Cassandra Bertolini
30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall: UI exhibit asks, “What Does Change Mean to You?”
30 years ago, November 1989. On the evening of November 9th, an East German government official gave an unexpected announcement over live television: the travel restrictions which had kept citizens from leaving the German Democratic Republic or GDR—a satellite state of the Soviet Union—were lifted. The ability to freely travel outside of the GDR had … Read more30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall: UI exhibit asks, “What Does Change Mean to You?”
The Horror of Today’s “Horror”: A Replacement for Fear in American Horror Story
When October rolls around with its pumpkin spice everything, crunching crimson leaves, and Halloween costume ideas, I find myself actually making plans to watch horror movies—a genre I would otherwise avoid. It’s just part of the season’s aesthetic. When I hunkered down with friends earlier this month to watch the two newest seasons of American … Read moreThe Horror of Today’s “Horror”: A Replacement for Fear in American Horror Story
III, The Lumineers’ Cinematic Album: An Indie Underside
A faded gray farmhouse sits in an isolated field. A glass bottle shatters into glaring shards against a husband’s forehead. A piano burns and smokes in a lonely front yard. A woman sprints away from the scene of a car crash. These weren’t the first images that came into my head while listening to The … Read moreIII, The Lumineers’ Cinematic Album: An Indie Underside
Iowa City’s Hidden Gems: Study Spots to Explore this Semester
Slipping on ice hidden beneath snow banks that reach almost up to our knees. Biting wind that leaves our cheeks pink and our fingers stiff. Even though they call it “Spring” semester, we all find ourselves in the thick of winter, eyes squinted against fast flying flakes. Before we can shed our jackets and boots … Read moreIowa City’s Hidden Gems: Study Spots to Explore this Semester
The Bell Jar: A Truly {Modern} Classic
A “modern classic.” Over the course of our scholarly careers, we’ve heard of this type of book over and over again, and yet the idea of a modern classic means something different to each reader. Some of us think of books we had to force ourselves to read in high school or gen ed classes, … Read moreThe Bell Jar: A Truly {Modern} Classic
Spreading Good Cheer: 6 Ways to Give Back in Iowa City this Holiday Season
Twinkling yard decorations and satiny snowflakes start to appear, just as the last Thanksgiving leftovers disappear from the fridge. Upbeat renditions of Jingle Bells and Let It Snow play in every store you walk into, and beautifully ornamented trees appear in all the neighbors’ windows. It’s a time of fuzzy socks and hot cocoa, of … Read moreSpreading Good Cheer: 6 Ways to Give Back in Iowa City this Holiday Season
5 Ways Bohemian Rhapsody will Bring out Your Inner Queen
We all know the song “Bohemian Rhapsody.” It’s a classic, and one you can’t help but jam along to no matter what, belting out the high notes like you’re Freddie Mercury himself. But what’s the story of the band behind the song? Bohemian Rhapsody—the new movie released at the beginning of November, starring Rami Malek … Read more5 Ways Bohemian Rhapsody will Bring out Your Inner Queen
Twenty-One Pilots: My Musical Homecoming
As yellow petals rain down through flashing lights and wild applause, eight words renew the audience’s exhilarated screams: “We are Twenty-One Pilots, and so are you.” These words probably don’t mean anything to most people, but for me, they mean that I’m right where I’m supposed to be—that even though the long-anticipated concert is over, … Read moreTwenty-One Pilots: My Musical Homecoming
Witching Hour: Sounds of Commanders, Younger, Here Lies Man
What do you get when you mix groove-infused punk, femme art rock, and African rhythm? A genre-bending musical experience full of experimental sounds and bewitching performances! Last Friday night, three very different bands took to Gabe’s upstairs stage, shaking the fairy-lighted ceiling with their completely individual sounds. As a part of this year’s Witching Hour … Read moreWitching Hour: Sounds of Commanders, Younger, Here Lies Man