On the evening of Oct. 20, the Muslim Student Association hosted its annual Fall Banquet in Old Union Hall. This year’s banquet was organized around the theme “balancing the worldly life with your Deen in college.”

The event featured guest speaker SQ, a Muslim content creator, and dinner was catered by Kababish Halal Grill. All profits from ticket sales will be donated to support humanitarian aid in Palestine and Lebanon, the organization said.

The banquet opened with introductions and a prayer led by the MSA’s E-Board. Shortly after, a graduate student shared a poem with attendees to highlight the event’s theme.

The poem described the heart as the center of intellect and consciousness, and listeners were encouraged to assess the condition of their heart. In doing so, one can better determine if their actions reflect the nature of their heart and character. The student described Allah as the one who understands one’s heart best, therefore one’s character should reflect the conditions of their heart.

Ali Waleed, the organization’s president and a senior majoring in biology, described the inspiration behind the banquet’s theme.

“We came up with the theme when talking with the speaker himself actually,” Waleed wrote in an email. “He had us share our own experiences balancing faith and worldly commitments, and we found that he has a lot to say on the matter. So we decided to make that the topic since it is a common challenge for students of all faiths who come to college.”

SQ took the floor for an empowering speech about the power of Allah and a shared sense of humanity. He aimed to connect with students by describing the internal and external conflicts they may find themselves in as they navigate new environments, freedoms and experiences. He described different vices that typically interrupt adherence to one’s Deen and shared advice about how he handled those difficulties during college and years after.

Rania Khan, MSA’s community outreach chair and a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, described the organization as a crucial part of her college experience.

“MSA is a wonderful place just to meet other Muslim individuals to connect on our faith and to learn more and gain knowledge from one another,” Khan said. “We can connect here, and I can also connect them with the outer community.”

SQ continued to discuss balancing worldly pleasures with one’s Deen by addressing people’s inclination to obsess over material possessions and past experiences. He described a shared humanity irrespective of beliefs and religion, reminding listeners that there is a deeper reason behind why we experience certain things beyond what we can comprehend now. He detailed how many tend to see the pixel and not the picture, causing them to lose track of what is important in the grand scheme.

He further advised how to remember one’s Deen on a day-to-day basis by comparing receiving a study guide from a professor to holy texts from a higher power. He said that the Quran is a final study guide for mankind. He described how if one makes a conscious effort to acknowledge their creator, they will be rewarded in line with their intentions. In doing so, one can better manage worldly life with their Deen.

SQ leaves listeners with a key conclusion — God communicates with us through signs, but if we fail to pay careful attention, we can easily miss them.

Following his discussion, attendees were invited to enjoy the catering, which included a wide variety of halal entrees. Desserts of all kinds were provided with apple cider and tea.

As the event came to a close, the audience was reminded of how easily one can find oneself losing track of their Deen at school. However, by practicing mindfulness and finding support in communities like MSA, one can easily remind oneself of what is important beyond material pleasures.

With Halloween on our heels, there is no better way to get in the spirit of the season than Slaughterland Screampark. Located at 666 Barrier Road, just a 15-minute drive from Binghamton University, this haunted attraction invites customers of all ages for a good scare with its five horrifying walk-throughs.

Each attraction bears its own unique theme, with a scare for everyone. Customers first scream their way through Dark Magic, where you have to feel your way through a pitch-black maze with short intermissions, featuring jump scares and loud bursts releasing smoke. Characters crawl out from the shadows and attempt to grab you as you cling to your friends for support.

Afterward, guests enter Frightmares 3D, where UV reactive paintings mesmerize you through your chroma-depth 3D glasses while lanky characters in morph suits creep up behind you.

Following this attraction is Wendigo Woods, where you are welcomed by a gravedigger with a shovel that finds itself a mere few inches away from your throat. As you are reeling from the dizziness induced by the bright lights and loud music from the previous attraction, you squint your way through the barely lit woods.

Exiting the woods, you find yourself at the Cirque de Mort, where you are greeted by acrobats contorting on the floor and chased by clowns wielding chainsaws. Once you think you have finally made it out alive, you quickly realize you are left to tour The Bloodshed, a slaughterhouse occupied by manic butchers drenched in blood. While this attraction does less to spook you, it definitely leaves you uneasy and disturbed by the cacophony of screams.

If you are lucky enough to survive this journey, you will find yourself at the end of the walk-through where everyone gathers by a bonfire. Here, customers are encouraged to visit the psychic on-site, who offers palm and tarot card readings. Also, you can enjoy the Bloodstreet Brewery and other concessions adjacent to the gift shop, where you can purchase Slaughterland tees and sweatshirts. On your way back to your car, you’re welcome to test your fate one last time by jumping in the “Coffin Hauler.” Here, you can take a photo with the undead.

Aliyah Ally, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, described her friends keeping her grounded throughout the attraction.

“It’s a good adrenaline rush for sure,” Ally said. “The scariest part was knowing that I was going to be scared, but I didn’t know when. I couldn’t have done it without my friends.”

For guests concerned about safety and security, Slaughterland Screampark prioritizes the well-being of customers above all else. The attraction implements a “no touching” policy where actors are prohibited from touching customers under any circumstance and vice versa.

Evan Heater, 24, performer in the attractions, expanded on the other security policies of the park.

“We do have a few security guards that will go through the attractions and be in the middle of them,” Heater said. “We also have our sweepers … where the person behind everyone else would ride right behind them just to make sure there were no accidents or anybody hanging around or anything like that.”

Ashley Qiu, a junior majoring in economics, described Slaughterland Screampark as an experience nearly impossible to replicate.

“It was such a good experience,” Qiu said. “I feel like I’m a kid again. It felt like I was in a different realm.”

Slaughterland Screampark is open Fridays, Saturdays and select Sundays starting at dusk through Oct. 28. They are offering a $5 discount for all students this weekend, Oct. 6 through Oct. 8.

At the corner where Robinson Street intersects Griswold Street is Stellar Human, a vintage clothing store owned and operated by LaRue Simmons. Featuring all sorts of eclectic pieces from jackets and dresses to graphic tees and hoodies, Simmons has been expanding his shop since opening in February of 2021.

Originally from Johnson City and now a resident of Binghamton, Simmons was excited for Stellar Human to become a prime opportunity to bring something new to Broome County that was not there before.

“I knew that what we were doing was special and different, and I just had a feeling that it was going to work,” Simmons said.

With the popularization of thrifting among younger groups comes the appreciation of vintage pieces. Instead of packing the store with as many clothes as possible, vintage stores like Simmons’ seek to scale down the overwhelming amounts of items by carefully selecting pieces that are unique and worth more than thrift stores may list them for.

“When I first opened the store, it was definitely more geared toward just a thrift store,” Simmons said. “Maybe like a curated thrift.”

He explained that after much research and learning from other vintage sellers, he was able to look for valuable details on tags or in the fabric composition and stitching of the item.

“As time went on and my eye grew sharper, I ultimately decided to switch the shop over from being labeled [as] a thrift store to vintage,” Simmons said.

Currently, Stellar Human exists as more than just a store, but also a hub for residents and students to come together and connect. Simmons couldn’t help but contain his enthusiasm about meeting new people and creating connections with individuals of all different backgrounds and interests.

“It was a lost art to have conversations with somebody that you don’t know,” Simmons said. “I think that having a space like this where I’ve been able to see people who didn’t know each other meet here and then go outside of here and create something together … stuff like that is something I can’t put a price on. I’m just super grateful for that.”

Furthermore, Stellar Human prides itself on being “a safe space for all,” and Simmons stresses the importance of places existing as an outlet for people to gather and explore new interests.

“One of my goals for the shop was to be able to bring people who had similar interests, whether it was fashion or music or just dope stuff in general out of the woodwork,” Simmons said. “My ultimate goal is just to have a room full of people who just all are into dope stuff and just having a cool conversation.”

Simmons gets to see this vision come to life every Monday night with an event called “Stellar Records,” where all are welcome to bring a record, sit and bond over music.

Stellar Human welcomes all to come in and find pieces that they love. Simmons truly personalizes his store inventory by picking items that he could see himself and others wearing that could work with different styles.

“I pick based on my style, but my style is super eclectic,” Simmons said. “There are days where I want to do streetwear. There are days where I want to do the ‘70s thing and wear bell bottoms, but I think that’s what makes the shop a little more unique.”

Simmons encourages shoppers to find pieces that work and personalize those items to make them their own.

“Everyone wants to be different, and what better way to be different than wearing something that’s hard to find and is your own thing,” Simmons said.

Stellar Human is on Instagram @stellar.human and is open from Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

As Binghamton transitions from summer into fall, Broome County embraces the new season with plenty of festivities and fairs to welcome autumn. This past Saturday marked the celebration of the Endicott Apple Festival, endearingly known as “Applefest,” where local businesses and residents gather in anticipation of the fall season.

Between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Washington Avenue from North Street to Broad Street was closed off and filled with families, friends and students all eager to enjoy the products that more than 90 vendors have to offer. The festival featured local musicians, including Messy Truth and Alex VanTassel, and throughout the day, dance groups from Endicott-based dance companies performed to the live music.

This annual event is supported by sponsors such as Visions Federal Credit Union, BAE Systems and those who are fond of boosting the spirit of the community engagement in Endicott and the greater Broome County area.

Many businesses featured at Applefest are family businesses that distribute homemade products.

Megan Doven, of Mountainside Fruit Market from Choconut Township, Pennsylvania, drove with her family to Endicott to sell their products at the market. Her selection included homemade breads, desserts, pickled goods and fresh local produce. Doven runs this business with the help of her two sons and explained why she comes back to Applefest each year.

“It’s a great event [with] lots of great people, great food, vendors [and] music,” Doven said. “It seems to get bigger and bigger every year.”

Applefest also serves as a great opportunity for small businesses to build a relationship with customers in the area.

Chaz Ramlal, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, spoke further on the community built at Applefest and the importance of engagement with Broome County as a student.

“I feel like there’s a lot of bigger corporate franchises here in Binghamton,” Ramlal said. “Giving back to the people that actually put in the work and try to do something good is more than respectable, so I try to give back to them.”

Events like Applefest introduce these customers to businesses in the area that offer products with locally sourced ingredients, stimulating the economy here in Broome County. The event has been a wonderful way to bring families together, and provides the perfect opportunity to find new customers.

Sheryl Bell and her family, Endicott residents, own and operate Daffodil Hill Bakery in Endicott, a shop highly acclaimed by its customers for its quality pastries and desserts. For the last several years, Bell and her family have brought many homemade pies to Applefest.

“My favorite part [of Applefest] is the people and meeting the community,” Bell said. “It’s fun because a lot of families help with my business, and it’s just a fun thing to do together.”

Applefest is an annual tradition in Endicott and has expanded rapidly with new vendors, performers and customers each and every year — it is the fall festival you cannot miss.

The Vice President for Student Success and the Student Association collaborated with a diverse array of organizations to host a Multicultural Voting Fair.

The fair, held Wednesday from 1 p.m to 3 p.m. in the Mandela Room, was a collaboration between multicultural organizations, including the Asian Student Union (ASU), the Latin American Student Union (LASU), the Hindu Student Council (HSC), the Juvenile Urban Multicultural Program (JUMP) and the Indian International Student Union (IISU). The organizations tabled and distributed cultural food like samosas, empanadas and bubble tea. The purpose of the event was to encourage voting among multicultural student groups on campus.

As students entered the fair, they were greeted by four tables — the first two provided voter registration paperwork and instructed participants about applying for an absentee ballot. Subsequent tables had students pledge to vote in the upcoming election and encouraged attendees to serve as poll workers. Participants had to visit all four tables to fill out their stamp cards and receive free food from the tabling organizations.

According to U.S. Census data, 2022 boasted the second-highest voter turnout for a non-presidential election year since 2000, with 52.2 percent of the voting-age population casting a vote. The 2022 election also had 31.8 percent of all voters cast ballots by mail, up from 23.1 percent in 2018.

Luca Cassidy, the VPSS and a junior majoring in economics, was one of the main organizers of the voting fair. He shared insights into the motivations behind the voting fair and the importance of engaging with the University’s multicultural community.

“Multicultural clubs have immense sway on this campus,” Cassidy wrote in an email. “Collaborating with them guarantees that an engaged population will show up. In addition to this, voting rates [and] registration rates among Asian Americans are below the national average, so we wanted to change that with this event. Lastly, the SA rarely collaborates with the multicultural community, except for the [Vice President of Multicultural Affairs] (VPMA), so this is a fun opportunity to build relationships and show that not just the VPMA cares about our multicultural community.”

Funding for the fair came from multiple external grants, including AAPI Vote and Voter Registration Day. The grants, totaling $1,000, were mainly used for food and drinks.

The event was organized in part by the Multicultural Resource Center and the Center for Civic Engagement — a nonpartisan civic advocacy organization whose main goal is to “[cultivate] partnerships that strengthen communities and develop active and engaged citizens.”

Trevor Fornara ‘23, the CCE’s civic education coordinator, described his organization’s role in the event and the importance of encouraging voting among students of color.

“It is important to reach out to multicultural organizations regarding voter engagement, especially those that serve underrepresented populations,” Fornara wrote. “The CCE is committed to closing the voting gap between white students and Students of Color by removing barriers to registering and turning out to vote. Our office provided support to this event through partial funding and providing voter registration forms.”

Students are able to vote in local and national elections on campus every election year. The location of the voting sites varies depending on space available and the site for November’s elections will be announced closer to election day.

Tom Hanks takes on the role of the protagonist in the film “A Man Called Otto.” He plays Otto Anderson, a 63-year-old man living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, reaching into the grouchy and pessimistic ends of his talent to bring this beloved character to life.

“A Man Called Otto” is an Americanized adaptation of Fredrik Backman’s adored Swedish novel, “A Man Called Ove.” Backman’s story, published in 2012, follows the story of a curmudgeon bittered by the loss of his wife and irritated by every single person he encounters as he struggles to continue living as a widower.

The film opens with Otto shopping in a hardware store on the hunt to purchase 5 feet of rope — no more, no less — introducing us to the particular man that refuses to stray from his routines and principles. Otto proceeds to cancel his electricity and heating bills, demanding that any loose ends are tied up as soon as possible. Subsequently, he attempts to end his own life in his empty living room. Viewers quickly learn that Otto is consumed by his wife’s death and overwhelmed with his own loneliness. Everywhere he turns, he is haunted by her memory. From the second coffee cup in the cupboard collecting dust to the soft pink jackets still hanging in the corridor, he feels the pain. The reminders of her are starkly laid against the muted nature of Otto’s life without his true love, absent of color and brimming with grief.

Otto’s solitude is quickly interrupted by the move-in of his new neighbors, Marisol and Tommy, and their two daughters, Abby and Luna. The family slowly encroaches on Otto’s life through tupperware containers and driving lessons as they try to engage him with the rest of the neighborhood. Throughout the film, Otto tries to end his own life repeatedly, yet his attempts are futile as people continue to come to him in need of assistance. The story shifts back and forth between Otto’s past and present, revealing details about his life before the devastating death of his wife. Ironically, the angry and bitter Otto suffers from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, where his heart is too big for his own good.

“A Man Called Otto” is ultimately a story of love, loss and grief through the lens of a widower soured by the trials of his own life. As an avid Backman reader and Hanks fan, I had high expectations for this film and was thrilled by how director Marc Forster adapted this story. There were plotlines from the original text that were abandoned in this adaptation. The beauty of this story, however, lies not in what happens, but in who the characters are. Forster managed to preserve Otto’s delicate balance of pessimism and kindness, and Hanks takes on this role with grace. Mariana Treviño’s adoption of Marisol’s character was also fantastic as she carried herself with the same sincerity as Parvaneh’s character from Backman’s novel.

Forster’s technical choices in directing did not go unnoticed either, as he demonstrated the contrast in Otto’s life before and after his wife’s passing, intertwining this with his life before and after meeting Marisol. The vibrance of color seen during Otto’s recollections of early experiences with his wife slowly became more muted as her life reached its end, and clearly contrasted with the duller tones of Otto’s present life. Furthermore, as Otto became more immersed in his relationships with his neighbors, Forster included alternate lighting that provided a warmer angle to view from. It is clear that every detail in this work was carefully decided, and that in-depth effort cannot pass underappreciated.

Overall, “A Man Called Otto” wonderfully retells Backman’s underappreciated story about the capricious nature of life through remarkably well-casted characters and meticulous effort. This movie has something for any kind of audience to appreciate and is well worth watching.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

With Sophie Cates as the opening act, the performers impressed hundreds of students and fans last Thursday. Unlike last year’s fall concert, attendees faced no COVID-19 restrictions, with no pods or masks required.

General admission tickets were $25 for students, $30 for graduate students, faculty and staff and $40 for the public. These tickets put patrons in the bleacher seats, where they stood up and danced to the night’s performances. Floor tickets began at $35 for students, $40 for graduate students, faculty and staff and $50 for the public. As there were no pod restrictions, those on the floor were able to move freely through the crowd.

Cates, a pop artist from Los Angeles, opened with a 30 minute performance including “drinking games,” “Cardigan,” “boys r dumb! duh!” and, much to the crowd’s surprise, an a cappella performance of “Treacherous” by Taylor Swift.

Although the crowd loved Cates’ performance, nothing could match the energy of Yung Gravy’s entrance. Yung Gravy was introduced by DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip — be sure not to mistake the tenth “i” — and the crowd was readied with classic pop hits, ranging from “Holy Grail” to “Sweet Caroline.” Before they knew it, the crowd was chanting “Gravy Train” — until Yung Gravy ran onstage singing his song of the same name.

Yung Gravy performed until 10 p.m., covering most of his discography, including but not limited to, “C’est La Vie,” “oops!” and “1 Thot 2 Thot Red Thot Blue Thot.” Not only did he engage his audience with his songs that completely dominate TikTok after every release, but he also signed Lunchables boxes and Caesar dressing bottles, which he tossed into the audience along with water bottles.

Shira Geula, concerts chair for the SAPB and a senior majoring in business administration, had a large part in the making of this year’s concert. She observed no major hiccups in the event and said she loved Cates’ performance, as it felt like something different than Yung Gravy’s.

Geula was also pleased with the crowd, as well as the energy Yung Gravy brought to the concert experience.

“It was even better than I thought it was going to be to be,” Geula wrote in an email. “We were so happy with it. He definitely has a way with his fans and his crowd. I wanted a giant dance party in the Events Center and I think it really happened!”

Geula also said she believed Yung Gravy had a great time performing for BU.

“Never mind the fact that I was happy with the crowd, I think Yung Gravy himself was happy with the crowd!” Geula wrote in an email. “Everyone was there to have a good time and I know he appreciated it.”

Emily Wang, a senior majoring in nursing, bought floor tickets and managed to stand right in front by the railing. Wang was not a huge fan of Yung Gravy, but felt like more listens of his music were warranted after seeing his talent onstage. Wang described all of the different objects Yung Gravy threw into the crowd.

“He brought out these Target bags and would throw groceries into the audience throughout the night,” Wang wrote in an email. “He signed his name on ranch and Caesar dressing and would throw it out into the audience. He threw cereal as well into the audience and bananas.”

Emily Leighton, a sophomore majoring in mathematics, also enjoyed the concert. As a fan of Yung Gravy already, she arrived early to get prime bleacher seats for an ideal view. She enjoyed the performance and even caught a water bottle from Yung Gravy himself.

“Yung Gravy was so sick,” Leighton wrote in an email. “He was such a great performer and engaged with the crowd so much. I really enjoyed how he didn’t feel the need to perform the entirety of each song. That really made the concert run smoothly and kept it interesting.”

Not only did Yung Gravy deliver with his unmatched performance, but his first full album in two years, “Marvelous,” is coming out at the end of this month on Oct. 28.

The “Taylor Swift Trivia Night” event — held on April 4 — had small groups and individual competitors generating answers for some of the most challenging questions any Swiftie could imagine. Rewarding winners with gift cards, the Swiftie Club concluded another successful meeting with a full house.

The Swiftie Club brings together Swifties from across campus to appreciate Swift, an artist who, for many, speaks the words that are often impossible to piece together. Jared Hollander, president of the Swiftie Club and a junior majoring in geology, spoke about the significance of Swift’s career in his own life.

“When [Swift] came out with ‘1989,’ that was ‘The Moment I Knew’ — pun intended,” Hollander said. “‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Clean’ were the [songs] that spoke to me the most. I was bullied in high school and middle school, mostly. During the bridge in ‘Bad Blood,’ [Swift] says, ‘Band-Aids don’t fix bullet holes / You say sorry just for show,’ and that really spoke to me. She’s such a brilliant songwriter because I can exactly relate to that moment in my own life. When I was bullied, ‘Clean’ helped me because it described how I was feeling. She said, ‘The water filled my lungs, I screamed so loud / But no one heard a thing.’ And it’s like how I was because I was trying to reach out for help.”

Hollander presented the idea of Swiftie Club to his friend after hoping to find more people on campus to bond over Swift’s talent. Currently, the Swiftie Club has garnered more than 80 members and is ahead of track to be chartered by the Student Association by the end of the semester.

Caitlin Dazi, vice president of the Swiftie Club and a sophomore majoring in political science, reflected on the importance of connecting with fellow fans of Swift.

“[Swift]’s been there for me through it all,” Dazi said. “Her albums have come out throughout my life. I found so many friends through her music and now we’re starting this club to find more friends and meet more people that love her.”

Swiftie Club meets every Monday evening at 7 p.m. in Lecture Hall 13.

According to the Surat Al-Baqrah, a chapter in the Quran, the month of Ramadan is when the Quran was revealed to the world. The sight of the first new moon of this month sparks a period of fasting from sunrise to sundown.

Muslims use this time to strengthen their relationship with Allah and their faith by abstaining from drinking, eating, smoking and any behavior considered sinful. Typically, Muslims wake up before sunrise to eat Suhur, the meal before one begins fasting, and refrain from all food and drink until Iftar, the meal at sunset.

For many, Ramadan is a holiday celebrated among families, gathered around tables set with dates followed by traditional dishes, separated by prayers and expressions of gratitude. In a college setting, typically, it is very challenging for most students to find a community on campus to pray with and celebrate sacred holidays such as Ramadan with. Fortunately, organizations such as the Binghamton Muslim Student Association (MSA) seek to create a welcoming environment for students across campus and in the larger Binghamton community, with weekly events and shared celebrations.

This year, the MSA is hosting communal Iftars for Muslim students five days a week, where students gather, pray and break fast together as a community. For many students, MSA provides a sense of community many Muslim students have on campus and provides an environment conducive to peaceful meditation and prayer. Farida Larry, an intern on the MSA E-Board and a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, spoke on how meaningful it is to have such a strong community of Muslim students on campus.

“This is my second Ramadan on campus, but my first with MSA,” Larry said. “Last year, it was a bit lonely because I didn’t have a community of people who were fasting with me, so it was just me trying to make sure I keep up on my prayers and everything. This semester, because I have a community, it’s really fun and heartwarming. I didn’t realize that was something I was missing — having a community to fast and celebrate Ramadan with.”

The MSA has been hard at work for months in preparation for this monthlong celebration. Yasmeen Gilani, fundraising chair and an undeclared sophomore, said the MSA takes on a large load of responsibility hosting an event like this as the only Islamic-faith-based organization on campus.

“We take money out of our budget, and our 14 E-Board members have done everything to provide Iftars five days a week for students and it’s just us,” Gilani said. “We don’t have any full-time staff or any discretionary funding, so it is really up to our E-Board.”

Gilani said the planning process is rewarding, because of the positive experiences for students and the chance to make new friends.

“We get to see students and meet new students and see the positive impact we have,” Gilani said. “It’s really nice to find people like that who also share a common religion because it’s a great way to make new friends and meet new people who you probably wouldn’t meet at your mosques at home or anything like that.“

Although many students may struggle to adjust to celebrating this sacred holiday away from home, the MSA works tirelessly to provide a welcoming, spiritual environment for Muslim students to celebrate in.

Ramadan Mubarak to all who celebrate!

There is no other way to perfectly summarize this new era Harry Styles walks us into with the release of his new single, “As It Was,” for his upcoming album, “Harry’s House.” Succeeding his stunning sophomore album, “Fine Line,” “Harry’s House” is to be released on May 20, 2022. This release is not only preceded by a Grammy-winning album, but also a recent nail polish collection drop from his beauty brand, Pleasing. It is safe to say that Harry Styles is anything but disengaged with his fanbase.

Any fan knows that Styles adores his extensively detailed teasing of new projects prior to their release. “As It Was” is no exception. Beginning March 18, a promotion for Styles’ new project surfaced through a mysterious website called youarehome.co [HYPERLINK – youarehome.co] linked to several social media platforms. The website featured a beige door that would open to reveal a different image each day at noon. Images would range from art from Haruki Murakami’s novel “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” to a very complex puzzle of various mushrooms, all of which are known by fans to be tied to Styles. Linked to these updates were tweets from @youarehome on Twitter, posting various phrases to cause introspection — many of which listeners learned were lyrics to his new single.

Three days later, on March 22, Styles followed @youarehome accounts on both Twitter and Instagram, confirming that this was a project of his. The following day, he announced the release date of the album across social media platforms, garnering millions of likes and hundreds of thousands of reshares. On March 28, Styles announced that his next single, “As It Was,” was to be released on April 1 at midnight in England.

That day, hundreds of thousands of fans across the globe were glued to their screens, waiting for the commencement of this new era of Harry Styles. Currently, the song stands as Spotify’s most-streamed song in a single day in 2022 and the most-streamed song in the United States in a single day in Spotify history.

Taking on a beat familiar to A-ha’s “Take On Me,” Styles uses sounds nostalgic of the ’80s in a style similar to “Golden,” a single from “Fine Line,” where dejected lyrics are masked with an upbeat melody. Styles reflected on his perception of himself and how that has shifted between quarantine, his personal life and career endeavors by saying the song was about “metamorphosis and embracing change, and former self and perspective shift and all of that kind of stuff” in an interview with Audacy.

The music video brings these themes to life with various symbols representing Styles’ metamorphosis. The video opens with him hiding behind a semi-translucent door as the song begins to play, where his goddaughter asks him to pick up her phone call. The door separates two rooms, one of which represents the inside of his mind and the other representing the outside world. As Styles walks forward through what represents the outside world, he is wearing a large, Bianca Saunders red coat, standing out among the people around him all wearing neutral tones or blue.

As the lyrics begin, he progresses backward to go back to the door, returning back to the inside of his mind, as everyone else continues to walk forward. He sings behind this, “gravity’s holding me back,” suggesting that the person he presents is not necessarily him at his full potential. Here, he trades his large coat for a custom Arturo Obegero sequined jumpsuit of the same color, suggesting a more free and open version of himself within his own mind that is not obvious to the rest of the world. In this room is a spinning platform, remarkably similar to a record player. On the platform is a woman in an identical jumpsuit, but blue in color — potentially as a nod to the 1999 science fiction film, “The Matrix.” The contrast between Styles and the woman is remarkably similar to the red and blue pills of the film, where the red pill brings you back to reality while the blue pill allows you to resist the changes you need to face. Furthermore, in the first verse, Styles sings “What kind of pills are you on?” reminding us of the idea of facing reality versus living in ignorance. There is tension between the two as they attempt to reach other but continuously miss, barely embracing one another — suggesting a person or state of mind that he has always nearly had, but never able to fully grasp.

The screen pans to Styles in front of a pool with people in neutral tones and the woman in blue, as they begin to undress to swimwear and Styles embraces the woman, who is still wearing the entire blue jumpsuit barely adjusted. At this point, he removes the gloves from his hands, symbolizing the end of the “Fine Line” era. This scene does not last long, as it quickly moves to a room painted abstractly where Styles and the woman are pinned down similar to the renowned photo of Charles and Ray Eames, well-known furniture designers. They are barely grazing each other’s fingertips, as they are pulled apart from one another. Here, Styles refers to bearing himself to the world as he is and opening his heart and mind to the public and bringing those he loves to the spotlight, who may not open themselves entirely to the world, yet get torn to shreds by critics and fans online regardless.

The screen pans back to the inside of his mind, on the spinning machine running in place as the bridge plays until he sits down. The focus moves to him standing in front of the outside world watching three white doves fly away. Here, Styles reaches a sort of breaking point where he no longer fights change as reality forces him to adapt. Throughout the entirety of the video, Styles fights change by being stuck running in place. He finally hops off the machine and begins to dance around the different rooms until all of his dance moves are synchronized between different settings. The person within himself as well as the person he presents to the rest of the world has finally become one confident, lighthearted person. He lies down on the spinning machine with his limbs spread out, suggesting he embraces the uncertainty that life has to offer and is willing to take on these challenges fearlessly with some very interesting choices of choreography.

“Harry’s House” is largely interpreted as a metaphor for Styles’ mind. “As It Was” confirms this as Styles sings about himself, specifically. In the second verse, Styles breaks the fourth wall as an artist by calling himself out for self-isolating and not coping with challenges in the most effective way. Additionally, he directly references his relationship with Olivia Wilde as he sings, “Leave America. Two kids follow her” during the bridge. Furthermore, he alludes to the criticism he’s faced over the last year with “I don’t wanna talk about who’s doin’ it first” in reference to his Vogue shoot. Such lyrical transparency is not common with Styles’ typical songwriting as he normally writes more subjectively, leaving much of his lyrics open to the interpretation of the listener. Here, he takes a much more objective approach and makes it crystal clear that this upcoming album is about Harry Styles, and he does not care for any questions, comments or concerns.

For the first time since 2019, the Pakistani Students Association (PSA) hosted a Mock Shaadi on March 25 in the Mandela Room. Zairah Ahmed, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, was “married” to Fayeem Mooktadeer, a sophomore majoring in computer science.

The PSA has been working thoroughly to plan this event since the beginning of the semester. Laiba Wasti, a PSA intern and freshman majoring in chemistry, described preparing for the event as a very extensive process taking many months to choreograph dances, purchase all of the supplies and decorations and interview the bride and groom.

Many arrived at the celebration wearing the traditional clothing of beautifully vibrant colors ranging from pastel pinks to bright greens all coming together to light up the room. The celebration began with guests filing in, getting appetizers and settling in their seats until it was time for the newlyweds to walk in with their groups. Tables were dressed with rose petals and small bags of almonds, pistachios and chocolate while the room was beautifully decorated in red.

Once the procession began, the entire E-Board of PSA entered, preceding the groom and bride. Mooktadeer entered on the shoulders of friends with at least 20 people around him that proceeded to surround him once he made it to the stage, where he would soon sit with his “wife.” Ahmed entered along with her group of girls. After meeting Mooktadeer at the stage, they sat next to each other watching a performance by BU’s Bhangra team. Several performances followed, divided between the groom’s side and the bride’s side, followed by everyone coming together to dance. Michael Lulaj, an attendee and freshman majoring in biology, expressed his appreciation for these performances, describing them as his favorite part of the night.

“Everyone was so talented,” Lulaj said. “I was so glad I could experience it because I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

By the end of the night, everyone gathered on the floor to dance to popular Pakistani, Indian and mainstream music until the Mandela Room cleared out. The event was remarkably successful at bringing people together to celebrate this culture and participate in an experience that many might not typically have. Mooktadeer was eager to take on the role of the groom to celebrate this culture.

“I know, back at home, I’m not really into most of these traditional things,” Mooktadeer said. “So I wanted to embrace myself in Binghamton [University’s] culture because I did not get much of that back at home and now I’ll get that here.”

Editor’s note: Fayeem Mooktadeer was a former Tech Assistant Manager for Pipe Dream