What we can learn from Rory’s gap semester in ‘Gilmore Girls’

Photo illustration by Vesta Weed. Source: Warner Bros. Discovery

There is a common stigma around gap years, something that even “Gilmore Girls” fans are not immune to considering the excessive slander Rory received for taking time off. We can learn a lot from Rory. In fact, according to The Wall Street Journal, 90% of students who take a gap year return to school by the end of their time off, making Rory no different from the rest of us.

Why ‘Hazbin Hotel’ is the perfect show for grown-up theater kids

Photo illustration by Sadie Wood. Source: Amazon Prime Video

If you haven’t been watching “Hazbin Hotel,” you’ve been missing out. The Amazon Prime series appeals to anyone and everyone who has ever identified as a theater kid (whether to the whole world or just that secret place in your heart). The R-rated musical comedy series created by Vivienne Medrano premiered on Jan. 18 with vivid animation, queer-inclusive characters, and unbelievably catchy songs.

Rory Gilmore is no role model in matters of the heart

Photo illustration by Leo Preston. Source: January Media

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon and Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of better weather coming soon, it’s time for us “Gilmore Girls” fans to turn off our yearly rewatch. It’s tempting, I know, to binge and live in the stunning warmth of Lorelai Gilmore’s charm and wit, but at this time of year, being exposed to her daughter’s tumultuous relationships can only hurt your state of mind. Rory Gilmore is no role model in matters of the heart. In fact, she may be the only heroine I’ve ever known to make every wrong decision put in front of her.

Election apathy is the new epidemic

It’s no secret young adults are disillusioned about the state of American politics. But what if we used our apathy as a starting point to reimagine what we want our country to look like? Illustration by Ming Chua

It’s no secret young adults are disillusioned about the state of American politics. In 2020, 18-29-year-olds were the demographic most likely to vote for Joe Biden. But as we approach the 2024 presidential election, they are the demographic that has shown the biggest drop in his support. With faltering approval of their Democratic frontrunner, it’s questionable whether young Americans will have as substantial of a voter turnout as they did in the 2020.

Hasan Minhaj plays the brown victim in the name of comedy

Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj was recently exposed by The New Yorker for lying during his comedy specials about specific hate crimes he endured. He claims that while these may not be factual truths, they are “emotional truths” because of the discrimination South Asians face in a post-9/11 America. Illustration by Leo Preston.

In Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj’s 2022 Netflix stand-up special, “The King’s Jester,”  he tells a tale from 2002 of an FBI informant who infiltrated a Sacramento-area mosque. The…

Is it time to dump dating apps?

Is it Time to Dump Dating Apps? Photo/illustration by Lara Agrawal.

Hinge advertises itself as the dating app designed to be deleted. The tagline implies a happy ending. It guarantees that users will find the one. But can corporate algorithms really help us find love, or do they just commodify sex and relationships?