Sean Musial, Editor

Adrenaline is defined as a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, often due to stress, increasing rates of blood circulation, breathing and carbohydrate metabolism while preparing muscles for exertion. It’s something that some people prefer not to experience often, and some don’t want to experience it at all. Then, you find that percentage of people who revel in it to a point where people find it unnatural. Those people are the wild cards. The ones that can’t sit still for the mundanity of everyday life, waiting for that next push over the hill of exhilaration. 

People often look down upon these people. They think of them as an outlier or somebody that can’t fit within the guidelines of normalcy. They’re the ones that need their hearts pumping and their senses put to the test. They’re the wild children of the world’s population that created their own rule books and that fight against the universal rules that were set in stone over many centuries. For them, intensity plays in the background of everyday life. 

The science behind the “rush” is where we start to understand why people crave these high intensity, thrill-seeking moments. When the dopamine hits from the adrenaline rush, it becomes the basis behind spontaneous behavior. The flight-or-fight response enters the equation to see if that individual will run away from the situation or stand their ground and see it through until the very end. It’s what makes or breaks that person. Entrepreneurs, stuntmen, daredevils and many other high-risk people are at risk of a “crash” heading their way– when the dopamine runs out and they’re left craving the next hit, even if it is not there anymore. Then, they start looking for other forms to get them back in the race. 

When brought into a different perspective and the grand scale of what really drives that person to do the things they do, there is a fine line between risk and recklessness. Passion towards these things is the starting point. It’s the reason that people want it more and more. When that passion turns into a dangerous mix that could psychologically and physically harm that individual but they keep searching for it, the personality trait they possess becomes more of a problem. This adrenaline quest parallels addiction as an adrenaline junkie chases their “next big high,” causing a psychological drift of the dopamine levels not keeping up and a high chance of injury coming into play. That’s not searching for adrenaline anymore; that’s high-risk behavior that has turned into a self-destructive streak, putting that person’s life in danger to where they may never recover from that inevitable next crash. 

Controlling this addiction is the only option. There’s plenty of people who possess this trait but have learned to keep it under control so it doesn’t affect every miniscule aspect of their lives. By doing that, with a set game plan and knowing exactly where it comes from, these individuals have increased confidence and resilience towards things that other people would walk away from.

Getting rid of the desire in a controlled setting can result in mental clarity and stress relief. Many extreme sports such as MMA or football are an outlet for these people to get rid of the strong desire to feel more alive while balancing themselves on a figurative tightrope. The final outcome creates a strong sense of accomplishment knowing that you fought through it the entire time and still came out the other side in one piece. 

Many forms of media, activities and lifestyles summarize what it truly means to be an adrenaline junkie. Skydiving, rock climbing, bungee jumping and other high intensity, life-risking activities gets the blood pumping with every continuous second. These activities ask for highly functioning individuals to throw themselves into the unknown. Then, there’s people that have made a living off of this way of life. Evel Knievel was a motorcycle daredevil who showed that these extreme behaviors were something to behold as spectacles. The “Jackass” crew pushed that extreme behavior with their wild stunts, gross-out humor and pushing each other to the limit. Even UFC fighters can attest that the adrenaline rush that comes from fighting your opponent is unmatched.

The reason why people continuously try to chase that edge is the greater desire to feel what it truly means to be “fully alive.” Nothing beats it. Continuously moving towards a rush of the occasional adrenaline and away from a self-destructive streak can help somebody feel that life is short, and doing things that make you feel alive is a great way to combat the mundanity of life that can begin to develop from taking no risks at all.

Nyr’e Jones, Staff Writer

Somewhere down the line, we as a society have forgotten the importance of empathy. It stopped being a habit or requirement. Now it’s an option. We disregard emotions, we laugh at vulnerability and we see suffering as weakness. We, as humans, are more connected than anything. Not in terms of us all being biologically related, but as people, we are always aware of one another. We see breakups, we see grief, we see loss, we see it all; yet despite this exposure, we lack community. So what happened to empathy? 

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another; to place yourself in one’s shoes and see their perspective. To slow one’s world down and release our selfish ways for a greater cause. So what happens when we neglect this? 

When empathy is neglected, people are more likely to suppress the way they feel rather than release it. The dismissive normalcy can make the emotions of another feel small or inconsequential, forcing solitude when community or conversation are truly wanted. Spaces for understanding fade away and judgment is left. Assumptions become the norm instead of asking thoughtful questions. Insensitivity prevails over empathy. 

Social media plays a significant role in this loss of empathy. We consume people’s worst moments almost daily. These range from breakdowns, relationship difficulties, familial issues or depression. The consumption of this has made it seem almost normal to ignore, or normal to comment negatively and make a joke of one’s pain. We forget that celebrities/influencers are human just as we are. Suffering has become so public it has done the opposite of making us softer but instead desensitized. 

Vulnerability is also a concept that has become a fear. To empathize with another person, it requires emotional openness and emotional expression of our own. It causes placement within another person’s feelings and for compassion to give comfort. But if you aren’t comfortable in your own emotions, it’s impossible to provide comfort for someone else. Vulnerability has now become a weakness, causing us to reject anything that is associated with it. This is ultimately the reason our society pulls back from empathy instead of embracing it and one another. 

In recent conversations about empathy, public figures have questioned its value. While on a podcast in 2025, Elon Musk stated, “The fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy.” Musk is claiming that empathy can be weaponized and harmful to our society rather than helpful. In listening to this, it’s realized how misunderstood empathy has become. Instead of recognizing the strengths of empathy and what it represents, human connection and social understanding, Musk’s delivery reinforced the idea that empathy is something to be controlled or used as a power dynamic. 

This moment illustrates a cultural shift where empathy is no longer seen as essential but debated. If compassion and understanding are labeled weaknesses by influential voices, it’s no wonder that empathy feels like a lost art.

If empathy continues to fade and is lost within others’ view of it, society risks becoming harsher and more divided. But if we choose to practice it intentionally and honestly—by listening more and judging less—it can be restored. 

Empathy is not a weakness but rather a skill that requires selflessness and discipline. And it may be the one thing that defines us as humans.

Kaitlyn Barnes, Staff Writer 

Language is at the center of everything human. Language fuels thought and subsequently culture. The same can be said about AI. At its core, AI is a “large language model.” However, advertisers lead us to believe that AI is “human-like” and “intelligent.” These beliefs may solely be at the hands of marketers who promote emotional consumption habits. Authors Emily M. Bender and Anastsia Berg try to make these arguments abundantly clear to us. 

In the article, “Why Even Basic A.I. Use Is So Bad for Students,” published as a guest essay in The New York Times, author Anastsia Berg attempts to encapsulate how detrimental AI use is for students’ education. However, what she actually dictates is how language impacts not only students’ lexicon abilities, but also how the masses interpret AI. This idea is more formally introduced in the articles, “We Need to Talk About How We Talk About AI,” and “We Do Not Have to Accept AI (much less GenAI) as Inevitable in Education,” by Emily M. Bender. In both articles, Bender succinctly and concisely elaborates on Berg’s concepts. Neither author believes AI is “inevitable”; however, both are worried about the implications of “misleading language.”

“Cognitive fluency,” “linguistic capacities” and “functional literacy” are worries of philosopher Anastsia Berg. She includes buzzwords multiple times throughout the article. Large psychology terms are often used in AI papers to invoke emotion. The goal is to convince us that AI will somehow turn our brains to mush. The reader doesn’t exactly know what “cognitive fluency” is, but when she uses this phrase in the sentence, “At stake are not just specialized academic skills or refined habits of mind but also the most basic form of cognitive fluency,” it sounds scary. However, she never gives the definition of  “cognitive fluency.” So, the reader has to guess what it means and somehow relate it to her claim: AI is the degradation of education. 

What Berg is trying to argue may or may not be accurate, but the language is compelling. It pushes her paper in a direction where language is the root of degradation, not AI. She states, “using language is not a skill like any other… Philosophers have disputed whether beings could exist that could think despite lacking language, but it is clear that humans cannot do so.” This idea more fully encompasses her thoughts on AI. Students develop a vast lexicon through education, yet many are still tricked by AI marketing campaigns. Berg’s paper is a great place to start a conversation surrounding AI. She brings up many thoughtful points, however, she lacks elaboration and definition on how language propels AI.

Where we leave off with Berg, we pick up with Bender. The idea introduced is that “anthropomorphizing language influences how people perceive a system,” from the article “We Need to Talk About How We Talk About AI.” This is the second article in a series by Bender discussing AI in a different way than many authors at this time. Many articles written about AI in recent years have been on a strangely extreme scale. Either authors write about how AI is going to destroy the world, or it is the best thing since sliced bread. However, Bender does not pick a side, making her article different from Berg’s. Berg thinks she is arguing AI is the detriment of education, whereas Bender is expressing that in order to use AI one must understand it. 

The idea that connects these papers aren’t the intended arguments, but the language used. Where Berg lacks explanation Bender provides it, specifically when defining AI. As previously stated, AI is a large language model; therefore, “What large language models are designed to do is mimic the way that people use language.” Language is so important to human life, without it we would be nowhere. AI is a coded program that acts like it knows what humans sound like. However, that does not give it the human-like ability to deeply understand language. “Framing systems as humans or human-like is misleading at best, deadly at worst.”

AI conversations are difficult to have. Many people are unwilling to hear negative conjecture about it because AI makes their lives easier. However, maybe the conversations we’re having are not the correct ones. When discussing AI, conversations need to be more about how technology and language market AI to the masses. Extreme language like what is found in Berg’s article is not helpful because it prompts emotion instead of facts. That is why Benders articles are so revolutionary for this era of automation. “It is critical that educators and leaders of education systems bring a critical eye and skeptical attitude towards the sales pitches from AI companies.” Conversation breeds new ideas and can create change. It is important to have tough conversations in this age of uncertainty. The only way we can do this is through language.

Sean Musial, Editor

Is rock n’ roll dead? This is a valid question to be asked in the current climate of the music industry and where it’s heading. Hip-hop and country seem to be trending the most compared to the other genres and subgenres that are in the game. However, rock has seemed to be on a steady decline over the past two decades, and it can be argued that it has been flushed out completely. 

There are no new Beatles or Rolling Stones to say that classic rock is alive. There are no new Black Sabbath or Metallica climbing the ranks to say that metal still has a pulse. There are no new Pink Floyd or Jimi Hendrix Experience to say that the psychedelic genre is still afloat in the cosmos. There are no new Ramones or The Clash wanting teens to rebel to the sound of punk. There are no new Nirvana or Pearl Jam to get people to head bang to grunge. They feel like moments in time, lost to a changing age. 

People learn a lot of this music through their parents, movies or streaming. A lot of these rock icons are either in their 70s, 80s or have passed. During July of 2025, the world lost Ozzy Osbourne who died from cardiac arrest just 17 days after he stepped off the stage of his last concert. The Rolling Stones had their last tour back in 2024 with the Hackney Diamonds Tour, which I had the pleasure of seeing when they came to Philadelphia, and has since concealed their planned 2026 tour. These show the slow decline of what rock was and how much the genre of music really influenced an entire generation at one point. 

Those who are attempting to keep some glimmer of hope alive for rock is something to be admirable towards. Yes, it might not be the popularized form of music today, but there are some bands still touring or producing new music. Foo Fighters, Imagine Dragons and Arctic Monkeys are some examples of modern day rock bands that are still up and running. This is not necessarily enough though because the Grammys were dominated strictly by rap and hip-hop winners. Or, it just wasn’t publicized enough. 

The category of “Rock, Metal & Alternative Music” at the Grammys showed many different accomplishments from a wide range of artists. With artists and bands such as YUNGBLUD, Turnstile, Nine Inch Nails and The Cure winning different awards for the genre, the world is given the many unique styles and original forms of what rock has come to today. Two are fairly new while the other two have been around for decades. Each, no matter what the rest of the world might think, are trying to keep the rock phenomenon gracing the ears of the audience that craves it. 

If something’s not considered mainstream relevance, oftentimes people chop it up to be unimportant or insignificant. The birth of rock is oftentimes considered to be at some point during the mid-1950’s. And, it sure wasn’t mainstream at first. The parents of the kids who were listening to this music often looked down upon it because of the so-called nature of it and it could affect the youth. Two to three years later, it defined decades. It was mainstream when it first started, and feels like it entered back into that loop of being pushed back in the background of “mainstream music.”

Is rock n’roll dead? Maybe it’s in hibernation, waiting for a new wave of rock bands and icons to really amp up the voltage to increase where it stands in the music industry today. Maybe it has died off, trying to gravitate towards what once was decades prior. Since we learn these songs through different forms of media and the older generations, personally, I think it has died off and we’re just watching the former kings fill our history books.

Kelsey McGovern, Staff Writer

The prison system is not only failing victims, but offenders as well. Victims need more of a say in how they believe their needs will be best met so they can begin their healing process. Instead of demanding punishment, the system should be demanding dialogue and answers for the victim. There needs to be less emphasis on what punishment the criminal deserves, and more of a focus on why the criminal committed the act in the first place in order to prevent the crime from repeating itself. Pain lingers, but should not be at a standstill. There needs to be a change in the United States’ prison system, and here is why.

Some victims want validation of what happened to them. They want to know that what happened to them was bad and should not have occurred. They deserve to know it was not their fault. They deserve answers. 

Not every victim wants their perpetrator to suffer the way they did, but some want their perpetrator to understand the way they felt. Victims want their perpetrator to know that what happened to them was not fair. That when they wake up in the morning and are even asleep at night, the traumatic event replays in their mind. Their pain has taken over their life and caused daily activities to change for the worse. Restorative justice provides victims with a healing process that does not only offer punishment for the offender, but accountability that provides the victim with justice.

Some victims may want revenge. However, in no way is that beneficial in the long run for their healing journey. The victim may go after their perpetrator and receive the form of justice they demanded, but it only affirms the cycle more. Each person who has caused harm to another person has been hurt by someone else. In taking any form of revenge, the rage may dilate, or it could be enhanced. It is normal to feel enraged and hurt, but turning that pain into forgiveness will be the best route to healing. Hurt people hurt people, and this cycle must be stopped if anyone wants to see reform in the general world – not only the US prison system. 

The prison system dehumanizes criminals – they do not treat them with dignity. While they could have committed a heinous act that deserves punishment, they also deserve to be treated justly. Every human has power within themselves, and it is what you do with that power that determines the trajectory of your life. When criminals unjustly use their power, it may begin a pattern. When they enter the prison system, they cannot remove themselves from a dangerous or toxic environment. Instead, they are submerged in one. These humans may begin to think they are only capable of doing bad with their power. In using different approaches, perpetrators can recognize that although what they did was bad, it does not have to define them for the trajectory of their lives. Every human has the ability to change, which takes time. Not every individual’s needs are recognized in the prison system, which will aid them to become better. When perpetrators understand that the same power they used horribly can be used in a beneficial manner, they gain hope. Once they turn this power into community service, forgiveness initiatives or discussions, they are not put back in the same cycle full of pain. 

Perpetrators often feel isolated from society, causing them to commit crimes. They have been hurt in the past, and instead of receiving the treatment they need, they instead hurt others. Mental health is a serious issue and needs to be taken more seriously. In so many cases, criminals have never received the help they need because mental health is not examined or held as important as it needs to be. When those who are already struggling with mental health issues are shunned and abandoned by society, their mental health worsens, leading them to act out and perform bad actions. The same goes for substance abuse. 

In no way is restorative justice excusing any acts committed due to internal issues. However, it is raising awareness that in order for your loved ones to not be murdered, sexually assaulted, or robbed, people need to be aware of the signs of mental health and substance abuse. During family events, hangouts with friends, community gatherings, or the passing by of strangers, every person deserves to be recognized as a human who has the same abilities we do. When kindness is more present than violence, the world will begin to heal. Unity will forever diminish violence. 

I believe that as humans, we need to have more compassion and forgiveness in this world. In order for peace to prevail, steps need to be taken in many aspects of active systems in the United States. Restorative justice can provide victims and perpetrators with the healing they need. In the words of Jesus Christ, “Do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).

Kenny Lynch, Staff Writer 

When my mom watched me reach into the future as we lounged in the present, she pulled my hand back and gently reminded me, “By reaching for everything at once, you’ll forget what you already have. Slow down, Zakarie!” I was too impatient to be idle, yet the minute hands were catching up with me by the second. I was a precocious child with friends who aged their saplings with time, but I, on the other hand, was still waiting to sprout. My story is not different from your average teenager, but rather a boy that was too impatient to wait and climbed to the top of the tree.

It all started with my 10th birthday– the day I waited for my age to reach double-digits. It was a simple, sea-stirred day with a whiff of chlorine and freshly cut grass. I splashed around the sprinklers and joyously floundered in the grasslands. I remembered vividly that my father approached the porch in his truck that glimmered under the melting doubloon. As his door unfurled, I ran up to his open arms as he spun me around like a 1990s record player. My mother, who wore a floral top, smiled and chimed, “Dinner is ready! Round the yard and wash your hands when you come inside.”

A crew of children can be wild with energy, but reliable when hungry. When our scrubbed hands scurried around the set dining table, we started with grace as our hands fell into one another’s like bumblebees on flowers. We harmonized the final note, “Amen” and soon, we lifted our silverware and dug into our meals like pirates searching for treasure. In a way, dessert was a treasure. When dinner evaporated, my dad pulled out the lighter and my mother secretly lifted the cake that was sneakily tucked away from children with a curious gaze and a tenacious grip. As my family circled and sang, I blew the soaring candles out and wished, “I can’t wait to be a teenager. Life will be so much more fun!” Little did I know, I would spend years chasing milestones, blowing out candles only to wish I could relive this moment one last time.

On Wednesday, June 20, 2018, I turned the unlucky 13. This became the summer that forged my raw crystals into scintillating diamonds. It started off with my first party invitation by the varsity swim team. My invitation departed from the passenger seat in front of my driveway in the form of a paper airplane. As I marked the calendar and counted the clocks, I didn’t grasp all the days that ticked away. Tin cans and glass bottles clinked as my mind swirled like whirlpools. So, I tugged a few friends aside and asked them, “Can we catch some fresh air?” 

As they agreed, we walked out of the basement-turned-tavern. We passed women with boyfriends and men with long hair who strummed guitars. When we made it outside, we made our way down the driveway. The air felt cooler as our sweat dripped off like icicles. We sat down on the opaque pavement with legs straight as our upper body angled down. With the faint music and chattering, the pine trees twirled in the star-stirred night.

By happenstance, at 11:11 p.m., we saw a living bolt of lightning dash across the sky. Our blurred eyes didn’t realize that the flash was, in fact, a shooting star. Regardless of what we saw, we still made a wish. As everything went dark, I saw the subtitles in my subconscious wishing for the next checkpoint in ages. I wanted to drive. Like my friends, I wanted to traverse the terrain without permission or being patient; so I wished to be 16.

As another year, month and day passed, the world granted what I wished for, but not what I needed. On Sunday, June 20, 2021, as the coffee pot awoke at 6:00 a.m., the grumpy decaffeinated man who was my father wasn’t too excited for the road ahead of him. At 8:00 a.m. sharp, I was behind the wheel with my father strapped in as he sunk into the passenger seat. After approximately 15 minutes, my father grabbed the steering wheel like his life depended on it. He turned the car around and shut the operation down.

My father swapped places with me like the sun does with the moon. I was not a bad driver, but rather, a work in progress. My father told me, “Be patient and always keep your eyes on the road. It is so unnecessary for you to speed. No one is going anywhere.” I always wondered if his advice belonged less to the road and more to my life. After countless failed turns, trials and frustrated sighs, I finally obtained a permit, a driver’s license and a parking pass in my high school parking lot. It became an unreal moment as I became the driver who drove the people that once drove me. Oddly, this was not enough for me; this milestone was not fulfilling for me. Perhaps it was the soil where my delicate roots were planted. I prayed to God, “Please Father, gently unroot me and blow each pappus to a pasture far, far away from here.”

A request I asked, a result I received. I went to college when I was 18 years old, an ordinary experience of the latter, but I came to realize that all of my companions bonded due to their legal ages. I felt involved in our conversations we had, but never at the pubs, clubs or bars. Everything I once prayed for did not deliver in the way I expected. So, when we visited the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center, I threw a penny in the well and cast a wish like a spell. On Friday, June 20, 2025, I turned 20. 

I have 20 years of life. Yet I feel as if not one day had a chance to be alive. I am no longer friends with the people that I once thought would be at my wedding. I no longer drink like a flower wilting for water. Instead, I ponder over organic emotions. In the midst of it all, I forgot a lesson I was taught until it became relevant in my own life. Somewhere, my mom’s voice echoed dimly in my head, “Slow down, Zakarie,” but I was already too far gone. My mom was right about the advice she passed down to me. Throughout my life, I continuously reached for the future before I acknowledged the present. My greatest regret was not the time I lost, but the time I never let myself live.

Nyr’e Jones, Staff Writer             

With the wide variety of different perfumes on the market, it’s almost impossible to know which to choose from. When just starting out or wanting to grow your perfume collection, the biggest question is, “Where do I start?” 

In this article I’ll take you down the list of five perfumes that’ll strengthen your perfume collection and will make the smell of you memorable.  

Starting at number one, “Good Girl Blush” by Carolina Herrera. “Good Girl” is a perfume collection by Herrera that ranges in many different scent types from soft to strong. The collection is well-known and extremely talked about on perfume TikTok.  

Good Girl Blush supersedes the rest of the collection. The perfume comes in a beautiful light pink heel inspired bottle and carries a long-lasting scent of bergamot and butter almond. Highlighting a very feminine and subtle scent, Good Girl Blush allows the fragrance to be noticeable and desirable. 

At number two, “Yara” by Lattafa, a perfume company that produces many perfumes that highlight different personalities for different women. The most recognized “Yara” is the light pink bottle that went viral on TikTok. 

The “Yara” carries the smell of amber vanilla and a floral scent. Inspired by the femininity of the Middle East combined with gourmand sweetness, “Yara” portrays a creamy and comforting vibe. This allows the perfume to be soft and light, but also maintaining a long-lasting smell throughout the day.  

Ranked at number three, “Daisy” by Marc Jacobs. Just like Herrera’s collection of “Good Girl,” Jacobs has a range of “Daisy” to choose from in different scents for different occasions. The original one is a classic in Marc Jacobs’ collection and a must when adding to your collection. A radiant floral scented fragrance balances with a jasmine scent to give that warm seasonal feeling. A perfume perfect for late spring and summer, very garden-like, and who wouldn’t want to smell like a flower? 

While on the topic of smelling like a flower, at number four we have “Bond No. 9 New York Flowers.” Bond No. 9, just like many other perfume brands, comes in many different kinds, but “New York Flowers” is less popular, but rightfully expensive.  

The perfume is another floral fragrance that combines a mix of jasmine, amber, rose and clementine. The mix flows together perfectly and executes the perfect floral scent.  

Ending the list off at number five we have, “Blossom” by Jimmy Choo. Jimmy Choo, known mostly for shoes that are to die for, has plenty of perfumes that are beautifully scented. Although, “Blossom” is one of their most notable.  

“Blossom” is a sweet, savory scented perfume primarily dedicated for young teenage girls and even young party girls. Mixed with fresh berries with a hint of floral representing a sweet pea theme, the perfume is cheerful, vibrant and incredibly youthful. Highly recommended for young girls but can be for all.  

These five perfumes are sure to leave a good impression on everyone and give both girls and women confidence that can last a lifetime. Smelling good and looking good are the keys to a happy day, so use these listed fragrances as a guide to having more happy days.