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Book Review: Lock the Doors by Vincent Ralph

By Julia Collins

Lock The Doors (2021) is a mystery YA novel recommended for ages 14-18 (though even if you don’t fit the age group, you will still likely enjoy the book and relate to the characters). This is author Vincent Ralph’s second book. Ralph lives in the UK and has a wife and two sons. 

16-year-old Tom Cavanaugh and his family have just moved into a new house. Tom does not like this as he struggles with OCD and anxiety due to seeing his mother abused by her ex-boyfriends. Even though she is happily married to Jay now, Tom is still skeptical about how safe they are. He sees holes on the outside of his bedroom door and thinks that the previous occupant must have been locked in. Then he finds the words “HELP ME” written on the wall. It doesn’t take long for Tom to become scared of the house as something was definitely wrong.

At school, Tom meets Amy, whose family had previously lived in his new home. During their first meeting, Amy’s mother was present, which made her uncomfortable. However, the next time Tom and Amy see each other, she is warm and friendly. Amy and Tom quickly become friends, and they begin to feel very comfortable around each other. Tom learns that Amy used to sleep in the bedroom that is now his own and later, at a party, they dance and kiss. Soon after, Tom walks Amy home and meets her parents. Although she denies it, he can tell that something is off about them. Her mother, Jane, is suspicious and cunning, and her father, Chris, is indifferent to his family. Tom does not trust them and concludes that they used to lock Amy in her room. When Tom has dinner with her family for the first time, he discovers that her younger brother, Will, is an artist. Tom recognizes Will’s handwriting to be the same as the “HELP ME” on his wall. Horrified, Tom begins to spy on Amy’s family to figure out what happened to Will and Amy in their old house. What he finds is devastating. The reader has to read it for themselves to get the full effect, as it is a very intriguing read! 

I would rate this book a 9/10. It was hard to get into, as there is less action, but the climax is stunning. Tom is an interesting character to read about, while Amy is more mysterious, and my perception of her shifted several times. Overall, this is a good book that I enjoyed reading. I am looking forward to more thrillers from Vincent Ralph.★

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Opinions

Phones or Friends

By Hope Willert

It’s common knowledge that many Millennials and Gen Zers are addicted to their phones, and it often seems as though they are glued to them. There is no exception to this at Houghton University. During chapel, one can see students pulling out their phones and laptops to get some homework done or text some friends. While walking around in the dining hall, a group of students can be seen sitting together at a table; however, rather than talking with each other, they all have their heads down and phones out. This is a problem, and it isn’t going to go away unless we confront it.

While the American culture today requires college students to use their phones for many reasons, such as texting, calling, emailing, using social media, listening to music, watching videos, and several other things, one must wonder if these 18-22 year olds are going on their phones more than they really need to be and if the amount of time that they spend on their phones is detrimental to their relationships.

A recent study done at Baylor University found that Baylor students spend an average of eight to ten hours on their phones per day, with 60 percent of the students admitting that they may be addicted to their phones. The study also showed that the majority of this time is spent sending texts and emails, as well as scrolling through social media.

Such a large amount of cell phone use can be very detrimental to relationships, as students spend increasingly more time on their phones and less time interacting with each other in person. While it’s true that cell phones are often used as a distraction for students, whether from stressful relationships or from school, this can be taken too far. James Roberts, one of the main psychologists from this study, explained that cell phone use is a paradox in that it can be “both freeing and enslaving at the same time.” A certain amount of time spent scrolling on phones can be helpful to take one’s mind off of school work, however, it can very easily become an addiction. Roberts explained that “we need to identify the activities that push cell phone use from being a helpful tool to one that undermines our well-being and that of others.”

While there is no solution that will automatically solve this problem, there are several things that college students can do to counteract this issue. First of all, students can check the screen time on their phones to see if they are spending too much time on them. They can also make an effort to make more plans with their friends rather than endlessly scrolling on their phone for hours, as well as decide not to go on their phones as much when they are with others. Ultimately, this issue can only be solved individually. Will you make the effort to make a change in your phone habits? ★

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A Quiet Place to Stay: 24 Hours a Day

By Caleb Kasper

The life of a college student can often be quite busy. Finding time to finish assignments, work through readings, and studying can be challenging for some. As a self-proclaimed “night owl,” I feel like my peak efficiency and focus doesn’t set in until later into the evening. There’s nothing else that I continually fail at doing than getting busy in the morning and early afternoons.

​My typical day generally consists of a few classes in the morning and afternoon. Mixed in with chapel and grabbing lunch, there tends to be little time to sit down and get to work. Like many others on this campus, I’m also a student-athlete, so each weekday, I block out roughly two hours of my day for practices, as well as various other times on weekends and weekdays for competition. As a member of the cross country and track teams, I eat dinner with my team most nights. Given this, by the time eight o‘clock rolls around, I’ve likely just begun figuring out what needs to be done for the next day. If I shower before homework, we’re talking 8:30. With a more demanding schedule as a second-semester junior, I’ve been engaged in a lot more focused work this year. When I need to grind and focus, the environment I am in plays a big role. Without the right environment, I struggle to focus.

​I’d imagine that a good number of people reading this find a quiet environment with little distraction to be key to focusing. I can’t focus in my room because my bed is always calling my name with open arms. Floor lounges in the resident halls can be hit or miss as well. Chamberlain is okay but usually occupied, and I find the Campus Center to be quite distracting. I realize that others like my sister, recent Houghton graduate Zoey Kasper, prefer a more active study space. Hers consisted of the most comfortable bean bag you’ve ever experienced, disco balls, and music. The bean bag alone would tank any of my plans to be productive. If you share similar preferences to me, though, you may find the library to be the perfect spot. Generally very quiet, not often busy, and an abundance of resources and outlets. Outlets are a must since my laptop battery capacity has significantly deteriorated since my freshman year.

​When I choose to go to the library during the week, I roll up around 8-8:30 p.m. I’ve found the library basement to be a preferred spot. Not to be taboo either, but the library’s basement has some of the best bathrooms on campus. When I’m down there I can always get focused and work more efficiently. However, like most things, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. About 1.5-2 hrs into my work session I am kindly reminded to wrap things up because the library is closing in ten minutes. I pack up my belongings and head out, trying to puzzle when I can cram in everything that I didn’t finish. I’ve also been getting to the point where I just don’t go there that much anymore, because it’s not worth packing up all my stuff and heading over there just to pack it all up again soon after I arrive and either head somewhere else or straight to bed. There also aren’t many convenient times for me to go that are available either.

​The library is open Monday through Thursday until 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 5 p.m., and is closed Sunday. It was during my Sophomore Year that I decided to make my first personal visit to the Library to do some homework. I remember looking up the hours just to see what they were. I was shocked to see that at 10:11, the library had already been closed for 11 minutes. I always thought that college libraries were open 24/7 so that students always had a quiet space to read or work or get away from their roommate who likes cats too much. Quite honestly, I think the library should be open 24/7, or at least open for students to use later, especially on weekends. Obviously, the library can only be staffed during the day, but couldn’t it be open longer for studying?

​This is especially true during finals season. As somewhat of a procrastinator, the time during and surrounding finals week becomes extremely busy. It’s also a time where I am consistently convinced that it’s time to drop out, yet I keep coming back for more. All of the work that I had put off during the semester comes back to confront me and there is a looming sense that there’s more to get done than time in the day. Not having access to the library while working late can be highly inconvenient and frustrating during finals.

I think the student body could greatly benefit from a review of the library hours and possibly extending them. For all the student-athletes, procrastinators, science majors (praying for you all), night-owls, all-nighters, or whatever reasons you’re up late doing homework, you should have the freedom and accessibility to study in a quiet space whenever you need to. Everyone has late nights. ★

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Columns

A-Compelling Club

By Caleb Tiedemann

It is not uncommon knowledge that Houghton is almost literally located in the middle of nowhere. Due to this common problem which can leave many students bored and with no way to destress, the college is very accommodating when it comes to extracurricular activities. Normally one may spend all their time drinking Java’s near-unlimited caffeine-laced products or spending countless hours on their Organic Chemistry homework. Therefore, it is important to find something calming that still stimulates our young minds. 

Luckily, Houghton has various different clubs for whatever may pique your interest. One of the many clubs that has come to my attention and become quite active is Houghton Heartsong; an Acapella Club. Seeing as how Houghton has an entire building dedicated to the study, creation, and production of music, it seems fitting for there to be multiple clubs dedicated to students who love the musical arts. 

Houghton Heartsong was created by juniors Grace Vuolo, who majors in music industry and minors in vocal performance; and Jon Hutmire, who majors in music industry and minors in business administration. The two act as leaders of the club with Vuolo acting as president and Hutmire as vice president. The mission of Heartsong is, as stated by Vuolo: “A club where people who like to sing of any musical background can come and have fun making music with our voices.” Some students may have already witnessed Heartsong’s musical ability at the Tree Lighting Ceremony prior to Christmas break.

When asked why she wanted to start Heartsong, Vuolo shared her inspiration as the 2012 film: “Pitch Perfect”. During her high school years, She fell in love with the movie and felt inspired by what they did with acapella. At that moment, she vowed that she would not attend a college without an acapella club. Prior to her attending Houghton University, there was no acapella club, so she started one herself, creating Heartsong in her freshman year. She wanted to make a club for everyone on the vocal music spectrum, from lower skill and familiarity to higher. Heartsong is a club for students to learn and grow, developing their vocal skills together. Due to the wide range of abilities, everyone’s skill set, or lack thereof, can be utilized. 

At the moment, Heartsong consists of ten members, and students not already involved are more than welcome to attend. I have attended various musical productions put on by the Greatbatch School of Music, and know that there are a lot more than ten people who have been gifted vocally. Large school productions can be very stressful, but Heartsong is a place for students who just want to have fun and relax. You can find Heartsong meeting in room 145 of the Center for the Arts from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Fridays, or you can email either Vuolo or Hutmire with any questions about the club. ★

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News

Houghton University Announces 2023 Commencement Speaker

Taken from The Chapel Website
By Joshua Carpenter

For the 2023 academic year, Houghton University has announced Pastor Jerry Gillis as its commencement speaker. 

Pastor Gillis is the Lead Pastor of The Chapel: a church based in Western New York with campuses in Cheektowaga, Getzville, Lockport, and Niagara Falls. 

According to The Chapel’s official website, its mission as a church is “to ensure that every man, woman, and child have repeated opportunities to hear and see the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” and to see through good news and good deeds that “God loves you.” 

Houghton University has “enjoyed [its] relationship and partnership with The Chapel over many years,” says President Lewis. “Pastor Jerry and I connected immediately as brothers in Christ and as Southerners.”

When Pastor Gillis received an invitation to deliver the commencement address for the 2023 graduates, he responded with “surprise and honor”. President Lewis had earlier reached out to Pastor Gillis, along with other pastors and leaders, and developed a relationship with him over a meal and a few other occasions, which is why Pastor Gillis was surprised to find that he had been selected to speak at one of Houghton University’s most significant events of the year. 

Though they may not have been long and frequent, the meetings the two spent together highlighted what President Lewis was looking for in a commencement speaker. “Central to [Pastor Gillis’] leadership and service are his conviction and burning desire to teach, preach, and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am confident that he will deliver a message for the Houghton class of 2023 that is both inspiring and challenging.” 

As a preview of the speech to come, Pastor Gillis shared what he expects to accomplish with his speech. 

“My hope in addressing the graduates,” Pastor Gillis writes, “is to celebrate with them, encourage them, and challenge them to begin this new chapter of their lives on the foundation of Christ. Basically I want to remind them to never graduate from Jesus.”★

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Opinions

Loving Our Neighbors

By Skye Chaapel

Mark 12:29-31 (NIV) “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

As a Christian community, I feel we need to ask ourselves this: are we following Christ’s example?  Are we loving our neighbors to the best of our capabilities, as asked of us by Christ?  If you ask people within the Houghton community, I’m sure they’d say yes.  However, while there are some of us who are loving our neighbors, there are others who are not.  They could be saying yes out of the want to look good for themselves or others, denial, or ignorance.  These are questions that I have been truly struggling with for a while.

What if we asked the question: “Do you feel loved on campus?”  What would you expect the answer to be?  One would hope that the answer is a resounding yes, as we are all Christians, called to love.  Unfortunately, I know far too many students who do not feel loved by the Houghton community, myself included.  Those of us who differ from the Wesleyan traditions’ expectations are generally treated as outcasts on campus.  This includes people of a different ethnicity and race, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and people of different religious backgrounds.

For me, one of the major drawing points to Houghton four years ago was the close-knit community that existed on campus; it was something you could feel, and it almost felt tangible.  After some of the recent events though, I feel like I no longer belong here.  I know students who have received death threats, unwelcome comments, or racial slurs depending on their identity or race.  Houghton University’s President also received unacceptable slurs on his birthday card last year.  As a community, we should be appalled that this is happening and that we have allowed it to continue.  What happened to loving our neighbors?  There is no love that comes from those actions.  The Houghton community is striving to be an ideal Christian community, but many do not feel welcome here.  We can not have a Christian community that is founded on Jesus if there are members of it who are suffering from our actions.

We need to learn to love each other.  We do not always need to agree on things, but that should not stop us from extending God’s grace and love to each other.  Jesus taught us to love and not to judge others.  You do not know what someone else could be struggling with at any moment.  Be kind and be willing to keep an open mind when interacting with others.  As the followers of Christ, we are called to meet people where they are, be with them, and walk with them in their journey. ★

If you or someone you know is the target of hateful behaviors, we encourage you to reach out to the Office of Student Life.

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News

Racing Into a New Season

By Megan Brown

On Saturday, Nov. 12, Houghton University’s Cross Country team competed at the NCAA Regional Championships, with the women placing 13th and the men 17th. This marked their last cross country meet of 2022, but not all of the athletes are done competing for Houghton this academic year.

Senior Amanda Burrichter is one of many students moving directly from cross country to competing with the indoor track and field team, which has its first meet at 4:00 p.m. Friday, Dec 2 at Houghton University’s Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.

“It’s really exciting to get to go into indoor track, and we know we’re fit,” said Burrichter, who won an individual title at the Empire 8 Cross Country Championships this fall. “We’ve been training all through the fall, and we get to start indoor track on a high note.”

For long distance runners moving indoors, it also marks shorter distances at which they will compete. Female runners, like Burrichter, run for 6,000 meters for cross country, whereas the longest race for indoor track is 5,000 meters.

While Burrichter participates in cross country and excels, her favorite races are the 1,500 meter and the 3,000 meter.

“I’m just looking forward to running those again,” she said.

Cross country runners who are participating in indoor track and field have a week or two of rest before practicing again. This is one of the aspects Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Patrick Hager insists upon. Since some of his runners participate in all three seasons, the third being outdoor track and field, Hager helps his athletes have sustainable practices.

For the beginning of the indoor track season, participants only have three mandatory practices a week to ease them into it. Hager also insists that athletes go home for breaks, instead of staying on campus to train.

“We send them home because, especially for cross country and indoor and outdoor track, if you want to sustain it the whole year, you need to be able to get away mentally,” Hager said. “And we understand that. We’re a collegiate sport, but there’s a tact and an art to coaching that reads the room, for lack of a better term.”

Part of Hager’s care for his team’s athletes is logging data about performance to know which exercises and practices increase people’s performance.

“The workouts are basically the same, but the volumes are different,” he said. “So that’s, again, reading the room and understanding who you have as athletes.”

And the athletes are dedicated, especially athletes like senior Collin Nasso, who runs track and field while also majoring in biochemistry.

“I’m going into this season a lot more focused and mentally prepared,” Nasso said. “It’s my last season, and I don’t wanna have to look back at a season and have any regrets.”

Last year posed as one of Nasso’s most academically challenging yet, and while he looks forward to competing with a lighter schedule this year, he recognizes the crucial part track played for him during his junior year.

“Track, honestly is my release. It’s my refresh…” he said. “Last semester, I would have gone insane if I didn’t have track because that was my kind of release for the day, where I could just forget about school and everything that was going on and just focus on something else.”

Junior Caleb Kasper also uses running competitively as a break from school, and does so from the fall with cross country to the spring with outdoor track and field. While it is not always easy, his teammates and his desire for improvement continue to drive him forward.

“It’s a long haul, but we’re here for it, and the grind is one of the most revealing parts,” Kasper said. “If you put in the work, you’ll reap the benefits.”★

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News

Gillette Thanksgiving Returns

By Sarah Burton

Tomorrow, Nov. 19, starting at 1:00 p.m., Gillette will host their annual Gillette Thanksgiving. For the first time since COVID, the event will be held in Gillette Hall, meaningall the Gillette residents are welcome to attend in their home.

The event will begin with Thanksgiving ‘dinner’ and will go for around an hour or so, after which all the girls are invited to change into sweats or pajamas, to come back later and play games, eat pie, and enjoy their own rendition of the National Dog Show.

In an interview with Raegan Zelaya, the Gillette Resident Director, she laid out the event in great detail with matching enthusiasm. “Dress code for the event is awkward family photos… to lean into not only coming together to have really special times, but really crazy times… because sometimes you just have to lean into the awkward.”

Zelaya has added  a multitude of personal touches to the event, in hopes of drawing more girls in and adding to the already existing community in Gillette.

She said, “we have been dreaming about ways to make it super fun and relationally intentional, but also bringing in some fun pieces like different traditions people have.” She related the events planned to family members napping on the couch after dinner and all the cousins getting a chance to hang out.  

She noted excitement for the community of women, as this is the first year Houghton University has had only one girls dormitory.

  She believes “this event really aligns with the culture we’ve been trying to establish this year.” One main point of the event is “coming together in unity in one community of women is, and being able to come together, take time, and reflect, and be grateful for the community we have so far… and how to pursue that.” 

Julia Collins, a freshman, also stated enthusiasm for the event. She exclaimed happily that the event would take place in GilletteHall, seemingly having heard from upperclassmen how the event had taken place in the KPAC during COVID-19. 

She remarked on the community aspect of the event, saying it will be a lot of fun for the community to come together. In her own words, what she is most looking forward to is  “seeing a bunch of people I know and celebrating with them that we’re thankful for our lives.” 

Rachel Domaracki, a senior, is also looking forward to the event, as it will be the last one she gets to participate in before graduating. Having gone to the event in past years,  she is always looking forward to having a time to “give thanks and celebrate all of the wonderful friends I have in Gillette.” 

She is also looking forward to eating good food with her good friends, stating how important it is to engage in a greater community over a plate full of food in the building that unites them all. 

Gillette Thanksgiving is an event that Gillette residents often look forward to with anticipation. This year especially, with the new changes of residential living, the Gilladies are ecstatic and ready to celebrate their thankfulness in community. ★

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Stories In Focus

Feature: A Little Lyric Theater

By Christian Welker

Prior to the recent production of Little Women, the cast and crew of Houghton University’s Lyric Theater were busy making last-minute preparations for the event. At this time, people might have expected a mounting sense of pressure and anxiety from the participants of the class as final preparations were made. However, according to the cast and faculty members involved with Lyric Theater, that was not the case.

Houghton’s Lyric Theater provides a sense of positivity and a outlet for student talent to both the participants and the surrounding community. 

One of the most critical figures in this production is Professor Amanda Cox. She has served as the director of Lyric Theater for the past five years, and plays a crucial role in every step of the production from casting to character interactions. A graduate of both Houghton College and the University of Miami, Professor Cox has been working in the Houghton Community as a faculty member for the past twenty years. During her time as director, she has run nine shows in nine semesters, only briefly stopping due to COVID-19. When asked what Lyric Theater brings to Houghton, she says, “It’s a way for us to explore what it is to be Human in different circumstances and communicate that to people.” She believes theater productions should speak to people, both in the cast and the audience. She wants to “create a community where we can all…support one another” while working with the cast and crew of the show, and show that community to the audience. When asked about one of her favorite parts of Lyric Theater, Professor Cox responded, “you don’t have to be in the department. This is for everybody.” To her, theater is supposed to show the audience a reflection of life in a way that helps everyone grow. “Theater is such a big part of our lives,” she says, “Everyone wants to have some way to create and show people what they can do.” 

The importance of having a place to be supported and see a production that reflects life is not lost on the other members of the cast and crew. Professor Andrew Reith, who has been working with Lyric Theater in some capacity since the Fall of 2019, states that he appreciates Lyric Theater as a positive experience that allows students to use art to escape from everyday life. He sees the atmosphere of Lyric Theater as an incredibly positive experience for those involved: “it has been such an underlying goal to have a class where students can be free to experiment, free to be artists, free to be wrong, free to be right.” Professor Reith believes that that atmosphere of positivity leaks out to the rest of the Houghton Community, both in terms of performances and in terms of students’ experiences. “It’s a chance for the people in the show to share their gifts with the Houghton Community, and hopefully, that sharing goes both ways.”  This sense of positivity is felt by both the faculty of the class and the students. Senior Linette Taylor, who serves as the choreographer of Little Women and plays the role of Marmee, says that her favorite part of Lyric Theater is working with both music and non-music students. There’s no limitations on who can join in terms of either majors or years. Taylor has been working with Lyric Theater since her first year at college and loves working with people that she would not have been able to work with otherwise. The cast works together to build the show, and allows each individual’s talent to shine through. The positive atmosphere of the Houghton College Lyric Theater was apparent to all interviewees. It is a core part of their production work for everyone involved. ★

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News

Comedyhouse: A Night Full of Laughs

By Timothy Rasmusson Jr.

One of the Campus Activities Board’s (CAB’s) newer events on campus is “Comedyhouse”, an alternative to the traditional Coffeehouse that, instead of singing, is filled with stand-up comedy.

Senior Joey Schunemann, the director of CAB, informed the STAR that his job is fun to have, but there are significant responsibilities he has, such as being “the voice of critique” and meeting Houghton’s expectations, because Comedyhouse involves a lot of creativity and students want to have a good time. 

Schunemann stated that he wanted to hold the Comedyhouse event specifically due to his “love of comedy.”          

Sophomore Hannah Sturdivant described Comedyhouse as a more comedic version of Coffeehouse that involves “stand-up” rather than just “playing music.” Sturdivant stated that one of the things she likes most about Comedyhouse is the “laughing,” as well as listening to students telling their stories. She also mentions what Comedyhouse was like last year, how successful it was at the time, and that it led to Junior, and CAB Coffeehouse Coordinator, Demetri Court recommending they do Comedyhouse again. 

With the event only being in its second year, Court stated that Comedyhouse is “a special occasion.” 

To sign up for a spot, students have to present an idea to him, and all of the students involved in planning Comedyhouse have to screen the comedy because, as Court said, “you never know who’s going to want to go up and say things.” 

If an insufficient number of students are signing up, he will reach out to those who enjoy writing comedy. ★