Search Results

What goes into a One Act: directing, acting, and improv Photo by Kate Imagine this: call time is 8:30. One of the actors has to rush over from a basketball game. Anton Balyuk ‘24, the director, has to look his best for his actor’s big day. Everybody is excited and confident that they will do well. And bam: the first One Act goes off and you need to be ready because you’re the third act. This was the scene moments before Andrew Matarese ‘24, Molly Nye ‘24, and Maggie Huse ‘25 went on stage to perform, Anton Chekhov’s play, directed by Balyuk. Matarese was Natalya Stepanovna, the daughter of a wealthy man and the love interest of Ivan Vassilevitch, Nye, a very nervous fellow, and Huse was Matarse’s grandfather, Stepan Stepvanitch. Balyuk wanted to modernize the play by casting Matarse as a woman and Nye as a man, putting his own spin on the play and trying to make it more suited for today. The play was very rowdy throughout and included a lot of action, which Balyuk had to add in to make the scene more interesting, creating a sense of conflict from the beginning. But, the play wasn’t as put together on the first day of rehearsal and needed a lot of preparation to pull off. According to Balyuk, it was hard to work with people’s schedules, as sometimes Matarese’s games would conflict with rehearsal or Nye had a field hockey tournament, so it was important that they did as much work as they could each night. According to Nye, one of the hardest parts of the whole process was memorizing her lines and there were often arguments if people did not have their lines memorized. Nye and Balyuk both emphasized the importance of movement in the scenes and putting one’s own perspectives into their characters, creating a more authentic performance for the audience. At the beginning of the early rehearsals, they would all play an improv game to get warmed up, and then they would go over their lines for a particular scene and then practice it for a few takes. Balyuk would tweak certain things after every run-through of a scene and would make sure it was to his liking before he moved on to another scene, making sure the movement and the reactions of the characters were perfect. Also, because this play is Russian, it was sometimes hard for the actors to understand certain parts of the language and culture, things Balyuk had to make sure were clear to them and the audience. But, as the performance was getting closer and closer, instead of feeling more nervous and hesitating that they had everything together, all the actors and Balyuk felt confident in themselves and thought they had done all they could and they just had to perform now. And, throughout the many rehearsals and eventual performance, they all grew closer to each other, and according to Nye, even though she wasn’t close to them before, she grew to know both of her fellow actors and director and had a lot of fun along the way. As the curtain closed and their performance, Balyuk thought they all did great and even gave them all flowers afterward and treated them to a cast party a few days after. Even though it was a long One Act and they all had a lot of lines to memorize, Matarese, Huse, and Nye went out there and performed their best. And with all the laughter and applause, it seemed like the audience enjoyed this unique performance of Chekhov’s play. Nick Costantino

Motives behind and opinions of the sweeping stylistic movement at Middlesex Photo by Max Linton Buzzcuts. Love them or hate them, they are here to stay for the next few months as hair grows and students face the consequences of their actions. In this sweeping movement there exist interesting intricacies concerning one’s rationale: in essence, varying motives separate the founders from the followers. One regretful student who admitted to succumbing to the group mentality, Arjun Rath, expressed his regret after he buzzed with a friend, hating his hair now, especially after it took months to grow back normally. Other freshmen, like roommates Logan Hoffman and Blake Hardy, cut hair together, bonding not only as roommates but as lifelong friends who sacrificed their hair for a trend. While many other Middlesex boys, specifically freshmen, acted sheeplike by following the herd, a couple shaved it all before the hype. Will Cohen, a gritty lacrosse player committed to his grind, showed dedication to his sport in Florida last spring break, choosing to buzz in order to perform well at his lacrosse camp. This winter, the prime time for buzz cuts, Will chose to get a buzz cut not only to focus on his academic career but also for its supposed bold style. The campus’ buzzed population shares a unifying emblem of respect among each other, garnering the attention of other participants of the trend. With the great impact buzzcuts have had on the school, taking Middlesex boys by storm, one would expect the origin to be extraordinary. While there are many in the herd who follow the trend, only two truly set it, serving as, one might say, shepherds. George Leness and Teddy Fritzinger, upon discussing with other upperclassmen, decided to get buzzcuts because, well, it would be funny: simple as that. However, this joke inspired others to follow, as the underclassmen see leadership in the upperclassmen, causing numerous freshmen and sophomores to buzz. While many underclassmen enjoyed the experience of relinquishing their hair, the gravity of their lifestyle change almost inevitably hit when they looked at their sunken skulls in the mirror and met their disappointed parents. For example, Kai Raczkowshi, another buzzed freshman, neglected the threats of his parents when deciding to buzz, choosing to cut his hair off even though “[his] mom said she’d pull tuition.” Despite this alienating action, freshmen indeed benefited as well, avoiding the suffering of fixing their hair and receiving attention for a unique look. Many boys are cutting their hair for the validation of other boys, but many girls do not like this rapid change. When asked if boys should follow through, Lev, a freshman girl, responded with a single word––“don’t”––as she is fed up with the animalistic hairstyles that taint the image of freshmen. Avery Green, a concerned underclassman, shared similar sentiments, claiming that it isolates girls, as they could not participate without social ridicule. Moreover, she claimed that public opinion is extremely critical of the movement outside of the niche group of buzzcut teens and their friends, claiming that members disturb the peace with their striking presence. Buzz cuts are loved by shepherds and sheeple alike and hated by most others, with the controversy in turn creating a stronger affinity for the lifestyle. Nik Rizvi

“If You're Not Cheating, You're Not Trying”: The Story of University of Michigan, the 2024 College Football National Champions’, Alleged Cheating Scandal In January, Michigan won the 2024 National Championship and solidified their undefeated season, however; the road to success was nothing short of bumpy for the Wolverines. To commence the eventful season, John Harbaugh, the coach of Michigan, served an initial three game suspension for violating NCAA recruiting policies. Right out of the gate, Michigan faced unwanted adversity, yet, despite the loss of their coach, the team managed to come out unscathed and began its season 3-0. From there, the winning never stopped for Michigan football and the team thrived off of the new attention, making known that JJ McCarthy, Blake Corum, and the offensive-line were powerhouses who were not fazed by the cheating scandals. Michigan cruised past its competition for the first half of the season, but unfortunately the latter part of the year came with some expected trouble as the team was set to play number ten ranked Penn State, a game that would test Michigan’s ability to play on the biggest stage. With the Big-Ten game set to be played that week, once again John Harbaugh and his players faced some unexpected turbulence. John Harbaugh was under investigation for the second time in 2023, this time for illicitly stealing signs. Although the NCAA allows coaches to analyze other teams’ signs and acknowledges that stealing signs are part of the game, the line was crossed by Michigan football. In the 1990’s, the NCAA established a policy that prohibited the in-person scouting of competition and the use of technology to film opponents’ signals. This rule now gave schools that didn’t have the financial means or funding to gather a scouting report an equal playing field. The NCAA made it clear that coaches were restricted from attending opponents’ games with the intent of filming the other team’s sidelines. The story of this second scandal starts with a previously unknown man, Connor Stalions. In 2022, Michigan football hired Stalions to be one of many recruiting analysts in the program. At the relatively young age of 27, Stalions joined the Wolverine’s staff. In November of 2023, allegations against Stalions surfaced, as he supposedly bought tickets to future opponents’ games and illegally filmed their signs. Within two short weeks of the investigation, the University of Michigan, now completely in the public eye, suspended Connor Stalions and contemplated repercussions for the football program. Stalions eventually withdrew from his position and publicly defended the team, saying that Jim Harbaugh, the coaching staff, and the University had nothing to do with his antics. However, this statement wasn't good enough for Tony Petitti, the commissioner of the Big-Ten, and Petitti ordered another three game suspension for Harbaugh, consequently setting a fire in the eyes of Michigan players and fans. With the college football playoffs and big rivalry games ahead, no scandal or accusation could tear down the men in blue and gold. After taking down number two seeded Ohio State in what is known as “The Game,” Michigan advanced to the Big-Ten championship against 16 seed Iowa, the Rose Bowl against the four seeded University of Alabama, and lastly completing its undefeated season against the University of Washington with a blowout win in the CFB National Championship. Michigan achieved the unthinkable, winning the regular season and the college football playoffs without a coach for six out of its 15 games. As the college season concluded, and now that the NFL playoffs are officially over, Jim Harbaugh announced his departure from his alma mater after nine years of being the coach, so that he could move into a bigger and better position. He will now be returning to the NFL field as the Los Angeles Chargers head coach, an opportunity that would not have been possible without his success at Michigan. With Harbaugh ending his time as a Wolverine, a new chapter begins for the University of Michigan. Eventually, this season's cheating scandals will be forgotten, but the national championship banner will wave high in the Big House forever. Ryan Wolff

A year after the Celtics and Bruins both collapsed in the playoffs, both teams find themselves in striking distance once again, except this time, the stakes are sky high. Duck Boats. A euphoric sight. The streets of Boston are flooded with millions of rapturous fans as their heroes spend the morning atop duck boats with their world championship trophies. It’s happened twelve times this century: six have occurred in February for the Patriots, four in November for the Red Sox, but just two in June. It’s somewhat astounding. For all the brilliance displayed by the Celtics and Bruins over the last fifteen years, they don’t really have a ton to show for it. That’s relative, of course; they’ve each won a title, but for their consistent excellence, it feels like a let-down. Boston fans will be called spoiled; hopeless New York, Philly, and Chicago sports fans will attempt to discount that feeling, explaining that we’ve had it so great over the years, but really, the great triumphs we’ve enjoyed have also brought their fair share of pure heartbreak. It’s an idea that became particularly relevant to me this fall, as the Patriots put together one of the most pathetic seasons of football known to man. By the end of it, fans were numb to the losses. It didn’t matter, and some (not me) even rooted for them to lose to improve their draft choice. The point is, when your team sucks, the emotional connection to their success is continually eroded throughout the season. The Celtics offer the best example of the opposite of this phenomenon. They’ve been on the doorstep for practically eight seasons. They’ve made the conference finals five times in the last seven seasons. They’ve made the finals once. And all we’ve been gifted with this “great” success is heartbreaking loss after heartbreaking loss, no banner in the rafters to celebrate, and no duck boats. It’s torture. And really, the same can be applied to their roommates at TD Garden, the Bruins. Their failures have mostly come earlier in the playoffs, but have still had their fair share of gut-wrenching defeats, with a 2019 loss in the Stanley Cup Final, and their Game 7 disaster just last year after the greatest regular season in the history of the sport. All signs point to the same thing: this is the final straw. This spring, it’s do or die, and everything is on the line. We’ll start with the Celtics, because their story in 2024 feels pretty simple. Jayson Tatum, somehow, is about to turn 26. He’s in the prime of his career. He’s played with about every type of superstar you can imagine, from Kyrie Irving to Kemba Walker to Gordon Hayward to Marcus Smart, and now, Kristaps Porzingus. He’s been surrounded by incredible people. And the job hasn’t gotten done. I’m a big believer in the arc of a player's career. It’s pretty easy to argue that no player in the modern NBA has seen such great success and failure in the early stages of their career, and that means something. He has the experience to understand what it takes in the big game. I thought last year was the year that we reap the rewards, particularly after his Game 7 masterclass in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. But that was not to be. And Brad Stevens, the Celtics President of Basketball Operations, took that loss on the chin. He made the difficult move that no one wanted to make, but he knew he had to make, and traded Marcus Smart for Porzingis. The C’s have a wrinkle that no team has really figured out how to stop, with Porzingis at the end of games, that seems to be the remedy for the crunch time struggles that have plagued them over the last five years. To speak optimistically, Porzingis seems to be the Kevin Garnet to Tatum’s Paul Pierce that finally got the Celtics over the hump in 2008. I believe in the coach- Joe Mazulla has an identity, and the players are bought in. But this year is the year: the chips are pushed into the table. Tatum’s been given opportunity after opportunity with really every personnel group imaginable. No team can compete with them when they’re at their best. And if the job doesn’t get done, it’s time to reevaluate Tatum’s standing in Boston, and tear it all down. It’s that simple because that’s how good this team is, and that’s where the expectations must be. The Bruins are a somewhat different case. They weren’t supposed to be here, not this year. And in any other circumstance, with a team that opened the season with endless questions and concerns, their position atop the NHL standings would be cause for jubilant optimism. But instead, the feeling more resembles one of fragile, hesitant hope. Their season this year, unfortunately, doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Scars from a decade of playoff success are still fresh, but really, it's the magnificent collapse that occurred in last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs that casts a shadow over their season. It’s a team, this year, that must prove they won’t be defined by their Game 7 performance last year. And they have to do so without their leader in Patrice Bergeron, who they lost to retirement, and with a team that GM DOn Sweeny was forced to hobble together due to salary cap constraints. It’s working so far- Morgan Geekie has emerged, and the goaltending continues to carry the team. Their success will be dependent on Jim Montgomery’s ability to learn from his miscues in last year’s playoffs: he got away from their identity (the goaltending), and he can’t afford to do so again. The B’s success is being discounted; the pundits are calling for yet another breakdown in the spring, but this team has a certain edge this year. As great as the team was last year, all their great success meant that they didn’t face many challenges until the Florida series. This year, they’ve faced adversity- they endured a 1-5 stretch in December- and responded with a four game winning streak. For both teams on Causeway Street, it feels as though we’ve endured enough failure. Both teams are made of grizzled veterans, who’ve seen let-down, and are due for success. And this time, this spring, any failure will have catastrophic consequences. George Leness

NFL Championship weekend shocked fans around the league as the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers comeback against the Detroit Lions. The Kansas City Chiefs will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years, and will face off against the San Francisco 49ers who will make their first appearance in the Super Bowl since they played the Chiefs back in 2020. On the way to this highly anticipated Super Bowl rematch from four years ago both teams had to battle their way through competitive AFC and NFC championship games. The Chiefs came into the AFC championship game with two objectives, slow down Ravens’ quarterback, MVP front runner Lamar Jackson, and get the ball to Pacheco, Rice, and Kelce. Mahomes did his thing in the first half, but it was not Mahomes who won this game for the Chiefs. Rather the Chiefs' defense dominated the Ravens’ offense and shut down the number one rushing offense in the league, holding them to a mere 10 points and 81 yards rushing. Surprisingly, the Ravens' game plan offensively was to pass the ball, as they only ran the ball 16 times, about half of their season average of 31.5 per game, and only handed the ball off to running backs six times. Lamar struggled to find open receivers, as the Chiefs secondary was in tight coverage for most of the game, but Lamar continued to find rookie Zay Flowers who was the only bright spot for the Ravens’ offense with  5 receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens’ defense played incredibly well after the first two drives, shutting out the Chiefs in the second half but it was not enough. Turnovers were one of the biggest differentiators in this game as Mahomes and the Chiefs kept a zero on the stat sheet, but the Ravens had three, two fumbles and one interception. Lamar had a fumble, and the other two turnovers were costly to the Ravens as they were both within the Redzone. The Chiefs came into the game with two objectives, and their 17-10 win in Baltimore was a near-perfect execution of their game plan. The latter of the two championship games featured the Detroit Lions at the San Francisco 49ers. The Lions came out of the gate hot, and it seemed there was no stopping this Lions offense. The Lions were up 24-7 at halftime with three rushing touchdowns to the 49ers one from star running back Christian McCaffrey. It looked grim for the 49ers, but head coach Kyle Shanahan had other plans. The 49ers came out of halftime looking like the team they have been all season, scoring 17 straight points to tie the game. Lions head coach Dan Campbell called a gutsy 4th and 2 while in field goal range which failed and swung the momentum to the Niners. After a Jake Moody field goal early in the fourth quarter, the 49ers had their first lead, 27-24. They had crawled their way back from down 17, but the game was not over. After another rushing touchdown for the 49ers, they were up 34-24. It started to look like do or die for the Detroit Lions. The Lions were driving when all of the sudden it was 4th and 3 from the 49ers 30. Dan Campbell, who has been the gutsiest coach in the league, decided to go for it, but this was the play where Campbell should have sucked up his pride and sent the kicking unit out there. The play failed and summed up this massive blown playoff lead. This blown lead should remind NFL fans of the Super Bowl when the Falcons blew a 28-3 lead. The Lions made it so close to making it to the big game for the first time in franchise history, but they were sent home by a gut-wrenching coaching mistake, losing 34-31. I predict a 49ers 28-24 win with Christian McCaffrey named Super Bowl MVP. Also watch out for the possibility of the first defensive Super Bowl MVP since Von Miller in Super Bowl 50, with either Nick Bosa or Fred Warner winning the award. Here are other Middlesex Super Bowl 58 predictions: Quinn Falvey-Chiefs 27-21 Mahomes MVP, Armaan Idrees-49ers 24-17 Aiyuk MVP, Lach Mccaghren-49ers 27-24 McCaffrey MVP, Caelen Meade-49ers 31-28 McCaffrey MVP, Matt Cloutier Chiefs 20-16 Mahomes MVP. James Millett

Many clubs don’t make it past the club fair. How do the survivors thrive? Whether because of low attendance or busy student club heads, most Middlesex clubs either fizzle out in the first few months of the year or simply disappear after the club fair. However, a select few clubs manage to stand out from the pack and become legitimate Middlesex clubs. While the interests and activities of top clubs on campus vary, the features that allow them to grow and ensure success on campus are the same: enthusiastic leaders, genuine effort, and unconventional recruitment tactics. Some students interested in serious intellectual topics lead clubs, and their passion and effort greatly benefit the community. The Anvil, more of an institution than a club, draws on student writers who are deeply interested in a variety of topics. It benefits from the hard work of student editors who spend endless hours editing, formatting, and producing the Anvil. Consistent faculty involvement also helps many clubs flourish: the Anvil, in particular, not only benefits from its faculty advisor’s guidance, but the input of passionate faculty members who are invested in the various intellectual and entertaining opportunities the Anvil provides to students. Middlesex’s science magazine, DNA-MX, and the literary magazine, the IRIS, also heavily depend on the collaborative effort from students and faculty alike. Another Middlesex organization is Finance Club, passionately guided by Luke Power ‘24 who spends countless hours preparing presentations, courting speakers, and creating activities all for the benefit of interested students. Finance Club flourishes because of Luke and other club leaders’ dedication to creating a serious yet fun environment to attract interested students through diverting activities like a stock market simulation game. Many clubs combine those three traits to create fun opportunities for niche and often random interests. Fishing Club and its line of passionate heads have maintained an inclusive space for everyone to fish and enjoy the pond in fall and spring. Similarly, Middlesex Sunday Sailing, headed by Ben Visco ‘24, highlighted the passion of its head through its success. Ben made great efforts to bring boats for students to sail on and offered his experience in sailing, with the help of similarly experienced Andrew Visco ‘26, so that total novices could enjoy the pond. Both clubs use Instagram to share the highlights of their club meetings, communicate about future dates, and encourage general participation. More recently, Rubik's Cube Club, headed by Thatcher Foregger ‘24 and Felix Juves ‘24, highlighted the importance of passionate club leaders: the duo loves ‘cubing’ and teaching new methods to attendees every week. They have also taken advantage of the new announcements block to energetically broadcast their next meeting, ensuring that no student can miss a meeting because they didn’t know about it. Students often make fun of the fact that so many clubs seem to disappear in the first few weeks of the year after an initial burst of enthusiasm; however, they often overlook many of Middlesex’s finest and most consistent student-run organizations. While it would be nice if more clubs continued on throughout the year, the presence of active student groups shouldn’t be taken for granted. And if you want to start a club of any kind, don’t worry about the seemingly daunting requirements like a faculty advisor, the club forms, or all-school announcements: the school is highly supportive and there is surely a faculty member who would support it. Jack Elworth

Writer: Title: The Swamp Too much sound drowns out the silence Of breathing in and out as your heart flies through unknown seas. Sipping slowly as the drink fuels a motor that drives towards an endless highway. Never again will this sun of excruciating orange take away the shy pink of one’s cheeks. Even as you step into the wet darkness leaving behind a jar full of endings. What is left is a marshland of flying greens and drowning eyes reaching for the surface one last time before floating to face the sun’s light. Ashwini Menon

ISA takes representation beyond Middlesex at The Governor's Academy’s annual International Student Conference. Although one of the most recently established affinity groups on campus, ISA has swiftly evolved into a central community on campus, weaving international students from diverse cultural backgrounds into the fabric of the Middlesex community. At its core, ISA has worked towards commemorating international students throughout the school year by orchestrating vibrant cultural activities like the Parade of Cultures Flag March, International Family Weekend, and bi-weekly affinity group meetings. Despite ISA’s dynamic presence and active engagements within our campus, there still remains untapped opportunities for the broader Middlesex community to learn about ISA involvement and the distinctive stories of each member of the vibrant affinity group. With this need in mind, ISA has taken to the center stage of a broader but local community of international students in an attempt to share and celebrate common experiences. Orchestrating the ISC conference, arguably the highlight of the year for ISA, was an eye-opening experience for all. Reaching such a conference and establishing an international community was no easy feat, demanding years of meticulous logistical establishment and unwavering support. ISA emerged in 2021 under the leadership of current ISA co-head Paetyn Naidoo (’25), an international student from Johannesburg, South Africa who created the group as a support outlet for Middlesex students navigating similar experiences and adversity as international students. At the time, ISA was founded in attempts to address housing and accommodation for international students over the break; however, ISA has since taken to holistically supporting our international community. Paetyn comments that “being in a community with an eclectic mix of cultures challenges us to see the world in ways we’ve never considered before,” noting that “much of my journey as an international student was not the trip from home, but the journey towards appreciating the new perspectives around me.” With this ideology, ISA co-heads Paetyn Naidoo (‘25) and Eric Nie (‘24) brought their values to action by co-hosting the annual International Student Conference at Governor's Academy. Established in 2022, the conference brings together multiple New England independent boarding schools with familiar names including Andover, Exeter, St. Marks, Milton, and St. Paul’s. Students with international backgrounds were not only invited to partake in conference activities but were also encouraged to host workshops on influential topics of their choice. Middlesex, having brought together over 20 members of the ISA, hosted two interactive and thought-provoking workshops run by Lauren Chan (’26), Sixing Wang (’26), David Yang (’26), Bryan Dong (’27), and Jessica Wu (’27). Reflecting on the workshop “Reshaping the Lens: International Students in Media,” co-host Jessica Wu ’27 shares, “the workshop was truly an enthralling opportunity. It offered us a space to engage with international students with similar but unique perspectives. Ultimately, it was a great means of spreading impactful messages to a broader community, aligning seamlessly with the underpinned values behind our workshop.” Similarly, David Yang (’26), both an attendee and workshop host at the conference, reflects on the experience: “the workshops encompassed such a diversity of different facets of the international student experience, many of which provided a sense of support and comfort through their spotlight.” Most importantly, the Middlesex ISA group unanimously agreed that the conference was an indelible opportunity to make new connections. Likewise, Stephanie Park (‘24) from Milton Academy highlights her experiences in engaging with Middlesex students. She shares that “as a student with limited avenues to engage with international students outside of Milton Academy, encountering peers who shared similar experiences at the ISC conference felt akin to a breath of fresh air. My interactions, especially with students from Middlesex, were particularly memorable, as they were very friendly and approachable!” The conference concluded with an insightful keynote speech by Groton Headmaster Temba Maqubela, who drew from his experiences during Apartheid South Africa, delivering a powerful message on resilience and conformity to the conference attendees. The significance of the conference went beyond being merely a social event; rather, it was an outlet for international students to share their experiences, find solace in others, and educate themselves on pressing issues affecting international students. Paetyn Naidoo and Eric Nie denoted that the “Governors Academy’s ISC regional conference allowed the Middlesex community to connect with an even wider global diaspora”, concluding that the student-run workshops not only allowed for the growth of attendees as people but also “emphasized how much of our learning happens outside of the classroom.” Such conferences act as an expansion of ISA’s values and embody the affinity group’s initiatives toward cultivating a truly global mindset at Middlesex. Looking ahead, Middlesex is poised to continue advocating for international students through ISA-run activities with the exciting prospect of hosting the next ISC conference on our very own campus! ISA has ambitious plans for the new semester and years ahead, promising a wealth of enriching experiences for the entire Middlesex community. Bryan Dong

Analyzing trends of success and failure in the history of the event and making predictions about this year’s performance (Article written pre-Superbowl 2024) When you think of music’s biggest honor, what comes to mind? A Grammy? A Billboard Music Award? A Taylor Swift feature? While these events would be acceptable answers, the pinnacle of musical excellence and relevance has to be The Super Bowl Halftime Show, a place where only the greatest artists of their time get the chance to perform––an honor so few artists are proposed. For some, this show solidifies one as an all-time great; for others, this show catapults the end of a career and the downward spiral to shame. Usher, this year’s performer, hopes to find himself among the greats––like Imagine Dragons––and avoid any fatal mistakes that could solidify his irrelevance, like Adam Levine. When thinking about the best halftime shows, there is truly only one that comes to mind. Michael Jackson was debatably one of the best musicians of the 1980s, with songs such as P.Y.T and Beat It assisting in launching him to superstardom in the span of a few years. Therefore, when his halftime show was announced, the world braced itself for a spectacle. The show was relatively short, but the sight of Michael in his sunglasses makes people of all ages shout with emphatic glee. Coldplay also had one of the most underrated halftime shows of all time. They opened the show with the song Paradise, followed by amazing choreography and vocals from Bruno Mars in his new song Uptown Funk. Then, Beyonce and her backup dancers appeared and began to dance slowly toward Bruno, as Chris Martin stood in the middle of the two A-list celebrities, belting Coldplay songs all the while. Another recent show that “smashed the stage” (Gavin Deluties, ‘26) was that of Dr. Dre, Eminem, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Snoop Dogg. These artists demonstrated that age is just a number, as they put on a great show despite Dr. Dre approaching 60 years old! Thus, there's still hope for the older generation. Despite these amazing performances, the ones that stick out are often performances that capture our attention for all the wrong reasons. Believe it or not, before the year 1988, nearly all of the halftime shows contained high school marching bands, which, though fairly impressive, failed to appeal to as broad of an audience. As a result, in 1989, the NFL decided to change its halftime performance and managed to bring out something even worse. The show began and to everyone's great joy, Elvis Presley came out onto the stage and all the children shouted with glee. There was only one problem: Elvis had been dead for almost 10 years and the guy on the stage was not renowned musician Elvis Presley, but instead an imposter named Elvis Presto, who could neither dance nor sing. Elvis Presto could, however, perform extremely underwhelming magic tricks––and perform them he did. Of course, many others will remember the Janet Jackson incident, which scarred younger audiences watching at home in 2001. However, nothing could have prepared children for how inappropriate the 2018 halftime show truly was. As the football season progressed, fans across the world waited eagerly on the edge of their seats to find out who the Super Bowl LIII performer would be. Many hoped for Taylor Swift, Drake, or Kanye West. Much to their surprise, Maroon 5, a band known for hits like “Moves Like Jagger” and “Payphone,” was picked. Despite the excited anticipation of some, the highlight for many ended up being Levine's spontaneous decision to seductively rip off his shirt. In the days leading up to his performance, Usher has generally mixed opinions. However, we believe that Usher has a very high ceiling with great songs such as “Hey Daddy.” Unfortunately, after listening to some other Usher songs, his apparent repetitiveness and lack of versatility lead us to believe that he may end up in the doghouse after this one. Lach McCaghren, Luke Felago, and Quinn Falvey

Questioning the practicality and ethics of the recent self-improvement technique. Photo by Max Linton Looksmaxxing, an internet sensation that blew up in the summer of 2023, has dominated the Internet ever since. From catalyzing the return of past supermodel Chico Lachowski to the runway to promoting various sexual subcultures, looksmaxxing has garnered a zealous following. But what exactly is looksmaxxing? Well, the term is what it sounds like: maxing out one’s looks and genetic potential through skin care, dieting, and “mewing.” The term mewing, a facial improvement technique in which one uses suction to place the tongue onto the roof of the mouth, has also blown up on social media platforms, notably TikTok. Mewing, combined with sucking in one’s cheeks, gives an effect of hollowed cheekbones and a chiseled jawline, reminiscent of the “sigma” and “Chad” Internet trend from a year ago. However, many scientists suggest that mewing, along with other looksmaxxing techniques such as using a gua sha, is actually pseudoscientific. While this process may seem harmless and fun, albeit silly, looksmaxxing originates from eugenics. Stemming from websites such as Lookism.com in 2015, this term has become popular with incel groups on the websites 4Chan and Reddit throughout the decade. By the pandemic, subreddits such as r/TrueRateMe, which harshly bashed submitters based on arbitrary facial features such as the distance between the nose and upper lip, only perpetuated this obsessive zeal for self-improvement. Combined with the racial element of deeming “A10 blue eyes” superior to “T50 dark brown eyes,” looksmaxxing can become quite harmful to an individual’s self-image. Similar racist comments include deriding black and South Asian models such as Arjun Rampal and Michael B. Jordan, claiming these models to be inferior to their white counterparts and to “racemax.” In addition to its racist connotations, looksmaxxing also, as one might expect, perpetuates body shaming and body dysmorphia. The notable feature of looksmaxxing, mewing, is thought to reduce facial fat, thus reinforcing the social expectation of hollow cheeks for both men and women. Of course, many “looksmaxxers” overlook that reducing fat is from being in a caloric deficit and dieting; therefore, mewing’s lack of results will likely result in greater body dysmorphia and frustration. Looksmaxing’s extreme and seemingly precise classifications of arbitrary beauty also seed insecurity in those who didn’t even know such flaws existed. Now, on top of one’s everyday worries about their job or education, they have to also worry about whether their ramus length is optimal. While looksmaxxing is ultimately about self-improvement, it is often a gateway into racist, misogynistic, and eugenic matters. As impressionable teenagers, the Middlesex student body has also been quite infatuated with looksmaxxing. Students actively mew throughout the day––even in class. Despite it being pseudoscience, much of the student population agrees that it does indeed improve one’s jawline. Middlesex’s bustling gym and hard-working athletes are a testament to the school’s emphasis on self-betterment, and looksmaxxing has seemed to become a new means for self-improvement and self-care. Like “rizz,” a word originally used for overtly sexual catcalling, looksmaxxing is also a word with more serious implications that currently serves as a fun and harmless trend. Ethan Yuan

What is the process of creating a senior plaque, and what is the history of this unique Middlesex tradition? Photo from Online Actor-comedian Steve Carell has many lucrative achievements from Golden Globe awards to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; despite these monumental accomplishments, Carell would undoubtedly claim that his most impressive comes from his alma mater of Middlesex, carved in the wooden walls of the school’s historic buildings. Of course, I am talking about the alumnus’ Middlesex plaque. Plaques are at the core of Middlesex culture. Not only do they house Middlesex history, but they also allow students to express themselves and leave a permanent mark on the place they called home for years. As long as Middlesex exists, so too do the plaques. But how exactly do plaques come to fruition? Beginning in the fall of senior year, students meet once a week in the Bass Arts Pavilion to start the process. After learning about the essential tools and safety, students begin on practice boards. Moving around the room each class to experience different lighting on their woodwork, students learn how to properly use tools and position themselves in an advantageous position to leverage their weight in carving the wood. After two months of practice, students must then choose their design over November break. “What is the message they want to leave behind?” is the question Laura Darby McNally, Head of Plaques, prompts students with. Except for guidelines illustrated in the school handbook, there is very little limitation to the content of the plaque, allowing students to fully express themselves in a unique way that future students can admire. Many students do not limit themselves to just wood, adding trinkets to their boards and implementing fun games into their plaques. Once students choose their design, they print and trace their image onto the piece of wood that will become their plaque. By March, students can add color and finishing touches to the plaques. The plaques are then hung on the walls and integrated into Middlesex history the week before graduation for students and families to admire. However, plaque carving was not always this way. When Middlesex was founded, students were required to take wood carving for their entire Middlesex career. Because of students’ impressively detailed plaques, rumors circulated that students hired professionals to carve their plaques. In the 1980s this method changed when Middlesex implemented a regular semester-based wood carving class, a decision which evolved into the weekly carving current Middlesex students now know. A hot topic of discussion on the Middlesex campus is the now-considered controversial plaques. “Symbols change and times change,” remarks Darby. Although these plaques may be controversial today, “this was you at the time and the moment,” and “it is not our place to take them down.” To compromise, facilities have moved controversial plaques away from public areas and into less visited areas. Still, these plaques offer insight into the varying perspectives of Middlesex students at the time and highlight individuality. No matter how controversial, plaques are essential to the Middlesex experience. Not only are they a memoir to oneself, but they are a way in which students can truly leave their unique mark on Middlesex. Alex Barron

A Night For Celebration, Growth, and Leadership Photo from Online During my sophomore year, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to attend cash night. My uncertainty mainly came from the awkwardness I experienced as a young teenager. I felt vulnerable and was afraid to put myself out there as I had yet to feel a part of my new high school, and the isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to my status as a day student only made things worse. I dreaded the idea of having to maintain a conversation with someone I didn’t know without embarrassing myself. However, a part of me still wanted to go to the event, mainly because there would be an upperclassman I would interact with–going to Cash Night would give me an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone. Ultimately, as I reflect upon my experiences since sophomore year, I have concluded that Cash Night is an extremely important and positive tradition at Middlesex. Middlesex is spared from the bleak, depressing nature of the winter season thanks to the invigorating, contagious excitement Cash Night creates. Unlike other major events like Spring Fling or Fall Formal, Cash Night is arguably a much more welcoming and toned-down event that still maintains a fun nature. When people take poker chips from one another, for example, it reminds me that we are still kids who are cunningly playful. Despite the formality and maturity a casino theme evokes, Cash Night exhibits fun in moderation. I admire Cash Night for being an opportunity for students–underclassmen, in particular–to grow: it is an opportunity to refine one’s social skills. There are many times in which we unconsciously form connections with others whom we may have not initially known. Cash Night’s various stressful, thought-provoking, and collaborative games provide us with multiple opportunities to learn how to become confident in times of distress. Personally, I believe that Cash Night is one of the best reflections of leadership at Middlesex, as it is always inspiring to see underclassmen become upperclassmen and take on the role of leading the night after everything they have learned. It is up to the leadership of upperclassmen, specifically seniors, to help create a welcoming, inclusive environment for everyone on campus. Seniors and juniors make sure that the majority of underclassmen experience the excitement they deserve after seeing a poster with their name on it in Ware Hall by “setting each other up” with their underclassmen friends. Beyond the inclusion, upperclassmen demonstrate their leadership through the responsibilities they take and the accommodation they show by making their dates feel comfortable. Still, I do have one critique about Cash Night: the games. It is not a question of their difficulty, but rather, I feel as though the upperclassmen need to do a better job of learning how to play the games so that the night can be more competitive and fun. Additionally, while it is not necessarily problematic that the event conforms to traditional gender roles with each pair often being male and female-identifying students, it should be made more clear that any upperclassmen is allowed to ask any underclassman to attend. The term “date” is often misleading, as the event suggests nothing about romance, so the language used to talk about the event should be altered to be more clear and accommodating. While Cash Night is not perfect, it's an important Middlesex tradition I will always look forward to. Luca Raffa