Category Archives: Welcome

Volleyball is a team sport played with two teams of six players separated by a net. The players score points by getting three hits to get the ball over the net following a set of rules specific to the sport. The main rules include that each team can have up to three touches to get the ball over the net, an individual player may not hit the ball two times consecutively, the ball may not touch the ground, players may not catch or throw the ball, the ball must fall within the boundaries of the court when hit to the other side, and players may not touch the net. There are the twelve people on the court, and the audience includes the people interested in watching or supporting the game. The game is typically played with all women or all men, but sometimes games are played co-ed (with both genders). In women’s volleyball the net is typically shorter than the men’s volleyball net, but all other rules remain the same. 

Although there are both men and women who play volleyball, the sport is more popular among women. Therefore, the audience of people that watch volleyball are probably more female heavy. My personal view of the interplay of playing sports and playing gender is that I think it is very nice to have a female dominated sport in a society where most sports are male dominated. The video shows clips of a women’s volleyball team playing and they are able to play the sport very well. Wildness in this sport might be displayed in the way that the ball is hit with much power and force when “attacked” to the other team.   

Kristine Chin

“Wild Things” is a pop song by Alessia Cara released in 2015. In this song, Cara begins the song by relating with those that feel like they don’t fit in with society’s definition of what “normal” should be. She notes that “we will leave the empty chairs to those who say we can’t sit there,” indicating that she has felt rejected by society, and is tired of trying to appease others. Instead of trying to change herself to fit in with the “cool kids,” Cara embraces her “wildness” by paving her own way and “carving her own place into time and space.” Cara finds that instead of trying to “walk on eggshells” to gain people’s approval, she gives herself permission to be herself and find her own definition of what is cool. In the chorus of this song, Alessia Cara tells others to “find [her] where the wild things are” because she is no longer going conform to what society tells her is right to do. This lyric is very interesting because she recognizes that her idea of what is “normal” is what society would deem “wild.” 

I really enjoy this tune because it analyzes and criticizes society’s definition of the word “wild.” Cara encapsulates in this song that wild is a relative term that is defined by the majority of society, or those that society deems to be “cool.” However, Cara empowers others to embrace their uniqueness and allow others to see them as “wild.” She tells her listeners to not conform to what society tells us to be but that it is normal to be different. 

• Kristine Chin

A song I consider to be wild is the song “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd released in 2001 as part of the album “The Wall” in the genre of rock music. I remember my dad first showing my brothers and me this song when I was around five years old and I never forgot it primarily because of the music video. The music video itself I consider to be wild because it portrays students in a very strict school. They seem to do exactly what they are told and follow every rule, making them just another fish in the sea. What stuck out to me is that they are so “brainwashed” that they willingly fall into a meat grinder. The video takes a turn when everyone decides to set free of this system and do as they please.

The wild meaning behind this song is that the teacher is representing the government not allowing people to live freely and the need to control most aspects of people’s lives while the students represent the people and how they are stuck in this harmful system. I think the title of this song fits perfectly well because everyone has the same lifestyle based on the government and no one makes a difference, making everyone just another brick in the wall. The video depicts, in a different situation, what the song is trying to portray which I think overall gives it that wild effect of showing control and how others don’t refrain, making them “brainwashed”. I think the author is trying to tell us to break free from this and how maybe the government is not in our best interest.

NASCAR racing is an American auto racing company that each year sanctions over 1,500 races at over 100 tracks in 48 US states as well as in Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Daytona 500 is a 500-mile-long NASCAR Cup Series motor race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Although it might seem like a very low-demanding sport since the bottom line of the sport is who can drive the fastest, there are many other skills required to succeed in this high-intensity sport. Because cars reach extremely high speeds of over 200 miles per hour and can go from 0 to 60 mph in around 3 seconds, having fast reflexes is a main necessity for the drivers. Physical stamina is another important skill as drivers must handle strong G-forces, high temperatures, and a sustained heart rate between 160 and 200 bpm during a race. Additionally, teamwork is another strong aspect needed to succeed in racing since everyone from the driver, pit crew, managers, to even sponsors carry the same responsibility of communicating effectively in order to improve performance, modify vehicles, and secure wins. This sport can be of entertainment to people of all social groups but can be considered a high-level sport.

It is evident there is a large ratio between men and women as this is a male-dominated sport. What this can reveal about the internal gender dynamic of this sport I believe can go hand in hand with the stereotype that women are bad drivers. I do believe in all sports or activities there will be a dominating gender which leads to “playing gender” instead of “playing sport”. For example, in basketball or soccer, the women division attracts way less attention than the men’s but on the other hand, when it comes to modeling women attract most of the attention. I feel gender definitely plays a role when it comes to sports having to do with what gender this sport is generally associated with. 

I feel this sport can be defined by the term wild since drivers reach incredibly high speeds. Any wrong or too late of the slightest turn can lead to horrible accidents or possibly death. I think drivers are brave as they get in a car and drive it the fastest they possibly can without overthinking the danger that comes from it.

https://youtu.be/5VtE1DiQowk (Links to an external site.)

A song that I consider to be “wild” is Taylor Swift’s song “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version),” which she released unexpectedly just last year. Taylor Swift is an American singer-songwriter who writes in many different genres. “Wildest Dreams” was initially featured on Taylor Swift’s synth-pop album 1989, which she released on October 24, 2014. However, after losing her ownership rights to most of her music due to Big Machine Records, she is rerecording all of her previous albums and re-releasing them under her own name as “Taylor’s Version.” Therefore, when Taylor Swift surprised the world with the rerelease of “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” on September 17, 2021, no one was expecting it due to her plans of rereleasing Red (Taylor’s Version) on November 12, 2021. 

I think that the release of “Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” and its lyrics are both “wild” in nature. Taylor Swift has recently surprised her fans by dropping albums unexpectedly or sprinkling hints across her social media platforms. However, releasing a song to the public without warning and her reasoning essentially being the fact that the original song was trending on social media is extremely “wild.” Furthermore, the lyrics of this song are “wild,” with the song title including “wild” in its name. For example, Taylor Swift sings, “I can see the end as it begins,” which is an inherently “wild” statement due to this breaking normal bounds. It is impossible to see the end of something before its beginning and suggest “wild” abilities. Furthermore, the emotional turbulence of lines such as “He’s so bad but he does it so well” and “Say you’ll see me again//Even if it’s just in your wildest dreams,” conveying the “wild” emotions that Taylor Swift is depicting within this song. Additionally, it is wild for Taylor Swift to assume that her partner will see her in his dreams, considering neither he nor she has any authority over their dreams. This suggestion of controlling the uncontrollable is another “wild” aspect of this song. 

https://youtu.be/CUr_UwUUXzU

-Juliette Chartier

“This is America” is a song released in 2018 by Childish Gambino featuring Young Thug, Blocboy JB, 21 Savage, Slim Jxmmi, and Quavo. It is a hip-hop song that conveys a commentary on American culture and how black lives are treated. This song strikes me as wild because of its underlying message of how the country often operates in a carefree nature oblivious to the struggles of its black population. The song starts off with a smooth, seemingly carefree chorus which abruptly ends with the sound of a gunshot. The proceeding beat is more aggressive and bass-heavy for some time before returning to a smooth chorus. The shifts in tune portray the manner in which the nation seems to quickly return to a less serious, unconcerned nature following scenes of violence in which black lives are harmed. The lyrics “Guns in my area… I got the strap… I gotta carry ‘em” describe the dangers that black people face living in their communities, often necessitating the ownership of a gun to survive. It struck me as wild to hear Childish Gambino’s depiction of what life can be like for many African Americans as it is a stark contrast to the relative safety I and many Americans experience in our communities. Gambino also includes the lines “Police be trippin’ now… Yeah, this is America.” He is referencing police brutality and how it has become emblematic of the state of the country. I found this line to be wild as Gambino is making a bold statement about how flawed the identity of the country is. Overall, I believe this song to be “wild” as it boldly drives home a strong message about the flawed nature of the country.

-Avinash K

“She Wolf” by Shakira was released in 2009 on her album She Wolf. There are two versions of this song, Spanish and English. I will be focusing on the English version in my post. This is a pop song that incorporates various sounds such as electronic beats, violins, and howling. In the song, Shakira sings about a woman who is “domesticated” during the day, but at night becomes a she-wolf. This song narrates the feelings of a woman who feels trapped but is freed through the she-wolf persona. The line “Not getting enough retribution or decent incentives to keep me at it” displays her discontentedness within her relationship. She then sings about being on the prowl to find single men to have a good time with. 

This song is “wild” because it is about a woman exploring her “wild” side and feeding into temptation. Women embracing their sexuality and desires is taboo. Under the patriarchy, women are expected to keep their sexual desires to themselves. A woman would be looked down upon by her peers if she openly embraces her sexual cravings. Shakira is reclaiming her sexuality through this she-wolf character. In the first verse, she describes her hunger and sexual desire. She sings, “The moon’s awake now, with eyes wide open my body’s craving, so feed the hungry.” These lyrics openly express the innermost desires of the subject through the she-wolf persona. She also describes sexual liberation through the lyrics from the chorus. She sings, “Open up and set it free (Ah-ooh) there’s a she wolf in your closet. Let it out so it can breathe.” These lyrics are about letting go and releasing one’s inhibitions. The closet is a metaphor for being trapped and being closed-in. The she-wolf character is the personification of the subject being liberated sexually. Overall, I think this song is “wild” because it describes a woman freely embracing her sexuality and willingness to break societal standards.

-Anna Allen

A song I listen to that I think is really wild would have to be ‘Overthinker’ by INZO. I chose this song because I love Electronic Dance Music, otherwise knowns as EDM. It is one of the wildest genres because the build-up rhythm replicates the feeling of anticipation in the brain and when the beat drops, the brain produces dopamine. This song holds a special place in my heart because it helped me find myself when I was just in high school and this Halloween I drove to Houston to see INZO perform live at a music festival. Even though we got to his set late, seeing him play ‘Overthinker’ was one of the best moments of my life, so I got tickets to see him again in April! 

‘Overthinker’ is a wild song because it actually includes a voiceover from an amazing philosopher, Alan Watts. His healing voice mixed with aesthetic beat drops bring out a feeling of nostalgia. The verse after the first drop speaks to me greatly, “Most of us would have Rather money than tangible wealth And a great occasion is somehow spoiled for us unless photographed And to read about it the next day in the newspaper Is oddly more fun for us than the original event”. This verse helped me realize that important things in life are not materialistic. The philosopher goes on to explain that we lost our senses because of how tied up in our minds we are. This song reminds me to question reality and how I perceive the world around me instead of overthinking and living in my head.

Katsiaryna Aliashkevich

Famous by Hip Hop/Rap artist Kanye West in the album The Life of Pablo is a song I would consider wild. The song itself is written by an artist that many would consider pretty wild due to some strange statements and very public controversies such as running for president, his current pleas for his ex-wife, and famously his controversy with Taylor Swift. Famous came about after his controversy with Taylor Swift that occurred at the VMA awards after he interrupted her speech to say that another artist should have won. Kanye’s song lyrics say “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex. Why? I made that bitch famous” claiming that his controversy with Taylor at the VMAs is what made her famous.

This song is wild in that it sparked up controversy and lots of media coverage and comes from an artist that is also considered wild. “Famous” sparked a very public feud between the Kardashians (Kanye’s previous family) and her, leading to many celebrities and viewers picking sides. What I find wild is how a song lyric led to a very popular feud that got everyday people (non-celebrities) invested in this drama. It’s also very wild to make claims that another very famous artist became famous because of Kanye. Another very wild thing that occurred in this song was it’s music video. The video featured lookalikes of multiple celebrities, including Taylor Swift that were nude in a bed with Kanye. I believe it’s very wild to create a video that includes wax models of other celebrities while also dissing said celebrities. The song itself I don’t believe is wild in the way it was created and sounds but instead due to the effects that occurred due to the release of the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7FCgw_GlWc

-Stephanie Wilhite