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Middlesex’s Next Renovation Should Reflect the Community Picture this: it is a nice sunny day, and the only thing you want to do is to enjoy the warmth before the brisk winter hits. But when you walk outside with your plate full of food, you see all ten of the lawn chairs in use, leaving nowhere to sit for you. Oh well , you think, time to go back into the dining hall . Middlesex has lots of space for people looking to eat lunch in the dining hall, but not all students enjoy eating indoors. One thing that is missing is outdoor seating on the Circle. Especially in the fall and spring seasons, the weather outside is perfect for a lunch picnic with your classmates. Currently, we have multiple lawn chairs out in the circle, but they fill up fast. The addition of picnic tables in the grass right in front of the Ware Hall would be perfect on a nice, sunny day. The Circle is the most scenic place on campus, but doesn’t have very many places to sit. Adding picnic tables would benefit students and staff exponentially given the relatively low cost. Picnic tables can be cheap and cost around an average of $200. This would be a reachable goal for a fundraiser if the school needed extra funds for the tables. If the school purchased 10, it would provide outdoor seating for 80 students, a good portion of the school. This would also make the dining hall feel less cramped and let students sit with all of their friends or new people without having to worry about taking someone else’s seat. In an article titled “Spending Just 20 Minutes in a Park Makes You Happier” by Jamie Ducharme, she writes, “the medical community is increasingly viewing green space as a place for their patients to reap physical and mental health benefits.” This shows the importance of being outdoors for mental health, something Middlesex students could use with their jam-packed schedule and heavy academic workload. With hours of homework being assigned to them every night, the stress can pile up fast. Spending lunch indoors is simply a waste of opportunity to improve mental health. A primary concern would be that this would interfere with the space on the Circle for school events like graduation or field day. This would not be the case because of the ease of moving in outdoor tables; they simply fold up and can be stored in a relatively small space. Another potential problem would be taking up space on the Circle in general, which is generally meant for playing games like spikeball or frisbee. However, picnic tables would only take up a very small fraction of the space. The area we would need for lunch would be about five thousand square feet, which is miniscule compared to the 124 Thousand square feet of the Circle. The athletic fieldhouse’s completion should come with a nice break from construction on campus. Starting another big project wouldn’t be the right thing for the school right now, as construction is loud, noisy, and doesn’t make for a very good learning environment. We should instead focus on making small, quick improvements to student life on campus, starting with the picnic tables. Additions like these are what makes the everyday difference in students’ lives. Jackson Winn ‘29 & Nick Noon ‘29

How President Trump’s trade wars still shape local economies as courts weigh their legality. When Donald Trump levied sweeping tariffs on foreign steel, aluminum, and Chinese imports during his first presidency in 2018, he reshaped American trade policy. What began as an emergency measure to “protect American industry” has calcified into a permanent restructuring of U.S. commerce, altering prices and supply chains.  Since returning to office in January 2025, Mr. Trump has doubled down. His administration has layered staggering new duties on a range of imported goods and threatened tariff rates 30% or higher in response to retaliatory duties imposed on US imports.  Now, the legality of that framework is under scrutiny. On August 29th, a federal appeals court ruled 7-4 that Mr. Trump exceeded his authority in imposing his global tariffs, many of which were enacted through the International Emergency Economics Power Act (IEEPA). That 1979 law granted the president broad powers to regulate financial transactions during national emergencies, but the court held that it did not confer the president explicit authority to levy taxes on nearly all U.S. imports. However, the appeals court put its ruling on hold until October 14th to give the Trump administration time to seek Supreme Court review.  Mr. Trump defended tariffs as a blunt but necessary tool: by making imported goods more expensive, he argued, consumers would be incentivized to buy American-made goods, reducing trade deficits and restoring domestic manufacturing. Indeed, in sectors like steel manufacturing, his claims found some validation. The top five U.S. steel companies more than doubled their total annual investments from 1.5 billion to 4.2 billion dollars from 2017 to 2019. Companies have also announced job gains and wage increases.  But the promised revivals have proven to be uneven. While certain American producers benefited, the tariffs also raised costs for businesses dependent on import inputs.  According to CNN, in late June the American sportswear giant Nike forecasted that it would have to pay $1 billion in additional costs because of President Trump’s tariffs levied on China, Vietnam and Indonesia, where more than 70% of Nike’s products are manufactured. Nike has confirmed a price rise for its American customers.  Multinational corporations like Nike can adjust by shifting production or absorbing some of the losses, but small and medium-sized businesses heavily reliant on imports often lack this level of flexibility. For these firms, the impact of recent tariffs has been particularly severe. Many report price hikes from suppliers and face difficult choices whether to absorb these costs or pass them on to customers at the risk of lost sales and competitiveness.  In an interview with Ms. Yang, the manager of a Sichuan restaurant in Chinatown, New York, she explained that the rising cost of imported spices and specialty ingredients has forced them to shrink menus and absorb losses. “We can’t just swap out certain ingredients for something else,” she said. “Customers know the difference, so we take the hit ourselves.” Yang noted that many other restaurants nearby were also struggling to maintain their businesses under profit losses of more than one-third. Some owners also described stockpiling imported ingredients after rumors of higher duties circulated. “Every year we think we’ve adjusted,” said one owner, “and then another tariff or new rule comes along. We can’t plan two years out anymore.” In the long run, tariffs have exposed the vulnerability of businesses, particularly small ones, to global economic policies. It remains to be seen whether these businesses can withstand this turbulence or whether they will be forced to make choices that will reshape their futures. The appeals court’s decision striking down Mr. Trump’s new tariffs does not resolve this uncertainty. For now, caught between the policies of the past and the unpredictability of what comes next, businesses must navigate a system in flux. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent also warns that the U.S. may be forced to issue massive refunds (totalling almost a trillion dollars) if the Supreme Court rules against the government, fueling further significant economic disruption.  With so much in the air, one thing is certain: the real cost of tariffs is not only measured in dollars collected or refunded, but also in the uncertainty they leave behind—one that hinders investment, disrupts supply chains, and leaves small businesses in a perpetual state of reaction and readjustment rather than growth. Even if the Supreme Court overturns the new tariffs, the old ones remain, a stark reminder that protectionism has become a feature of American commerce.  Tariffs were once pitched as temporary leverage in global disputes. Today, they have become a climate of instability that disturbs how local economies function. And until that uncertainty is resolved, local American businesses will continue to live in the shadows of these trade wars.  Jessica Wu ‘27

The brand identity reflects commitment to building on tradition. The Anvil, you’ll notice, looks a little different this year.  The design process began at the end of the last school year, with a review of 121 years of designs in the paper’s archives. This new, eighth generation design is grounded in that heritage, influenced by three main pieces of Anvil history: The First-ever-issue’s Art-Nouveau “A” This Art Nouveau-styled “A” appeared in the Anvil’s first issue, and remained in use for 14 years. 121 years later, it now marks the end of each article as our end sign. image by: Linda Wang '27 1918 editorial title’s candle motif This beautiful editorial heading includes a candle illuminating an Anvil writer’s work. That candle and its ring of light are now the Anvil’s central symbols, representing our commitment to accurate and honest journalism. image by: Linda Wang '27 Bold serifs, with a unique spin on the School’s crest This neoclassical masthead was the longest serving in Anvil history, used for 27 years. It’s been streamlined and softened for the 21st century. While the anvil in the background has been retained, the candle has been introduced above it to define an Anvil brand, a recognizable symbol that stands independent from the school wide crest. image by: Linda Wang '27 The previous Anvil masthead had stood since 2014. While the previous Anvil design had grown familiar in the 11 years since, several basic issues challenged its effectiveness.  There was no independent symbol for the Anvil, and it used the Middlesex crest (twice!). It was unbalanced, densely focused in the middle third of the page. The word “The” was small and attached to “Anvil,” despite the short length of The Anvil’s name. Finally, there was no separation between the logotype and the beginning of the first article.  Mirroring the masthead puts these issues in sharper focus: image by: Linda Wang '27 It remains to be seen if there will be a logo design that outlasts the neoclassical serif Design #3’s tenure of 27 years. By reconciling The Anvil’s rich tradition—in journalism and in design—with our newspaper’s exciting future, we hope this design can serve our successors for several decades. David Yang '26

As a harbinger for this banner year in Anvil  history, we have carefully re-imagined our   logotype and visual brand. Not merely superficial, these alterations allow for clearer communication of our values, heritage, and significance within the Middlesex community. We believe in this newspaper’s power to enlighten and engage our readership by platforming a diversity of perspectives. We encourage anyone with a Middlesex connection to visit anvilmx.com/contact to share a note in response to any article, to be published in the next issue under Letters to the Editor. A central goal of The Anvil ’s 121st iteration is to demonstrate both the opportunities that journalism brings and our school’s impressive alumni in the field. To that end, we are pleased to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Bret Stephens ‘91 on Friday, September 26th. He will lead a workshop on opinion-writing and journalism more broadly, open to all Middlesex students. We are looking forward to that and more special events later this fall and winter. -George Thornton '26 & Gina Zhao '26

Summary of the 2024-25 admissions cycle: Demographics, Financial Aids, and Statistics. image by: David Yang '26 The Office of Admissions accepted 16.5 percent of applicants, a modest decline from 18 percent last year. In this admission cycle, Middlesex received 1300 applications, a 4 percent increase from 1250 applications last year. Of the 214 admitted students, 114 enrolled across the Classes of 2029, 2028, and 2027, marking a 53 percent yield rate that has stayed consistent in recent years.  Middlesex’s overall demographics in the incoming class remained roughly similar to last year. While the student body is roughly 70 percent boarding and 30 percent day, the newly enrolled students constitute 68 percent boarding and 32 percent day. Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut remain the most represented states in the student body, while the share of local boarding families within a two-hour radius of the school increased compared to those outside of the radius. Similar to last year, male students make up a slight majority of Middlesex’s admitted class.  Tuition continued to rise this year, climbing to $79,200 for boarding students and $64,350 for day students, a 5 percent increase from last year’s $75,475 and $61,270, respectively. Despite the rise in tuition, financial aid reflects the school’s commitment to affordability: more than 39 percent of newly enrolled students receive financial aid, compared to 34 percent of the overall student body. “It is more of a budget matter,” Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Doug Price noted. “We had more funds available this year for new students.”  The incoming class also comes from 11 states and 15 countries. International students account for  13 percent of newly enrolled students, similar to that of the whole student body. To support the expanding international applicant pool, Middlesex hosted admissions receptions across Asia. Head of School Bessie Spears, Chief Advancement Director George Noble, and Associate Dean of DEI Starry Zhu traveled to South Korea, China, Thailand, and Hong Kong as part of Middlesex’s international outreach. “It’s the reputation of the academic program and the warmth of the community,” Doug Price explained. “That’s a really big aspect for us.” In addition, Middlesex attracted a pool of recruited athletes to strengthen its athletic programs. As teams like Field Hockey (2024 ISL Championship) and Football (NEPSAC Joe Lang Bowl) continue to achieve excellence in the field, Doug Price highlighted that the incoming class had “more athletes than we have had in recent years.” 32 percent of admitted students chose to reclassify for athletic and academic developments.  As peer schools across New England reinstated a standardized testing requirement, the Office of Admissions followed the trend starting from the 2023-2024 admission cycle. Students may submit the SSAT (Secondary School Admissions Test) or the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam), which Doug Price described as “a common piece as a part of the holistic admission.” “Testing is also helpful because there's a writing sample,” he added. The average SSAT score for the accepted students was 85 percentile, remaining consistent with recent years.  After all, with steady yield, diversity, and strong athletic representation, Mr. Price remarked with optimism: “We’re excited about this new group and eager to see the impact they will have on the community.” Matthew Yoon ’27

Middlesex can do more to emphasize its founding principles. At every opening of the school Chapel, we are reminded that Middlesex was built on a foundation of non-sectarian and democratic principles. These very principles have guided our school. This year, a task force composed of trustees, faculty members, and students worked to update and distill our mission statement to articulate exactly what Middlesex stands for.  In this reimagined version of the mission, Middlesex encourages students to “find their promise” through their  engagement “ in service of our community and the wider world.” With these core ideas in mind, Middlesex still tends to lean apolitical when it comes to addressing these political issues that rise up outside the MX bubble. However, in the last 10 years, Middlesex has witnessed an insurrection, 3 Trump elections, mass deportations, the harsh legislature of female autonomy, and more.  As a school supposedly committed to upholding democratic ideals, Middlesex finds itself at a watershed moment: do we remain passive in our political standings, or do we recognize that this democratic crisis isn’t even a political issue, it’s an American one? Despite its often political portrayal in the media and by politicians, democratic principles are the foundation of the American identity. Indeed, democratic principles are not a partisan issue, and given that democracy is one of Middlesex’s foundational values, we need not tip-toe around what is at stake.  In my AP Government class, Mr. Hoar prefaced our first class by saying that he felt obligated to shed light on the Trump administration’s abuses of our democratic system. However, in many of my classes people have been hesitant to critique any event that could be construed as “overly-political.”  Middlesex’s 2024 election task force attempted to encourage respectful political discourse, yet the programming neglected to include general civics education and discussion of democratic norms—especially within classes. While staying educated and up to date on an election is pivotal, it’s not enough. If you want to understand civics, you need to understand democracy. Taskforces and politics clubs are not enough. We need real civics education embedded into our curriculum. While required to take four years of English and Math, Middlesex students are only required to take two years of history, in which you learn how democracy affected civilizations across millenia. Did that empire flourish or fail? This same historical question can be asked now. Is America in decline as our democratic systems weather these attacks? Middlesex has a responsibility to answer this question through teaching its students.  Today, I sat in chapel listening to the names read of the young men who died serving our country and who died protecting democracy. As we sang Hymn 26 this line resonated more than ever: “What they dreamed be ours to do.” Middlesex’s responsibility is not just to educate its students, it's to make sure that every Middlesex student graduates having learned the value of one’s political voice.  Abby Tribush '26

Analyzing the reasons behind the success of the Korean Musical Animation image by: google images K-pop Demon Hunters  is a Sony Pictures Animation film taking place in an imagined South Korea, where demons and humans coexist. Demon-hunters protect their fans from an ever-present supernatural threat. The story revolves around Rumi, the lead vocalist of the K-pop group HUNTR/X, who is secretly a half-demon while being a demon hunter.  The film performed outstandingly in Korea and internationally, thanks to its complex understanding of Korean culture and its heart-warming theme. Showcasing the energy of K-pop, the soundtrack contains songs such as Soda Pop and Golden, which have gone viral on social media.  K-pop Demon Hunters  also presents ancient Korean folk tales and artworks. The Saja Boys, the main villains of the story, are based on Joseung Saja, who is a Korean Grim Reaper known for his dark outfits and pale appearance. Additionally, the famous icons of the movie, Sussie and Derpy, were also based on an ancient Korean folk painting.  The magpie and tiger dynamic inspired the characters’ design. Traditionally displayed every New Year, the pairing was believed to ward off evil and bring good fortune, just as Sussie and Derpy were the ones who brought good news to Rumi. The characters modernized the old-fashioned culture into a modern icon, helping to introduce Korean culture to the world.  Moreover, the film resonated deeply with the teenage audience through its themes. The main character, Rumi, constantly fears that her group will reject her due to her bloodline, and she desires to belong on the human side of the world. The messages the film sends help teenagers embrace their own identities and find the confidence in seeking true friendship and belonging.  The film is a masterpiece, but my personal cinematic perspective on the film is quite different. While I was watching the film, I felt like I was watching a set of YouTube shorts. One of the biggest problems of today is children’s attention span, and the movie was built around the problem. It is filled with constant dopamine stimuli to capture the audience’ interests. There were no breaks to let the audience connect to the movie deeply.  However, this design isn’t necessarily a flaw. The movie is made for kids, and it is perfect for kids. The movie is for entertainment and entertainment only, and if you are looking for a good time with friends and family, K-pop Demon Hunters  is a great choice. Sungjune Park ‘29

Season 7 was less about love and more about survival: Fiji-style. Season 7 of Love Island USA came in hot when it dropped on June 3, 2025, and it never let up. With Ariana hosting in Fiji, this season gave us 32 days of pure chaos, shocking twists, and a finale that nobody saw coming. From the very first week, the villa was messy. Ace strutted in with that bad-boy energy, Chelley stirred the pot without hesitation, and Jeremiah wasted no time putting himself in the middle of drama. But the tone shifted quickly when Yulissa was suddenly removed, a proof that this season wasn’t going to play it safe. How was Casa Amor? Absolutely insane. The new arrivals, like Andreina and Nic, didn’t just shake the villa—they flipped it upside down. Couples broke down overnight, and fans were left refreshing TikTok just to keep up with the fallout. But the biggest glow-up of the season belonged to Amaya. She showed up on Day 5, started quietly, and then totally stole the spotlight. Her connection with Bryan turned into one of the only real love stories of the summer. By the end, they weren’t just surviving the villa; they were winning it all, becoming the first Latino couple to take home the $100k prize. Nic and Olandria, whom fans called “Nicolandria,” had their own rollercoaster but made it to second place with chemistry that actually felt genuine. Huda and Chris landed in third, showing just enough spark to keep viewers rooting for them, while Iris and Pepe rounded out the final four. The numbers didn’t lie. Season 7 dominated streaming, pulling in over a billion minutes watched and trending on every platform. Every recoupling had people screaming on Instagram, and Casa Amor clips basically took over TikTok. By the finale on August 25, one thing was obvious: this season wasn’t about perfect fairy-tale couples. It was about who could handle the fire, survive the twists, and still walk out of Fiji holding hands. Overall, Season 7 didn’t just break records. Rather, it set the tone for what Love Island USA has become. More drama, more chaos, and a lot less “love.” And honestly? That might be why it was the best season yet. Emerson Gardner ‘28

The director of Top Gun: Maverick presents another masterpiece to the world, this time starring Brad Pitt. image by: google images With its first appearance in the cinemas on June 27th, F1: The Movie has made an incredible impact on both the Formula One and film industries. Within its first opening weekend, the movie has earned up to an estimated $140 million globally. Many came to see how the director, Joseph Kosinski, would present the exciting F1 races, while others were excited to see Brad Pitt on the screen again.  Set in the world of Formula One, Pitt plays a skilled veteran driver, Sonny Hayes, who could have been a world-class contender, but left Formula One due to a severe injury. After being recruited by his old friend, Ruben (played by Javier Bardem) to save his team, Hayes gets an opportunity to race in F1 again and to prove himself alongside promising rookie Joshua Pearce (played by Damson Idris). The two characters, the veteran and the rookie, form the central conflict of the movie. On one hand, Hayes has raced in Formula One before, and he expects Josh to cooperate with him, but Joshua is eager to become famous and the team’s first driver. The plot may seem generic, but it is a realistic problem for the teams, as the rookie and the veteran often create tension between themselves.  While the story follows a familiar rookie-versus-veteran arc, Kosinski manages to intensify the experience for the audience when it comes to the race scenes. By positioning cameras both inside and outside the cars, he immerses the audience with action, as he cuts from Hayes’ perspective to sweeping shots of competitors behind. The movie is definitely successful in displaying the thrill and competitiveness of Formula One to the audience. While the movie provides an epic portrayal of the race, it also manages to hold an outstanding authenticity of Formula One.  Though just in a few cut scenes, the F1 fans were thrilled to see their favorite drivers in the movie, like George Russell, Fernando Alonso, and Charles Leclerc. With the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton being the producer, the movie proves to be revolutionary in taking authenticity to a whole new level, with real F1 drivers participating in the production. The movie also reveals the crucial roles of the crew, like the engineers who are responsible for designing the car. The F1 crew is paid relatively less attention compared to the drivers of the team, but they are just as important as the drivers themselves. The crew is responsible for almost everything apart from the driving itself: every pitstop, aerodynamic adjustment, car repair… The movie certainly succeeded in bringing up their point of view.  Despite its many successes, the movie draws criticism from Hayes’ racing strategy. Sonny Hayes’ tactics are simply absurd, involving nothing more than crashing into other drivers to slow them down. Though supposedly effective in the movie, Hayes and his team would face penalty points and grid penalties in reality, which would heavily affect the team’s future performance.  Despite facing criticisms on the plot and Hayes’ tactics, the movie ultimately accomplished to present a thrilling experience for the audience while holding onto Formula One’s authenticity. Overall, F1: The Movie certainly succeeded in showing F1’s competitiveness and introducing it to a wider audience, with Kosinski’s epic cinematography and Lewis Hamilton’s dedication to the movie’s production. Ethan Gu ‘28 & Lawrence Chen ‘28

Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, Man’s Best Friend, was an instant hit for new and longtime fans, but is the controversy surrounding the album cover accurate or a misinterpretation? image by: Getty Images Man’s Best Friend , Sabrina Carpenter’s brand new studio album debuted on August 29, instantly topped the UK Official Albums and the Billboard 200 charts. Her single “Tears” jumped to No.1 on Spotify Daily Top   Songs, surpassing 43 million streams on Spotify after just a week and a half of its release. As a fan since Sabrina’s 2016 album Evolution, I believe that Man’s Best Friend  is arguably her best album yet. Each song is jam-packed with double meanings and metaphors that reveal her struggles in a toxic relationship and her fleeting faith in genuine love.  She sings that there’s “nobody’s son, not anyone, left for [her] to believe in,” revealing her deep desire to love and trust someone without being eventually let down. Although many of her songs speak to toxic exes and failed relationships, they remain upbeat, catchy, and relatable. Sabrina calls the album a “real party for heartbreak, a celebration of disappointment” because she keeps her songs sarcastically cheerful despite the bitterness of the lyrics.  The album contains undertones of ABBA, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift, making it a unique, relatable experience for listeners. My favorite songs on the album are Nobody’s Son and Sugar Talking , mellow songs with captivating vocals and melodies. Overall, every song on the album showcases Sabrina’s authenticity and musical talent.  Despite the album’s undeniable success, Man’s Best Friend faced intense backlash for its controversial album cover, which depicts Sabrina posing as a dog before a faceless man. The cover became a hot topic overnight, with users on every social media platform calling it demeaning, misogynistic, and sexist while accusing Sabrina of using the male gaze to promote her music. Many believed it fed into unfair stereotypes, even saying it set the women’s rights movement back several years. However, these criticisms are misinterpretations of the messages she’s conveying through her sexuality.  The cover symbolizes the fact that Sabrina and many other female pop stars must cater to those stereotypes to remain relevant to the public, especially in a time when women’s bodies face increasing objectification. Through her songs, Sabrina brings awareness to these issues and proves that she isn’t whom society and the media portray her to be. In fact, many of her lyrics judge and belittle men, telling them to “let an innocent woman be.” Sabrina uses her sexuality to empower  other women in a fun and lighthearted way, something many influential female figures have failed to do. Man’s Best Friend  is easily one of the best albums of 2025, and there is no doubt it will be nominated for many Grammys this year as Sabrina’s most fun and complex album yet. The hidden meanings, symbolism, and heartbreak make the album fun, relatable, and genuine like nothing you’ve ever heard before.  Emma McMullin ‘28

“Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” an advertisement featuring Sweeney promoting a line of denim, sparked controversies far beyond style chatter. On July 23, 2025, American Eagle, a popular American clothing and accessories retailer, launched the soon-to-be infamous advertisement featuring Sydney Sweeney. Sweeney, an actress known for her roles in numerous movies and television shows, along with her attractive features and bubbly personality, starred in this playful showcase of AE’s new line of denim released in partnership with her.  Celebrity endorsements of women’s clothing have historically driven success, so why would this campaign be any different? Yet, backlash towards AE, Sweeney, and American society as a whole proved that both the public and the political response were highly negative. Critics accused the campaign of reinforcing the idea of eugenics, a term most commonly associated with Nazism, where selective breeding methods are used to improve the human race. The pun they used, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” meant also to imply that she has great genes. With her blonde hair, blue eyes, and all-American look, this was seen as an allusion to genetic purity. Similarly, the advertisement was accused of promoting the white beauty standard and even echoing some forms of white supremacist propaganda. Several advocacy groups quickly weighed in, calling for the campaign’s removal and stating that a major corporation such as AE has a responsibility to avoid racially charged undertones.  Even more outrageous to the general public, however, was the campaign’s claim to support domestic violence awareness through donations to the Crisis Text Line. The juxtaposition of a sexually suggestive denim advertisement with such a sensitive cause was extremely inappropriate, coming off as completely tone-deaf and the opposite of true advocacy. Furthermore, according to industry analysts, the advertisement represents a turning point away from “wokeism” and towards more traditional forms of advertisement that highly sexualizes women. Historical parallels were drawn between the ad and Brooke Shields’ infamous Calvin Klein jeans ad. Filmed when she was just 15 years old, the ad featured extremely suggestive movements in the jeans to garner attention. Critics saw AE’s attempt as a continuation of the fashion industry’s long history of objectifying women, noting that Sweeney’s tone and the camera's lingering focus made the comparison hard to ignore.  Even President Trump said on his own social media app, Truth Social, that she had the “hottest ad out there.” This statement from the president of the United States is a definite indication that American society is moving away from the bits of progress that have been made in the past decades. The cultural criticism spilled into wider social media, but in a more humorous manner. On popular platform TikTok, impressions of Sweeney’s delivery of the line “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring” with her flat expression, exaggerated rasp, and strained vocal fry quickly became a meme, with clips going viral. Upon closer examination, however, this campaign seems almost like a calculated stunt. Regardless of whether people like it or hate it, the attention it generated, with over 40 billion social media impressions, has only boosted sales—her “Syd’s Picks” jeans sold out in just a week.  Additionally, AE’s stock jumped over 38 percent in a single day, after the company reported a major surge in Q2 revenue due to the advertisement. Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brammers described the collaboration as not only a “product push,” but also a “brand and business reset” meant to propel American Eagle back into cultural relevance.  As someone interested in the world of marketing, I find the overall success of this campaign extremely impressive and fascinating. On one hand, American Eagle undeniably achieved its goal of driving record sales, but on the other, the controversy revealed just how easily marketing tactics can revive harmful stereotypes and trivialize serious causes. Although the midguided themes presented may not have been intentional on AE’s part, the discussions sparked throughout America about beauty standards, representation, feminism, and politics are conversations that just might prove to be more valuable than the jeans themselves. Holly Hong ‘29

A guide for new students  image from: Linda Wang '27 Each fall, curious, eager, and excited students join the Middlesex community. Between the required athletic duties, difficult classes, and overall boarding school atmosphere, the adjustment can feel overwhelming. To help make this transition smoother, we reached out to multiple returning students and faculty for their best advice to settle in and find your promise. Academics:  Do not procrastinate. It is best to stay on top of things — Blake Hardy ’27  Use your teachers and go to extra help. The math center is a great resource, and your teachers genuinely want to help you — Elliot Koopersmith ‘27  Create a system to battle procrastination by not using phones during breaks and instead doing things like reorganizing your room, reading, or watching movies — Kente Besiimire ‘28  TIP: Plan ahead and use your planner - it's a lifesaver.  Athletics and Afternoon Activities:   procrastination can impact afternoon activities such as sports, theatre, or chorus as you continue to worry about the workload — Ellie Sheehan ‘28 Athletics is a great way to get active, make friends, feel better, and do better in other aspects of your life. So I recommend that everyone put their best foot forward with athletics whether varsity, JV, or thirds because it really is fulfilling — Nadia Abdinoor ‘27 TIP: You don’t need to be a star athlete to stay active. Even with required sports for freshmen and sophomores, the gym is always an option.  Social Life:  M eeting new people outside of your dorm by going to stu-fac and socializing, joining many clubs that suit your interests, and going to school dances — Emma McMullin ‘28 Faculty, dorm parents, and teachers are excited to get to know you, so don’t hesitate to get to know them even now. Have conversations in the dorm, chat with your teachers after class, and ask your coaches questions — Emily Teevens  TIP: Most importantly, be yourself. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Prop open your door, invite a friend to study, talk to someone new.  Mental Health:  Middlesex is a lot different than whatever middle school you came from. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself and remember that if something doesn’t go the way you were hoping or expecting, you can’t let that define who you are as a student or athlete, because no one ever actually knows what they’re doing. Some people are just good at pretending they do — Maisie Wands ’28 Being honest with yourself is the most important thing. Prioritizing your own wellbeing starts with knowing when you're genuinely overwhelmed. Spend time off of your phone, recharge mentally by talking to family, friends, or simply being by yourself. You have worth outside of your achievements or pitfalls at school —— Kente Besiimire ‘28  TIP: It’s okay to not be okay. Teachers are understanding, and you should prioritize you . So if you need that extension, ask for that extension.  Quick List: Five Fast Tips   Say “Hi” first. Don’t be afraid.  Eat with someone new everyday. Reach out of your comfort zone.  Get 7+ hours of sleep. You really do need it.  Go to office hours. It will help, promise.  Give it time. Don't worry, everyone here had a first day too.  You’ve got this. Mia Koopersmith ‘28