Ali Preissing was sitting in a quiet library in Italy when she got the news. In the midst of studying for her J-Term exams, the email pinging in her inbox told her that all her hard work was beginning to pay off. She was a semifinalist for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
In 2006, social activist Tarana Burke wrote two words on her MySpace page: "Me Too." Since then, MySpace has fallen out of significance in the realm of social media, but these words have remained relevant. Originally used to convey unity and empathy to women of color who have experienced sexual abuse or harassment, "Me Too" has ignited a global conversation empowering all survivors of sexual misconduct, while highlighting just how widespread the problem is.
Everything has an expiration date -- my debit card, the milk in my fridge and, according to some, AMC's hit TV series "The Walking Dead." "Mercy," the show's season eight premiere, aired this past Sunday, and I'm sad to say it was met with mostly negative responses. It seems the promise of this season's theme, all-out war, was not enough to rouse people's support for Rick's fight against Negan and continued battle with zombies. I believe some lack of interest stems from the show's shift from an apocalyptic to post-apocalyptic nature. Gone are the adrenaline-filled plot lines in which walkers were the main sources of danger and every threat seemed like the end of the world. We're now firmly in the realm of human conflict over completely rebuilding a society and the battle over who gets to run that society. For this reason, many have written off the show. But all hope is not lost. "Mercy" incorporates three main things that remind us why TWD is still worth watching:
It's been a long time since I buckled my seatbelt and hunkered down for a trip through outer space. Or through some kid's digestive tract. Or, in this case, a wild adventure to the Galapagos Islands, complete with invasive species and symbiotic ecosystems.