Study Breaks - Fresh perspectives on pop culture from students across the United States.

Music

The Gay Writing Doesn’t Stop: Taylor Swift’s “Guilty as Sin?”

Swift’s records resonate with the LGBT community, but why?

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

May 20, 2024

YouTube

Interactions Between Audiences and Creators Heated in Watcher Situation

In some rather recent and radical YouTube drama, fans’ backlash pushes back on YouTube channel Watcher’s decision to go rogue.

May 20, 2024

Culture·Thoughts

Women’s Bodies, the 4B Movement and Eradicating Men

Follow Us By Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College, Illinois Subheadline: KP: 4B Movement South Korea’s 4B movement stands as a strike against men and the patriarchal system but is

May 19, 2024

I Am a Proud Chismosa

Chismis is a Tagalog and Spanish term for gossip, a common and arguably needed aspect of life—despite what our Western perspective says.

Kid playing on iPad screen with suggestive add of woman.

iPad Kids and Suggestive Mobile Gaming Ads : Preventing Exposure to Sexist Content

iPads have become the new pacifier for fussy children, but at what cost? Exposure to suggestive gaming advertisements also market sexism and misogyny at a young of an age.

The outside of the Red Rocket from Fallout.

Fallout: 1997–A Cynical Post-Nuclear Masterwork

“Fallout” is making waves among critics and fans alike. While well-crafted on its own merits, it is wildly different in tone from its source material, showing a different side of this post-nuclear setting.

A hand turns a radio dial, their fingers painted with red nail polish. The knob is attached to a green case, a red needle switching between frequencies as it presumably turns. The needle glides over a yellow bar marked with black symbols, words and numbers, both housed within a black rectangle, the word "music" imprinted in gold on to their left.

Reviving Radio Through Daily Drive

Undiscovered by many, the Daily Drive on Spotify incorporates both users’ favorite songs and recent news to recreate radio on Spotify.

High School is Murder: Behind the Killer Teen Movie

Many cult classic films feature a killer teen, but over time, the trope has gone from an exploitation device to a vehicle for empowerment and representation of the teenage experience.

FEATURED

The Latin Lover Is Back and He Has A “Mustache Goatee Combo”

Your crush is a dud with a good barber and colonizer genes and your interest in him is based on a hollow perception of Latinidad. Oops!

Roberto Soto

‘Star Trek’: Jake Sisko’s Coming of Age Story

One of Star Trek’s most relatable characters for kids and young adults to be on screen.

Sydney Chastain, Florida State University

What’s the Obsession with ‘Bluey’?

The fun-loving blue heeler and her sister, Bingo, have taken the hearts of millions across the world.

Natalie VanHecke, University of Texas at Dallas

Women wearing Latine fashion with colorful filters.

Latine Streetwear Fashion: An Evergreen Vogue and Indigenous Resistance to Whiteness

Latine swagger is timeless in the world of fashion. From 90’s Cholas in lowriders to modern-day streetwear and even “Hot Cheeto girl” aesthetics, Latine styles certainly make their mark.

Emily Diaz, DePaul University

Faded art of foods on decorative plates set out on a table with bright green, red and yellow colors.

More than Struggle: Palestinian Cuisine

An ode to the flavors of Palestine, a culture exemplified through their soulful cooking and heartfelt social traditions.

Farah Shah, University of Central Florida

For an article on the obsessed artist trope in film, a figure sits criss crossed while writing in a journal in blue wash.

Exploring the “Obsessed Artist” Trope in Film

We all have something that we might go to extremes and obsessive lengths to achieve.

Karla D. Galvan, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Who Are P1Harmony?

K-Pop Group P1Harmony Enters the Music Scene With Their Single "Fall In Love Again

Emma Troise, Manhattan College

For an article on the Weeki Wachee park, a woman in a bathing suit on a floating device while in water while mermaids swim below her.

The Wonders of Weeki Wachee

A roadside attraction brought mermaids, Hollywood and Elvis to Florida.

Sydney Chastain, Florida State University

Spanish Rock Band Airú Sparkles On Their First U.S. Tour

The Spanish rock band, Airú, transcends with a hopeful energy and quiet optimism on their first U.S. Tour.

Roberto Soto

For an article about sonification of space data, a person sits cross-legged with head phones on staring off. A blue background with musical notes around them.

By the Way, the Universe Is Always Singing

How sonifications of space data are broadening horizons for interpretation and interaction between humans and the cosmos.

Farah Shah, University of Central Florida

In this article, about the importance and impact of listening to indigenous voices in 2024, an orange analog radio against a blue background is shooting out lightning bolts as its dial is being torn by light brown hair draped in a blue, embroidered sleeve. Half of the background is blacked out, with jagged edges running diagonally up the center.

The Impact of Listening to Indigenous Voices in 2024 America

What changing museum guidelines and a push for more representation of indigenous voices in award shows means for the present moment.

Archie Wagner, University of Iowa

Illustration of woman floating with luxury items and a long receipt around her.

Debt and Dior: South Korea’s Advancing Debt from Luxury Purchases

Designer products in South Korea have led to a rising debt crisis, especially among young people.

Finlay O'Connell, Minerva University

For an article about the Percy Jackson Disney Plus series, two young boys stare into the sky. A young girl with braids stares off in a suit of armor. A lightning storm goes on in the background and a beast carries a figure by its neck.

TV’s Future Golden Boy: Percy Jackson, The Hero You’ve Been Waiting For

After almost 20 years, Percy Jackson and the series' long history of neurodivergent representation is getting the adaptation it deserves.

Havilah Sciabbarrasi, Florida State University

Shakespeare, ‘Coriolanus’ and ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’

How “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” draws from the ill-fated hero of Shakespeare's play “Coriolanus.”

Noah Hernandez, University of Texas at San Antonio

It’s Time to Talk About Filipino Food

An introduction to an underrated Asian cuisine.

Sydney Chastain, Florida State University

Dark Cafes and Big Yellow Taxis—The Everlasting World of Joni Mitchell

Now in her 80th year on earth, Mitchell’s work continues to influence young generations of fans.

Avery Heeringa, Columbia College Chicago

LATEST

Here is the image depicting a serene wellness center where a professional is administering an MIC shot to a patient.

Thoughts

Maximizing the Effects of MIC Shots: Tips for Optimal Results

More and more people are looking for MIC shots—which stand for Methionine, Inositol, and Choline—because of the positive effects they may have on weight loss and liver health.

Daniel Reed

Here is the image depicting the contrast between the old and new eras of sports betting.

Thoughts

Unveiling the Shift: Exploring the Dynamic Landscape of Betting

The world of sports betting is undergoing a profound transformation, marked by the decline of traditional brick-and-mortar betting offices and the rise of online platforms.

Daniel Reed

Here is the image depicting a cozy living room setting with a family watching TV from a DVD, showing how computer videos can be enjoyed on TV via DVD burning.

Thoughts

How to Watch Computer Videos on TV Without USB or HDMI Ports

Many people want to watch videos from their computers on their TV with their family, but what if the TV doesn't support USB or HDMI?

Daniel Reed

Music

The Gay Writing Doesn’t Stop: Taylor Swift’s “Guilty as Sin?”

Swift’s records resonate with the LGBT community, but why?

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

YouTube

Interactions Between Audiences and Creators Heated in Watcher Situation

In some rather recent and radical YouTube drama, fans’ backlash pushes back on YouTube channel Watcher’s decision to go rogue.

Cerasela Hanseter, University of California, Berkeley

Culture·Thoughts

Women’s Bodies, the 4B Movement and Eradicating Men

Follow Us By Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College, Illinois Subheadline: KP: 4B Movement South Korea’s 4B movement stands as a strike against men and the patriarchal system but is predominantly visible on social media

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

Culture·Opinion

I Am a Proud Chismosa

Chismis is a Tagalog and Spanish term for gossip, a common and arguably needed aspect of life—despite what our Western perspective says.

Vera Pavlovich, Loyola University Maryland

Thoughts

iPad Kids and Suggestive Mobile Gaming Ads : Preventing Exposure to Sexist Content

iPads have become the new pacifier for fussy children, but at what cost? Exposure to suggestive gaming advertisements also market sexism and misogyny at a young of an age.

Emily Diaz, DePaul University

Fallout: 1997–A Cynical Post-Nuclear Masterwork

Kyle A. McLaughlin, Elizabethtown College

image depicting a sorority recruitment event at a Southern university, designed to be more aesthetically pleasing.

Students·Thoughts

Unlock the Secrets of Sorority Recruitment: Your Ultimate Guide to Success!

Essential Insights and Tips for Navigating Your Journey to Sisterhood

Jacqueline Shweiki

image depicting a wellness clinic setting with a professional administering a MIC shot to a patient.

Thoughts

Maximizing the Effects of MIC Shots: Tips for Optimal Results

More and more people are looking for MIC shots—which stand for Methionine, Inositol, and Choline—because of the positive effects they may have on weight loss and liver health.

Daniel Reed