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For those starting the school year thinking they can game the English system with chatGPT, don’t even bother. The English department’s new procedure for preemptively preventing, detecting and catching attempts at AI-based plagiarism is comprehensive and airtight. First, “[the department’s] strategies revolve around drafts…and their editorial process,” says Head of the English Department Jecca Hutcheson. Essay outlines and topic sentences are typically submitted during the start of the essay-writing process and kept on file in Google Classroom. An essay will “flag” if it changes significantly from its outline and first-draft topic sentences, and will then be subject to further scrutiny from software like GPTZero and Google Classroom’s built-in plagiarism checker. Furthermore, the department plans to make use of the longer class blocks allotted in the new schedule to supervise student work; Jecca is hopeful that “supervised [work]...[will be] less likely to be assisted by any source, whether human or machine”. Finally, while the version history of a Google Doc has always been used by Middlesex faculty to verify the progress of an essay, teachers will examine version histories in greater detail going forward to combat the use of generative AI. Specifically, large swathes of text appearing in relatively short periods of time on a version history will “flag”, similar to an essay that changes too much from conception to publication. Finally, the faculty of the English department have become familiar with the sentence construction, argumentative logic and style of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT - which differ significantly from the “individualized and idiosyncratic” styles of writing that Middlesex teaches. While an accurate schoolwide statistic on the prevalence of plagiarism would be impossible to obtain, the English Department states that it detects around ten cases of plagiarism annually, with varying degrees of severity. Even with all these measures in place, is it possible to game the system? Probably. Nothing stops someone from ChatGPT-ing an essay outline to go along with your generated essay, although it's likely that ChatGPT will produce below-average work. SparkNotes and LitCharts and the countless websites like them remain easily accessible. Also, barring all these options, one could always ask somebody else to write an essay in their name. However, it’s not so much about the endless arms race between plagiarists and educators, which will unfortunately always result in a win for plagiarists, and more so what the accessibility of what Jecca calls “reductive” tools will do to the students of this generation. Representing the rest of the department, Jecca states that “we expect that our students value their own voices, and that they believe that learning to write will only become a more valuable asset…If many people rely on [generative] AI, then the idiosyncratic, individual voice [taught at Middlesex] will only gain in value.” Furthermore, she states that “the process of writing is a critical component of developing as an independent thinker.” Thus, submitting an auto-generated essay for a grade not only subverts institutional Middlesex values but also sabotages one’s own intellectual development. So the question becomes this: even if you could, is it really worth it? Luke Zhang

Why are we trusting amateur doctors for medical advice? It is no secret that social media can be highly reliable, but the health and wellness craze adds an entirely new level of depth to this misinformation problem. Social media’s effects on young adults and teens can be more negative than positive. In fact, an article from Columbia’s Irving Medical Center states that there is “growing research [that] finds that the more time spent on social media, the more likely a person will experience mental health symptoms like anxiety, isolation, and hopelessness.” While trying to fit in, young adults and teenagers become more likely to follow the advice they hear from influencers and other content creators. The recent rise in health and wellness awareness is a key example of social media causing harm to consumers, specifically influencer recommendations. According to McKinsey Consultants, “the wellness market is growing quickly. Overall, around 50 percent of US consumers now report wellness as a top priority in their day-to-day lives, a significant rise from 42 percent in 2020.” Uneducated people who gain a large following on social media have harnessed the power of the wellness industry and used it to sell products from diet plans to workout regimens. Their followers often trust this information despite the source's lack of expertise or credibility. During the summer, the World Health Organization raised questions about the risks of a popular artificial sweetener, Aspartame. Following the accusations, the American Beverage Association paid 35 health professionals to create online content telling consumers that the claims were incorrect. According to the Washington Post, “the trade group paid an undisclosed amount to 10 registered dietitians, as well as a physician and a fitness influencer, to use their social media accounts to help blunt the WHO’s claims that aspartame, a mainstay of Diet Coke and other sodas, is ineffective for weight loss and ‘possibly carcinogenic.’” The main issue with these posts was that it was unclear that the videos were sponsored, resulting in many consumers being unsure if they should avoid the substance or not. “Currently there is almost no oversight on how influencers operate – despite the fact that they are paid for their "work" on social media platforms,” says Peter Suciu in a Forbes article questioning the trust viewers should have in social media influencers. The lack of rules for influencer marketing has allowed companies to hide their ads in what seems like innocent content. As a result, viewers often believe a video is meant to be a simple recommendation when, in reality, it is an advertisement. While this confusion is dangerous for any field, it is especially alarming for health and wellness awareness. In 2021, pre-workout and protein powders began to gain popularity amongst teens on TikTok. While multiple influencers spoke of the great benefits of these substances, many failed to mention that the supplements were created for those over the age of 18. As described in an article for the New York Post, Nelson Chow, a pediatrician at Princeton University gathered a team that “looked at 100 TikTok videos with the “pre-workout” hashtag and found that only one in twelve showed how to ingest the powder properly.” Society’s reliance on social media is likely to continue to grow, and it is important to recognize and advocate against the lack of restrictions in this heavily influential field. The Federal Trade Administration recently issued more restrictive guidelines for disclosure of paid promotional videos and other social media content, but until the government steps in, consumers need to be smart on their own. Diana Davidson

The Willow Project was first introduced in October 2020 by ConocoPhillips, an energy company in Houston. It was later approved by the Biden Administration in March of 2023–a controversial opinion that sparked debate nationwide. The Willow Project is a decades-long, $8 billion oil drilling venture in Alaska’s North Slope in the National Petroleum Reserve. Biden’s approval of this project resulted in backlash from enraged environmentalist groups who felt betrayed by his failure to execute his 2020 campaign promise to end all new oil and gas drilling on federal lands. This decision forced many to ponder a difficult question: Is Biden’s support for the Willow Project truly justified? The principal argument for many people's justification stems from economic benefits. Supporters claim Willow will generate jobs, boost domestic energy production, and alleviate America’s reliance on foreign countries for oil. Even some native groups have claimed this project will create a new source of revenue and increase funding for education and health care services. Nagruk Harcharek, the president of the advocacy group Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, contended in a letter to White House officials that the project will create an opportunity to invest in communities. The Bureau of Land Management assessed that it will make around $6 billion from taxes, where $1 billion of these taxes will help improve education, first responders, and hundreds of local jobs. The Biden Administration claims their “hands were tied” in the decision process because Conoco already has valid leases in the area. John Leshy, the previous Interior Department’s solicitor under Bill Clinton, asserted that “the lease does not give Conoco the right to do whatever they want, but it does convey certain rights; therefore [the administration’s] options were limited by the lease rights.” If the Biden Administration plans to deter the project drastically or halt it altogether, it would likely result in losing a court case and receiving possible fines. Ultimately, Biden approved the project after reducing the original five drill pads to three. However, as the implementation of Willow slowly closes in, the native populations living near the project site have become more distressed about the possible detrimental health and environmental impacts. Not only could Willow alter migration patterns and destroy habitats, but, according to Defenders of Wildlife, over the next 30 years, it could release 260 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. In hopes of ceasing the project, groups have sent more than 5.6 million letters to the Biden Administration. However, despite the countless efforts to terminate the project, it will be implemented. Now the question remains: which is more essential - more money or our planet? Unfortunately, in our society, one cannot live without either. But, in the end, money is simply a social construct, a mere concept ingrained into the brains of humans to create a better society. Life, on the other hand, is more valuable than all the riches in the world: it is a cycle that can never be repaired if it breaks–something that can never be won back after it is lost. Humanity seems to have forgotten and taken for granted the value of life, causing us to teeter on the brink between life and death. No amount of economic surpluses or increases in employment opportunities can justify killing our home. Michelle Cai ’23 and Allison Luo ‘23

1. Here we have Harper Edwards ‘26 pridefully showing off the flag of the infamous, masked vigilante, as well as his love for wrestling. These completely unrelated flags have one thing in common: the warrior mentality. Affectionately known as Batman, Edwards is a fierce wrestler by day and a protector of the innocent by night. 2. Alvie Zobel de Ayala ‘23 has chosen a different path. Personalizing his decorations, Zobel has chosen Amazon's choice route, ordering his posters by the fifty pack, thus achieving a unique room aesthetic, seen nowhere else. Through this incredible choice of decorations, Zobel can accurately reflect his creative personality as a trailblazer of fashion in and out of the room. 3. Perhaps the most important room in Atkins dorm belongs to Harrison James ‘24 as he has this year’s tour room. From crinkle-free pinstripe wallpaper tastefully lining only 75% of one wall to a beautiful clear glass bedside table, Harrison has objectively good style. For his favorite piece, brushing aside priceless trinkets and accessories collected across the globe, James has put aside his ego, and decided to go with a humble choice: a neon light spelling out his name. Since James’ room is the tour guide room, all who visit will recognize the humility of the Middlesex student. 4. Previous year’s remarks about a “basic” room have clearly gotten to him, so Thatcher Foregger ‘24 enhanced the eccentric feel of this year’s room with something found nowhere else on campus: a record player. Foregger enjoys classics like Nikki Minaj and Taylor Swift on his vintage record player. 5. LEGOS are a phase, right? Will Sumner ‘25 would like to disagree. Working diligently over the summer, Sumner wisely decided to invest his entire earnings in a LEGO Porsche. “Maybe someday I'll get the real thing, '' Sumner remarks, pushing the car up and down his desk. 6. Noted rule breaker Luke Power ‘24 has decided to rebel against the oppressive recycling industry. Through his only seltzer diet, Power has acquired a whopping 672 cans, which he puts on display for all to see. This incredible feat of architecture is known throughout campus, and has become an integral part of Power’s sense of style. Just as a Lion’s mane symbolizes strength, so does Power’s can wall. 7. Some might say that these are just ordinary chairs, but they would be wrong. Andrew Visco ‘26, Charlie Brand ‘26, and Colton McCann ‘27 have fought tooth and nail for these thrones, with Visco even sacrificing his right two fingers for them. They have fully adopted the sedentary lifestyle, refusing to get up from their seats of glory. Alex Barron

The summer before my Freshman year, I was given the choice of taking computer science or history for my first year, and as someone who had an interest and passion for programming and computer science, my choice was obvious. Again, before my Sophomore year, I was given the choices of taking history, computer science, or both, the latter of which I had to take due to the requirement of taking six semesters of social science throughout one’s Middlesex career. For students going into their Junior year and Senior year, the choice to take computer science often means taking an extra class, especially because all Juniors are required to take a U.S. history class. Yet, for many students, opting for an extra class represents a significant sacrifice, prompting the pressing question: which path should students take? First, why are students forced to make this choice? Traditionally, students are steeped in history or social studies classes throughout their academic career. In stark contrast, computer science rarely finds a place in the pre-high school curriculum, and it is often relegated to an elective status in high schools as it is in Middlesex. This disparity, where the study of social studies is deemed universally essential, while computer science remains largely overlooked, is a flaw in the educational system at Middlesex and beyond. History is quite valuable in education from a young age, providing much needed context for human development and current affairs and it also offers the valuable lessons derived from the mistakes of the past. History classes also intricately contribute to the development of writing and critical thinking skills, that are taught in English classes and across the domain of humanities. However, computer science also develops essential skills needed in the rapidly growing STEM fields. While examining STEM education, I spoke to Mr. Karos, who teaches Computer Science and Mathematics who emphasized the importance of our education system increasing “younger exposure [to computer science] like [it does with] art.” Mr. Karos also believes that early exposure to computer science could also help kids develop a passion for the subject from an early age. The education system’s approach to computer science education is flawed and this vital class should start at a younger age and be given a higher value within society. As for our current Middlesex curriculum, it would be difficult to imagine how computer science could be easily added to the already packed student schedules. One possible solution would be to add an introductory computer science class, much like the art electives, thereby at least giving all Middlesex students early exposure to the field, and then they can decide to continue with the subject or not. Ultimately, until changes are made, students must make the choice to take computer science themselves – obviously, not everyone is going to be a historian, and not everyone is going to be a programmer –but as students and learners, giving computer science a try is something to seriously consider. Ben Feuer

This year’s new schedule is the single greatest change to Middlesex daily life in recent history. Among its numerous improvements to the flow of the day, students and faculty enjoy a later start to the class day and less nightly homework on average. Additionally, in the evenings a later start to study hours (moving from a previous start of 7:30 to now 8:00), gives clubs, teams, and friends more time to organize and schedule. However, this change to study hours has frustrated some boarding students. While lights out for freshmen and associated rules for other grades remain at 10:30, late check-in has been moved to 10:15 in a recent update. Early check-in is now 8:00. The change in study hours maintains the amount of free time between the academic day and study hours, considering that the academic day now ends later, but some senior leaders argue this shift has led to unintended consequences towards dorm life and health. Senior boarding procters, Luke Taylor, George Leness, and Luke Power argue that the new “the new study hours is keeping kids up later,” and overall hurting dorm life. Last year, with an hour of flexibility between study hours ending at 9:30 and 10:30 lights out or in your rooms for underclassmen, gave students time to finish their homework, socialize and relax in the dorm, and get ready for bed before 10:30. The new schedule forces students to scramble to finish homework, shower, and get to bed when students should instead be winding down for the night, ending their day among friends. When students had the time to get to bed at 10:30, they mostly did, but with the current system students are “pushing their clock back half an hour,” and overall going to bed later, perhaps undermining the whole point of class starting later. The dorms after study hours “are louder at a later time,” Taylor says. With the demand for socialization and wind down time before bed the same, but the current rules making that socialization more difficult, students are more likely to break dorm rules and challenge proctors and dorm parents more so than in the past, according to the seniors. At the crux of students’ issues with the new study hours is that 10:30 cannot work as a rule if students are not given enough downtime between study hours and lights out. Significantly, if students continually break dorm rules, then a culture of general disregard for basic dorm rules can form - an obvious danger to student life. A healthy amount of sleep is a critical wellness objective for students who perennially struggle with balancing sleep, academics, and their social life. George Thornton

Illustration by David Yang World-renowned singer-songwriter Taylor Swift began her sixth concert tour in March of this year. The Eras Tour, named as an homage to each of her characteristic albums, is Taylor’s most expensive and ambitious tour yet, with 146 shows stretching across five continents. Each show lasts over three hours, featuring a forty-song setlist and two highly-anticipated surprise songs. Taylor brings unmatched energy to each and every show, displaying elaborate choreography and executing incredible costume changes. Because of the notable quality of Swift’s concerts and her enthusiastically devoted fan base, The Eras Tour is expected to make concert history as the highest-grossing tour of all time, with an predicted estimate of one billion dollars or more in sales. Of course, The Eras Tour’s massive financial success would not be possible without the absurd amount of money poured into it. For example, just setting up each stage costs Swift and her team hundreds of thousands of dollars.Yet this massive expenditure has proven to be a success for domestic and global economics: Swift’s tour is responsible for a possible economic lift that economists are referring to as “Swift Lift.” By the end of the last show, analysts predict that the tour will have generated around 4.6 billion dollars of consumer spending in the United States alone. This spending benefits people from all facets of the tour’s design, from choreographers to stadium food vendors. One hotel operator in Phoenix, AZ states that his hotels generated over twice the amount of money per day when Taylor Swift performed her first shows in Glendale than during Superbowl weekend. Part of Taylor Swift's excellence comes from her unique and timeless discography. Unlike most other popular musicians, singers, and songwriters, Swift generates money directly from her music, while a majority of artists rely on alternative sources of income, such as a makeup or beauty line. Taylor Swift fans appreciate her for the warm personality that she exudes, the wonderful music that she produces, and the stories she conveys through her songs. Ever since her debut as a 16-year-old from Tennessee, Swift, as she would put it, has never gone “out of style,” especially not now at 33 years old. Many people grew up hearing Swift’s most popular songs on the radio, and many of her newer listeners are growing up as “die-hard” Taylor Swift fans, creating generations of “Swifties.” Regardless of how big a fan one is, there is no denying that Swift’s almost two decades of musical creations have amassed a following ranging from child to senior. Swift holds a special place in the hearts of many people, keeping her music in millions of ears, and encouraging people to attend these fantastic shows even after all these years. Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour will go down in music history, perhaps as the highest-grossing tour of all time, but certainly as a testament to the power of her music and her devoted fanbase, as well as the hard work she puts into each and every jaw-dropping show. Not only is this tour unifying the incredibly diverse Taylor Swift community, but it is truly stretching the boundaries of what music and performance can accomplish. Florence Morlock

After a series of controversial Phase IV projects, Phase V of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, faces even tougher challenges. It is now in the midst of the multiverse storyline, where various projects are setting the stage for the upcoming climax. Series like "Loki" and "Spider-Man: No Way Home" notably explored the idea of the multiverse, and recently "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" introduced Kang the Conqueror, the main supervillain of the multiverse narrative. Admittedly, Phase IV did not go as well as Marvel had hoped, especially after the success of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame." There were disappointments like "Thor: Love & Thunder," a film that showed signs of Marvel’s expedited agenda and dull writing. It is safe to say that Phase IV lacked the depth of character and storytelling seen in the earlier MCU phases. Now, Phase V is also encountering its own set of challenges. Like Phase IV, Phase V does not include any Avengers films. With the ongoing multiverse complexities, there seems to be no rush to assemble the Avengers team for major missions. Instead, Marvel Studios seems focused on giving these heroes shorter standalone stories. This approach certainly speeds up the storytelling, but it also means fans will wait longer to see the official Avengers team at the forefront of the multiverse saga. In the midst of Phase V planning, the MCU is hastening to introduce new heroes like Echo and Ironheart due to expiring actor contracts, among other reasons. Yet rushing character development and reproducing clichéd hero origin stories will not retain viewership: defeating a villain and joining the array of MCU heroes had always been the way to introduce these new characters. A great example of solid character development is seen with Spider-Man in the MCU. Starting as a naive teenager, Spider-Man gradually transformed into the well-rounded hero he is today. His journey through the heroes' Civil War, Infinity War, and his own trilogy allowed for this natural growth, whereas current character growth feels compressed within a single project. Furthermore, Phase V lacks a clear narrative thread compared to previous phases. In Phases III and IV, it was clear to audiences that most of the heroes' stories revolved around the Infinity Stones. Yet looking ahead to the MCU's Phase V projects (after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3) many projects seem self-contained or unrelated to the multiverse. Some, like "Secret Invasion" and "Ms. Marvel," are linked to the overarching issue, while others, like "Captain America: Brave New World" and "Thunderbolt," deal with more grounded themes that do not heavily involve the multiverse. Nonetheless, "Loki" Season 2 might be the main Phase V project tied to the multiverse, leaving a larger plot narrative possible for Phase VI. More importantly, Phase IV left several questions unanswered and, unfortunately, Phase V does not seem set on addressing them. Upcoming plans show little chance of resolving mysteries from Phase IV, such as White Vision's fate, Doctor Strange's third eye, Venom's Symbiote, Starfox's deal in "Eternals," and the stories of the Ten Rings in "Shang-Chi." As we transition into Phase V, Marvel shows ambition in expanding its multiverse storylines. However, the current approach risks confusing the audience and falling into formulaic storytelling. Recent episodes and movies have largely mishandled old characters, as with Maria Hill's shocking death in the first episode of "Secret Invasion,” or the overly-simple introduction of the new supervillain Kang in the latest Ant-Man movie. Thus, Marvel should take a more measured approach, carefully considering how characters and storylines evolve, rather than recycling old concepts into new ones. Eric Nie

On July 5th, 2023, Mark Zuckerberg released Instagram’s newest counterpart, Threads, a text-based app that allows users to express their previous video- and photo-based content in written form. Marketed as a friendlier alternative to Twitter, the popular social media platform known for its hostile and “free-for-all” nature, Threads seemed to only improve upon all of the best parts of its big competitor. With the ability to edit posts, repost, and share content, as well as the addition of advanced personalization, the app touched on all of the fan-favorite aspects of Twitter––minus the drama. Indeed, with Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, the historic app’s popularity has begun to collapse, with many outraged with his choice to rebrand the iconic logo and name to “X,” stripping the app of one of its most beloved attributes. However, rebranding is not the only thing that Twitter users have had qualms with, as the app has taken a highly political dive in the last few years, with once amiable posts commenting on sports or popular entertainment being replaced with cutthroat and hostile jabs at governmental issues and personal beliefs. With the fall of one of social media's largest platforms, it only seems right that some alternative would come along sooner or later. Zuckerberg, a long-time enemy of Elon Musk, saw this ruination as an opportunity to rival his biggest competitor in the social media world. Spreading notifications through Instagram itself, Zuckerberg took every change to promote the new app, even creating a badge on users' profiles if they downloaded the app, further enhancing its traction through users’ individual accounts. Within days, the app gained a record-breaking following, surpassing 100 million downloads after just 5 days. For reference, it took Twitter 5 years and 5 months to reach that same milestone. It seemed that Threads had taken the world by storm, and its success appeared inevitable; however, despite the app’s rapid growth, I do not believe that it will last. To create an app solely reliant on the condition of another is a risky move considering the inconsistency of a platform that is completely dependent on individual user retention. Moreover, people download apps because they offer something they could not access before. Whether it be a new opportunity for entertainment, socializing, business, or anything in between, users desire a better and more convenient alternative to some interest they have, clicking the download button to fulfill this passion. This concept immediately highlights the problematic nature of Threads; branded as a better alternative to Twitter, the app broadcasts itself as something that has already been produced––something that has been used for many years. Furthermore, no matter how upset people become with Twitter’s changes, the wide range of communities within the app means complete user abandonment from Twitter is virtually impossible, and it is unrealistic to expect all Twitter users to switch to a new platform. To believe that successful accounts on Twitter would give up their following merely for a “friendlier” and more positive alternative, although conceptually enticing, is irrational, as users would lose all of their progress and essentially need to start from scratch. Additionally, the record-breaking usership is highly misleading, with the new app’s popularity plummeting each day. According to CNN, Threads’ daily usership is down almost 82% since its launch, with only 8 million users out of the original 150 million accessing the app each day, compared to Twitter’s 259.4 million users per day. Although Threads seemed to initially rival the usership of Twitter during its first few days, it is now evident that many only downloaded the app due to Instagram’s incessant notifications, almost forcing users to link their accounts. Even the defining concept for Threads is flawed: although the idea of creating a purely positive and inclusive experience for users sounds ideal, almost all popular social media apps today started as a free-for-all. It is this freedom to openly share one’s beliefs that makes social media so crucial, for without such important conversations these apps are almost futile. Moreover, attempts to moderate discussions within the app are not only limiting but unrealistic when considering Zuckerberg's aspirations of surpassing Twitter. Although Twitter may currently appear to be a warzone to onlookers, there are so many unique groups within the app that characterizing it only for its political controversies is simply inaccurate. People like traditions and routines; it is against our nature to abandon something that we have grown attached to. Thus, despite Zuckerberg’s hopes of capitalizing on Twitter’s instability with Threads, the fleeting fad will never fully replace the original, no matter how unoriginal Musk attempts to make it. Catherine Bain