Why Taylor Swift is Re-recording

By: Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer

As many of you may have noticed, whether through TikTok trends or ex-girlfriend’s dm, Taylor Swift has released a re-recorded version of her album Fearless. The album, first released in 2008, was Swift’s first album of the year and acts as the first of many upcoming re-recorded albums.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is the first of five upcoming re-recorded albums we can expect from Swift in the coming year, a sixth being eligible for re-recording next year. Swift has been working on re-recording these albums since 2019 and is rumored to be releasing her second album of the year, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) later this year. 

Though at first glance this may seem like a ploy for extra money without doing any new writing, the reasoning behind Swift wanting to re-record goes beyond simply finances. Taylor Swift's first 6 albums are currently owned by Ithaca Holdings and offered to trade her masters for her first album with brand new ones. They essentially offered to give her back what belongs to her if she gave them something new of hers. Swift rightfully refused the offer, but that left her masters with Ithaca. 

The solution? Though the masters belong to someone else, Swift still owns all the rights to the music itself. By re-recording her music, which she legally owns, she can regain artistic ownership over her past work. In re-recording, Swift is able to reduce the value of the original and once again own her original songs. The re-recording will not only have the re-recorded classics loved by fans but also incentives put into place to make Taylor’s version more appealing than the original.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) was not merely the same songs recorded, but the addition of never-before-heard songs. Swift released the single “Mr. Perfectly Fine,” one of the never-before-heard songs and has seen a remarkable response both on the charts and various social platforms. The added songs were written at the same time as the rest of the album but simply did not make the initial cut. This added to the appeal of the new version, increasing the appeal through the exclusive content. These types of never-before-heard songs are going to be a common theme as Swift re-releases her remaining albums. 

Exploring Religion

By: Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer

College is the time in which you find yourself; you shape our beliefs and discover who you are going to be from now on. That being said, finding your own path is not easy and can oftentimes feel intimidating. All the possibilities and unfamiliarity can make it feel impossible to explore something new and find what is right for you, and though there is no way to know everything before starting your journey, here is a place to start.

Oftentimes when someone is unsure of what to believe in they identify as an agnostic. An agnostic is someone who cannot say if there is a god or not. This kind of person is not like an atheist, who does not believe there is a god, but is instead neutral to the debate. If you are unsure of whether or not you believe in a god(s), being an agnostic may be the path for you. In a similar way, if you do not believe in religion you can identify as an atheist. 

Religions that you can identify with are plentiful and though I know I am not touching every one, here a few examples of religions you may find resonate. Some of the most practiced religions include Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. In addition to these, I would also like to further discuss spirituality and how spirituality is different from religion but still available to you. 

Buddhism can be classified as both a religion and a philosophy. The religion centers itself around the four noble truths that define the universe. These truths are that existence is suffering, suffering has a cause, you can reach a state of no longer suffering, and there is a path to reach that state. One of the main teachings that come from Buddhism is that everything is constantly changing. Many people associate Buddhism with the idea of reincarnation and karma, and though these are key beliefs for Buddhists, the societal portrayal of these beliefs is not entirely accurate. Buddhists believe in karma, but in their religion, karma is a consequence of an intentional decision, thus meaning accidentally doing someone wrong will not hurt you but knowingly doing wrong will. Reincarnation is also often misconstrued as being a cycle that ends when you reach a certain point, however that is not necessarily true according to who you ask. Some individuals believe the cycle will always continue, that reaching the point of nirvana does not remove you from the cycle, but instead put you at peace with the cycle. Other descriptions of nirvana describe it as no longer being reborn into the cycle and being able to instead see the reality of the world.

Christianity is another major religion that may be well known but not entirely understood. The main beliefs of Christianity revolve around the bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ, a Jew. The main teaching of this religious figure is to love one another. Though there have been many different interpretations of the bible between different sections of the religion, the main idea remains the same. The different sections of the religion lead to many different conflicting ideas and practices, allowing more room for you to find one that is most in line with your beliefs. One of the most structured branches of this religion is Catholicism; Catholics follow a strict celebration of Sunday mass with additional celebrations of different stages of Jesus Christ’s life. A less strict branch of the religion can often be found in Christian churches with no further distinction; these types of churches have regular Sunday masses and additional masses on holidays, but lack certain formalities required by the catholic branch.

Islam has been misconstrued over time and is often given a bad reputation by the media, despite being remarkably similar to other religions. Their sacred book even goes as far as to say that Jesus is the messiah, a belief shared with Christians. The central beliefs of the religion can be broken down into 5 major pillars: their profession of faith, prayer, alms, fasting, and pilgrimage.  Though the idea of faith and prayer are some expected keystones, alms is much more important than most may think. Charity is a major part of the religion and giving to the poor is prioritized. A usual idea that makes people turn away from Islam is the idea of how women are treated. On the contrary, women are held at a high regard and are seen as equals to men. In regard to how Muslim women should dress, they are told to simply dress modestly, something that can have various interpretations depending on the individual and how they practice. 

Judaism is the last of the major religions we will discuss, being the oldest of the Abrahamic religions. The major points that Jewish people believe in are that there is one god, that god is transcendent and has a covenant with their people. The center idea being simply to be a good person. Similar to Christianity, there are several different sects of Judaism that all believe slightly different things and practice their religion in slightly different ways. One of the most known myths about Judaism is that you must be born into it in order to be a true follower, while this is the usual way people come into the religion, you may be adopted into the religion despite being born into a different faith. One final misconception is that the Jewish people do not believe in the messiah, but this could not be any less true. The Jewish people are still waiting for their messiah and believe Jesus Christ was not the messiah because he was killed, which they believed would not happen to the one true messiah.

In addition to religion, you could also practice spirituality to celebrate yourself and your soul outside of material things. Spirituality is one of the most personal ways to celebrate different aspects of yourself and so is more flexible. You may choose to take time for self-care, meditation, or journaling and reflecting on yourself and life. One of the biggest misconceptions about spirituality is that it is a practice that takes the place of religion. This is not true, as spirituality can be done in conjunction with religion in order to strengthen the personal connection between an individual and whatever god they may believe in.  

No matter how you choose to worship or if you don’t at all, it is a personal journey that can be taken by you. Exploring different beliefs can not only change your mind on what you may choose to believe in, but also educate you on how different religions work and operate. Religion is a personal journey and it all happens for each individual in their own time.

What’s Actually Happening to Work Study Next Year

By: Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer

Over the course of the past week rumors have been swirling about concerns over changes to work study for the upcoming year.

“There isn’t going to be any work study next year”

“They’re only giving work study to freshmen next year”

“People who have never had work study will have priority next year”

“Regis is going to take our federal funds”

I am sure many students have heard one variation of the rumor or another, however there is no need to panic. 

Though it is true that work study will be changing, the changes are not as crazy as many may think. Federal and state granted work study will remain the same, no changes will be made if you have been granted work study from either of these sources. Similarly, department funded work study will also remain, however this varies from department to department and the amount of funds they are willing to use for work study purposes. That being said, if your current position is department funded or you received federal or state work study, you can expect to come back to it in the fall. If your current position does not fall under these two parameters, discuss with a department head the possibility of being paid through them in order to keep your position.

The main change that sparked a majority of these rumors was the elimination of Regis University funded work study. Regis funded work study will no longer be an additional option for students that do not qualify for need based work study. In the past, Regis work study was awarded to students that were not eligible for federal or state work study who still wanted to work on campus. However, with this no longer being available for the upcoming year there are still options for individuals who want to work on campus without federal or state work study. Work study through departments will remain a viable option for students, though job hunting may require more research into where the funds for the job are coming from.

Racism Within the Royal Family

By: Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer

Meghan and Harry were recently able to share their story in their first public interview. The recent interview has answered many questions regarding Meghan’s experience entering the royal family, but also led to many more questions surrounding race. In the interview conducted by Oprah, Meghan brought up a conversation held between her husband and his family that discussed what the color of their children's skin will look like. This is not Meghan’s first time having to deal with racism, however the racial issues faced by her children before birth was surprising to say in the least. 

Meghan mentioned concerns regarding her first pregnancy and whether he would be protected or even given a title, based on the color of his skin. Their first-born child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, currently does not have a title despite being seventh in line for the throne. Harry and Meghan even had to have conversations regarding the color of their child’s skin. The prince had conversations with the royal family that directly discussed the color that his children’s skin would be. Though it may seem like there must be a reason for this that doesn’t involve race, Meghan said there is “No explanation.” Prince Harry’s brother, William, also has three children of his own, each of which with their respective titles of prince and princess. 

Meghan attempted to justify the lack of title for her son, claiming he would receive a title when his grandfather became king, something established by King George V in 1917. However, while Meghan was pregnant, the family discussed making a change to this. It seemed as if the royal family were going out of their way to make sure Harry and Meghan’s children have no title. Thought the biggest concern expressed by Meghan was the lack of protection that would be provided.

Meghan continued on the theme of racism discussing her own experiences with prejudice in the public and even within the institution. Not only have there been magazines that demonize her, sexualize and demean her, but she discussed not even being given the freedom to deny these claims made against her. These claims affected her mental health to a dangerous point. “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore,” Meghan shared. These were just some of the many issues that led Harry and Meghan to leave their positions as senior members of the royal family. Harry defended his wife and children, arguing that, “It wasn’t just about her, it’s about what she represents.”

The interview discusses many different aspects of the two and how their lives changed from when they began seeing each other, to marriage, and to eventually living on their own. In addition to this, we are also allowed insight into the changes and difficulties they have faced due to no longer having the privilege of being working royals. The full interview is available to watch for free on CBS.com.

WandaVision’s contributions to MCU Phase 4

By: Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer

This will include spoilers for the full series, and additional Marvel movies.

The WandaVision series finale has left us with more questions than answers, fan theories were disproved, we saw the fall of the hex and lost what many fans believed to be a set up for the young avengers. Though the ending may have seen a bit clear cut, with Wanda destroying the hex and going onto study magic in a faraway land, there is a lot still unclear. 

The Twins

When Wanda destroyed the hex, we saw her lose not only Vision, but her two boys, Billy and Tommy. This led to an invalidation of what many Marvel fans believed to be the first of the young avengers. Billy and Tommy were supposed to be wiccan and speed, however their deaths complicate how they are going to come back to assume those roles. The end credit scene of the final episode shows Wanda seemingly making contact with her children on a separate plane. This is a clear set up for the reincarnation of the twins, hopefully something that will be explored in the Doctor Strange Sequel, where Elisabeth Olsen is already set to make an appearance. 

The Missing Person

Many fans were upset that the appearance of Evan Peters’ quicksilver seemed to be a mere fan service, however many theorize that it goes beyond that. The theory that Ralph Bohner is the person Agent Woo was looking for is something fans are still debating. While many say this is not the case because of Woo’s lack of reaction to seeing him, Woo doesn’t see him at all. Once “Pietro” comes into the show, Woo is then taken off the base and does not get to comment on Ralph Bohner. In addition to this, Evan Peters’ Peter Maximoff would be a definite candidate for witness protection, being who he is. This theory, however, has holes. The headshots suggest that Ralph is a struggling actor, an idea further confirmed with bills that are overdue for the past year. If Ralph was in witness protection, he would most likely be barred from a career like acting. However, a struggling actor would not be able to afford the house Ralph has, causing more confusion. Though it is extremely unclear as to who the missing person is, it’s reasonable to assume they will play a part in the next phase.

The Vision

The duel of the two Visions is some of the most action we see in the series finale, ending rather anticlimactically. Following the actual fighting, the two engage in discussion on who “The Vision” is. Their discussion of the Ship of Theseus then led to a philosophical discussion between the two that ended with the realization that both of them are and are not The Vision. The white Vision then flies off and is seemingly defeated for the time being. Though that is the last of him we see in WandaVision, it is expected he returns once his internal conflict is resolved. 

The Multiverse of Madness

One of the many successes of the series is the set up for the Doctor Strange sequel. In addition to the end credit scenes' implication of the twins being in another plane, the prophecy described the scarlet witch as someone more powerful than the sorcerer supreme. The last time we saw someone labeled the sorcerer supreme, they died. Doctor Strange is now next in line to fill that position, setting the scene for a Wanda versus Strange fight scene. 

Overall, WandaVision was a perfect introduction for the universe following the loss of a majority of the original MCU characters. Not only has the series been able to set up what seems to be the premise of future films, but it was also able to bring attention to how everyone felt following the blip. Though it is safe to assume we will not be getting any more episodes of WandaVision anytime soon, with Marvel we may never know.

WandaVision: Not Just for Marvel Fans

By: Sarah Gomez, Staff Writer

I’m sure nearly everyone at this point has heard of the Disney+ original WandaVision, the first series made by Marvel Studios, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, with that being said, you don’t have to care or even know about any of that to enjoy the series as it is. Though Marvel fans might advertise this series as something of the specific niche, anyone who likes a good plot and cool characters can enjoy it. This sitcom format series is something enjoyable for multiple audiences of different familiarities of the characters. Whether you’re a marvel fanatic, only seen two or three films, or never even heard of it, WandaVision is bound to have something you can enjoy.

The show follows a couple, Wanda and Vision, as they move into their new home in the town of Westview, New Jersey. Wanda, a stay-at-home wife who can make a pen float in the air, and Vision, an indestructible AI that works for Computational Services Inc., move in at the beginning of the series. This series also expands on the two characters on a more personal level. This approach establishes the two in their own little bubble. The two are the main characters and we get to see the two grow with each other in a completely independent manner. The show follows a standard sitcom format that changes throughout the series, going from 50’s to 60’s and so on and so forth. While the two love birds are living their newly-wed lives in their new home, things begin to look out of the ordinary for their picture-perfect life. New problems begin to arise that are out of the ordinary even for a sitcom, and the rest of the series attempts to understand who or what is ruining the show. 

Though this may not be the most enticing storyline for everyone immediately, each episode comes with its own flavor. In addition to having the time era‘s general aesthetics, the story line of the episode follows a similar arc we would expect from a television show at that time. From I Love Lucy to The Office, WandaVision has an episode for whatever your comfort sitcom may be. In addition to this, the variety in episodes keep audiences constantly on their toes. The easy-to-follow plot makes this an ideal binge for family nights or background entertainment for studying, while still being entertaining.