Opinion

The Opinion section regularly features staff editorials, columnists' essays on topics privy to them, and unpopular opinions.

Nia Jones Nia Jones

Top five movies starring John Cena

John Cena is a professional World Wrestling Entertainment Inc wrestler, actor, and former rapper (yes, it’s true!) who has had an active career with notable highs and lows. When you can’t see him in the ring, you can see him in one of his many films. Cena is one of many WWE stars who have taken their in-ring skills to the big screen. Stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dave Bautista (Batista), and Michael “The Miz” Mizanin. Like most of these stars, some of their movies are hits, while others… are definitely movies. Today, we will be looking over some of Cena’s best and worst movies over his 24-year public career, ranking from best to worst.

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Hannah Myers Hannah Myers

A ranking of the SUNY Geneseo academic buildings

Many students here at Geneseo find themselves gravitating toward certain buildings on campus as designated study spaces. It might be due to comfort, ability to study, or just it being an enjoyable location. For myself, I have found that one of the buildings I am continuously drawn to is Welles Hall. This may seem typical for any English major, as it is one of the main places that humanities classes are held. The hall originally served as an elementary school, and was constructed in 1932. It is infamously hot in the summer and extra hot in the winter, though I find this to be a trait easily looked over when its many pros are considered.

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Sierra Etkin Sierra Etkin

Why you should go home for Thanksgiving

Thankfully for college students, our Thanksgiving break typically happens right before the most chaotic time of the semester. Even though it might be tempting to stay in your dorm or apartment over Thanksgiving—with seemingly no responsibilities—you should take advantage of this aptly timed break. It doesn't matter if this isn’t your favorite holiday, there are still a number of reasons why you should be enjoying this time off.

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Dylan Dariano Dylan Dariano

Star Wars rankings by series: part three

This week we finish out the official ranking of the Star Wars saga. Last week, I placed the original trilogy in second place, and this week you get to see what has earned itself the top spot in this ranking. Be forewarned—the following ratings do include some spoilers!

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The Lamron The Lamron

How to help Geneseo’s stray cat population

Here at Geneseo, there is a considerable stray cat population. Though the exact number is unknown, the small town of Geneseo is home to hundreds of stray, and some feral, cats that have taken residence on the outskirts of campus, in areas near Orchard Street, and alongside residential blocks adjacent to Main Street. This is an issue which goes unnoticed by many, excluding the street’s residents, as the number of cats present within the community seems to be skyrocketing.

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Syed Zahoor Raza Syed Zahoor Raza

Debunking the misconceptions surrounding Palestine

As I am writing this, the people of Gaza are suffering. Following the events of Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza Strip has been a target of relentless bombings and airstrikes that have led to the loss of more than 10,000 Palestinian lives as a result of orders from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The bombings do not discriminate in their strike locations, leveling hospitals, houses, offices, and more to rubble. To make things even worse, those in Palestine have had their electricity/fuel supply cut off and their access to food, water, and first aid resources limited. Yet, when asked about the chances of a Gaza ceasefire, President Biden recently quipped to a reporter, “None. No possibility.” 

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Emily Sneider Emily Sneider

The case against daylight saving time

Fall is my favorite season: bringing out autumn outfits, not sweating while hanging out outside, and watching all the leaves change into seasonal reds, oranges, and yellows, amounts to a season of pure delight. Then, all that goodness is taken away as the sun slowly starts to go down sooner in the day; the sunset then finally makes that final jump, and you’re woken up earlier than normal due to the brightness in the morning from the earlier sunrise. Daylight saving time (DST) completely screws with our circadian rhythm. As older adolescents with developing brains, and as college students trying to survive our classes, we need as much good sleep as we can possibly get—this sudden change in routine is harmful to our health. 

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Sierra Etkin Sierra Etkin

A communication degree is the most beneficial in the workforce

Although this opinion may be unpopular, I think it’s important to elaborate on how important effective communication is in a post-graduate career. Yes, I’ve heard it all already: “Communication majors don’t actually learn anything;” “We all know how to communicate already;” “That degree won’t get you anywhere.” Though I understand where you might be coming from, I strongly disagree. As a senior communication (COMN) major, I believe that choosing this path is probably one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. After committing to attend Geneseo for the incredible education department, I realized I didn’t actually want to go into teaching. I valued the importance of human connection and communication, but couldn’t see myself talking in front of students for the next however many years until retirement. I switched my major before I even moved in, and every day I’m thankful that 18-year-old me made that choice.

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The Lamron The Lamron

Why we need pride organizations on campus

Our campus supports a slew of identity clubs, many of which come together in locations such as the Multicultural center, the MOSAIC room, or the Lavender Lounge. Spaces such as these are vital in order to create a designated safe-space and community of support and acknowledgement for persons of diverse and/or intersectional identities. One of these on-campus clubs that works to increase the visibility of marginalized voices, specifically LGBTQIA+ identities, is the Pride Alliance club here at SUNY Geneseo.

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Dylan Dariano Dylan Dariano

Star Wars rankings by series: part two

This week we return to the official ranking of the Star Wars saga. Last week, I determined that in third place of the Star Wars trilogies is the sequel trilogy, and this week you get to see what deserves the second place spot in this line-up. Be forewarned, the following ratings do include some spoilers!

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Kaitlin Anzalone Kaitlin Anzalone

The misuse of accessible parking

As a student who utilizes accessible parking on the Geneseo campus, it has come to my attention that there is continual misuse of the allocated parking spaces for the disabled community. Accessible parking spots are the spaces in the parking lot that are located the shortest accessible distance from the most accessible entrance of the building.

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Sierra Etkin Sierra Etkin

Seven things to do with your friends before fall ends!

With limited time left in the 2023 autumn season, I figured it was only right to give you a list of some activities you may want to participate in before you lose the chance! Of course, we all had fun for Halloween, but the season doesn’t end with October. Without further ado, here  are seven things to do with your friends before fall ends:

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Ella Pearcy Ella Pearcy

The uncomfortable truth of birthday hotspots

As we enter early November, you may have noticed more than a typical number of those around you have their birthday popping up. The beginning to the middle days of November seems to be a hotspot, of sorts, for this personal big day. A reflection upon why this also tends to garner a knowing, but uncomfortable, understanding when month nine before November is: February.

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Dylan Dariano Dylan Dariano

Star Wars rankings by series: part one

With Halloween recently behind us, having seen the inevitable amount of Jedi and Sith costumes out and about, I thought it was time to revisit the Star Wars genealogy. One thing I began to think about while viewing the movies was how each set of three films is incredibly different from the other two; whether it be the writing, acting, or special effects, the series has definitely changed significantly through the years. The best way to compare the individual sets of three films is through a simple ranking, from worst to best. The following ratings do include some spoilers, so be warned!

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The Lamron The Lamron

What’s the Presidential Turkey Pardon?

The Presidential Turkey Pardon is certainly one of America’s strangest and confusing holiday traditions. Presidents being photographed alongside their Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey dinners was not a rare sight since the birth of these holidays in the United States, however, the odd relationship between turkeys and the president first occurred during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. This story is largely speculatory, but it is said that one of Lincoln’s sons grew close with a turkey whose fate had been destined for the dinner table. His son, Tad, was even rumored to take the turkey on walks with a leash and had named him “Jack.” The bond noted by Lincoln, alongside his son’s pleas to have Jack’s life spared, caused Lincoln to allow the bird to have the chance to die of natural causes. 

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Sierra Etkin Sierra Etkin

Watching the Ice Knights is the best way to spend a Saturday night in Geneseo!

It’s finally that time of the fall semester where we get the pleasure of experiencing the Geneseo Ice Knights once again! A majority of their home games fall on Fridays and Saturdays, which makes it the ideal time to get some friends together and support your school’s sports team. The schedule is posted on the Geneseo’s Knights Hockey page at geneseoknights.com so make sure to check out when the home games are and plan accordingly.

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The Lamron The Lamron

What not to wear: Halloween edition

As Halloween approaches, and everyone is excitedly picking out their costumes for the year, this is a great opportunity to give some more thought to what you should avoid. When dressing up in costumes, it is crucial to be extra mindful of what we put on our bodies and what effects it may have on those around us. When shopping for costumes, it is important to keep an eye for costumes that seem to be using cultural elements as a gag so as not to alienate or appropriate any person’s culture.

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Kendall Cruise Kendall Cruise

Trick-or-treating is overrated

Sometimes I hear my fellow young adults lament about how they wish it was socially acceptable to trick or treat as an adult. I am here to say—that is nostalgia talking. While there is the obvious benefit of free candy that is where the positives for me end. I think maintaining trick-or-treating for young children is still a good way to maintain community ties and have a reason for kids to utilize their Halloween costumes—the alternatives of teenage or adult Halloween celebration is much preferred for me generally. 

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Nathaniel D’Amato Nathaniel D’Amato

Why you need to watch Wendigoon

Isaiah Nichols, also known as Wendigoon, is an up-and-coming YouTuber with over 3.21 million subscribers and more than 370 million views, well-known for his conspiracy iceberg videos and various “deep-dives” into random topics. This YouTuber has put countless hours of both time and dedication into his craft, creating some of the most original and engaging videos I have ever seen! As evidenced by the title of this article, there are so many things to love about this versatile content creator—whether it be his icebergs or one-off deep dives into an obscure topic—and I am here to tell you exactly why you need to binge-watch his entire catalog. 

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Sierra Etkin Sierra Etkin

Easy and cost-effective costume ideas

It is finally time to get your head in the game and plan out some iconic Halloween costumes! This is your friendly reminder that you have one week until Halloweekend, and a little over a week until the big event itself. I understand that this holiday tends to sneak up on us, as we often become so focused on the start of the semester, and midterm season becomes the scariest part of October. With that in mind, I hope to give you some cheap and easy Halloween costumes for groups and individuals. For all my procrastinators, this is my early holiday gift to you. 

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