Despite the definitive immorality of murder, the message was striking enough to receive overwhelming support. During his arrest, Luigi Mangione was found with a handwritten manifesto that condemned the American healthcare system. The carrying of a manifesto reminded the public of his deep desire for change. The first few lines began with “a reminder: the US has the #1 most expensive healthcare system in the world, yet we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy.” Later, he goes on to describe the “corruption and greed” of the insurance companies.  In his record, Mangione claimed that historically, the “delay, deny, defend” attitude of the Insurance Company led to general healthcare mistreatments and overcharges, sprouting into the suffering of those who can’t simply afford it. In other words, he criticized strategies that insurance companies have been employing, an attitude that was centered around maximizing their profits at the expense of claimants.  Ironically, Luigi Mangione himself enjoyed a life of affluence. He graduated from a prestigious private school (Gilman School in Baltimore) and received a computer science degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020. His perceived distance from the primary protesters against the healthcare system makes this case even more surprising. Now the question arises: how does an upper-class, Ivy-league graduate's message resonate with the victims of healthcare? According to an OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) report in 2022, U.S. healthcare spending per capita is almost twice the average of other wealthy countries. Even with this spending, the insurance companies’ medicare advantage denial rate reached 15.7%, according to the American Hospital Association. In reference to the official United States Government census, with 27.5 million Americans living without health insurance, around 130 million Americans have medical debt. Thus, the cost of healthcare is considered as one of the leading causes of bankruptcy, and affording insurance itself stands as a burden within the lower-middle class population. Of course, it is worth noting to investigate the underlying reasons for such denials, yet it is safe to assume that Luigi Mangione’s message resonated with the population who had previously raised a voice for change in the healthcare system.  Despite the impact of the message, the majority of the media and general public appear to stand against the action of murder, stemming from moral absolutism. The cold-hearted parting of Brian Thompson’s family is cruel and striking enough to build empathy in the case. Furthermore, murder was simply unlawful and immoral in the face of moral principles and United States jurisdiction. Thus, the murder of Brian Thompson should not be tolerated, yet it is important to note the motivation of Luigi Mangione and his decision to commit such an extreme act of retaliation. In essence, Mangione’s murder set off alarms on moral decadence and epitomized a fatal threat in the pursuit of socio-political interest. Luigi Mangione’s murder and its resonance with his supporters suggest to the public an urgency for change. Mangione’s crime should be penalized under law and moral principles, yet it is important to forge a solution, such as finding a middle ground between centralized and privatized healthcare systems, to bring betterment to the people of the United States. Matthew Yoon

Exploring ways to assess learning without the stress and burnout of exams Finals week or our final  week? – This is the question that many Middlesex students, and most students in general, face during that stressful week filled with exams right before winter and summer break. At the end of the semester, all Middlesex students take the dreaded final exams worth 20% of their grade, causing many to scramble to remember information taught from the beginning of the year.  While exams are given to measure a student’s understanding of the course materials, they aren’t the only way to do so. Indeed, under the extreme pressure of performing well, some students underperform, bringing down their grades for a test performance unrepresentative of their knowledge. On top of that, it is seemingly impossible to memorize and remember all the information covered throughout the semester, making it especially difficult for students to study for classes such as history. Although many students try to start studying for their other exams earlier, it’s often proven difficult, and most of the studying ends up being done the day before the exam. During finals week, students also resort to unhealthy methods such as pulling all-nighters, ruining their sleep schedules, or skipping meals to have more study time.  I believe that we shouldn’t get rid of exams altogether as they help with our test-taking and on-the-spot thinking skills. Instead, we should replace a couple of them with projects on topics covered throughout the semester. Projects would reduce the amount of studying needed to be crammed into the day before the exam. For example, for one year, we could have three finals in Math, Chemistry, and English. Then, we could do a project for Spanish, History, and Computer Science. These projects could be completed leading up to exam week and due before exam week to reduce the amount of classes one needs to study for. They would also require a deeper understanding of the material and allow the student to apply their knowledge rather than solely memorizing information. Every year, the classes with projects would change, thus ensuring that students grasp the content of each class. While almost all schools have final exams, that doesn’t make them a complete necessity. I believe that although exams are important, they aren’t necessary for all classes. We as a school should try to reduce the total number of exams to lessen the already existing stress students face on a regular basis.  Allison Luo

Is it morally justified to push the responsibility of shouldering refugees to wealthy nations? Watch the future of the global migration crisis unfold as nationalism takes the lead.  According to humankind’s morals, the rich must assist the poor, and the strong must shield the weak, but we have never questioned the moral justification of this assumption on the side of the wealthy or the strong. Is it morally justified to place all responsibility of becoming a “world-redeemer” on the wealthy just because they have more money? There lies a tipping point on an inverted-U curve when shouldering excessive responsibility begets intractable outcomes. The United States, one of the world's largest economies by nominal GDP of 27.36 trillion, according to the World Bank, struggles with shouldering the responsibility of migrants as a wealthy nation. While it is important to have compassion for refugees “ anxiously waiting to begin their new lives ,” says former president Joe Biden, the post-pandemic pessimism in job markets, the bankruptcy of many insurance firms due to the massive California wildfire, and the polarization of politics already poses many challenges for the Federal government. Under the Biden-Harris administration’s policy, $81.7 million dollars originating from taxpayers were spent on the Safe Mobility Initiative to promote humane migration management, while in the larger picture, the net fiscal impact of refugees on the U.S. economy contributed a “ staggering $123.8 billion more than they have cost in government expenditures ,” as stated by the Administration for Children and Families. According to Mayor Adams of NYC, the potential 12 billion dollars to be spent on the migrant crisis is past “our breaking point.” According to Fox News, the total is more than the budget for the city’s fire, parks, and sanitation combined.  The abundance of refugees and migrants fleeing violence simply brought the virus of violence to America, exacerbating existing social insecurity. The recently-legislated Laken Riley Act is a result of the murder of a 22-year-old nursing student in Athens, Georgia, by a Venezuelan national living in the U.S. illegally. Chris Clem, a Border Patrol Chief argues, “ When you’re asking for billions of dollars for sanctuary cities and states, those are all buckets to help bail out water but they won’t fix the hole in the boat .” While one cannot deny the benefits of having international goodwill, governments simply do not have the resources or the ability to assist refugees and immigrants in addition to domestic concerns. Given each nation’s respective economic, environmental, and geo-political challenges, the crisis of migration nudges some countries to adopt more nationalistic policies. To ensure domestic stability, a reasonable option is to control the influx of migrants competing for the already-strained job market. Government representatives, elected by the people, have the responsibility to perform their best to represent the peoples’ interests and concerns, especially when the latter is shaped by a deteriorating economy and rising political instability. Earning an esteemed international reputation for providing ‘asylums’ for refugees and illegal immigrants is not meant to construct trust between individual and society. France under President Emmanual Macron, the second largest economy of the eurozone, is challenged by a rising national sentiment for populism. In its 2024 European election, according to ECPS statistics, Marine Le pen’s Rassemblement National emerged as the winner with 31.4 % of the vote, surpassing Macron’s Renaissance list by 16.8 %, and Luc Mélenchon’s left-wing populist La France Insoumise by 21.5%. The election outcome is a clear indication that housing refugees is not an effective method to alleviate the country’s cost-of-living crisis, national debts, and potential delays to pensions.  Instead of placing the responsibility of migrants on the wealthy nations, the UN has responsibility for coordinating its resources to raise funds to improve the living standards of those countries with low GDP. They could look for projects to involve those nations to create employment opportunities, thereby lowering the possibility of violence created. The collective dependence on wealthy nations is a form of moral abduction, and neglects the fact that even the most powerful have their breaking points.  The future of migration policies would do well to take on a more nationalistic and right-winged attitude. To balance between morality and the apathetic reality of change, the focus should not be finding out who is responsible, but rather alleviating the genesis of poverty and violence.  Lucy Wu

Does homework really contribute to meaningful learning at Middlesex? Middlesex prides itself over its three A’s: notable athletics, extraordinary arts, but most importantly, its incomparable academics. Standing among the top high schools in America, MX must maintain their top-tier academics to not only extend their prestige, but also to prepare all of their students for a successful future. Many might assume homework is a crucial and inevitable part of academics in any school, and yet there is always the looming question: is homework really beneficial for students’ learning, or is it simply another item on a to-do list that we must cross off? Trotting through the halls of LB, I asked a simple question. Do you finish your homework simply for completion, or genuine understanding and personal growth? Every single person that I asked answered the former. Many brought up that with the constant activities both on and off campus, with sports, arts, and extracurricular activities, homework only adds to the already overflowing load of commitments and stress. When prompted with the scenario of completely optional homework throughout all classes, surprisingly, many answered that they would still complete the work that is necessary to excel in the class. These results ultimately led to the bigger question: how much is homework really benefiting students’ learning and education? Ideally, students can manage their course loads, extracurriculars, and social lives with ease, but we all know this is not the case. When assigned a chemistry worksheet, history reading, or math problems, the sad reality is that most students, with such limited time and strained mental capacities from the long day, will simply speed through the assignment to earn the easy points without learning anything of substance. Within the 24 hours in a day, around one third of the time is spent sleeping, another third spent in classes, leaving merely 8 hours to finish all one’s homework from 6 to 7 courses, exercise/attend sports, eat, practice an instrument or rehearse for a play, and socialize. And at MX, we all understand how fast time can fly when you have too much to do. This current plan is ultimately setting students up for a plethora of unnecessary stress, and, dare I say, failure. In order to promote meaningful learning, teachers must assign less busy work for students to complete. With the amount of busy work lessened, when teachers do assign homework once in a while, students will have more time and will be much more willing to truly invest effort to learn that material. Every Middlesex student lives a complex and unique life, each investing time and effort on more than just academics. Assuming that we will all make time from our already busy lives to not only complete the homework, but also to gradually understand the material in depth, is simply a futile hope. In order to maximize both time and understanding, teachers must limit the amount of assigned busy work, and instead prioritize the sporadic assignments in which students will genuinely want to improve their learning development. Michelle Cai

In a world where every struggle is framed as a journey, have we lost the ability to simply live? At some point in the past decade, everything became a journey.  It’s hard to pinpoint when exactly this buzzword boomed in popularity, but somewhere between the rise of self-help culture and social media dominance, it became the go-to word for any process with a beginning and an end.  How did we get here? The word “journey” originates from the old French “jornee,” meaning “a day’s travel”-- itself derived from the Latin word “diurnata,” meaning “by day.” The concept was simple: a journey was a physical trip measured with tangible concepts of time and distance. According to Lisa Miller’s article “When did Everything Become a ‘Journey’,” the most common modifier for the word “journey” between 1990 and 2005 was “return,” with “train,” “night,” and “bus” following. It was not metaphorical in any sense. However, between 2006 and 2019, “return” is now closely followed by words like “faith,” cancer,” and “love.” Language shapes our narratives. This linguistic shift of the word “journey” is reflective of a broader trend of our increasingly narcissistic desires to yoke greater meaning from commonplace. From career trajectories to skincare routines, and from relationships to trying a new food, the overuse of the word “journey” has reached such saturation that even the most personal and mundane struggles are wrapped in the word’s glow. The word seems to have become a marketing tool to package hardships into something sellable.  Perhaps this is why the term thrives in spaces that market self-improvement–say for example, corporate branding, wellness, and fitness industries. Weight-loss is no longer merely dieting or exercise, but a “wellness journey.” Even grief is often framed as a “healing journey,” as if mourning is yet another linear process that ought to be documented. Calling something a journey implies that the process itself is meaningful, not just the outcome. The word suggests struggle, growth, and an almost preordained arc of self-discovery that appeals to many who desperately search for purpose in life.  But does slapping the brand of “journey” on something actually make it meaningful? Our “journey through Middlesex” is simply nowhere near the epic magnitude of Odysseus’ arduous “journey” back home in The Odyssey. Yet in today’s lexicon, these two drastically different experiences exist on the same plane. By elevating every experience to the status of a "journey," this inflation pressures us to extract profound meaning in everything we do.  Frankly, I have to admit that I fell into this mindset myself when I came to the US two years ago to attend my dream boarding school. Inspired by endless social media videos describing the life-changing experience that studying abroad brought them, I envisioned every moment I spent here a step towards a grand revelation of who I was meant to be. Reality was bitter, but it was in the midst of chaotic adjustment that I discovered that growth doesn’t always come from neatly packaged narratives. Sometimes, it emerges from the messy dregs of life. It's in these imperfect, chaotic moments that we truly find our humanity. There is, of course, nothing inherently wrong with the perhaps overly inflated buzzword. Language is meant to evolve, and words take on new meanings as society shifts. But the ubiquity of “journey” is worth contemplation.  A journey does not necessitate a destination. Sometimes you move forward, and other other times you circle back. Sometimes, you stay still, and that’s okay. Perhaps, instead of forcing every change into the shape of a journey, we can allow life to be what it is——unruly, nonlinear, and in its own right, meaningful.  Jessica Wu

Will increasing global trends prioritizing nationalism threaten modern democratic structures?  From “America First” policies in the United States to Brexit in the UK, the growth of right-wing populism and fanatic nationalism have spurred conversations about the security of our democratic structures for ages. With recent turns in policy under the Trump administration–more extremist border control policy and the increased prioritization of sovereignty–nationalism has become a prominent contemporary tenet of our political landscape, raising pressing concerns about its impacts on democracy, social cohesion, and our most marginalized communities.  Significantly, nationalistic policies have come to heavily undermine minority rights across the globe. Nationalistic rhetoric in Myanmar, a largely Buddhist community, has led to mass systemic attacks against the Muslim minority of Rohingya, culminating in the displacement of over 700 000 Rohingya innocents to Bangladesh as religious threats to national security. Nationally, Trump’s presidency has heavily targeted immigrant communities–enacting the “Muslim Ban” Executive Order to bar Muslim-majority nations from entry to the States. Additionally, the administration has since increased US-Mexico border operations which seek to separate families and frame immigrants–people who Trump states are “poisoning the blood of the country.” Nationalism, an ideology originally built on shared identities, has become increasingly exclusionary and contradictory to its very core of inclusion and equal opportunity –particularly against the principles of our democracy and minority rights.  However, nationalistic rhetoric has also significantly altered the way the greater electorate engages with democratic structures. Often pushing unflinching commitment to a singular party, nationhood, and set of entrenched values, nationalism has exerted mass manipulative force on spaces for democratic engagement. In Hungary, Viktor Orbán has heavily restricted free press and pushed political agendas across multiple news sources nationwide–eroding what had been a credible and independent news landscape for the larger Hungarian electorate. Orbán’s campaign has even attempted to plant seeds of loyalists into the judiciary sector to dominate legislative influence. President Trump’s administration has also taken a hard stance against the press on seemingly threatening issues for his campaign, including, but not limited to, the delegitimization of the 2020 election. These structures are often the greatest tools for accountability and check-back against radical governments; with the increased dismantling of the press as “an enemy of the American people,” according to President Trump, our democracy and political stability may face serious security concerns.  Nationalism spans far greater than domestic challenges alone, as it can often be traced back to as the catalyst for international conflict and division. China, one of the most traditionally nationalistic nations, has deeply entrenched itself in historical atrocities through malicious foreign policy and military intervention into Taiwan, the South Sea, and even cyberspaces. Trump’s very recent series of executive orders perhaps also reflects a shift from international cooperation to a greater prioritization of sovereignty. From leaving the World Health Organization to the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, we’ve seen a concerning trend towards independence from international organizations. While these movements can heavily cut down on international expenses in the interests of domestic markets, it also stunts international efforts and collaborative action towards pressing issues including healthcare and climate change.  Despite its fundamental issues, nationalism does, however, have its own political and social merits. Often used in spaces for hope and pride, nationalism has come to unite people and communities in a shared appreciation for how far our nation has come. Moments like these are important for engagement, growth, and re-alignment to greater issues. In nations such as post-apartheid South Africa, nationalism was used to promote reconciliation and steps towards restorative justice for those in the “Rainbow Nation,” which has since given rise to a liberated nation. Importantly, even Trump’s campaign doesn’t go without inherent value–many of his efforts are in the interest of national security and the growth of domestic industries, even at the expense of global cooperation. While nationalism going unchecked is certainly a deleterious force, its potential to unify and spur common growth is notable.  All these inherently fragile risks push towards the need to strike balance between sovereign interests and global efforts, between unity and risking marginalized identities–facets of our modern democracy which often don’t receive enough accountability. The importance of checks and balances and addressing nationalistic passion is increasingly important. While nationalism in the heat of the moment may seem like acts of passion and national pride, it is imperative that we reconsider the recurring harms it has on international cooperation, marginalized communities, and the way in which we engage with our own democracy. By understanding the moral risks and potential for utility behind nationalism, our political climate can move forward towards a more sustainable and just future.  Bryan Dong

Sophia’s take on the new Bad Bunny Album Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, professionally known as Bad Bunny, has done it again: his latest musical release has captured the hearts of all; his new album, "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOTos," a rather meaningful title in Spanish that means "I Should Have Taken More Photos," is a tribute to his Puerto Rican roots.   This 17-track compilation masterfully weds traditional genres like Plena, Jíbara, Salsa, Reggaeton, Bomba, and Dembow with more modern influences of reggaeton and trap, blending nostalgia with innovation in an unparalleled manner.   What makes it different from other records is that Benito has covered it with local Puerto Rican acts, including some of the youth out of Escuela Libre de Música San Juan  and the widely esteemed groups Los Pleneros de La Crest a and RaiNao .   This is a decision that promotes local talent, brings old sounds to younger generations, and closes gaps between different eras.   Indeed, in the album, one can hear serious social and political issues affecting Puerto Rico and Hawaii, such as gentrification, migration, economic challenges, and cultural preservation.   The album prompts a deeper contemplation of issues that embody Puerto Rico's past, present, and future.   Critics have praised "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOTos" as one of Benito's signature works when thinking about it with emotional moments and universal themes.   One song, "DTMF," has caused a nostalgia wave on TikTok, with users sharing their most treasured memories.   In the song, Bad Bunny sermonizes on living in the moment and dwelling on experiences rather than digital mementos.   This meaningful release shows Bad Bunny's commitment to his culture and emphasis in addressing current matters through his songs.   He uses his platform to show Puerto Rican culture and encourages other artists to keep their roots in today's global music landscape.   In an industry that is largely defined by commercial success, Benito is the kind of artist who can celebrate his cultural identity and still be relatable to the world.   DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOTos opens the path for many emerging artists to find and pay respect to their cultural narratives through music.   It is more than an album—it's a representation of heritage, community, and shared experiences. Sophia Shiatis

Mr. Sport, the heads of FEMX, and others weigh in on campus gender dynamics. As Middlesex works to address DEI issues, questions have arisen on how Middlesex can best address sexism, toxic masculinity, and gender-based discrimination. One proposed solution is to create a male affinity group. However, both students and faculty question its validity, worrying that it undermines the work of current affinity groups.  At Middlesex, affinity groups occupy a space above a club. As the heads of FEMX, Middlesex’s affinity group for female identifying students, Maggie Cabot ‘25 and Margot Boyd ‘25 agreed that a club [is] a shared interest whereas affinity is a shared part of an identity. Mylles Welch ‘27, a member of BSU and MSA, similarly defines an affinity group as a space “where people who identify the same that’s not the majority…can come together…to make each other comfortable and how to make their presence known on campus.” Consistent with these student definitions is the idea of identity—that affinity groups connect people based on an unchangeable aspect of who they are. Another key piece of the definition of an affinity group is that it is a space for marginalized groups. Erica Sahin, FEMX’s faculty advisor, describes the goal of an affinity group being to unify students with a shared identity in a manner that “supports and uplifts them.” Given that we live in a patriarchal society, male-identifying students are not a marginalized group and do not need their voices amplified to the detriment of other minorities on campus. However, that does not mean that they are immune to gender based issues and are undeserving of somewhere to feel safe and heard. In describing the gender dynamic at Middlesex, Boyd has witnessed that “the expectation of boys and girls are very different.” These expectations have manifested into an expression of hyper-masculinity that Jason Sport, Chief Officer for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, has witnessed during his time both in the Deans’ and DEI office. Analyzing patterns in disciplinary action, according to Mr. Sport, there is “[an inverted relationship between the] number of male identifying students that have discipline events and the number of male identifying students that accessed help for their mental health.”  Despite the equal access to mental health services at Middlesex, Mr. Sport notices that we “see more boys getting in trouble and we see fewer boys getting help.”  While acknowledging that men occupy a privileged space in society, Mr. Sport has also realized that “men are struggling,” especially as they move past high school to higher education. Forbes indicated that women in Massachusetts have the highest graduation rate in the United States with 78% of women graduating whereas men only achieved that same graduation rate in 2/50 states.  Looking at the greater societal issue, Mr. Sport explained that “we are seeing men or boys have fewer connections, causing more problems” like the disciplinary actions he dealt with in the Dean's office. In an effort to address these issues, Mr. Sport and the DEI office are looking to address the root of these problems through connections. Mr. Sport wants to create a group or programming to address these issues; however, he is very cautious in his approach to do so.  Men need some sort of additional support system on campus; however, an affinity group may not necessarily be the solution. Mr. Sport “recognize[s] that the need for a male affinity group may seem unnecessary as men and boys on campus are by no means marginalized,” but he also acknowledges the need for a space for boys to be “vulnerable and talk about shared challenges and be who they are.” Boyd opposes the formation of a male affinity group, fearing that without proper supervision and planning, that same group would instead “feed into” the preexisting hypermasculinity.   Cabot too noticed the lack of male connections noting that ”they feel more ostracised and it causes them to be more misogynistic” and agrees that  “if they had a place where they could get their feelings heard and if it was in a productive way like combating misogyny” it would be beneficial.  Boyd offers an alternative solution, recommending that there should be a male club, reserving affinity groups as “spaces for people who do not inherently have the privilege that white men have” while still giving male students a platform to address their own issues for the betterment of all students' experiences on campus. Ultimately, it is clear that we need to find alternative solutions to forge deeper relationships between male students where they feel just as comfortable accessing help as any other student on campus. While Middlesex does not tolerate sexism, it is important that the community creates a space for boys to feel comfortable talking through their prejudices to learn and expand their way of thinking.  Shunning or demonizing the subject of misogyny compounds the problem, rather than ameliorating it.  Instead of being addressed in the presence of teachers and student leaders, misogyny is being discussed in dorms and in the locker rooms where it could grow. Thus, Middlesex and the DEI office is taking student, professional, and faculty input to create a male space that recognizes male students' inherent privilege but also provides an outlet for their own growth and struggles. Abby Tribush

As winter sports pick up and temperatures drop, it’s tempting to disengage from the Middlesex community and spend the winter reclusively mourning the cold and dark. This mentality is also often a self-perpetuating one: to ward off the dark, make additional efforts to spend time with friends, continue to engage with clubs and other forms of student life, and show up to games and performances. Winter often feels bleak and dull here, but it doesn’t have to be.  This is also a good time for some reflection on the first semester. We encourage you to consider retrospectively both your successes and shortcoming socially, academically, and athletically. Are there people you could be kinder to? What strategies and habits paid off in your classes? How will you be a leader on your team? The second semester is an exciting fresh start, and we hope you learn from your wins and mistakes in the fall.  JE & CB

Investigating the economic and social ramifications of mass deportation. On November 18th, president-elect Donald Trump reaffirmed on Truth Social his plans to declare a national emergency and involve the U.S. military in a large-scale deportation of undocumented immigrants. Speaking at a campaign rally in New York City’s Madison Square Garden, Mr. Trump pledged: “On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out. I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail, then kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible.” Vice President-elect JD Vance echoed this plan, emphasizing that the administration would begin with targeting the “most violent criminals” and eventually extending to those with Temporary Protected Status.  While the proposal has garnered support among those advocating for stricter immigration enforcement, it also raises questions about its economic and social impacts on the US population and whether alternative approaches might better address immigration challenges.  Contrary to what many believe, undocumented immigrants are in essence crucial to the nation’s economic infrastructure. In order to grow, the US economy requires immigrants to spur job growth and also undercut inflation. Many important industries continue to rely on immigrant labor as birth rates in the US drop and an increased number of citizens retire. These industries will face severe labor shortages should Mr. Trump enact his deportation plans. Though supporters of mass deportation argue that the huge influx of undocumented immigrant workers is displacing US-born workers, studies indicate that they are in reality filling jobs of little interest to citizens. Indeed, undocumented immigrant workers account for 50% of all field and crop workers, making the success of America’s farm industry reliant on these workers.  The American immigration Council estimates that Mr. Trump’s plan will cost 88 billion dollars a year—nearly four times NASA’s budget. Regardless of whether Congress approves, Mr. Trump states that he will declare a national emergency to use military funds for his deportation plans. For perspective, with this same amount, the US could build almost three million new homes. Is the financial cost of mass deportation worth the potential economic disruption? Socially, mass deportation raises ethical questions. Many undocumented immigrants have lived in the US for years, if not decades, building lives, raising children, and paying taxes. Deporting these individuals could lead to widespread family separation, forcefully separating US-born children from their parents and creating inhumane emotional hardships. Under the “zero-tolerance policy” Mr. Trump adopted in his first term of office for undocumented immigrants arriving at the southern border, parents were sent to the immigration detention center to await deportation, while their children were sent to separate facilities owned by the Department of Health and Human Services or to other foster homes. A government report in September 2019 stated that the immigrant children put in government custody in 2018 frequently experienced intense trauma that manifested in symptoms that could significantly hinder their later success in academics or the workplace. It is clear that mass deportation would cause family separation at a scale larger than what Mr. Trump has ever done in his first term of office.  As the senior director of refugee advocacy at Human Rights First, Robyn Barnard warns, “Families will be torn apart, businesses left without vital employees, and our country will be left to pick up the pieces for years to come.”  Given the need for immigrant labor and their contributions to the nation, the government should reform and improve social mechanisms to maximize the ability of law-abiding (aside from the blemish of illegally entering the US) undocumented immigrants to support the US economy.  One of the most effective ways to reduce undocumented immigration is to expand and streamline legal pathways for individuals seeking to enter and work in the United States. The current immigration system is often criticized for being overly complex and constantly plagued by backlogs, making it difficult for those who meet eligibility criteria to obtain legal status.  Increasing the number of available visas in industries facing labor shortages would provide a lawful avenue for workers to enter or remain in the US. Though existing guest worker programs like the H-2A and H-2B visa programs currently facilitate agricultural and non-agricultural works respectively, they are limited in scope and often burdened by bureaucratic inefficiencies. Expanding these programs to cover more industries and simplifying the application process would also offer viable solutions to meet the labor needs of various industries while providing legal status and protection to immigrants at the same time. Immigration remains a complex and deeply polarizing issue, but solutions exist that balance enforcement with compassion and practicality—mass deportation is not one of them.  Jessica Wu